Digital Violence, News Channels and Hypocrisy!

It’s a case of wholesome insensitivity, amounting to zombie-like behavior on which subject we dwelt over much earlier, of nearly all of the so-called digitally conscious citizens of the country, but also nearly all the stakeholders including the national media irrespective of how you’d like to describe them. Apart from this looming post-modern characteristic, the other equally portentous factor of hypocrisy has also been rampant across, primarily, the television news channels and other stakeholders. For the last few years at least the insensitivity factor has been colossal: any kind of tragic incident happening in public places is always ravenously video-graphed along with the selfies of the ‘proud’ beholders and circulated instantly in their digital spaces, instead of trying to help the poor victims many of whom stay alive during such digital orgy. The news channels then get hold of those clips, in direct or indirect ways, and start building ‘stories’ around those while putting the clips continuously on their screens. Therefore, the insensitive and the often sadistic citizens including us have been getting used to ‘treats’ of such endless clips relating to the most horrendous cases of lynching, murders and assassinations, police torture, accidents, shootings and even crimes against women in the last few years.

 

The hypocrisy of the news channels becomes bluntly obvious when they choose to debate on a particular tragedy that they never ever fail to do actually: while the ‘conscientious’ anchor and the panelists keep on emphasizing the need to keep such dastardly clips out of social media and any other public digital platforms the channel producers keep on running the clip in an endless loop, in a prominent window created on the screen.  Till even the most sadistic viewer gets tired and switches to a different channel! Doesn’t at all matter even if you happen to watch the same on many other channels too! Some still less-scrupulous channels even watermark the inhuman visuals as ‘exclusive’ or ‘first on this channel only’ and like that. Why such mind-boggling hypocrisy? Well, very simple. They know the dominant facets of the psychology of their viewers and so would definitely like to pander to them, just to generate more ad revenues.

 

I was shocked beyond words, sad as I was to hear the news of the assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, when I found the video clip showing the cruel shooting in broad daylight and in public getting much more importance across the screens of the Indian news channels than the tragic incident itself. Some anchors even wanted to draw our attention particularly to the violent clip being shown endlessly as if to make us understand the sheer audacity of the murder. Their justification was that this involved a huge breach of security. Well, from the Indian point of view this was indeed a breach; but you have to consider Japan where such acts almost never happened and the only news that we keep on hearing about the country is that relating to earthquakes. Had it happened in the trigger-happy and abortion-unhappy US such an approach could’ve been alright; but Japan’s been always trigger-wary and guns in public hands in the country are almost a rarity.

 

However, the glorification of the violent clip just cannot be justified on any ground. Shinzo Abe is one of the most prominent visionary statesmen-politicians of the world and has been a very good friend of India since 2006-07. He’s been a friend of the former Indian PM Manmohan Singh and a closer buddy to PM Narendra Modi. The Government of India had also declared a one-day national mourning in his memory. For some personal reasons this writer, Abe being an almost household name for him as he was actively engaged in the role of a news editor in a national channel during those years,  could not give a fitting tribute to Abe in time, and so is airing his thoughts through this related piece.

The Wall of Indian Cricket Retreats! Joy of Hindi Cinema Vanishes!

Fondly called the ‘Wall’ or ‘Mr. Dependable’ Rahul Dravid retired from international and first class cricket on Friday, the 9^th March, 2012. Early morning the same day ‘Joy’ Mukherjee of Hindi Cinema (not called Bollywood in his time) passed away at a Mumbai hospital. These two events are not linked, but may impact a large mutually inclusive community to which this writer belongs.

The news was doing the rounds almost the whole day on Thursday that Rahul Dravid had called a press conference at noon the next day. Almost all in media knew what it would be about and the preparations began in earnest.

Rahul Dravid, the consistently No.3 batsman in India’s test matches and in one-day internationals too to a large extent, announced his retirement at a press conference in Bangalore around noon. The end of an era.

For the last 16 years we had been watching him, witnessing him and adoring him in all of India’s cricket matches here or abroad. We always looked to him for guiding India—first to safety and then to victory. A batsman with a solid 55+ average in away matches, 80 century partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar that is a world record and in all 80 century partnerships with 18 different partners, the world record holder for most number of Test catches taken, only the second cricketer in total Test runs scored, a good fielder plus a wicket keeper in need and solidity that was never questioned.

And, the superb cricketer had only a brief aberration in the recent Australian tour. He was the star in the previous away series in England. But age was not on his side and since all senior players did miserably in the Aus tour the heated controversy of ‘seniors Vs juniors’ must have pained him. When the Indian cricket Board dropped him or picked for one-day cricket at will Dravid retired from that in 2011 in disgust. A true artist with the bat just cannot take on politics. We are going to miss him terribly. Whenever we had to go out on some work in between watching matches we used to be assured if Dravid was at the crease. We salute the Great Cricketer and wish him all well for the future. 

