When a dictator falls...

Well Nebuchadrezzar has swung ,making some people very happy and others very angry.
However this is not about Saddam Hussein (good riddance to the bad rubbish) or the fact that he was at one time leader of state (those who live by sword, die by it), this is also not about America's Iraq policy (random termination of dictators with no long term objective is hardly a policy).

Rather this is about Indian response to the execution. To put it bluntly Indian response has been hypocritical, but the main issue is not Indian or for that matter American hypocrisy ( Hypocrisy, cornerstone of sound statesmanship, something which Chanakya might have said, if only he had seen pulp fiction). Hypocrisy is a device employed in order to achieve a particular goal. In case of nations, this goal is national interest, and the decisions that are taken are supposed to take into account short term versus long terms objectives.

And that is the problem, because this projection of Saddam as Martyr arises from two both of them morbid and repugnant.

First is rabid Anti American-ism, a direct consequence of communist and socialist stranglehold over Indian intellectual mind scape. In a comrade's world, USA is the greatest enemy, because it has always been the unabashed votary of capitalism and individual freedom, it is because of this that US is cast in a role where in cruelty it is a successor to British imperialism, and even Indians who are otherwise inimical to communist ideal adopt a negative attitude towards America due to this rather imaginative interpretation of history.

The consequence of being fed on constant diet of Marxist non-sense, is that in India the intellectual as well as common perception is a rather hazy mish mash of victim hood complex, fatalism and homilies self congratulatory in nature. This self deception is the result that by and large there is national interest remains neglected subject in public or for that matter even academic sphere.

The second is in order to appease a particular segment. From Khilafat movement to LTTE, it has been this shortsightedness of Indian political leader which has done incalculable harm to nation. Somehow, in all the wisdom of diversity and harmony, claims for membership of quasi -political formations beyond nation, with conflicting interests are tolerated.

If India has to have any semblance of national policy, these two tendencies must be countered.

Update: Well, this is funny in a not so funny way (link courtsey Rohit). Where do such critters come from.

The Gods Themselves

When Icarus failed in his endeavour, who was more disappointed ? Icarus himself, or even the gods were not spared the ignominy. For is it not true that act of creation is the evidence of presence of will of the creator, to transcend himself,to realize the ideal, to give form to formless, to enact dreams, through act of creation rise to a higher existence or even validating the existence.

Then also is not the will which creates, the eternal truth. We, who are uninitiated, are fooled by
the hand, while oblivious to the act.

And is it also not true, that man, in all his frailty and perfidy is finest creation of the gods, and also their eternal disappointment for submitting to the gods instead of rising above them.
We are unfair when we call the gods jealous. The gods are not angry but melancholic, doomed to despair because their creation has failed them.

Reforms with human face

One important aspect of any public debate on reforms is inbuilt bias against reforms.
There is no doubt that strictly on merit reforms are the unambiguous winner. Unfortunately however, debates in political space have less to do with merit, and more to do with the emotional rhetoric. And this is where status quoist (favouring government intervention and largess) dominate.

Socialists accomplishes this by framing the reference of debate. Hence instead of debate about being how socialist policies, in particular government intervention and central planning have been abysmal failure, a specious argument is put forwards that since reforms (or whatever goes for it) have not accomplished poverty alleviation during last decade, hence they have also failed, thus establishing a moral equivalency. This absurdity is sustained by long winded rhetoric about impoverished with random statistics thrown.

Voluble prose, in which these "feel-gooders" excel, is employed in order to evoke compassion, and what can only be called psychological masterstroke, guilt. And it is here that the supporters of market are floored. Because markets can not bring about prosperity within short term.
This implies even with open and deregulated economy, extreme poverty will persist, at least for few decades. This leaves the field open for progressive left to push their agenda, aided by narratives and visuals of misery, which of course sets back the agenda of reform. The fact, that supported of reforms are more or less on back foot, doesn't help either.

The way out of this most pernicious dilemma is to employ the humane angle along with statistics and economic arguments, in other words to spread the good news. The strategy should be to stress the fact that reform has changed lives of millions for good, to emphasize that "common man" is indeed the beneficiary. This ranges from the graduates who employed in IT and ITES are able to earn amount unheard of previously, to the humble driver or gardener or maid, who can afford a better life style due to rising wages and affordable consumer goods, to the farmers who benefits from rising land prices and can afford to get out from a stagnant agricultural sector.

(Following paragraph is update with inputs from Rohit)

To emphasize the point, the "horrors" of license permit rule must be made known, and stressed to younger (post 91) as well the previous generation. How there was waiting period of years for something as common as gas connection or scooter or even telephone and to press the point, that the only reason for the lost decades, the unrealized potential, and the chronic poverty is nehruvian penalty


I have no doubts that it is more than enough to counter nattering nabobs of negativism. There is more to it. Since media is always hungry for human angle, this kind of strategy can help remove the misconception that reforms are essentially elitist, with nothing to offer to poor.
With this, it is possible to form an opinion among masses in favour of reforms, ultimately forming a core, not necessarily electorally decisive, but vocal. This is essential in order that reforms and market can have electoral legitimacy, for the bitter truth is that so far in India reforms are far from a political platform, instead whatever progress has taken place is either because reforms were shoved down our collective throat by world bank in 1991, or by stealth under leadership of P. V. Narsimha Rao and A. B. Vajpayee.

"India Shining" campaign was a step in right direction. Where it faltered however was by going overboard in "veneration" of then Prime Minister and altering the platform from merit of reforms to rhetoric and "hero worship".

We do not really need a "free market Gandhi", what we need is "a few good men".

One for leisure

I admit, I am doomed. What else could explain having same oddball conversation with same oddball character for something like thousandth time. Anyhow that is how it went (not at all different from other times).

