The gun mania...

Disclaimer Note: I have not been in U.S.A, I know about the U.S only from movies, news and some of my friends there. Hence, there is a good chance that whatever I am writing is based on ignorance, so continue reading with that in mind.

Last weekend, just like the news shocked anyone else, I too was in a state of horror learning the mass massacre/shooting of the kids (aged 5-10) by Lanza (a 20 year old guy). For those who are not aware, Lanza, armed with a couple of guns, walked into a school, and shot dead 20 kids and 6 adults. 

When I had a chat with one of my friend in the U.S, he said people there were very insecure. It was possible for anyone to come over and knock your door at night, threaten/kill you and walk away with your possessions. He was almost mugged by a guy at 6:30 pm in the town. It could be that insecurity that drives them to possess guns, for self-defense, for protecting themselves, and their family. And according to him, these are not some individual incidents, and they are common in many parts of the U.S.

Now, there are two probable solutions possible here. One, make guns legal, and let the citizens use it. Two, enact tougher and stricter laws to prevent mugging/theft/small crimes/drug abuse/alcohol abuse etc. U.S.A went with the first one. Possession of guns is legal, and people can use guns for self-defense according to the second amendment (even if the intention was not self defense when the amendment was made). The flip side is what you see nowadays, a new shooting incident every 2 months or so.

Why not the second choice? Why not enact tough laws to prevent small mishaps? For that, one might need to look into the reason causing mugging and thefts. Or may be ask ourselves the question, “What would make me steal?”. Nothing, but economic problem. We do not have money, our family is dependent on us, we do not have a job, we cannot earn, and we have to provide bread for our family. Yes, that can make us steal.  And probably, that is what that makes them steal too. Now, why is it hard to find a job and earn in the U.S?

Simply put, America is a country ruled by the corporate. The big industries of oil, weapon, banks and retail decides “what next” (more or less true). And in retail, who is bigger than the “Wal-Mart”? They have driven out every possible small scale and medium scale businesses. A good majority of these small businessmen and their employees turn jobless, and according to my friend, there are quite a lot Americans who find it difficult to get a job. 

My friend told me about a ridiculous practice that exists in U.S - price-matching. He receives a number of ad-posters via mail, and he can check that and find out the lowest price for every item. He can go to Wal-Mart with that, and they will give you the item for that lowest price. Now, do you think, any small-scale or medium-scale business can survive there, when you have a “Wal-Mart” which provides all the goods at the least possible price? I remember reading an article in "The Hindu" by Sainath, which stated that the size of onions in U.S is controlled by Wal-Mart. They make the onion size bigger so that people throw away after using the first half, and they come sooner for the next purchase. The article was mainly about the decline of the small family owned farms in U.S.

Now, if you think the lawmakers are going to do anything against the corporate, you can refer the source of the biggest fund for election campaign for both the parties. That will answer your question beyond doubt. If you ask me, I do not know a solution here, either that a strong leader should emerge, else undoubtedly, America is heading towards a revolution, sooner or later.

Coming back to the mass killings, people who tend to do these mass killings may be driven by mental issues. Either that they are born with mental issues, or society turns them insane. It might be that they do not get enough attention from family or friends because their character/personality/looks is different. The social stigma associated could probably cause depression, and drive them towards mental illness. As important as it is for the state to provide better mental health care institutes, it is important for the rest of the society to accept them as one amongst us, and act in a non-prejudiced way. Along with that, the media and the entertainment industry also need to evolve. Glorifying wars, killings, villains and violence plays an important role in shaping the young minds. When the state via media provides a “reason” for war which kills millions, the young can easily imbibe on it, and find a reason for killing a few.

Now, coming back to guns, I am completely against making guns legal. Even if a person encounters economic/social/mental problems, he can shoot and kill people only if he carries a gun. Making guns legal facilitates that.  Of course, one can obtain guns illegally and use them, but that is another story, which can again be prevented with tougher laws. Just the day before the Newtown incident, a guy in China stabbed a few school children. A horrendous incident, but still in light of the Newtown incident, does not the “stabbing” sound better? Of course, a root cause analysis of the problem is important, improvement of economic and social conditions, improvement of mental healthcare facilities, all are good, and will do well in the long run. But, what can be done to prevent occurrence of such incidents in the near future? Well, the answer is simple, ban guns, why do ordinary citizens need guns? Don't the guns cause more harm than help? Do the guns really help you when you are in a dangerous situation? Or are the guns just an illusion of safety?

