Over the last 4 or 5 years, we have all heard of the India's incredible growth story. Of roaring growth and booming GDP. This, mostly from newspapers such as TOI. I'm not going to make snide remarks about the media because fact is, they are shite and everyone (with a brain) knows it. That aside, the country has seen incredible growth even though there may be a million sicknesses that the media chooses to gloss over.
Just a couple of cases in point most obvious in an urban context:
1. The spread of mobile phones
2. The rise in number of airline services
The two are effects which principally affect totally different segments of the Indian demographic. The cause for both is broadly the same. Personally, I don't consider either to be real progress. Our definition of progress in based on the concept of hyper consumption and greed. Greed, unfortunately, begets greed and consumerism is an epidemic that is not going to go unless apocalypse strikes (the sheer number of people!). Yet, both these effects have added real value to the lives of people. More people can avail these services today than two decades back so for them it is progress.
Having said that, don't you think that with both, so much can be improved? When I hear cheap phone blaring out 90's Hindi songs in buses, I feel it is a case of great resources in the wrong hands. People with extensive experience of air travel can no doubt tell you what could be better in that industry. Usually, a problem goes through four phases
1. Problem is noticed
2. Someone complains
3. Necessity gives birth to innovation
4. A new benchmark is established and people find new things to complain about
What does this tell you about the Indian context? That problems have been noticed and people (me at least) are complaining. It sets the stage for innovation. Whats even more encouraging is that real growth has been achieved and we are still shite as a nation! We can only improve from here. Unlike countries in the west which look like they have peaked. And once you peak, there is only one way to go: down. Ups and downs can be expected in a global economy but our future looks good. I have some cousins who are based abroad so I get asked sometimes whether I would consider settling abroad. With the gaping opportunity, my answer will be a firm no.
Mar 3, 2011
Jan 10, 2011
Finding bliss
Amid all the chaos, the blaring advertisements, the honking cars, the hollering people and a general numbing of the senses, somewhere you realize that its about sharing, about culture, about values.
Oct 16, 2010
Getting back
Melancholy is back. It was on a bit of a vacation. Well, the questions of life never really leave but now that I have a bit of alone time, I decided to write about it.
A lot has been happening in my life lately. There's been a change of job, a change of location, setting of goals, a broadening of vision and a reunion with some good friends. Some things haven't changed. College still remains the benchmark with respect to quality of life. I am convinced that that benchmark will not change. I think I dont want it to change. The journey from school to gaining one year of work experience has been rough. When I think that some of my best memories from college are more than 4 years old, the mind boggles. That there are more than 30 years of professional life to go makes me want to run away to a far off land.
Now there is 5, 10 sometimes 20 year vision. Now there is formal talk and corporate suck up. There is a daily commute and a code of conduct. Back then, we didn't look beyond the next day's football session. Honestly, no one thought it would ever end. All in good time one may say and it would be correct. There is satisfaction in having gained a sense of direction but one essential question still remains. Do I want to work like a dog and achieve something real and meaningful? Or do I want to lead a life of ease and guaranteed returns? It's a matter of principle which is as yet undetermined. I read recently that workaholics are people who work to escape their dull lives. Not very different from gaming or TV addicts. I realize I'm going down that route now. I think I'll figure it out. Hopefully, its just a matter of time.
(October 2010)
A lot has been happening in my life lately. There's been a change of job, a change of location, setting of goals, a broadening of vision and a reunion with some good friends. Some things haven't changed. College still remains the benchmark with respect to quality of life. I am convinced that that benchmark will not change. I think I dont want it to change. The journey from school to gaining one year of work experience has been rough. When I think that some of my best memories from college are more than 4 years old, the mind boggles. That there are more than 30 years of professional life to go makes me want to run away to a far off land.
Now there is 5, 10 sometimes 20 year vision. Now there is formal talk and corporate suck up. There is a daily commute and a code of conduct. Back then, we didn't look beyond the next day's football session. Honestly, no one thought it would ever end. All in good time one may say and it would be correct. There is satisfaction in having gained a sense of direction but one essential question still remains. Do I want to work like a dog and achieve something real and meaningful? Or do I want to lead a life of ease and guaranteed returns? It's a matter of principle which is as yet undetermined. I read recently that workaholics are people who work to escape their dull lives. Not very different from gaming or TV addicts. I realize I'm going down that route now. I think I'll figure it out. Hopefully, its just a matter of time.
(October 2010)
Mar 23, 2010
One Life
One Life. Your life. One chance. Your chance. One passion. Your passion. One belief. Your belief.
One family. Your family. One love. Your love.
One vision. Your vision. One path. Your path.
One life. Your life.
Do good.
One family. Your family. One love. Your love.
One vision. Your vision. One path. Your path.
One life. Your life.
