"The not so Argumentative Indian"

Someone once said, “What you see is what you believe in.” He would have died of shock if he were made to live now. (Before any conclusion is drawn, it is to be clarified that usage of ‘he’ does not reveal any intrinsic, deep seated patriarchal demons harboring inside the mind of the writer. Of course, there are demons inside, but they cannot be accessed so easily.)

We have all heard this before, “Life takes unusual turns sometimes. It allows a David to take on a Goliath.” However, in this instant age where information changes faster than the beat of a heart, this maxim offers too little too late to bring any adrenaline rush. Perhaps the story of contemporary India is more interesting, incisive and melodramatic to ponder upon. We have often found film critics using clichés like riveting to describe a movie that hold them captivated. We can borrow such banality here and say, “The story of contemporary India is highly riveting,” but to understand what makes it so, we have to deliberate earnestly upon the fad of cynosure generation (the darling age group of this country). Actually, this genre is nothing new. It has been entrenched in our psyche since long ago so much so that a noble laureate had to write a book on it, “The Argumentative Indian.” It’s just that with the advent of information age, its visibility has soared to astronomical heights.

Some of the questions that we often ask ourselves such as what makes it believable or what makes it fiery can be answered easily if we listen to them carefully and assess them dispassionately. In almost all the cases, we find them to be highly rhetorical, ideological, full of emotions (come on, we are humans!), expedient and zero-sum-game like. Of course, a few might be practical, encompassing, inclusive, full of team spirits etc, but they are rarity rather the norm.

Events of today are no different. Those who are occupying the highest places today went through the same ladder that they so vigorously denounce now. It’s the people sitting on the fence who have to understand that they were taken for a ride, are being taken for a ride and will be taken for a ride. Till then cherish this year's Oscar to our beloved Leo.