People abroad say it is very dangerous to travel to India. India is insecure, you may be robbed, you will encounter eve-teasing etc etc. True, I am not denying the existence of robbery or eve-teasing in India. But, even with all this, we learn to live without guns. Till date, parents in India can send kids to school without the tension of them getting shot. Yes, there is a lot of difference between 4000 year old India and 250 year old “evolving” America. But still, some facts are facts.

May be the Newtown shooting and the tiny smiling faces will remain etched in our memories forever. Or, will it? Just like Newtown made Oregon or Colorado “easily forgotten", it might be only a matter of time till another mass massacre makes this one look small.

The changing rythm...

The purpose of science is to improve the human understanding, about him and about the world. It provides answers to the basic human questions involving “how”, “why “and “when”. Science leads us to wonder if there is anything more powerful than it.

While science serves the purpose of understanding, art serves the better purpose of expressing. Be it any form of art; painting, sculpture, photography, music, or any other art form, their essential purpose is to express or communicate emotions, ideas or feelings and to beautify objects. And personally, I love music out of all the art forms I have come across, simply because it takes me to a whole new world. It helps me forget my existence, to lose track of time, and elevates me to a world of pleasure. There is rarely anything that gives me the satisfaction, and elation that a good song can provide me with.

Music is universal, just as it appeals to all sections of the society, it appeals to all the senses of the human body. It was never about “hearing” music, it was about “feeling” music. At least that was how it used to be. Unfortunately, music cannot escape the inevitability of change. Music seems to be absorbing the pace of the world nowadays, with quite a few ones being fast numbers. 

On introspection, probably one reason for the change would be the change in the creator’s motivational factor. From self-satisfaction, it has changed now to popularity/appeal to the masses. When you take into account the monetary factor, there is no point criticizing the creator. It can be concluded that the core reason for the change is the change in what “appealed” to the masses. Seemingly, people are interested in fast paced songs with meaningless lyrics, rather than meaningful melodies. It is no surprise that beauty of today’s music is associated with “appangal embadum” and “aande londe”, while the melodies (few in number, though) goes unnoticed. It happens when music is just a “background activity” for us, a state when we just “hear” music.

Yes, I do know that the genre of music one likes is his/her personal taste. This blog is just another blabbering, by someone who is afraid of the change, worried that his playlist sees no prospect of expansion, by someone who is finding it difficult to accept the fact that the concept of a “different” song changed from “lajjavathiye” to “mazhaneer thullikal” in 7 years time.

“And so it goes with God" - Life of Pi

A visual 3D extravaganza, a special effect marvel, that was Life of Pi for me till the last 10 minutes of the movie. Then, there was an outpour of philosophies, which made me think, and even lose a days’ sleep.

Pi, the central character had told 2 stories, one, a totally incredible and unbelievable one, and the other, a completely reasonable one. We are asked to choose an option, about which story we would prefer to believe - the story where he sailed across with animals, tamed a hungry tiger, got into a carnivorous island, or the one in which humans kill each other because of anger and hunger? Do we believe in a make-belief world, even if it is completely illogical? If so, what makes us think like that? Is it the struggle to preserve the “sanctity of the human world”, attributing the animosity to other creatures? Probably, we would like to hear a story where tiger and hyena kills, rather than humans killing. Even if it defies all logic, we might prefer the story which is colorful, funny, and more than anything else, which shows us hope, hope in humanity, hope that there indeed is light at the end of the tunnel.

