Ideas are Immortal

There are certain terms, which when encountered unleash a whole new paradigm. The recent experience has been with this menacing term – perception management.

Just a pause to think about this phrase yields a new dimension of sorts. It talks of managing perceptions!

Aren’t perceptions supposed to be evolved by learning, or acquired with experience? What does someone have to do with managing perceptions of another person. Ironically, this is what we are all being conditioned to, and in a subtle manner.

The grandeur of this phrase is that, the ones managing the perceptions are in essence the ones trying to benefit out of the contortions they would perpetrate. For instance  the rich, or the ruling class are managing (read contorting) the perceptions of the masses.

Now that I have used the term ‘rich and ruling class’, a natural sort of anti-left sentiments might creep in some of you, while the others might connect with the term. Noam Chomsky, uses the evolution of this very perception to manifest the concept of perception management: We in today’s world live about with the notion that  it is not that the rich are ruling us, but the competent. It has been made into an obvious fact that we cannot get away from – they managed to instil this perception into our lives.

Media and propaganda are in today’s world more capable and catastrophic than wars. While wars are violent and there is ultimately pointless destruction of life and property, media with its treacherous wing of propaganda can paint the futile bloodshed into an act of sanity. And that is more gruesome than the act of perpetrating the war itself.

Being cynical, or at the least skeptical of the news and views being fed to us via the channels, and scrutinising them is the only way out of this plague-like problem.The distortions caused by perception management has caused a great shift in the ethics and values of society.

We the people are more cynical about each other than about anything else; there is little concern that we end up showing to the people in real need.
Commodities are replacing people and emotions, and it is as if we live to impress the markets than even pleasing oneself.
Value system is deteriorating and it has given sanction to an evolution such as – help thy neighbor to trample thy neighbor.

In the name of being civilised, all that we as part of the society are doing is to discretise ourselves, fragmenting the social structure and leading ourselves into a framework that is now based on perversion. And media – the mirror with which we are trying to look at ourselves shows ourselves to be sane and ethical.

In Oscar Wilde’s brilliant novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian knows he’s rotting from within but his magical painting absorbs his vices and shows him to be young, attractive. Likewise today, we know we are failing –  that we are not doing right, and still seek the pseudo sanction from the world created to make us believe in these pseudo values.

Simply,Perception Management is like Event management, or product management, an advertising endeavor – only difference being they are selling our vices polished and guilt-free back to ourselves.

PS: A brilliant documentary which elucidates this notion http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/psywar/

Spectacles in Astronomy are events one should never miss in a lifetime. And I don’t quite remember how, but I seem to have always had this inclination and even while I was at school have been independently pursuing these acts of wonder.

Today’s mega event, the transit of our neighbour Venus,across our common parent and vanguard the Sun was scintillating to say the least.
In 2004, when the last transit occurred, I wasn’t very sure what it was until I decided to drop in to the Nehru Planetarium in Bangalore. I was thrilled to see the Venus transit the Sun, then and was of the opinion that it was a common occurrence.

Venus transit of Sun in 2004

Venus transit of the Sun in 2012!

Now, today when the transit happened, and was also told that it wouldn’t happen for another 105 years, there was nothing but to drop in to the camp. This time our own community from FSMK had organised the event in Lalbagh botanical gardens on a hill top,and I wasn’t going to miss.

And to everyone’s disappointment the first one hour there was nothing but the clouds, and the Sun hiding behind.

At about 7.20 AM, the first few clear seconds of view, allowed me to locate Venus on the white map of the Sun!
Stunned, I think I had goosebumps too! (oh, yeah I get really excited)

And after catching glimpses of it in Lalbagh, and because the cloud was still playing spoil sport, I took route to college and on my way dropped to witness the spectacle with ‘my terrestrial Venus’, and of course we were ecstatic (another eternal memory – ticked).

Back in college with a few teachers and students we observed the Venus slowly fade into darkness.

While there are many things which make people in general happy – a subset of those can only impact me, and Nature’s wonder never fails to propel me to ecstasy. Having witnessed this spectacle twice, I am now a member of smaller, elite league of humans 😛

I normally am verbose; many other times bear the baton of pleonasm, and it seems like an almost impossibility to my observing entourage to find me struggle, and/or be out of words in trying to convey what I am to convey.