Do good.
Mar 19, 2010
Clarity
They say, that immediately after a storm, there is clear weather. I’d like to imply that after a period of fuzziness and confusion comes clarity. I don’t think the confusion is gone yet but clearly, there is some clarity. You could do a million good things in life, earn a lot of money and become highly successful. But in the end the thing that matters most is the relationships you build and friends you make. That’s clarity.
Feb 20, 2010
The need for good sense
With all the recent blunders in its ground breaking report on global warming being admitted by the IPCC, skeptics have got a new voice. I think global warming is a threat. If not in the short term, then definitely in the long term. Unfortunately this series of errors is bad publicity; the IPCC has lost credibility. But as is usually the case with issues of a global nature, the larger picture goes missing. For me, when an issue like this gets endorsed by a mass audience (Copenhagen last year for example), it reeks of gimmickry.
Whether global warming is real or not, shouldn't we continue to do the sensible things? Global warming may not be proved beyond doubt, but there are problems we know are causing considerable damage to the environment and society. One of them, broadly speaking, is pollution. Yes, a lot of it overlaps with the global warming issue (greenhouse gases) but the results are in front of our eyes. Industrial and vehicle pollution spoils the air we breathe and waste is being dumped into the water we drink. With air pollution especially, you know things are not right when your eyes start watering whilst out on the street.
Fossil fuel is being burnt to generate the electricity we use. So are we really running out of fossil fuels (and hence the need to rapidly reduce our dependence on them and start using alternate energy)? Maybe, maybe not. But lets ensure that we use only as much as we need. Lets use better appliances, switch them off when not needed. (Note: While CFLs are a well meaning technology, I'm not sure they are the way forward. The bulbs are filled with mercury which makes them a bio-hazard. Any leak/contact with humans is very dangerous. Disposing them, for the same reason, becomes a problem. I mention CFLs because they are being promoted vigourously.)
Lets not waste water. It is such a precious resource in this day and age. While we in the cities use liters and liters on a daily basis, there are people who have to make do with less than a liter a day. And if not for the aforementioned people, do it because it makes perfectly good sense!
As I said, the larger picture has gone missing. Sooner or later, we will find out about warming and its effects. Now, lets tackle the problems right in front of us. There is a desperate need for sense to prevail.
Whether global warming is real or not, shouldn't we continue to do the sensible things? Global warming may not be proved beyond doubt, but there are problems we know are causing considerable damage to the environment and society. One of them, broadly speaking, is pollution. Yes, a lot of it overlaps with the global warming issue (greenhouse gases) but the results are in front of our eyes. Industrial and vehicle pollution spoils the air we breathe and waste is being dumped into the water we drink. With air pollution especially, you know things are not right when your eyes start watering whilst out on the street.
Fossil fuel is being burnt to generate the electricity we use. So are we really running out of fossil fuels (and hence the need to rapidly reduce our dependence on them and start using alternate energy)? Maybe, maybe not. But lets ensure that we use only as much as we need. Lets use better appliances, switch them off when not needed. (Note: While CFLs are a well meaning technology, I'm not sure they are the way forward. The bulbs are filled with mercury which makes them a bio-hazard. Any leak/contact with humans is very dangerous. Disposing them, for the same reason, becomes a problem. I mention CFLs because they are being promoted vigourously.)
Lets not waste water. It is such a precious resource in this day and age. While we in the cities use liters and liters on a daily basis, there are people who have to make do with less than a liter a day. And if not for the aforementioned people, do it because it makes perfectly good sense!
As I said, the larger picture has gone missing. Sooner or later, we will find out about warming and its effects. Now, lets tackle the problems right in front of us. There is a desperate need for sense to prevail.
Feb 7, 2010
Drinking Culture
When Nooria Haveliwala was drinking her last peg on the 29th of January, she probably thought-like most of us-that she would get away. Not even in her worst nightmare would she have seen the horrible consequences of her incredible drunkenness. Two people died and some others got injured. She herself escaped unhurt.
Lots of different things have been reported in the media which is essentially not important. What is important though, is the kind of culture that is being promoted in our metro cities. With swelling population and growing salaries so many people don't really know where to spend all the money. Pubs and bars offering cheap liquor are sprouting across cities. Bangalore has such a high density of pubs it will probably accommodate every software engineer living there. And I'm not sure whether I'm exaggerating or not which is saying something. I myself have often been the pillion rider with a drunk friend. Despite my protestations, the friend in question shrugs and reminds me of India's latest position on the bribery index. I have been fortunate in that I have never been caught. A friend who was caught once was let off without any action whatsoever. People believe they can get away with being drunk. If you can get drunk, you can surely pay your way out of a ticket. That, in my opinion, is the core of the problem. The drinking culture that is being developed is very worrisome.