Joy Mukherjee, one of the greatest classic romantic heroes of Hindi Cinema of the sixties, called it a day at the age of 73. His main attraction was his immense likeability. You just could not help but like him dancing or jumping around or just delivering dialogues. His disarming smile and a bright-jubilant countenance filled you with joy instantly without you knowing about it. His unorthodox acting antics, dress code and gait appealed enormously to the younger generation of the bygone era and even now. In this he can be realistically compared with the energetic Shammi Kapoor and the stylistic Dev Anand.

By the early seventies fitting roles for Joy Mukherjee dried up and he left acting focusing on film-making where he was not a huge success. Slowly, he faded from public gaze, but lived on energetically in his movies. If his movies like ‘Shagird’ or ‘Lovein Tokyo’ are screened or shown somewhere you are drawn in irresistibly compelling you to relish it one more time.

While grieving for his demise we get assured by the fact that he is immortalized in his movies. So, who can stop us from enjoying an evergreen super-hit song ‘Japan…love in Tokyo’! This might even inspire the Japanese people solemnly observing today the first anniversary of the dreadful Earthquake-Tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 in 2011.

 Let the ‘Wall’ and ‘Joy’ inspire all to better times.

New Year Day Musings!

New Year 2012 has been ushered in with a lot of funfair and celebrations across the globe. From the early birds of New Zealand to the die hard revelers of Goa inspired and charged up scenes were witnessed everywhere. In Mumbai too people of all age groups stayed awake late into the night to welcome 2012. Deafening fireworks erupted just when the clock struck 12. Waiting for 12 to welcome 12! Good vibes around!

The celebrating spirit was nearly crushed with the news of a 7 point magnitude earthquake thathit Japan just hours after 2012 arrived. But fortunately, there have been no reports of loss of lives and danger of tsunami was also dismissed. With the March 2011disaster still fresh in mind Japan definitely did not want another tragedy particularly on a New Year Day. In India spurious liquor killed 18 persons in the state of Andhra Pradesh today. People celebrate subject to what they can afford. Poor ones celebrate with cheap country liquor poisoned by the death merchants. This is India’s truth, New Year or not. Our solace is that major tragedies did not mar this great day.

Anna Hazare, the crusader against corruption in India, could not spend this great day in his hometown Ralegan Siddhi. He was taken ill last night and had to be rushed to the nearby major city Pune. He was hospitalized immediately and doctors attending on him said he was stable, but needed at least 4/5 days rest and could not fast for one month. The core committed meeting of Team Anna had to be deferred too. Righteous citizens are saying that God does not help you when you no longer have strength of conviction and morale. After the historic achievements in April and August of last year Anna turned political and had been uncharacteristically inconsistent. When fast was not the right decision he sat on fast and had to call if off midway, now he cannot fast at all for one month at least. And, for the first time Anna had been avoiding the media on his illness and hospitalization.

This does not mean that fight against corruption is losing its conviction. In Shillong, a beautiful city in North East India, a group of people took a dip in the icy-cold water of a lake at the midnight hour to reaffirm their continued fight against the evil.

Let 2012 bring joy to all and offer solutions for betterment of the global citizens.

Pray For Japan!

The 9 point earthquake, worst ever in world history, struck Japan on Friday and then came the devastating Tsunami. In mere minutes Japan was reduced to junk, rabble and desolation. But hats off to tremendous technological advance achieved by the tiny country which saved millions of lives.

Suffering suffering and sufferings for the Japanese people. You can see and feel the pain.

The crisis is far from over. With blasts and possible more blasts in the nuclear plants the radiation factor has become a real threat. Fears are expressed like in the case of Chernobyl Nuclear Accident in 1986, but here again the high technological standards of Japan can come to the rescue. Let us pray for the Japanese to tide over the worst ever crisis after World War II.

How helpless are humans before Nature! Up to whatever extent you make progress it can be wiped out in minutes if Nature feels like it and you just cannot do anything about it. So much for the power of mankind! You make nuclear plants to generate more energy because your needs always go on increasing and increasing. But do you know enough to control the Frankenstein hidden behind? Reduce your aspirations greed and needs, O' humans! Learn how to save preserve and conserve. You are all sons and daughters of Nature. Learn to turn to your mother for love and help. At least sometimes!

One more thing. Politics, racialism, religion, business rivalries and idealistic conflicts should not come into play while helping Japan to recover. In a way, helping Japan mankind is most likely to help mankind only in the ultimate goal of saving Mother Earth.