While in a recent discourse it is being claimed that I was found ‘out of words’ and here is my justification (hope it does not turn into a confession).

It wasn’t that I had run out of words –  but merely trying to address a realm that I have never been before. When riding new terrains, being cautious with a tinge of reservation is a natural response to anyone normal – and I am natural and normal.

So, in the discourse with a dear friend about a recent, crucial development in my monotonous life, I was unprepared and had not given thought to what I was supposed to say, and hence was caught off guard.
Now, anything we haven’t thought through and are not risking to do an adhoc leak for ‘security concerns’ would show us being hesitant and reluctant, and in either case this demeanor can be construed as to one being ‘out of words’.
In my case, the vichyssoise of verbiage veered least verbose (hi-five if you know from where I got that last line)- and, a conclusion about me of having gone out of words was quite natural.

Now, I being the mild megalomaniac might not directly confess that I might have been really dumbfounded when having to face the situation where I had to see, contemplate and formulate opinions in new light, about growing bright prospects and glaring future – I must have been a little slow in expressing, for, heavy thinking was going on – I assure you.

When every hope of my dream is turning into an unbelievable reality, and when there’s more hope swelling to see the rest of it culminate on the same lines, letting go my verboseness for sometime might be the right symptom is one other justification, if you weren’t convinced of me not having gone ‘out of words’ 😛

Soaked in you
I stand here, like the brush drenched in paint;
Dreaming of you
I wait here, like the nirvana seeking saint;

Wanting you
I shape myself, like the flowing molten metal;
Knowing you
I am elated, like the accused after acquittal;

Being with you
I am lost, like the pebble drawn in by the waves;
Sadness in you
Leaves me dry, like the drifting withering leaves;

Thought of you
Freezes my mind, like the subject in English past tense;
Obsessed with you
I am focused, like the light through a positive biconvex lens;

Words of you
Please me, as if I were the monarch indulged in spirits;
My darling you
Are to me, like the God appearing to the faithful band of theists.

I have littered the ideas which I am posting here in various posts of mine. Nonetheless, will assimilate and vent out once to have done my duty as the citizen of India.

In heated conversations, I invariably end up accusing the pseudo nationalism that impulsively flickers in Indians on the 15th of August and the 26th of January, without sustaining the pride or the concern incessantly. True nationalism is when the individual performs his actions keeping national interest in mind, and as unheard as this notion might seem is in fact what “nationalism” is.

Chai nationalism
A variant of Indian nationalism is the chai-nationalism; the great debates, discussions and solutions to salvage India are rigorously discussed, some of it assimilated and most of it dismissed by the end of the chai. While this is necessary in a true democracy (not necessarily with chai, but people discussing politics), yet again it is perceived as the execution of the responsibilities of the citizens.

Class nationalism
A subtle facet of nationalism that most of the urban youth exhibit these days is the “class based nationalism”. No issue is seen in the national paradigm – “Reservations in seats affect me, so it is bad”,” Protests cause traffic jams, so it is bad”, “Poor are poor because they didn’t work hard – survival of the fittest”, “Autowalas demand more- they are greedy”, “Trucks can’t go on strike – it is atrocious” etc. These myopic and personal exhibitions of concern painted with social concern are getting ubiquitous, for, more or less the media too feeds this trash. Any issue must be analysed with its pros and cons, and with the nationalist perspective, of course not the individualistic perspective, i.e. if one is speaking of being a nationalist.
It doesn’t take altruism, simply empathy, to be able to understand the story from the other side.

Facebook nationalism
Well, a detailed post specific about this I wrote in an article I called “Totem revolutions“.
Facebook has hindered in more ways than many see its hindrances transparently – I will argue that it has made a majority of our netizens complacent about their civic responsibilities. A status update, a picture posted, and like on another post deem to the execution of social responsibility.
While using these newer means to propagate ideas is much needed, stopping at the same point is perilous. It creates nothing more than a trending topic on Twitter and data mining for Facebook.

NGO Nationalism
Non-Government Organisations and the corporate responsibility version of doing one’s small bit to the betterment of the society is yet another popular ideas of modern nationalism. Over the weekends, and weekdays via the mail threads to contemplate the future of India is wonderful – SEZ’s everywhere, disinvestment everywhere, privitisation of everything. This attitude breeds a whole apolitical population who do not ever think of cleansing the system but only of bypassing it.

