On Trump and the liberal media.

Donald J. Trump's win as the 45th President of the US unleashed a cavalcade of social media commentaries about how 'stupid' the electorate has been to elect a 'racist and misogynist' to the post of the most powerful man in the free world. Some have labeled this day as a dark day in the history of the US.
Trump's rhetoric in the election campaign was simple and clear. A majority of the society is feeling left out and it wants its voice heard. Most of the commentators on social media are from the college educated, progressive crowd which roots for the ideals that have been propounded by the liberal media across the globe. To them being politically correct is the ideal. Conveniently enough, they don't face the same set of problems that the majority of the population faces. The effects of the 2008 recession are still seen across the country. Millions of people live below the poverty line and struggle to make their ends meet. The anger is palpable but the media houses liked to focus on the foreign issues. The Islamic State of Iraq and Levante is much more interesting; the Russian incursion into Crimea more exciting. These issues are important geopolitical affairs and should be given their due importance, but not at the cost of domestic issues.
A state's duty is to its people and it cannot wish it away, however much it would try. The people will hold you accountable if you fail in your primary task. And the US government failed in doing justice to its primary task. The progressive crowd failed to see beyond the glamorous geopolitical issues and is now passing the buck on to their less privileged countrymen who according to them don't know what is 'good for them'. An opportunity to learn from the entire 'fiasco' has been let go and instead they choose to remain in the cocoons of safety and blame 'the others'. What they fail to realise is that ideologies are important only when you have a filled stomach and a comfortable bed to sleep in. Expecting people who don't have these basic needs to dabble in the ideological warfare is nothing short of living in a dream.
Both the candidates were shoddy and didn't deserve to be given the opportunity to run for the presidency. But they did. Many people saw Donald Trump's bid for the republican candidature as a fluke. They jeered him, his antics became the source of jokes (internet memes they call it). What they failed to realise is that this was a call for help by the poor, the underprivileged ones.
In management education, we are told to empathise with others. Place yourself in the other person's shoes, we are taught.
Today, I see how important empathy is. It can make you the President of the US.

A lesson in Marketing

    Most people would agree that smoking is bad for health. Studies have shown substantial co-relation of incidences of cancer to smoking and it would require an arrogance of humungous proportions to try and deny this, not to say of the anemic reasons one would have to come up with to do so.

     This post however, does not seek to moralise people, but illustrates how a gentleman managed to sell cigarettes without raising an ounce of inquiry of the people. The gentleman was none other than the father of PR, Edward J Bernays - the nephew of the illustrious Sigmund Freud. Bernays used propaganda, though he took it upon himself to repackage the whole thing as 'Public Relations' for the consumption of the corporate world.

     Some would call him lucky, others would say he was clever - but none can deny him his claim to a mental dexterity not many are bestowed with. He saw opportunity where others saw none. Cigarette sales were taking a hit and big tobacco was struggling to expand their market. It was necessary to find a new market segment and the women populace was seen as fair game by the then President of the American Tobacco Company, George Washington Hill. 

     Women smokers were frowned upon before the twentieth century and many major cities in America introduced laws that effectively prohibited women from smoking. Changing this perception of smoking as an inappropriate act for women was important to break into this segment of customers and though lobbying efforts were carried out, nothing much changed. 

    It was at this time that Edward Bernays was consulted and he brought to the table his PR talent in its full glory. He hired a few women who were not averse to smoking in public and in the Easter Parade of 1929, they were told to march the streets of New York and light up without restraint. Pictures of these women smoking in the parade were taken by photographers hired expressly for the purpose and published the next day in the leading newspapers across the country quoting the cigarettes as 'torches of freedom'. 

     The message was simple : 'Women, you are being repressed. Light up and assert you freedom.' Women yearning for equality saw an opportunity and took to smoking, even if only to challenge the status quo. Advertisements of cigarettes targeting women flooded newspapers and women's share in cigarette sales went up to 12 % in 1929 from 5% in 1923. 

