Monday, November 21, 2011

Who owns the media?

The credibility of media is under serious scrutiny and some actions of media in the recent past have only increased the common man's concerns over objectivity of reporting.

Case in point: 
Nov 19th: CNN-IBN reports: High inflation blow to Govt's credibility: Montek Singh Ahluwalia (as a top headline) (Link to the video >>http://bit.ly/sgfslM, which I can't find on the main page anymore) 

Nov 20th: the entire interview is telecasted. Mysteriously it doesn't find any mention on the top headlines of the site or in the politics section.

Nov 21st: Tucked away in a slide show the same show has a new headline and guess what it reads. 'Indian banking's downgrade by Moody's absurd: Montek Singh Ahluwalia' (6th slide on the left side of the site) (Video link >> http://bit.ly/rvcvKi) . 

I am left wondering why the headline changed from an explosive confession to an inconsequential rhetoric. Why is the news kept away from the headlines? Was there a direction from the Govt.? 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Revolution within

Uneasy with the attributed identity,
I yearn for the identity that was.
As a disillusioned romantic in the middle of a revolution,
I have no where to run and no where to hide.

Self-deprivation to speak to a sleeping master,
wakes an ugly monster within.
Drunk and driven by darkness,
they make a futile attempt for light.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ban Tomatina. What next?

There has been an active campaign to ban Tomatina festival in Bangalore. It is wonderful to see such activism. But I would like to take a step back and see if we are barking at the wrong tree?

Could a country where people are starving afford 'Common Wealth' Games? Do we feel okay hogging water and electricity resources for Jacuzzi and umpteen gadgets when around 10% of villages don't have any access to clean water and 15% of villages don't have electricity ? How is Tomatina different from a rock concert, sporting event, star hotel etc. which are wasting more resources which can be put to better use? These are moral questions and the answers to which would vary based on our personal sensitivity.

While there is a valid point in the outrage, I feel it is directed at a symptom than at the problem itself. The problem is with our Govt. policy and problem is with the apathy in urban middle class, which has been a beneficiary of the Govt. policies. So can we take a stab at the problem? Can we force them to get their policies right and implement them? Can we sensitize urban youth to the world beyond their city? I feel we are settling fighting the easier battles. May be we will win this battle, but the war is on.

I am with change.org's central message but I don't think banning a festival or organizing a drink-for-social-change kind of festivals are going to bring meaningful change.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

T for Tragedy

We live in weird times, hooligans demand democratic rights and peaceful protest means to destroy public property. This irony isn't what is shocking, it is the middle-class approval to wanton acts of violence. They proclaim when we are in a struggle such acts happen. Sounds like specious argument made by Rajiv Gandhi on Sikh Roits.

They compare our T-struggle to protest in Tahrir square. People who maintained peace in the face of death, people who volunteered to clean the square because it was their country and that is what they do. I hope the power of web is not strong enough that they hear about how this inspired revolution is unfolding. I am sure they would be ashamed for inspiring such people.

Planned destruction is attributed to police excesses. People carried ropes, sickles, knives, kerosene and hammers for a peaceful protest. Students of our premier institute find no better way to vent their frustration that burn buses, throw stones and intimidate the police and public with dire consequence. If these are educated men who are going to blaze T-land in the sphere of development. I wish my people well.

Interesting times indeed.

The leader of our struggle can't seem to complete a sentence without threatening, humiliating or provoking his enemies. I wonder if that is what T-culture ? Where you want to spit in the mouth of people, rip them apart and threaten to beat them to pulp. His speeches sound like a script given to an out-law in a B-Grade film.

An elected representative was attacked on the floor of the house. Physically abused for having a different opinion. Khabardaar! they roared. There is silent approval and appreciation for this in the T-middle class and there is approval in the educated elite. Looking at this I wonder, how we are any different from Pakistan where the murderers of liberal leaders are hailed as heroes? How are we different from extremist elements which offer no room for disagreement, which end any dual with muscle power. I also wonder the example we are setting for our kids.

Countries and regions formed on hatred and divisiveness have not been able to contain that spiral and are today failed states. Pakistan and Bangladesh may be good examples. Countries who fought for principle and for peace have prospered. India and South Africa are case in point. I hope T-ites know their history.

I feel sad and ashamed. I wish I could be proud some part of it, any part of it. Alas! wishes they are.

Such out-laws and people who can't control their emotions don't deserve democracy, separate state comes next. We should demand them to behave before anything else, for the whole country is watching, for our kids are watching.

If there is a separate state so be it. If we get a land of our own, we will work on it. But this violence and intimidation in the name of revolution is not done.

PS: I am from the T-region and agnostic on the issue.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Deep Tan

Scales of judgement recalibrate to recognize fairness in insanity,
scattered priorities realign to connect the dots,
old dying world starts living afresh,
when cupid strikes and magic happens.

Detour to dream world becomes an unavoidable halt from pleasant reality,
Sentences spoken convey more than just the meaning of words,
physical distances cease to indicate intimacy of hearts,
when cupid strikes and magic happens.

Matters of no consequence become an acceptable proxy for togetherness,
promise of companionship morphs inevitable destiny into an achievable target,
coveted positions of heart get ceded a secret a day,
when cupid strikes and magic happens.

Living through these times,
basking in these moments of magic,
heart grows a deep tan which won't pale in a life time,
mind nourishes memories which would last beyond.

Just for the record!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

How to be a positive Deviant?

I today completed Atul Gawande's Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make a difference. The best part of the book was the Afterword, where he recounts a lecture at medical school. It covers 5 suggestions to make a worthy difference, which are:
  1. Ask an unscripted question - Make a personal connection with people
  2. Don't complain - It's boring, it doesn't solve anything and it will get you down
  3. Count something - Count whatever you find interesting in your work
  4. Write something - It helps you to think things through and you become part of a community
  5. Change - Be open to new ideas
2 is my personal favourite.
3 is a very interesting suggestion. The more I think the more sense it makes.

What are your thoughts and do you have an alternate list?

(Thanks to Rishabh for loaning the book)

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Question time

Warhol 2.0 would have used seconds instead of all so precious minutes. In this information age our attention span has shrunk to 15 sec for either watching/listening or reading (140 characters). We as a generation are in the danger of buzz-worded language and shallow opinions.

Buzz around sustainability and social entrepreneurship would be case in point. Today we have fully flourishing, money minting businesses with as much social impact as any other normal company being hailed as poster boys of social entrepreneurship (whatever that means!), where as a company like Nokia - which has affected a communication revolution connecting almost everyone in the world is just a normal company without any social jazz. Why is one a champion of social justice while the other is surely not?

The major problem are not the buzz-words themselves but the way they are adopted with meager to no questioning. It becomes worse with popular media presenting opinions as facts and almost no in-depth analysis on issues. Present day media is in the business of breaking the news than putting together a well researched story.

Questioning often leads to clarity which in turn leads to fresh thought & action. I hope coffee table debates among young people would revolve around taking a harder look at the information they are consuming and opinions they are adopting. As a nation we need young people who question and find new solutions than passive consumer of popular propaganda.