Foreign nationalism
And this is one of the most ridiculous manifestations. The twenty first century brain drain led a whole “smart” portion of our population settle down in various foreign countries and the nationalism emanating from them is ludicrous. “And that’s why India will always be this way”, “Come see how things work here”, and more bleating on these lines. Huff,I don’t want to be harsh, but the word running in my head is “cowards”, “escapists”- well, I said it, oops.

So, my responsibility has been executed for today. Will go post it online and feel satisfied about the nationalism I have shown!

PS: I strongly believe that political activism and elevating the mass conscience together, or only a benevolent dictatorship will what will salvage us from our pathetic state.

A disclaimer even before you could read this post. Of the many, increasing cynics about the IT (Information & Technology) industry, I am one grooming cynic substantiated by experience and statistics. So, if you are looking for an unbiased critique you might not find it to be neutral, for, I believe the issue itself isn’t neutral.

Now, delving into the topic itself, I am yet again like my Religion vs Science debates, trying to put forth another iteration of views as to how the IT industry with all its aura and grandeur is not, and cannot be the panacea to the perils of Indian problems; nor, will it emancipate the masses to their thriving livelihoods.

Simply put, the IT industry is a vegetative progeny of the post Cold war, frigid attacks of unscrupulous capitalist modes of production. I mean – a fang of neo liberal exploitation and greed. (if it sounds heavy, look around you)

Now the question if the IT industry itself is good or bad is a bigger problem requiring special treatment. I, inn this post only intend to highlight the pseudo reality that the frantic and frenzy media have made, and have been successful in making the population believe it.

The lifestyle of Indians has in the last decade primarily, shifted to a unapologising emulation of the West. While emulating the West has never been new to the majority of the inferior feeling Indians, but now a societal sanctity has been granted, and the mascots are the IT diaspora. The impact this is having has caused the adiabatic changes in the culture and ethos of the society.

This being the case, an important tumult that has been triggered and is now a tsunami like menace – education system is now dancing to the tunes of  IT industry.

The rise of the IT industry in India required a work force,and the education system was more than willing to position itself as a provider of mediocre work force (for, the training in courses is never adequate for industry), reducing impetus for research or pursuit of other essential courses like the Arts, History, Pure Sciences, after having their luster stripped off – thanks to the IT illusion.

Another alarming, personal observation has been the shift of focus of the ‘Engineering institutions’ towards manufacturing workforce for IT. It is again one of those subtle facts which now is being showcased with decorum.

While I was a student, any major event would be presided over by chief guests who were erudite scholars, or well accomplished persons in the society with various facets to them. Now the trend, alarmingly seems that the people invited as guests of honour are IT company HR managers, Team Leaders and other positions of a system – this depicts that the IT industry now is the true master of the education system.

These professional courses are not for sure enabling students choose their profession,only are they guaranteeing them jobs and this is the only aspect everyone seems to be bothered about.

I see foul in this whole saga of IT industry and education sector nexus; with the natural. abundant capital that flows in it the whole contorted reality is being perceived the reality and all that is happening in effect is sacrificing past values and present generations, inviting bleaker future with no roots or connections whatsoever.

By treating IT the apple of the eye, the society might sooner or later realise it has lost both its eyes!

Motivation, either as a consequence of personal drive or external incentive is the most important of forces which keeps us driven, and to follow our goals.

Sometimes, when goals seem distorted, and while some other goals seem nearer, it is disheartening to endorse this quite a human fallacy, and let go the throttle in ‘hope” of crossing the finishing line. Of course,a wake up call would subsequently follow with harsher lessons.

But it might just fade off into oblivion if a voluntary shake off is attained, to swim back in action. That requires another guilt attack, which erupts when one is full to the brim with inaction, even for a few days.

Whatever it is, incentives and motivation are quintessential to drive us to pursue our ambitions, and when one goal seems distorted, the only way forward is to quickly buckle up and pursue another, bigger one more rigorously. That’s the only way of avenging what that might have been lost.

And I’m ready now.

Aamir Khan is the most concerned and committed of the lot of flamboyant movie stars India has seen. He’s so much so concerned that his own production house, for the first time has taken up an initiative (in its own small way) to cleanse India and enlighten the slumbering sacks that we Indians have become.