Advocating caution is just not going to deter people. An offender needs to know that he will be punished if he breaks the law. It is difficult to foresee a future with restrictions on pubs/bars and drinking in general. In fact the right solution for this kind of recklessness would be to nip it in the bud; going the prevention-is-better-than-cure way. Lets not even get to the point where a drunk person takes the wheel. Lets totally avoid needing a policeman to find out if one is drunk or not. For me, a viable solution is the bar arranging a bus for all those drunk over the limit and recovering the money as part of a refundable entry/cover charge. If we can't beat the culture problem then we must join in and find a remedy. The sooner, the better.
Lots of different things have been reported in the media which is essentially not important. What is important though, is the kind of culture that is being promoted in our metro cities. With swelling population and growing salaries so many people don't really know where to spend all the money. Pubs and bars offering cheap liquor are sprouting across cities. Bangalore has such a high density of pubs it will probably accommodate every software engineer living there. And I'm not sure whether I'm exaggerating or not which is saying something. I myself have often been the pillion rider with a drunk friend. Despite my protestations, the friend in question shrugs and reminds me of India's latest position on the bribery index. I have been fortunate in that I have never been caught. A friend who was caught once was let off without any action whatsoever. People believe they can get away with being drunk. If you can get drunk, you can surely pay your way out of a ticket. That, in my opinion, is the core of the problem. The drinking culture that is being developed is very worrisome.
Advocating caution is just not going to deter people. An offender needs to know that he will be punished if he breaks the law. It is difficult to foresee a future with restrictions on pubs/bars and drinking in general. In fact the right solution for this kind of recklessness would be to nip it in the bud; going the prevention-is-better-than-cure way. Lets not even get to the point where a drunk person takes the wheel. Lets totally avoid needing a policeman to find out if one is drunk or not. For me, a viable solution is the bar arranging a bus for all those drunk over the limit and recovering the money as part of a refundable entry/cover charge. If we can't beat the culture problem then we must join in and find a remedy. The sooner, the better.
Jan 17, 2010
Vestigial politics
Just yesterday, after reading of the appointment of M.K. Narayanan, Shivraj Patil and some other inconsequential politicos to the post of governor of random states, I wondered about what the governor of state actually does. Owing to all the dust that has settled over seven or eight year old memories of Indian civics, all I know is that
Governor:State::President:Nation
Ok. That means that they are mere pawns who are required to carry out token tasks like putting their signature on any new bills introduced. Why exactly then does our country need a president or a state a governor? Wikipedia reveals the following (and I'll only dwell on points I find relevant):
President of India:
Powers
1. President 'appoints' the Prime Minister after a majority (clearly or through coalition) has been demonstrated. Not that he has any decision making to do there.
2. President 'appoints' the Chief Justice of India. On the recommendation of the Cabinet.
3. Power to grant pardon to or reduce the sentence of a convicted person.
4. Money bills can be introduced in the Parliament only on the prior recommendation of the President.
5. A bill that the Parliament has passed, can become a law only after the President gives his/her assent to it. The President can return a bill to the Parliament, if it is not a money bill, for reconsideration. However, if the Parliament sends it back to them for the second time, the President is obliged to assent to it. Note 'obliged'.
6. President is the supreme commander of the armed forces. He can declare war or conclude peace but only if parliament approves.
Salary
The president is paid Rs. 1.5 lakh a month although note this- 'However, almost everything that the President does or wants to do is taken care of by the annual Rs 225 million budget that the Government allots for his or her upkeep'.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan occupies an area of 200,000 square feet undoubtedly employing a large number of people, and incurring mammoth maintenance bills.
And I've kept out a number of other points. The presidents powers list actually starts to get funny after a point with the regular occurrence of 'obliged', 'however', 'subject to', 'on the recommendation of' etc.
A Governor of state has exactly the same powers (or lack thereof) as his superior the President, except for the fact that he/she cannot be impeached. Given whatever paltry responsibility the governor enjoys, one might say there would never be a case for impeachment. Oh, and the governor earns over a lakh of rupees a month and lives in sprawling mansions situated in posh localities in the capital city of the state in question. Like this. Smooth.
So why does our country need to continue with these positions? For our love of symbolism perhaps. Or perhaps the need to appease a bunch of politicians who have become vestigial? Is there any point exasperating myself with all this? Or am I missing something here? Because I'd really like to know.
Governor:State::President:Nation
Ok. That means that they are mere pawns who are required to carry out token tasks like putting their signature on any new bills introduced. Why exactly then does our country need a president or a state a governor? Wikipedia reveals the following (and I'll only dwell on points I find relevant):
President of India:
Powers
1. President 'appoints' the Prime Minister after a majority (clearly or through coalition) has been demonstrated. Not that he has any decision making to do there.
