The Wail Behind the Invisible Veil

How many times have we heard that our culture is the best in the world? How many times we ourselves have repeated the same without even giving a second thought to what we are saying? What is this culture, tradition, the nebulous set of values that we are so proud of? Recent events that i have been witness to made me think. It made me evaluate the set of values we hold in such high esteem and the conclusion that i arrived at was completely at odds with ideas that were ingrained in me since my childhood. Notwithstanding all the paeans we have heard about how Indian culture gives a special place to women, i found ours to be deeply misogynistic which punished women in every walk of life, in every stage of their life. Each and everyday we are witness to so many atrocities committed against women that we don't even bat an eyelid anymore.

Right from the day a girl hits puberty, she is shackled with a whole set of rules that should put anyone to shame. Even in things like eve-teasing and sexual harassment that women go through on a daily basis, the excuses to justify such acts (like the girl invited trouble by not dressing properly) simply reeks of sexism. Or take the atrocious act of rape. How does our society treat women who have been raped? They are branded and face innumerable hurdles before they can even get married. How is this a tradition/culture that we have to be proud about? If art forms, popular or classical, does imitate the real world (or viceversa) it doesn't look great either. How many times have we seen a reel hero marry off his sister to the guy who raped her? How in God's name is this justified? How many of us even notice the sheer stupidity and vulgarity of such an act? We don't because this misogynistic tendency is instilled deep in our thoughts right from our childhood, all in the name of Indian values.

Another blatant hypocrisy in our society is the ridiculous value that is placed on female chastity (alone). If it is that important for the functioning of the society i am sure it would have been placed for both men and women. Why is infidelity of men condoned so easily, yet women are punished so hard even in extreme cases like rape? Or how many of us even question our own mythologies (not if they are real or not, but the underlying principle). How many of us think about Ramayana and question whether Lord Ram was wrong when he asked Sita to prove her chastity by going through agnipariksha? Again, as i see it, Sita was the victim here. (i know this is going to ruffle a lot of feathers, but i am not sure i have heard any decent explanation about this).I am not sure i am so proud of a culture that penalizes the victim than the criminal.

Dowry system, institutionalized to such a ridiculous extent in parts of our country that each educational degree carries a particular amount, should make us hang our heads in shame. The irony of the whole thing is, as the society becomes more literate all these practices (mind you, i am not even going into superstitions and rituals here)are supposed to wane. But i see the dowry amounts being discussed here as a matter of fact among desis (the educated world traveling ones) with respect to their degrees, their income and GC status. Some might try to explain this away with how the idea in the old days was doing the right thing by giving a girl a share from her father's side. In this day and age, when the property rights have been properly written, it doesn't hold good. I am sick and tired of having to listen how it all made sense a few thousand years ago, so its not all bad. I say Bullshit. I hear the same explanation many times to explain away the caste system. Again, i say Bullshit.

What do we do to widows, young and old? They are branded and they are not allowed to attend any functions. They are not allowed to remarry (easily). They are forced into a life where each and everyday is a monumental sacrifice, a fight for survival, a struggle for acknowledgment. What does our society do to a woman who loses her husband say at around 30 years of age with a little kid? Is ours a compassionate culture that places value in rehabilitating them, one that strives to help her get over the personal loss? No, it is one which doesn't want her to part of any other happy occasion like a marriage. It is one which never ever wants her to have another companion in life, even if she has another 40 years ahead of her. It is one which wants her to stay put in a corner praying till she drops dead and be grateful that she was born in a "wonderful" culture like ours. It is a story like this, of a young 30 year old widow, that made me think.

Is there any reason to be proud of this invisible veil called culture that is so cruel to half the population? I don't see one, do you?

TN Soap Opera

This is what happens when the Chief Minister worries about poor people watching the latest soap opera than poor children getting proper education. From TOI,

According to a new study, Tamil Nadu has only 11,603 schools with computers, which means only students from 22.13% of the state’s 52,423 schools have access to computers in their institutions. And if you look at primary schools alone, the state fares even more poorly with just 11.49% of schools having computers.

Further,

“In absolute terms, Maharashtra has the highest number of schools—28,882, which constitutes 33.42% of its total schools—that have computers in schools, followed by 19,154 schools in Andhra Pradesh, 16,064 schools in Madhya Pradesh, 13,336 schools in Rajasthan, 11,603 schools in Tamil Nadu...,” says professor Arun C Mehta of the NUEPA in his recent analytical report on ‘Strengthening of Education Management Information System in India.’

If the state is behind Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and still it claims itself as one of the forward looking states in India, then that is Bull Shit.

If only DMK worried more about providing computers to all schools than color TVs to all. If only they worried more about providing 24 hour electricity than Lord Ram's engineering degree, Tamil Nadu will not be in the mess it is now in power supply.

Happy Deepavali Folks!

Wish Everyone out there a Very Happy Deepavali and a Prosperous New Year!

Point to Ponder

Is it Just me or you too feel that Chivalry reeks of sexism?

Here is my hero after his Nobel,

Looking Beyond Jura$$ic Park

The game being played in Wall st should be of interest to many historians, for this might be the first signs of mortality of Capitalism as an idea. To me Capitalism has worked well, atleast for sometime, and did give some tangible benefits. However, like so many of the ideas it had its time and it is time we move on. Capitalism as practiced is pure Survival of the fittest idea. And in the financial jungle of wall st, it did for sometime make sense. The system did produce huge behemoths, much like dinosaurs, that ruled this earth for sometime and seemed invincible. It is only after the dinosaurs were wiped off this planet that the small and smart mammals were able to take over, and over a period of time civilization was born. I was hoping for new regulations that will be added and the government will break up all these institutions that were too big to fail so that smaller and smarter mammal like institutions might start taking control. Instead these institutions were bailed out with unprecendent amounts. IMO this might delay the ultimate demise of capitalism, but it can't prevent it

Still, this might be the much required annihilation of an existing idea for new ones to blossom. Unlike many i know, i am not a believer in the idea of unfettered free market. I strictly believe the govt should provide a strict frame work within which private entities must be let to compete. I don't believe in mindless deregulation like the republicans (have they ever proposed anything worthwhile in the last three decades?). I believe the govt should be the one to enforce the regulations, whether its environmental or worker's safety or consumer protection or accountablilty. The Govt should also make sure the basic necessities of the population are not held at ransom by a few corporations.

A system with strict regulations (progressive, not regressive ones) which also is compassionate towards the ones who fall through the cracks in the system, is what i consider a civilized financial world. A system that rewards the brightest and the hardworking, yet one that makes sure that there are not people who get forgotten. A system where only each quarter's profit is important can never be one that can call itself civilized. It can produce the strongest or fastest animal in that jungle. But in the end they will only act at the level of an animal. We as a society have spent enough time in this financial jungle of capitalism, i think its time we come out of it and civilize our financial world. Ideas like microfinancing and Professional management of charity (Melinda Gates foundation, where the charity work is done in a very professional manner) are some right steps along the way. There are more examples out there in individual European countries that can studied and chosen. I don't expect US to take the leadership position in this regard. The idea of unfettered free market has ossified here so much that the idea of providing healthcare to all is a bad idea for almost half in this country, but i hope, it is either India or China which will provide leadership and bring about a paradigm shift in the financial sector. After all, 21st century belongs to them.

(Before anyone starts calling me names, i am not asking for communism or socialism (in the worst sense). I don't think its wrong to expect rich people to pay more taxes.)

Btw, India wins Australia, Anand beats Kramnik and we are on our way to the moon. Can't complain much about the week, can we?!