     Bernays' use of the feminism movement to boost cigarette sales is a brilliant example of how PR campaigns can be used. It shows an understanding of how to give value to one's products and still remains as a benchmark for marketing. 

P.S : Bernays would later go on to join the anti-smoking camp after his wife died of lung cancer, largely ascribed to smoking.

The NoTA - Indication of an Electoral Reform?

  It has been quite some time since I last posted, in fact very long. Anyways, I couldn't but give in to the temptation of making my observations regarding the ever nearing Lower Parliament elections. 

  I have always been sceptical of elections. I have seen my fair share of elections in IIT and know how things work. One needs just extrapolate it to make a guess about the General elections where the spoils are liberty to swindle at will, immunity from scrutiny and much more. I was staring down right into chaos. So, when NoTA was brought to my notice first, I brushed it aside as a futile effort. However, a recent dialogue with a friend brought with itself quite a few revelations. 

   Elections in India, as a rule, have been left to themselves. People have seldom questioned their veracity and chose from whatever options were deemed fit for them by the politicians. However, the young population which has recently come to enjoy their political rights are scorning at the bare minimum choices they are being given. The NoTA, toothless and bereft of power, was proposed to placate them. Quite a few refuse to be deceived by this obvious trick. However, the majority have been convinced that it is some improvement. 

  I too believed in the triviality of the option. That, however, has changed as I now see NoTA as a basic tool, which we can work upon. Many add-ons can be brought into being to bolster the elections. No doubt they will be received with a lot of resistance from the political class, but will eventually be incorporated into the electoral process. 

  The bare-bones package called the NoTA is, in itself, a kind of evaluation of the elections. Expecting it to have remedies as well just indicates our naivete. The Election Commission has been grappling with criticisms regarding rigging and a whole host of other problems. The new option provided for the voters will allow the Commission to scrutinise the elections. It will also serve as evidence if one were to question the election mandate. While I don't know whether the number of times the NoTA option has been exercised will be made public, but people have the option of activating the RTI act if they want that statistic.

  The targeted voters are the urban population and recent inductees to the democratic club. The voting percentage has been traditionally low in these two sections of voters. The Election Commission, through its new tool, expects to bring a change in the voting habit of these sections. The NoTA, according to me, will hardly affect the mandate from villages. The best result, from the perspective of the Election Commission, will be minimal exercise of the option by voters. It will let the Commission brush aside the criticisms directed at it from time to time. Of course, it isn't the best result for democracy. 

  The best result for the long term would be an overwhelming response in the form of preference of the NoTA over other options by a majority of voters. Even if such a response fails to take the form of concrete actions in the actual mandate, people can field questions regarding the justification of a government chosen by a minority. For a country which claims itself to be the largest democracy, such a result is sure to create ripples and the political class will come under immense pressure. One can surely expect a few changes to be incorporated into the electoral process to let off some steam. I can only hope that the reform process won't stop there. Our electoral process has to mature a lot to achieve the objective function, viz. to choose a candidate most capable of representing the electorate. I am very optimistic about the attempt and hope it results in a cascade of other much needed changes. 

  I have absolutely no right to tell anyone who to vote for. I trust their intelligence to evaluate their options rationally while participating in this significant event. I have just tried to explore the option of exercising NoTA and the implications it might have on the future of our democracy.

           

Kodai Trip - Part 1

“You biked for 500kms!!!!”…. was the reaction I got when I told my friends of my trip to Kodaikanal. And I loved the feeling of it!! Their faces could hardly hide their shock and jealousy.

Having stayed in the south for close to 3 years and not visiting any of the famed places was kind of an embarrassment for me. When my friends recounted their exploits at different places, I would simply nod my head and hope that I would get a chance to end my dry spell. And what a way to end it…!!

            As it turned out, it was Peeyush who was even more desperate than me to visit places. And his first choice of Mahe was turned down by most wing guys. So after some consultation, Kodaikanal was chosen and Psycho, CC and GM were delighted to no end, for some very obvious reasons. A few of our friends from other hostels also contributed to increase our strength. So at the time of departure, our group was 9 members strong with two bikes and a car, which was procured by the ingenious planning of Psycho and 7F.

