Our politicians are so habituated as* licker's that such blunders shouldn't surprise us. I have seeing people who keep chanting "Om Namah Shivay" incessantly for their love of God. But I dismiss them as God fearing believers. That's ok...
But, in the recent decade the increasing hymns' in the name of Sonia Gandhi is causing concern, distress and a heck of an irritation! I understand she was a beautiful attractive Italian under-grad who cast her spell over Mr Rajiv the great Gandhi who wed her thus bringing a foreigner bahu in India's first family. Yes we were all thrilled! (why were we thrilled? Maybe because we felt too elated that 'our' Indian lad, then the would be Prime Minister of India, managed to woo a white lady - I guess we were just too in confident then, and maybe are even today!) Yes I love the Italian pizza' and cappuccino's and the Italian dressing! But that's it, I'll eat it, drink it, wear it and forget it! I do not love them to an extent of becoming their worshiper.
Recently, at a function organized by Jharkhand Pradesh Congress, Jharkhand's CM Madhu Koda payed 'homage' to Sonia Gandhi at her death anniversary! He went on to describe Sonia Gandhi as the person who led India reach heights in its peace and development. He continued that Sonia took bullets in her chest!
He apparently apologized later on when it was pointed out that he was saying Sonia repeatedly when he should have been saying Indira! Was this mere slip of tongue? Or Absent mindedness? Or is this result of historic ass licking mentality of congressmen!
[Side Note - Nehru spearheaded this practice! He proved to the world favoritism can work wonders, topple majority and win Presidency (in India it is Prime Minister') Now why was Nehru Mahatma Gandhi's favorite is not known. While the majority opted for Vallab Bhai Patel, Gandhi vetoed in favor of Nehru! But that's a separate story in a separate chapter]
We should not be surprised if we hear a divorce being filed for our fellow congressman when he uttered 'Sonia' instead of his wife's name at a wrong time.
For the record - It was Indira Gandhi who was a strong leader and first woman Prime Minister of India, who took bullets in her chest fired by her own guards! Hats off to the lady!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Blog'amia!
I am not a very regular blogger, neither do I have the literary background of a naturally aspired author, nor is my vocabulary exhaustive, yet i blog, once in a while. Other reason maybe that I belong to those many who are so busy doing nothing that they simply cannot find time to do anything else.
I was going through some blogs of my friends and non friends, impressive is the word that comes to my mind when i see their blogs with those tons of archive links to their previous blogs! They sure deserve to get some recognition for their blogabilities!
It makes me ponder as to how and why people blog? How do they manage to get time to blog so regularly? Perhaps, answer is in the fact that if you find something worthwhile, you automatically adjust your schedule so as to make time for that activity. Obviously the next question that pops up is 'what' do these bloggers find so compelling a reason to blog on a routine basis? Also, 'why' do they blog?
I think that answers the 'why' part of the question? Perhaps all we are now seeking for is self recognition, to boost our ego's, to make an impression, to be heard, to be complimented, to feel elated! So competitive we have become today, so very materialistic, so very self absorbed, so very developed! And yet, we feel that loneliness, that longing, that craving to find others of our liking, who will agree on our views and applaud them. Or is this a whiners analysis who always sees the world as one big black-hole? Maybe the 'why' can be explained by the surplus demand of fellow bloggers and netizens who have the hunger to read other peoples opinions, maybe since they have nothing else to do? Maybe they are intellectuals who want to know what the whole world thinks?
Some time back an article in the newspapers suggested that blogging has given us the power of self expression. Has it? It might be true, but didn't we already get this power when we were blessed with the ability to communicate with fellow beings using pictures, expressions and languages? But then why has blogging become so popular? Is it simply the human tendency to always want for more? More power to self express? Boom! there came the newspapers... Some more? Boom! books.. music... prose... Still some more? Bang! Internet... chatting... websites...skype.... blogging...social networking sites!..Some more perhaps?