"The shortcoming of deductive logic is that it needs empirical data, since for a first cause the notion of data is absurd, therefore it follows that we must have assumption, hence existence of God", I said.

At this old man with walrus moustache interrupted my monologue, "Why have God as initial hypothesis, why not FSM or even Russel's teacup".

I retorted, stung by the mocking, "If it didn't appeal to your sense of ridicule, you will see the merest hint of form, degenerates the God as concept to God as description".

He didn't let it go at that, "Tell you what is the problem, there are no assumptions, only delusions, even the assumption that cosmos follows human logic is nothing but hubris".

It was my turn to interrupt, "But if the premise is a sort of metaphysical smokes and mirror then what is wrong with having God as delusion.

He cried, "But that is the problem, God no longer deludes, people have got over the habit of supplicating to a cosmic overlord, what exists instead is the belief, fragile and unwarranted, but still present, belief in man, his alleged ingenuity,is the new opiate". Man himself is the new delusion.

He spoke again after pausing, "People don't believe in God, because God is dead. But man is alive , behold his glory".

Saying this,he stood and left in hurried steps.

I muttered annoyingly, "Freddie sure is a queer old man".

A fine day

Daneel looked across the bars. Bars were of course anachronisms, but so was this planet, he thought with a sense of amusement. To humans who existed prior to establishment of Galactic Federation, this would be cause of a little astonishment and much paranoia, but he reasoned such is the course of humanity, for all his superior intellect he was still searching for zeroth law which will supersede even the first law. Until then he had to rely on skills taught to him by Giskard. Today he was optimistic, he had came to know through his contacts, that Bill Clinton, president of Galactic federation will soon proclaim slavery illegal. He smelled the morning air, another feet which would be beyond comprehension of ancients. He whistled tune of an ancient song, old even by his age,"Where the mind is free". He loved this place.

Similar were the sentiments of Lentulus Batiatus. After a life time of hustling across the galaxy, he had settled on this particular planet and he did not regret the decision, even with threat of war looming. Thinking of war, he muttered a silent curse, "Bill Clinton, that blasted robot".
This was of course not true, Bill Clinton as human as any one else, but his mood improved, he felt the morning wind and sighed happily.

John Brown was exhilarated, soon he was going to strike a lethal blow to this degrading institution of slavery. He did not doubt that even this mostly tranquil planet would award him only death for what he was going to do. For he was a man of action, and he intended to act, with force. Sure there were reprisals against his people, "but what the hell", he thought, it was his planet, the place he was born, grown up and lived all his life. Now that some carpet baggers had used the remote location of the planet as a hub for trading robot slaves, he would not take it lying down. He looked at the rising sole and whispered, "Yes, Pompeii is a fine place to live".

(Encyclopedia Galactica: 2000 years after establishment of Galactic Federation, Sole a minor star of Archimedes system imploded under mysterious circumstances. However except for destruction of planet Pompeii, a trading centre for outer systems )

Die Potter Die

Enough is enough ! I really had it. What exactly is the deal with Potter being hero anyway ? Admit it, he is a blemish to glorious institution of boyhood. He can not incant a decent spell, he is non decrepit in studies, and he can not even defend himself, always rescued either by insufferable Hermione or stupid Ron. What is one to do with such a weak, emaciated hero protected by "tender love of his dear departed mother", sulking from one angst to another. This fetish for mediocrity, to make heroes of undeserving is the most abiding past time of our age.
We are no pioneers, rather safely ensconced in mind numbing comfort of society, we have shrivelled to a shadow of our former self, becoming weaklings in spirit if not matter.
If superman embodied the spirit of earlier age, now it is the horrid metro sexuality which is at display in all its ignoble infamy.

And please don't get me started on the literary merit. It would have been understandable if the
work was unqualified manure. But it is not, and there in lies the true tragedy, that of unfulfilled potential. J. K. Rowling did show promise in first two novels, but after that popularity got her, and the rest of books are a painful exercise in advancing the stories and keeping the readers guessing. Result is a tangled web of plot lines, and not much of content. Of course the books are popular, feeding on the media generated hype and frenzy, which is as good as merit nowadays.

(If the post makes no sense, don't worry, it doesn't make any sense to me either)

Bitch!

He slid down the chute and landing perfectly on the floor. There was no noise, but it couldn't have been otherwise, for he was a master in his trade. Silent and quick, his services were much in demand in certain circles in galactic empire. It stood to reason, he thought, with unravelling of empire it was power, which would be deciding the future, and he was the key for any important player.

Even now, he was on such an assignment. It was difficult because it involved kidnapping and stealing instead of killing, but the cash was good, so he can't think of any objection. Moral consideration, of course did not play any part in this, indeed he found morality illogical and hence a mystery. He silently walked down the corridor, cameras and alarms were of course deactivated, apparently Saxenas were desperate enough to make an exception in this case, and had spent money in a departure from their character stinginess.

He walked up to the door at the end and took a quick survey, it was perfect. He looked at the name tag on the door, no surprises there. He placed his hand on the access panel, green light came up, for authorization, and door silently slid back. He entered the room, his target was on the bed. He took out the deactivator and pressed the contact.

He stared, she was beautiful. Suddenly he was hesitant, he did not know why, and would have been astonished if anyone suggested that there was anything romantic. Coming out from reverie with a start, He moved towards the data pod with direct access to ship's computer. There was a flash, he began turning around, but lost balance by the impact. There was a searing pain, he felt around, his primary electric generator was damaged, which meant he was incapable of movement.

She stood and walked deliberately. He was again struck by her beauty, a caramel skin, and a vulnerable face was offset by taut, lithe body and a arrogant demeanour. As she raised the blaster again, he realized that she was the latest prototype, the secret one.

It was love at last sight.