            We set out at about 6pm on Friday, jubilant at the prospects of a night drive. I was riding pillion with GM, and once GM started, there was no looking back. We left the others far behind and while GM was frequently breaching the 100kmph mark, I was trying to ensure that we were on the right way with the help of GPS. Soon we reached the NH 45 and since there was no need for me to check for directions as we just had to keep to the Grand Southern Trunk Road, I reached out for a pair of earphones and started listening to songs as our bike rushed on into the night. As the wind ruffled my hair, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of freedom that I had never known before. A freedom to do whatever I wanted to… I spread out my hands in joy, but had to retract them back as the force of the wind was too much for my puny hands.

             We rode like this for near 150kms, overtaking buses and trucks, slow as they were, in no hurry to reach their destination. But we were rushed on, our bike guzzling up the kilometres as if they were nothing. At about 10 pm, we reached Villupuram and we changed roles. We helped ourselves to chicken fried rice and GM also got himself a bottle of beer. I was a bit shaky a bit, out of biking practice for quite some time and the bike being an unfamiliar one. But once I got the hang of it, there was nothing to stop me. The wide road was calling out to me to shed all fear and grab the freedom and I did exactly that. Behind me GM was beside himself with joy and held out the beer bottle for all world to see. Once back on the GST, I lost no time in picking up speed and soon was challenging buses and trucks. After overtaking quite a few trucks and buses, I settled down for a speed in the 90’s.

            Cruising at around 90 km/hr, I felt as if I could ride on for ever. The road was a great one, straight as an arrow for most of the part and few curves. But the curves were the parts I enjoyed most. The blinking lights on the edge of the roads makes for a great sight for me and I had my fill of it that night. Small towns and intersections were but a blimp on my eyesight. I slowed down only at the toll gates where I had only a small path to pass through. I rode on for around 150 km more till we reached Trichy, where I got in the car to help myself to a nap. I tried to sleep but was soon woken up as we seemed to have lost our way. We didn’t take the turn to Dindigul, the next major town en route. So after a few queries at the local shops, we were back on track. I stayed in the car for about half an hour and was back on the bike again. This time Psycho replaced GM as my pillion rider. The Trichy-Dindigul section of NH 45 was still being upgraded and so sometimes one lane of the road was closed down and we had to cross over to the other lane. It was dangerous as the surface was great and drivers were given to over speeding. So, it was going to be a cautious drive till Dindigul. But I was not one to be dithered; I was ready to take on this challenge. After tensed driving for about an hour or so, we reached Dindigul. As luck would have it, I missed the by-pass and entered the town. Fortunately I had Psycho, who knew Tamil and after a few queries at a few local tea-stalls, we were soon were right on track. However, the last stretch from Dindigul to Kodai was getting a bit chilly; we were approaching the hills. I dared not weather the cold and so went back to the car and travelled in the comfort of the car for the remnant of the trip.             

            As we entered the town of Kodaikanal, we were greeted by the rising sun and its rays brightening the hills all around us made for a great view. Chennai was a distant dream that we had left far behind during the course of the night. At the hotel, as we settled off for a well-deserved nap after night’s exertion, I could hardly stay awake for more than a few minutes.

Kodai Trip - Part 2

        When we woke up, it was well past midday and all of us were starving, having had dinner around 10 the last night and only a small snack to keep us going till we reached Kodai. Half an hour later, we were wolfing the lot at a small hotel, thanks to the frantic efforts by Pscho and CC. Having catered to the call of the most basic of all needs, we decided to go and take a short tour of a few nearby places.

       One of them included the 'Suicide Point', notorious for suicides. Mostly young people disillusioned  by love took plunges from there. So, the authorities sealed of the place and put huge iron railings to prevent any such untoward instances. As we approached the 'Suicide Point', following a path through small shops selling perfumes and spices, we could see the Silent Valley National Park in the distance. When we reached near the point, the view left us awed; we could see the plains dotted with hills and realised how high we were all above them. On our way back from the awesome view, we were encountered by a few monkeys who were hoping that we would have some food on us; hard luck for the monkeys!!