However, I was not satisfied; I kept on saying to myself that the maker of Brokeback Mountain would imply something even deeper. What intrigued me was if the tiger was actually Pi (in the second version of the story), who was Pi in it? There is a scene in the movie, where Pi is shown as getting angry, after he sees the Orangutan getting killed by the hyena. Immediately after this scene, the tiger pounces on the hyena and kills it. Interestingly, this is the first scene where the tiger is shown in the boat. (In the second story, it is revealed that Pi’s mom was killed by the cook, and in his anger, Pi killed the cook)

It makes sense when you think that the tiger was just a manifestation of Pi, probably a manifestation of the animal instincts in Pi. The tiger (his animal instincts) wanted to kill and consume Pi, but he kept away from it. He kept on hiding from it, and escaping it, until he finds a way to tame it. He lets the tiger go inside the boat (probably, bury deep inside his conscience), and learns to live with it. Even if it was this tiger (primal instincts in him) that keeps him alive, gives him hope, and helps him hold together,  when he learns to live with it, he makes sure that, it does not overwhelm his goodness.

They reach an island together, probably a symbolic representation of religion. Religion shows you a shade when you are tired, food when you are hungry. You have the option be like the colony of Meerkats obeying all the aspects of the island (religion), hiding yourself at night when it turns carnivorous. It is interesting to note that Meerkats are usually found in deserts and they are burrowing animals. In addition to making the first story totally unbelievable, this might have something to do with the fact that Meerkats are not at all intended to stay in the island. The fact remains that, eventually, the whole group of Meerkets will be engulfed and that island will cease to exist. The island may not necessarily be religion itself, it could represent any such concept which on the surface seems nice and green, but actually is just floating around without any direction, waiting to take you in. Pi decides to move on, as he was not willing to lead a half life, which would eventually take him in.

Finally, he reaches the Mexican shores, where he sees the tiger (animal instincts in him) for the last time. The primal side is buried deep inside his subconscious now, and he never has to take it out again, as he is with his fellow human beings.

So, what is "And so it goes with God"? To be frank, I am still in the process of figuring it out. The only link I can form with god is what I mentioned initially. Even if it is totally unreasonable, and illogical, many people believe in god, as they associate a hope with it. It makes us dream, dream for betterment, better humanity, better life, and what not! Yes, even being an atheist, I would prefer the first story over the second, because it talks about the same hope and love, which is what I believe as "god".

I am sure there are many more subtle meanings conveyed in the movie, like the name “Pi”, an infinite number, which probably implies that it is not the story of a single person, but about the “infinite life” that exists in the world. Waiting for watching the movie a second time now :-)

The “Bal” legacy

I could understand the millions who participated in the funeral procession of Mother Teresa, E K Nayanar, or even Princess Diana.  But, when I saw that almost the same number attending the funeral procession of the “Marathi hero” Bal Thackeray (BT), I was a bit surprised. Not that, it was least expected, but somehow I could not understand that millions could agree with him on his “Maharashtra for Marathi” or “India for Hindu” slogans. That is when I decided to spend a few minutes to analyze what exactly he has accomplished.

When I was a kid, every morning I take the newspaper and quickly glance through the main page before turning over to the sports page, to see if there are any bendhs, so that I could sit at home. I am sure BT would really have been a source of relief and happiness for many kids like me, and I could understand how small kids would develop an instant liking for him.  Not only kids, even teenagers would have loved BT. He was the guy who stood up for them during Valentine’s Day. I know a lot like me, who find it so hard to have a girlfriend. We used to be very depressed when lovers go to parks, exchange roses or kisses, and not to mention, Valentine’s Day was our doomsday. The way he stood up for us, and harassed and drove off the lovers is admirable!

When we grow up, and as adults, we worship “heroes”, people who believe in what they say, and who walk the talk. BT was a true hero for them as well. He stood up for what he said, fought for what he said and was ready to kill for what he believed in. It actually does not matter that, he stood for divisive politics or rather communal politics, and that he instilled hatred for Muslims/South Indians/North Indians in the mind of ordinary Marathis. Just that, he was a hero and a non-hypocrite, that is all that matters!

Again, he was an indirect inspiration to many. There was a time in Bollywood, when it was a pain in the ass to watch Hindi films. RGV along with Amitabhji (both vocal supporters of BT), came up with Sarkar, a movie applauding parallel government. Indeed, it was a big relief, compared to the usual dull Bollywood crap. Even during his death, he would not forget the ordinary people. There were a number of shopkeepers, officers, businessmen who badly wanted to see the India-England match. All the shops were shut down, offices closed and they were happily home. He even helped a lady and her friend to visit the prison premises and verify if “all is well”.

