Slumdogs meet politicians

I usually refrain from writing blogs on politics but this one forced me to abandon the rule. Recently Congress claimed credit for some of the country's recent achievements which included guess what “Slumdog Millionaire's success at Oscars”. The party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said "All this has been possible because of the conducive environment and good governance of the UPA”.

Wow.. what a statement? Isn’t this a laughing matter? To top it, the two kids from slums who acted in the movie (Rubina and Azhar) met Sonia Gandhi at her house in Janpath and also sang "Jai Ho" for her (which incidentally is Congress's election anthem now). They even suggested campaigning for Congress party in the coming elections (by the way they both are single digit old else Congress would have made them candidates from their slum constituency). Just before meeting Sonia, the two kids just had a small request “When we meet her we will tell her that we need a roof over our heads”

This last request from the two little ones is enough to summarize the irony of the situation, the sorry state of our political affairs? After 60 years into independence, the slums are only increasing; in fact so big, that a hollywood producer depicts them in full nakedness to the whole world and wins credits left right and center. The party who was providing their “good governance” for most of these 60 years claims credit for it – I guess credit for glorifying India’s poverty and highlighting the majority of population who struggle to make even their basic necessities meet. Yes Sir, this is definitely a “conducive environment”

There was so much criticism when the movie went on to win Oscars. Why hasn’t no one come forward now? Everyday, the two kids meet some political leader or some bollywood star or do a ramp walk on a fashion show (yes they walked on the ramp as well in designer clothes) but at the end of the day, they still come back to their same old slum wherein they share their parched hutment with so many others in poor unhygienic conditions. Imagine the mental trauma those two might be going through everyday? At such a tiny age, they are living a dual life every 12 hrs (a dream life in a day and dropping to the stark realties in night) hoping that the political parties will do something to rectify the situation, something that can make their dreams last a bit longer.

Influence of media

One of my first blogs was how media can make or break an institution.
Today, I would like to extend this to individuals. Every morning when we wake up, the first thing we read is the headlines from our local daily. Does it determine our mood, our outlook for that day?
Take for instance, a sample of gloomy headlines that fill our newspaper these days:

• Recession reports: 1300 firms file for bankruptcy
• Asian stocks go for a free fall
• Industrial output fells sharply
• Consumer confidence at a decade low
• A NY broker commits suicide because of losses

How does it make you feel? Even though your job might be perfectly fine, your company might be doing very well, your personal life is in full balance; yet somehow these news creates a negative impression in your mind and we all know negativity creates a vicious cycle taking you further down.

Just last week, I came across a forward email in which a person has a small lunch takeaway in the heart of Wall Street. His business is going great (after all whatever be the market condition; every one is going to have a quick bite at lunch). Suddenly his educated son appears and advises his father to reduce his production as there is recession in market. His father does so; Now the takeaway shop runs out of food earlier and lot of customers have to return hungry. The word spreads and people start refraining from going to the shop fearing they might not get lunch. This reduces demand and the father reduces production further thus creating a cycle. In the end… demand is low and lower is the supply (Impact of recession????)

Well the story might not have any linkage to what I started blogging about; but the bottomline message is same and very clear. Simple things like your daily newspaper; your dinnertime news channel influences how your day shapes up. Though its good to know the facts and whats happening in the world; its even more important to project them in a balanced manner; An individual should assimilate information to the extent he is impacted by the same…