At Pillar Rocks

     The next item on the menu was Pillar Rocks. We travelled for quite sometime, going past the Golf course and through some of the most winding roads I have seen. Thankfully though they were not some of the steepest.The sun was almost setting when we reached the rocks. The authorities were almost closing shop, but we gained access to the viewpoint and the vertical rocks in the fading light left us feeling puny. We took a few snaps and soon were on our way back, as the light was fast fading and the chill in the wind too much for us Chennaites to handle!!

       Evening found us safely tucked under blankets, enjoying the World Cup Final. True, people back in insti were having a blast enjoying the match at OAT and I would have liked to celebrate India's victory with hundreds of friends, but I was not to be denied the fun of a warm bed in April in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has been too unkind to me; I haven't had the pleasure of covering myself with two blankets in winter since I came to Chennai. I could not even think of the need of a blanket in Tamil Nadu; but evidently Kodai proved me wrong and was I glad to be proved wrong!! 

        The next day, we had a discussion at length to decide which places to visit and finally after some consultation with the hotel manager decided to make a visit to the Dolphin's Nose. It, we were told, was quite a place with cliffs all around and ideal for great snaps. This time however, I decided to take Naseef's bike and asked Peeyush to hop on. I knew well that the interests of the others differed from mine as did Peeyush's. Peeyush had recently bought a DSLR and was looking forward to some photography. I, on the other hand, was looking for some peaceful time amongst the hills. 

      We started at around 10 am and soon were asking locals the route to Dolphin's nose. The hills rising around us left us awestruck and calling us to take snaps of them. We could no longer ignore the temptation and were soon making frequent stops to click away as many snaps as possible. Peeyush could hardly contain his excitement, neither could I. We however had to be careful to park our bike without disrupting the traffic; the road was very narrow at this juncture. When we reached the end of the road, it became apparent to us that we would have to walk down a rough trail to reach the Dolphin's Point. Wasting no time, we parked the bike and were soon on the way down, struggling to find a proper grip for our feet. Halfway through, when we stopped to replenish our fluids, we saw our friends returning from Dolphin's Point. The image they gave of the place would leave the both of not-so-eager. But we decided to trod on and visit the place nevertheless. 

      Walking through a grove of eucalyptus trees, we could see many people on a small hill. There was a ledge on one side and people were sitting on it, while others took their photographs. We went to the opposite side first and found ourselves looking at another hill, a vertical wall of rock just a few hundred feet from us. But what

was going on the other 

side of the hill captured our attention more. So we climbed to the top of the hill and were rewarded with an amazing view of the surroundings. I lost no time in asking Peeyush to take a snap of me sitting on a rock with a few hilltops in the background. The way to the other side was treacherous as well as crowded. We had to tread carefully among the rocks lying all over the place. When we reached the other side, we saw a ledge that was projecting out of the mound of rocks. A couple were at the very end of the ledge and a photographer was taking a few snaps of them. When they left, another group came and sat on the ledge while their friends clicked their photos. I decided that I would be up next, but the moment I stepped on the ledge, I could feel my heart in my mouth and decided to try a bit later. So, I sat near the ledge and tried to muster my courage while other people went and had their photos clicked. Many were on the verge of yelling from the fright of the sight of the gorge just below their feet. After watching for sometime, I decided to try and get myself on the ledge. 

At Dolphin's Nose

This I did after I had encountered the most frightening moments of my life. Sitting on the ledge and trying to find a good grip lest I fall off into oblivion, I couldn't help myself to a smile at overcoming my fear. "Darr ke aage jeet hai"..... quoting that ad from 'Mountain Dew'. A few smiles for the camera and I was at ease. 

