Cricket and Bollywood ruined us
Lingering a few moments on a channel running the GQ Men of the Year awards and scanning faces in the crowd, I was struck by a realization. That the fraternity in attendance were drawn (mostly) from Bollywood and cricket. Imagine that. Men of the year representation from two vocations that have pretty much contributed to nothing other than bamboozling us with unreal entertainment that isn't even legitimate fantasy.
In addition to socialist politics, I can't think of anything other than Bollywood and Cricket being the two other ruinous reasons why we are where we are as a nation. Winning at a game played by less than half a dozen nations makes us feel like world champions, fooling us into hoisting on our shoulders people who don't deserve anything other than bulky celebratory plaques at a GQ function. Dizzy pelvis dislocating dance routines on screens have us believe the people doing it must be really smart, and so we give them the opportunity to 'lead' us by voting them into policy making positions.
Spend a little time and give it some thought, and you'll see the worst of public discourse and the lousiest of national policy making happens because the dimmest of people engage in it. Pray why so in India? 'Cos here the decision makers (many a times) get drawn from the wrongest of places, and that includes Cricket and Bollywood.
Its time we realized as a nation our salvation lies in 'real people' doing 'real thinking'. Amateur fantasies are fine as long they are kept at bay, and at places like the GQ functions (rightly named 'Amateurs of the Year'). Allow the amateurs playing out such fantasies to move into spaces of public discourse and policy making and you invite disaster.
The kind we've witnessed for the last sixty years.
In addition to socialist politics, I can't think of anything other than Bollywood and Cricket being the two other ruinous reasons why we are where we are as a nation. Winning at a game played by less than half a dozen nations makes us feel like world champions, fooling us into hoisting on our shoulders people who don't deserve anything other than bulky celebratory plaques at a GQ function. Dizzy pelvis dislocating dance routines on screens have us believe the people doing it must be really smart, and so we give them the opportunity to 'lead' us by voting them into policy making positions.
Spend a little time and give it some thought, and you'll see the worst of public discourse and the lousiest of national policy making happens because the dimmest of people engage in it. Pray why so in India? 'Cos here the decision makers (many a times) get drawn from the wrongest of places, and that includes Cricket and Bollywood.
Its time we realized as a nation our salvation lies in 'real people' doing 'real thinking'. Amateur fantasies are fine as long they are kept at bay, and at places like the GQ functions (rightly named 'Amateurs of the Year'). Allow the amateurs playing out such fantasies to move into spaces of public discourse and policy making and you invite disaster.
The kind we've witnessed for the last sixty years.
Comments
1) With regard to other sports, I feel more corporate sponsorship is needed. But it happens only if there is solid track record and proven performance. A case of Chicken and egg deadlock! I feel olympicgoldquest.in is a step in the right direction
2) Bollywood has marketed itself well (despite the predominantly lousy content) compared to other regional cinema. Content, screenplay and storywise, Bengali, Tamil (Offbeat movies) and Malayali movies score high. But is there a commerical viability or audience to keep it sustainable?
3)The politicians have created a nice entry barrier by playing well on caste,race, regional, money factors. Awareness among the illiterate masses (who actually vote) might help.