Where does this end? With my power of expression, my freedom of speech, my views, my opinion, me & mine... the line starts blurring as technology gives way for newer means to feed our desire for more, making us more self absorbed than before. Result? We see so many of us blogging our thoughts, not sure how many are reading them though! Ironic it is, this new tool of blogging has definitely given us the power or freely expressing our views, with the potential to reach the entire world, assuming of-course that all over the world literate people have access to Internet!
Perhaps the need for self expression emerges from a rather dark gory reality. We are distancing ourselves from our near and dear ones, people who matter to us, those who in turn care for us! Only if we could communicate more freely, openly and frequently, to the ones who matter, if we could lend our ears to the ones whom we care about, perhaps then, this burning sense of reaching to the whole world would subside and the inner sense of gratitude and satisfaction would prevail.
I was going through some blogs of my friends and non friends, impressive is the word that comes to my mind when i see their blogs with those tons of archive links to their previous blogs! They sure deserve to get some recognition for their blogabilities!
It makes me ponder as to how and why people blog? How do they manage to get time to blog so regularly? Perhaps, answer is in the fact that if you find something worthwhile, you automatically adjust your schedule so as to make time for that activity. Obviously the next question that pops up is 'what' do these bloggers find so compelling a reason to blog on a routine basis? Also, 'why' do they blog?
I think that answers the 'why' part of the question? Perhaps all we are now seeking for is self recognition, to boost our ego's, to make an impression, to be heard, to be complimented, to feel elated! So competitive we have become today, so very materialistic, so very self absorbed, so very developed! And yet, we feel that loneliness, that longing, that craving to find others of our liking, who will agree on our views and applaud them. Or is this a whiners analysis who always sees the world as one big black-hole? Maybe the 'why' can be explained by the surplus demand of fellow bloggers and netizens who have the hunger to read other peoples opinions, maybe since they have nothing else to do? Maybe they are intellectuals who want to know what the whole world thinks?
Some time back an article in the newspapers suggested that blogging has given us the power of self expression. Has it? It might be true, but didn't we already get this power when we were blessed with the ability to communicate with fellow beings using pictures, expressions and languages? But then why has blogging become so popular? Is it simply the human tendency to always want for more? More power to self express? Boom! there came the newspapers... Some more? Boom! books.. music... prose... Still some more? Bang! Internet... chatting... websites...skype.... blogging...social networking sites!..Some more perhaps?
Where does this end? With my power of expression, my freedom of speech, my views, my opinion, me & mine... the line starts blurring as technology gives way for newer means to feed our desire for more, making us more self absorbed than before. Result? We see so many of us blogging our thoughts, not sure how many are reading them though! Ironic it is, this new tool of blogging has definitely given us the power or freely expressing our views, with the potential to reach the entire world, assuming of-course that all over the world literate people have access to Internet!
Perhaps the need for self expression emerges from a rather dark gory reality. We are distancing ourselves from our near and dear ones, people who matter to us, those who in turn care for us! Only if we could communicate more freely, openly and frequently, to the ones who matter, if we could lend our ears to the ones whom we care about, perhaps then, this burning sense of reaching to the whole world would subside and the inner sense of gratitude and satisfaction would prevail.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Of smart ass’s and pseudo intellects
One often meets these smart people who have flair for smooth talking, who often tend to over-talk on whatever topic is dished out and who are overtly overconfident about themselves. You always find them interesting at the first impression. But when you get under the hoods, a while later, you often are left disappointed with the results. I have met quite a few such persons and am sure you must have as well. So this one is to their dedication.
On the first appearance, they all generally appear well dressed, cool, yet modest, well mannered yet smart, etc. In short they exude all the traits of someone who has attended the finishing school. As you get talking you start noticing that they can surely be referred as a person of many words. And to put it in a sophisticated yet sarcastic way they are more like – A man of thousand words, when one would do.