On a serious note, I cannot help but feel surprised when people try to support Bal Thackeray. The claims of him helping the development of mills, various roadways in Maharashtra (not to forget Mr.Gadkari was in charge of PWD then), and preventing Mumbai from being swallowed by the underworld, might all be true. Probably I am too short sighted, for I cannot see a person as two, separating his positive side from his negative. I cannot just comprehend with the fact that in spite of his hatred articles, comments, communal attitude, there are “neutral and non-communal” people who actually liked him. Not to mention, the Mumbai riots, and the communists he had massacred!

P.S: Some points mentioned here are inspired from topics in Quora, and are not entirely mine :)

Standing up for all the wrong things…

Sitting lazily on a Friday afternoon in office, it is not surprising that your mind wanders, and that too much faster than your watch. Today, I was immersed in thinking of what all values I was taught when I was a kid, what all I used to love and feel passionate about, and what among those would I teach my child.

As I have covered my views on religion in my previous blogs, I am not going to drag that over here again. At least till my child reaches an age where he can think independently, he/she will be brought up as an atheist, or at least an agnostic. I would like him/her to know and understand that life is not fair, rather than polluting his thoughts with “everything happens for good”, and that there is someone with a remote “up there” controlling your life. I would probably teach him/her that truth will hurt, and suck, but it will never make you regret in life.

There was a time when I was passionate about being an Indian, probably even for being a Keralite. I would keep on bragging whenever possible about all these. But, then someday you realize that you being born or brought up in a place, has nothing to do with you, and that it is not something that you deserved or earned. Now, when I think of it, I find it completely wrong and shallow when a person talks so. Patriotism is only a false emotion, triggered in you by your surroundings, to infuse a difference, to make you think that you are better off/worse than people living in some other geographic location. Even our history text books do not help us here, other than portraying some as heroes, and the rest as zeroes!

I loved the Indian cricket team, and probably more than that, I hated the Pakistan team. In between, somewhere, I realized that Afridi and co. are not responsible for the Partition of India, the Kargil War, or the 26^th November attacks. I realized that Gary Kirsten and co. did not treat native Africans as slaves. I comprehended the fact that Vaughan and co. did not enforce divide and rule in India. I am sad that I had to learn it the difficult way, and it was too late. 

By the time I started realizing all this, I seem to be beyond change. Now when I consciously try to root for a team like Pakistan (who need a win to boost their economy, to make other countries play in Pakistan), I see that I just cannot do that. For sure, I do not hate Pakistan now, but when it comes to Pakistan vs India, I always side with India. I hope time can make me mature enough or at least old enough to forget all the hatred instilled in me, so that I can plainly think of everyone as humans, even if they are portrayed as Pakistanis or Africans or Americans.

Being patriotic, even if in the most righteous sense of the word, creates differences. I think only people who sacrifice their life for the country can be called patriotic, and no one else. I hope for the day when governments across the world will think of armies as a dispensable unit, and patriotism as evil.

Now, when I think of it, being a human itself has nothing to be proud of. In fact, I think they are the sickest possible animal that one can ever be. We think ourselves as the most intelligent species that inhabited earth. It is an irony that we have medicines for the deadliest diseases, but yet many starve to death. When we think that we live in an “advanced technological” world, somewhere else, people commit suicide because they fail to feed their young ones. It is a surprise that people living in some air conditioned room can order a war to kill helpless millions. It intrigues me that we continue to make nuclear weapons powerful enough to wipe out our fellow beings. At least, the law of jungle is to kill for food! We, humans, are the most insecure beings ever to have surfaced the earth, that we have reached a stage where we get satisfied and happy, only when we see others’ miseries.

My wife often tells me that I am highly optimistic. For once, I hope my optimism pays off, so that I can tell my child something other than “You are born as the sickest animal, the world is going to be annihilated soon, and you should neither have faith nor be passionate about anything!”