2. President 'appoints' the Chief Justice of India. On the recommendation of the Cabinet.
3. Power to grant pardon to or reduce the sentence of a convicted person.
4. Money bills can be introduced in the Parliament only on the prior recommendation of the President.
5. A bill that the Parliament has passed, can become a law only after the President gives his/her assent to it. The President can return a bill to the Parliament, if it is not a money bill, for reconsideration. However, if the Parliament sends it back to them for the second time, the President is obliged to assent to it. Note 'obliged'.
6. President is the supreme commander of the armed forces. He can declare war or conclude peace but only if parliament approves.
Salary
The president is paid Rs. 1.5 lakh a month although note this- 'However, almost everything that the President does or wants to do is taken care of by the annual Rs 225 million budget that the Government allots for his or her upkeep'.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan occupies an area of 200,000 square feet undoubtedly employing a large number of people, and incurring mammoth maintenance bills.
And I've kept out a number of other points. The presidents powers list actually starts to get funny after a point with the regular occurrence of 'obliged', 'however', 'subject to', 'on the recommendation of' etc.
A Governor of state has exactly the same powers (or lack thereof) as his superior the President, except for the fact that he/she cannot be impeached. Given whatever paltry responsibility the governor enjoys, one might say there would never be a case for impeachment. Oh, and the governor earns over a lakh of rupees a month and lives in sprawling mansions situated in posh localities in the capital city of the state in question. Like this. Smooth.
So why does our country need to continue with these positions? For our love of symbolism perhaps. Or perhaps the need to appease a bunch of politicians who have become vestigial? Is there any point exasperating myself with all this? Or am I missing something here? Because I'd really like to know.
Jan 10, 2010
A tale of two faces
For some reason, I did not want to post this on the blog but I just could not resist. So here it is.
On the left is...well, if you don't know then there isn't any point in telling you who he is. And on the right is upcoming Indian tennis player Somdev Devvarman
On the left is...well, if you don't know then there isn't any point in telling you who he is. And on the right is upcoming Indian tennis player Somdev Devvarman
Dec 25, 2009
Putting reality TV to good use
I've made my peace with reality shows. How? By simply ignoring them. Completely. In fact I've sort of been working on a filter that keeps out all the shit from life. I understand that reality TV is probably the lowest (yet) to which humanity can stoop in its greed for money and fame. It can be clubbed with other shit like modern politics, bollywood and its antics, contemporary news channels, the wannabe generation...well, the list is endless. So basically I'm done with the ranting (though I've experienced that rants are often associated with peaked frustration levels).
Yet, I cant help thinking of the amount of good that come out of something that has mass outreach. Staying with reality TV, here is what I think can be done to improve society and still make as much money off it without producing a generation of dumbass reality TV celebs.
1. Crime. Parade criminals on TV. We've a number of high profile criminals in our country. Make them appear on TV, ask them to talk shit about morality and repentance. Some scripted advice as well. In return, offer to pay their families. Get a cheap slut to host the shows. I'm sure it can be arranged.
2. Highlight social evils. Feature people caught in the net of societal backwardness. More modern phenomenons like children harassing parents..you know. How do you find such people? Why invite applications of course. Scrutinize and select the most worthy. Get a sensitive type person to host this show.
3. Seek justice. Like a person wrongly fired from a job. Sensationalize it big time and make it clear to all wrong doers that such mischief will lead to humiliation on national television. Any of the former two genres of people could be a host here.
Just a few of the top of my head. I know all these would be immoral, cheap and rating-hungry shows but its not like we have anything any different on TV these days.
What do you think? I'm pretty sure you can come up with some ideas. Lets make some constructive use of the space given by Google.
Yet, I cant help thinking of the amount of good that come out of something that has mass outreach. Staying with reality TV, here is what I think can be done to improve society and still make as much money off it without producing a generation of dumbass reality TV celebs.
1. Crime. Parade criminals on TV. We've a number of high profile criminals in our country. Make them appear on TV, ask them to talk shit about morality and repentance. Some scripted advice as well. In return, offer to pay their families. Get a cheap slut to host the shows. I'm sure it can be arranged.
2. Highlight social evils. Feature people caught in the net of societal backwardness. More modern phenomenons like children harassing parents..you know. How do you find such people? Why invite applications of course. Scrutinize and select the most worthy. Get a sensitive type person to host this show.
3. Seek justice. Like a person wrongly fired from a job. Sensationalize it big time and make it clear to all wrong doers that such mischief will lead to humiliation on national television. Any of the former two genres of people could be a host here.
Just a few of the top of my head. I know all these would be immoral, cheap and rating-hungry shows but its not like we have anything any different on TV these days.
What do you think? I'm pretty sure you can come up with some ideas. Lets make some constructive use of the space given by Google.
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