The one good thing is that it is highly unlikely that your conversation with them will just hang all of a sudden with a awkward blue screen (this is typical computer lingo) that seldom leaves you wriggling in an uncomfortable ‘what the hell do I do now’ feeling.
The noticeable trait about all of them is the apparent diversity of topics they can communicate on. If your conversation skims through a couple of topics of you interest, it often lets you to believe that your wavelengths match to the brim; And if this person is from the opposite sex, you find it as an amazing coincidence; And if you are single, you think its just destiny that bought you together!
As they continue to talk at lengths on any topic that you float, you start understanding the reason for their home cultivated over confidence about one selves. Some of them are so good at this apparent confidence in themselves that they can even leave a car mechanic convinced about the way he misdiagnosed a problem in their car.
They all believe or rather want others to believe that they are the ones with high intellects, and who tend to get along with people whom they can interact at a more intellectual level. Now this statement should be taken with a pinch of salt and it shouldn’t surprise you if their best mate turns out to be a blonde from Iowa.
But their diverse arsenal of interest is really something that leaves you agape. They talk of the Liverpool team just as enthusiastically as they would discuss Bermuda’s cricket teams coach or flaws in India’s and Great Britain’s constitution or Volvo buses better aero dynamics owing to its low raise driver’s seat or the nice lyrics of the Beatles songs or the AIDS research work being headed by Dr. Helsinki. It’s not the accuracy of their talks that impresses you, cause more often than not their knowledge is only skin deep, and their facts are just as accurate! But what astonishes you is the confidence with which they deliver their two plus two equals twenty-two sort of perils of wisdom.
These people also very often have better than average career paths that surprise you at the least if not leave you annoyed. And you can’t stop wondering what is more important in life, confidence or over confidence, or its street smartness and smart ass attitude of these pseudo intellects, or whether it’s the deep-rooted principles of honesty and simplicity or to posses the intelligence of the likes of Einstein.
On a serious note, if you think even deeper is it just the sheer positivism that these people posses about their abilities or more appropriately their perceived abilities?
Or for that matter who has the right and the appropriate scale to measure and demarcate confidence vis-à-vis over-confidence or intellect vis-à-vis pseudo intellect?
My friends have often argued with me that’s its just not worth the dime to talk or blog about such people. But that exactly is the point. Annoying or charming that these people are, they do leave a mark in your memory, and often this is the sole point that they want to make!
On the first appearance, they all generally appear well dressed, cool, yet modest, well mannered yet smart, etc. In short they exude all the traits of someone who has attended the finishing school. As you get talking you start noticing that they can surely be referred as a person of many words. And to put it in a sophisticated yet sarcastic way they are more like – A man of thousand words, when one would do.
The one good thing is that it is highly unlikely that your conversation with them will just hang all of a sudden with a awkward blue screen (this is typical computer lingo) that seldom leaves you wriggling in an uncomfortable ‘what the hell do I do now’ feeling.
The noticeable trait about all of them is the apparent diversity of topics they can communicate on. If your conversation skims through a couple of topics of you interest, it often lets you to believe that your wavelengths match to the brim; And if this person is from the opposite sex, you find it as an amazing coincidence; And if you are single, you think its just destiny that bought you together!
As they continue to talk at lengths on any topic that you float, you start understanding the reason for their home cultivated over confidence about one selves. Some of them are so good at this apparent confidence in themselves that they can even leave a car mechanic convinced about the way he misdiagnosed a problem in their car.
They all believe or rather want others to believe that they are the ones with high intellects, and who tend to get along with people whom they can interact at a more intellectual level. Now this statement should be taken with a pinch of salt and it shouldn’t surprise you if their best mate turns out to be a blonde from Iowa.
