When arrogance subsides and humility returns

Since the economic recession in the US began and spread around the world, I had a strange feeling. I could not explain it then, but it represented that something in the world will now come back to order. When I told this to a friend who counter-argued, I couldnot explain it well, but over a period of time, now, I can.

For me, the last decade, post the era of Bill Clinton as the President, America stood out for arrogance. There were two major catastrophes that marked the era of Bush Junior. The WTC and the Economic recession. People in the US might deplore what I am saying. Prior to the WTC, the US was considered the unpenetrable. They condemned the terrorist acts in India, but did they ever feel what it meant to be living in the constant threat of terrorism? I guess not. But with WTC, things changed. They came to know what terror is. They felt it. They realized the pain of being violated with deaths of innocents. A new order came into being. A new jargon developed. War on Terror. However, the arrogance remained. They entered Iraq while the threat was holed up in Afghanistan.

They violated the UN call, not to invade Iraq as there were no weapons of mass destruction found. Another country succumbed to the arrogance of the United States. The US has always been involved in another country's war. But now the war has shifted into the country, Now the war is within. But the economic depression has a lot of positive impact. It brought Americans together, with each other as well as the world. The threat of personal security, emotional and financial is the biggest threat to all. And now the US of A, realized this, that they too can succumb, no one is invincible. Life is a great leveler. What can go up and come down and humility is the only way the world will keep up your honour. The election of Obama as a President is only the first step towards a better world order.

During the deluge in Mumbai, I had seen the entire city come together. The class difference did not matter. Everyone on the road was the same for the torrent of rain that swept Mumbai. Be it a man in a Merc, or a beggar in the corner. Everyone came together to help each other, for a common cause. To live, and to help others to live. An unknown bond of brotherhood had developed in an instant. That is what tough situations do to you. And I hope it does to the US too.

Yeh Jalwa!!

I was very skeptical to watch Fashion.

I like movies that are light, brings a smile on your face. I also likes the serious ones, those which end on a positive note, but those kind of movies are so few. Madhur’s films have always been inspired by true events. Chandni bar was a stark movie, but the end of the movie was not a good feeling I left with. Obviously, you have to see the film the director wants to show you. It is up to you to accept it or reject it. The more people accept it, the movie is a success. If they reject it, it is termed as flop. Many brilliant films have flopped and many trash movies have set the cash register ringing. The psychology of the Indian audience is hard to predict, or is it easy? Maybe there is a simple underlying thread that binds the audience in general.

India is a difficult country to live in. Everyday a man wakes up, he is prepared to go to war, mostly with himself, and it reflects in the world outside him. The conflicts that lie within and outside is quite stressful. And when someone goes to a movie hall, they just want to see something that will take them out of their briefly dull and intense life and transport them into a world of imagination. If it is a movie that is based on real life, it might not work. Because there is a very thin line where the film can seem like a documentary and entertainment. If you try to show the people what their life is, they would not want to see it. If they do make a realistic film, what might work is a real person living in the real world becoming an extraordinary person, and coming trumps in the dire situations he is thrown into. Madhur’s earlier films lacked this, but it dramatically or sometimes over-dramatically displayed the cockroaches beneath the carpet. But Fashion, there is a slight difference. The film potrays the fashion world as a very competitive world with immoral people around and some unique moral souls that are sprinkled in the otherwise fake world. But what I saw was not just the fashion world but how each individual rooted in their persona identify, survive, succumb and live in the profession. Its message doesnot just confine itself to the world of fashion, it probably can reach out to other worlds as well.

The potrayal of Meghna Mathur, Janet and Shonali depict three different strata of the society. Meghna, a wannabe, Janet, a regular model who has been in the industry long enough and Shonali who is a supermodel. Meghna aspires to be Shonali, Janet is contended where she is, while Shonali cannot handle success. If you cut this to a base psychological level, Meghna, represents the audience who wants to be an achiever, Shonali represents the people where success goes into the head and makes them think they are invincible and Janet, those people who are quite content with life the way it is and struts ahead in life no matter where she is, irrespective of success.