    By the time we left Dolphin's Nose, it was already around 1 pm and we had to meet up with our friends. Instead we told them to eat without waiting for us. We decided to visit some more places and after we had our fill of them, we decided to indulge ourselves at a Swedish restaurant. The barbecued chicken we had was great and we would have eaten more, had our stomachs any room left. We reached our rooms just about sundown and began packing our stuff. It had already been decided that we would try and cover the first leg of the return trip with some light to guide us through the winding roads. So, as I settled in the back seat of the car, munching the home-made chocolates of Kodai, I could satisfactorily say to myself that my long drawn drought was over.     

       
           

An evening in the presence of Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma

Only the other day I went for a concert by renowned santoor player Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. It was my first experience of a live santoor performance and I, weary from the long day’s activities, settled down for a delightful evening.  Closing my eyes, I took in as much of the music as I could. Every note seemed to resonate in my heart.  Delightful though the whole experience was, at the end of the performance I was left with a question that has been nagging me ever since.

I can’t vouch for the other members of the audience, but I enjoyed the performance from the very start, even the tuning of the instrument without being aware of. It was only after Panditji thanked us for applauding even for the tuning that we realised that every note the instrument exuded was  worth relishing, be it just a few random taps at the strings. However, this little bit of information that Panditji let us in on also brought to my mind something that is ingrained in my human mind. When he was done with the first part of the show and about to proceed to the second part, he had to tune the instrument again, for it was a different raaga.  Now that I knew that Panditji would repeat the process of tuning again, I didn’t pay as much attention to it as I had done before.  I failed to observe the beauty in the notes because it was not the performance, in short not of utility. When I came out of the auditorium, I was ashamed of myself, for I have tried to assign value to only that was useful. My human instincts had kicked in and I was trying to find beauty only in things that have some value.

 Can’t we human beings enjoy beauty without looking at the value aspect of it? Even the most useless of things has some beauty in it; only a perceiving mind is needed. And it seems I lack it.

Pretentious Indians

Whenever I hear a fellow Indian trying to anglicise their English, I find myself laughing to myself as they set out in a flurry of words. Many Indians try to sound like a proper Englishman when they speak the gentleman’s language. But most of them hardly succeed and make a laughing stock of themselves, much to the amusement of onlookers. There are even courses offered by different coaching centres to teach one how to speak proper English. I do not intend to undermine any of them because one should know the correct pronunciation of the words. However going to extreme ends to sound like a native English speaker should never be one’s aspiration.

          Nor ‘Zee’ Germans, neither do the French try to sound like an Englishman when they speak English. And most certainly not the Italians, who actually take pride in giving the words an Italian accent. So why do only Indians try to imitate the King’s English? Is just saying the words properly without trying bring in any accent not enough? Maybe, we have come to respect the English ways after being ruled by them well-nigh two centuries. And now we try to emulate them. But, even that has to have some limits.

          Actually we Indians can take pride in ourselves in that we speak perhaps the most proper English in the world. Most of our pronunciations are very close to the ones prescribed and even the natural speakers don’t speak it the way it’s supposed to be. American English has become the standard in many places, thanks to the computer and the default language of most Operating Systems being set to AmE. Even while writing this piece, I have had quite a few words underlined in red because they are not correct according to the AmE (I am one who would bother to write about how we try to imitate the westerners but too lazy to change the settings on his own computer…hypocrite ehhhh mate!!!). So why do we need an anglicised form of English?? Perhaps India being a multi lingual nation explains it all. There is no standard for speaking English. Hence different pronunciations for the same words have evolved in different regions and a dedicated pursuer of the language is lost for options. So with no proper guideline to which one could adhere to speak the language, one turns to the Brits for help. But what comes as a hurdle is the mother tongue that has become a part of the person and rears its head at every opportune moment. So one ends up speaking something that resembles neither of the languages and providing ample fodder for others to laugh. 

          One needs to just neutralise one’s pronunciation and not try to put on any accent; that would be perfectly fine and would help converse with people across the world. This preoccupation of anglicising our spoken English just goes on to substantiate the fact that we all consider westerners better than ourselves and try to imitate them. These pretensions without practising any kind of restraint will surely not help in the development of our country.