But their diverse arsenal of interest is really something that leaves you agape. They talk of the Liverpool team just as enthusiastically as they would discuss Bermuda’s cricket teams coach or flaws in India’s and Great Britain’s constitution or Volvo buses better aero dynamics owing to its low raise driver’s seat or the nice lyrics of the Beatles songs or the AIDS research work being headed by Dr. Helsinki. It’s not the accuracy of their talks that impresses you, cause more often than not their knowledge is only skin deep, and their facts are just as accurate! But what astonishes you is the confidence with which they deliver their two plus two equals twenty-two sort of perils of wisdom.
These people also very often have better than average career paths that surprise you at the least if not leave you annoyed. And you can’t stop wondering what is more important in life, confidence or over confidence, or its street smartness and smart ass attitude of these pseudo intellects, or whether it’s the deep-rooted principles of honesty and simplicity or to posses the intelligence of the likes of Einstein.
On a serious note, if you think even deeper is it just the sheer positivism that these people posses about their abilities or more appropriately their perceived abilities?
Or for that matter who has the right and the appropriate scale to measure and demarcate confidence vis-à-vis over-confidence or intellect vis-à-vis pseudo intellect?
My friends have often argued with me that’s its just not worth the dime to talk or blog about such people. But that exactly is the point. Annoying or charming that these people are, they do leave a mark in your memory, and often this is the sole point that they want to make!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
And The Wall Collapsed..
.....We are not talking of Germany or the Great Wall of China, nor is it the Pink Floyd number. Its the Cricket World Cup season and yes we are talking of The Wall of current Indian cricket team that stood rock solid, till recently. As recently as day before yesterday.
We lost one match, crucial howsoever it was for the team in the series, but it was still a match in the good old gentleman's game of cricket. A game where every team has a 50-50 % chance of winning. And suddenly the nation seems to be furious at the Indian cricket teams captain. I do not wish to support or excuse the team for their performance, but it certainly seems too unfair and unjust to start blaming, just like a decision taken at the split of a second, that often gets regretted later. The Captain of the team, who has earned his respect for all the right reasons over all these years is suddenly being questioned for his abilities. It is being contemplated, or speculated at the least, to strip away his captaincy!
This I feel is certainly going down too hard on him! Especially the timing! He sure has failed to lead the team into the next level. But if he is modest enough to give credit for the wins to the team's combined effort, shouldn't it be reciprocated by the critics and media to blame the entire team for this unwarranted debacle?
As the captain rightly said "this is the time for introspection", not only for the players, but also for the cricketing board to sit back and introspect into their own actions and policies.
Whats ironic is the mass mentality and human psychic. The person who was so fondly called as the Wall of the Indian cricket team is suddenly a target for everybody. The Wall that was the pride till a day ago seems to have come down in a jiffy like a tower of cards! Under the storm of rage in the shallow hearts of his own countrymen. Kudos Indians!
We lost one match, crucial howsoever it was for the team in the series, but it was still a match in the good old gentleman's game of cricket. A game where every team has a 50-50 % chance of winning. And suddenly the nation seems to be furious at the Indian cricket teams captain. I do not wish to support or excuse the team for their performance, but it certainly seems too unfair and unjust to start blaming, just like a decision taken at the split of a second, that often gets regretted later. The Captain of the team, who has earned his respect for all the right reasons over all these years is suddenly being questioned for his abilities. It is being contemplated, or speculated at the least, to strip away his captaincy!
This I feel is certainly going down too hard on him! Especially the timing! He sure has failed to lead the team into the next level. But if he is modest enough to give credit for the wins to the team's combined effort, shouldn't it be reciprocated by the critics and media to blame the entire team for this unwarranted debacle?
As the captain rightly said "this is the time for introspection", not only for the players, but also for the cricketing board to sit back and introspect into their own actions and policies.
Whats ironic is the mass mentality and human psychic. The person who was so fondly called as the Wall of the Indian cricket team is suddenly a target for everybody. The Wall that was the pride till a day ago seems to have come down in a jiffy like a tower of cards! Under the storm of rage in the shallow hearts of his own countrymen. Kudos Indians!
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