Also, the glamorous world of Fashion is something everyone wants to see, but only a few can aspire to be there. This unique combination of intrigue and base emotive connect to the audience makes the film work. Thankfully the film ends in hope. Where conviction and dedication brings out the best in the protagonist while one of them succumbs to the distaste of success.

Fashion is a well-made movie, the cinematographer Mahesh Limaye needs special mention. A short sequence where Meghna indulges in drugs and the psychedelic colors that is seen is brilliant in execution. The editing is top class. The acting is good, but I do think, the representation of gays is a bit over the top. This is what most of the directors do with representation of gays. They try to be gay-friendly but overtly make a mockery of them. Though one of them has shown as a straight-faced gay, who is just like a normal person, the rest turn out to sway too often as they talk. I wouldnt know if that was supposed to be the comic element in the film or just mere depiction.

But overall, it’s a good film to watch. The performances are credible and so is the music, the colors and the emotions.

What India needs is a reason!

I always wondered why the development of our country is so stirred with controversies, corruption, violent clashes, and religious insurgencies. Why are the politicians corrupt? Why are the roads dug up? Why are the rich super rich and the poor super poor? Why do the rich consider that they have the right of privileges over the poor Indian? Why is the crooked politician more powerful than a honest politician? The US of A is not one of my favorite countries, but I admire that country. There is a place where people can call their President a moron. They can make documentaries against him and hold rallies against his policies. If ever that happened in India, there would be carnage, destruction of public property and a few casualties, some dead, some injured and a bandh that would effect the economic prosperity of the country.

When the past episode happened with the corrupt traffic police constable, a casual discussion at home gave a great insight into what a common man thinks and why he keeps away from standing for the truth. Two old people who had visited started stating that how I was wrong, and that I had wasted 700 Rupees where else I could have just escaped the offence by just bribing a 100 Rupees. They stated they had seen this country since Independence and the state of the country is so bad, nothing can change its fortune. We were set to doom. Arguing with older people has always led to bitterness, besides, at the age of 70, it is hard for them to change their stand. They just become stubborn, like kids. So I let it go. But this was the hard truth that we have to face. If we have to change this country, each individual has to take up a stand and do their bit. If we don’t do it, we donot have the right to blame someone else for the mess our country is in. Not even the corrupt politicians. They are corrupt because of us.

America came together for a common cause. Republicans voted for a democrat and they changed ideologies because they knew if they did not the country will go down to the pits. They stood for one cause. Looking back, when do you see that India was united? It was for the freedom from the British. That was the only time we as a country were united, because everyone wanted one particular thing. Freedom. Everyone focused themselves completely to achieve that and achieved it. That is what India needs today, according to me. One reason, one singular reason for every person in this country to be united. Otherwise we will remain divided in hypocrisy of the so-called democracy.

McPain Vs Oh Bama!

While the entire world is waiting with bated breath, I wonder who will win over whom. The world believes that Obama will win. He is leading. But do not be surprised if McCain wins. It has happened before. He is surely better than Bush (anyone can be better than him, even a fifth grader) but the democracy that US boasts about is a little over-rated. The election and re-election of the moron is a testament to that or that majority of America is filled with idiots who don’t have their priorities right!

Jimmy Carter, ex-president of the US, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, is the founder of The Carter foundation which promotes and monitors the electoral processes in support of free and fair elections. They have already monitored 70 elections in more than 25 countries since its foundation. After Bush’s first regime, The Carter foundation was asked to monitor the elections in the US. Carter declined. He stated that the electoral process in the US is not free and fair and doesnot qualify for democratic elections in its present state.

So don’t be surprised if McCain wins.

But one thing is certain, whoever is elected has a tough task to undo a lot of things Mr. Bush has done. The downfall and the repercussions of a decade long rule by a moron has had its toll on the US.