The effort that is going in to make each of these documentary style, thirteen episodes is immense. Each episode has a production cost of a meager 4 crore rupees, wherein most of it is going to the man bearing the burden of India, this time Mr. Aamir Khan. He will be charging himself (because he’s producing the show), a humble three crore rupees per episode, and even with this humble figure he surpasses any TV host fee in India. That’s India shining for the dumb morons that we are.

It is also interesting to note the nature of the program. Aamir Khan will take up issues that have been haunting India, and have shackled our country in darkness for the last 65 years now.  Isn’t it wonderful to have a concerned movie star, come right into the Mahabharata slot on Sunday mornings (11 AM, and not 8PM mind you), and throw light upon all that is happening, just outside most of our corners and gullies, all across our country?
Our apathy is what has made Aamir Khan to team up with 22 TV channels to air this program (amidst ads costing 10 lakhs for 10 seconds for the product companies), to teach us our vices. We still don’t learn.

Satyameva Jayate, that translates to Truth Alone Triumphs is one of the most profound ideologies that India is based upon. While we have tread this path wrongly for all these years, and have made the system analogous to everything but truth, we deserve to get another ironic lesson. Now, the program Satyameva Jayate (I hope our youth will now at least remember the slogan, thanks to Aamir Khan)  will increase awareness and emancipate India from the clutches of various perils (only thirteen important ones for now – we can have a season two) in the grandest TV documentary show ever on Indian TV.

I only hope that along with the leadership and initiative Aamir Khan has taken up this time, we will be able to make India better. Let us all dedicate our Sunday mornings for the next twelve weeks (we already missed one) to heal the world.

Letting go the sarcasm

Well, I would have rather continued this post more sarcastically, but unfortunately my writing seems so earnest that some of my beloved readers endorse the contradicting view. Staying cautious, let me vent out the real anger too.

I totally understand the concern Aamir Khan or whoever had come up with this idea. If this were anything close to what it is being projected to be, I cannot for the faintest reasons fathom as to why does Mr. Khan have to charge so exorbitantly, and in turn show ads to recover the cost.

If you are genuinely concerned – shed your hypocrisy, get out and make a true documentary without charging a penny. I might forgive the other dormant celebrities, for they haven’t been this delinquent to feed on the misery we are faced with and make the best darn TV show!
What sensibilities?

And what stupids are we to even think that they are here showing concern! Where do most of us leave our critical faculties! The idiot box still is fully capable of making finest qualities of idiots of us.

I can only be harsher and say
WAKE UP MORONS!

PS: Source of the fee claims I have made http://www.livemint.com/2012/04/21000711/Aamir-Khan8217s-Satyamev-Ja.html

Criticism at any level is a little hard to take. And it isn’t easy to be magnanimous enough, wholly, and absorb criticism and improve upon. Most of the criticism is bitter and all the people who have pretended to have been inert or to have absorbed criticism for constructive purposes are either hypocrites or rarities 😛

Animal Farm is one of the best short stories I have read. For the hundred pages it houses, to be such a riveting read is unbelievable. George Orwell’s second book after 1984, I read is Animal Farm and there is no exaggeration in whatever praises I’ve heard for him – he’s a genius.

An allegory at its best

Animal Farm – an allegory it is, and what an allegory it is. Irony at every nook and corner, every word has a dual tone and an analogous world keeps running in the minds of the readers.

Animal Farm criticises the Leftist movements of the 1940’s and their off track tendencies. My understanding of the Left movements in the current world and my own amateur contentions seem to synchronise with some of the ideas that get thrashing by Orwell in his ‘simple’ piece.

I look at this work as nothing more than a positive criticism and if these were directed at me as a person, I would stop and introspect to see if these were true or not (or maybe I wouldn’t if I am not as magnanimous as I expect myself to be)

Nonetheless, reading Orwell and with my own limited experiences, there is a severe and urgent requirement for the Leftist forces to re-engage in their approach of tackling the crisis the world is facing. I am a novice with not much of experience or even comprehension of the issues at hand, but I can sense the need for a renaissance.

Ideas are immortal, but the expression of ideas have to evolve.

Coming back to the book, the literary genius of Orwell lies in the simple fact that he is able to convey a mammoth amount of critique with a simple story and an easy writing style.

While this post might put me in various debates, I will stand by the expression I have made here 🙂