Sunday, December 7, 2008

Letting it Slide......


2nd day after the Mumbai attacks. Life returns to normal. People go to work. Financial institutions open for business. No losing any time.


What the hell is happening here?


We have lost touch with our basic human instincts; second guessing every decision and being plain indifferent. It’s difficult to see beyond our own wants. We don’t have time for others.


“Opportunism” as mentioned by a professor at college recently. “Self-serving guile” he said. And rightly so. It has seeped deep into our heart and drives our every action. Why am I doing this? What should I be doing? Will it help me?


And it is this very indifference that is our weakness. We have taken to adopting all everything the west does. Now we have also taken what is heading them down the wrong highway at breakneck speed.


The difference? Their politicians and decision makers can be trusted to look out for the welfare of the citizens. Here we vote and then we slaughter.


Politicians – day after the attacks, talks of a change in leadership. A week later new leaders are appointed. Same promises. Same results?
“Opportunists”.


Law enforcers – to busy to bother about national security. Encounter specialists?
“Opportunists”.


The Fourth Estate – TRP’s, screen time and punch-lines. Giving the people what they want or what they think we want? Doesn’t matter.
“Opportunists”.


Us.
What have we done so far? Talk about it? Debate? Grieve? Shed a tear? Feel outraged?
The BSE got back to business even as the attacks were still on.
“Opportunists”.


We have let it slide.


STOP.


People are dying and we want to trade stocks and get on with it?


What the fuck is wrong with us?


We want to show the world a strong face?


Would you show a strong face when someone kills your family? Or do you go after the sons of bitches that did it and make them pay?


Chris rock once talked about Rudi Giuliani and the 9/11 attacks. “Before 9/11, Giuliani was the terrorist....” he said. I partly agree with him. The cover up and the subsequent string of lies and deceit that followed the attacks were as evil as the attacks themselves. But at least he was there when NY needed him.


Where were Deshmukh and his stooges or even Shivraj Patil and his for that matter?


What we need is someone like Giuliani. Described by Rock as a Pitbull - Someone who may eat your kids in times of peace but at least he’ll go after the burglar as well.


So why hasn’t the Indian government done anything as yet? Politics, bureaucracy, incompetence, ignorance.....take your pick.


I know I don’t have a right to criticize anyone as I haven’t even cast a vote. (I intend to in the coming elections).


But enough is enough. Let’s just DO. No talk. No think.


Just DO.


(I apologise for the obscenities, crass language and irrational idologies, but it is needed here).

3 comments:

Rachit Tiwari said...

Ok, dude. Lets start with you, do you have one actionable idea?

arjun said...

what have you done? written a blog post! much has been written...we dont need no more.

how about participating in the peace march of ours at the gateway, being part of citizen group initiatives or donating blood?

even you are getting on with it...or have you stopped attending your lectures?

Dont blog, Just DO.

Jerome said...

My ONE Actionable idea has always been to provide a separate statehood for Mumbai. It is something that I have been working on for hte last 2 years on and off. This includes filing an RTI for the existing disaster management system that is being deployed in Mumbai.
This takes time but at least its getting done.
Stop attending lectures?
This is not an individualistic effort and will never work that way.
Also i apologise for writing AGAIN in the topic, but, I never publish tags for my posts so they are not easy to find. :-)