So, I thought we should be pragmatic about the elections and wonder what the world might be if each of them got elected. It gives us a chance to see how good we are at our judgement. Five years down the line we can always compare what we expected and what actually happened. Here is my take. My analysis is based on the following points. There are many more, but i thought i will choose topics that are generic, and somethings I care about –
General personality, Taxation, Energy, War on terror, and India

McCain as President:
McCain is quite old, rather experienced. He has been a war hero and has the experience behind him as he has seen generations of Presidents come and go. Beeing from the military, he is ruled by orders, protocols and conventional methods of decision making. America is a country that has always been in a war – other people’s war. I always felt that the strategy was simple. Help other countries in their internal conflict, do them a favor and then modify their national policies in favor of the Americans. So that gives me a first indication that he should not be president. He will have a passion for war, not for peace, that take care for vested interests of the powerful weapon makers of the US and builds in roads into developing nations economy.

With regards to taxation, McCain wants to slash corporate taxes, and give breaks to middl-rich earners and cut capital gains tax. This statement I think should be seen under a microscope. Cutting corporate taxes is like a blade with a sharp edge on both the sides. In this dwindling economy, slashing corporate taxes can ease the pain on the companies and reduce the layoffs, but that thought is a hopeful one. The company owners will use it to their advantage. They will continue the layoffs and try to reduce their losses by exploiting the cuts on corporate taxes. With his stand on Capital Gains, I can see McCain preference is towards the middle-rich and the rich. So, another no for McCain.

McCain would continue Bush’s stand on his war on terror. This means more deployment of troops in Afghanistan and ha has stated that he has no preference to put up a timetable for retreating the troops. This validates my point earlier on his personality of a war veteran.

McCain also doesnot support subsidies on ethanol and other bio-fuels. Why doesn’t he support the alternative fuel industry? Is hurting the oil lobby going to be bad for his presidency? Again, is he becoming a president for the people of the country or for the powerful people of the country?

With reference to India, he would be the perfect president. The Nuclear deal will not change and the policies on outsourcing will not effect much to Indians who are now turning from smart engineers to dumb telephone receptionists… For the long run, I would like Indians to be self sufficient and not depend on outsourcing and shift their focus from service to manufacturing industry as the driver of the economy. Hence my preference to McCain would be another big no.

Well with the total no to McCain, I think the obvious choice becomes Obama, but without analysis it would be a disaster. What if his stand on the same topics were worse than that of McCain? Being an Indian, the meaning for democracy here is to choose the candidate that is going to create lesser problems for the people.

Obama is young and looks dynamic. His smile appeals and has a kind of positive aura. Young blood means taking risks, and treading unconventional paths. It might retaliate, but there are a lot of chances that the approach might bring out radical change. There is not much information I could gather about how Obama would take his decisions as a President, but I would like to take that chance and hope the Americans would too. Mostly his decision making would be a reflection of how he approaches the different topics and try to decipher his thinking methodology.

With regards to taxation, he wants to reduce income tax for middle classes and raise capital tax. I think with my earlier debate on McCain’s take on taxes, I am convinced, Obama is a President for the people. Less Income tax means more savings and higher Capital gain taxes means the wealthy have to fork out a bit more. Not a very painful approach.

On the war of terror, he is clearly put his stand strongly against terrorism, but what is more pleasing for the world is that he has charted out a sixteen month withdrawal of troop deployment from Iraq. He has also gone all out for stronger operations against the Taliban. His name rhyming to that of Osama, and the middle name of Hussein is also an interesting occurrence, which might also be of influence people on their views in the war on terror.

Obama heavily supports increase of subsidies on ethanol and biofuel subsidies. Again another point that he is the President for the people and not for ‘some’ powerful people.

India might not stand to benefit much if Obama is elected president. He would be opting for more internal jobs and would cut outsourcing, which will hugely affect the Indian economy. Also his stand on the Nuclear deal that supports India might be challenged by the democrats which can take the deal to troubled waters. Nevertheless India needs to know that they have to be self sufficient and not depend on another countries economy for its existence. So I would like to vote for Obama. But I am not on the electoral roll.

The world roots for Obama, and I would too, but it is up to the Americans. I hope they see what lies in the best interest of their people and also consider that there are other countries other than the US in this world!