The lesson Michael can teach Maoists

The Maoists seem to go from bad to worse. Their sister organisation held up a train a day ago in India, so they could scrawl graffiti calling for their comrade's release. And pray what's behind all such destructive acts? The desire to uplift the downtrodden.

If the Maoists do really want social upliftment, they should look to a place and a people who have had immense success at it. In fact, I'd recommend the Maoists look at a recent act that's radically different from their philosophy, yet, is what's true 'upliftment' philosophy. Of course, I can tell you the Maoists will never get around to understanding it. After all, aren't they named after a mass murderer? That should be an indication of how sensible they are.

Across the ocean from where the train was stopped, the post death jamboree rolls on. I am talking Michael Jackson. In death he's opened up opportunities like never before. Former non-released tunes are now being brought into the open for a price. In life, I wonder if these limp tunes would have had takers. In death, there are many. Michael's life's on screen. Viewing comes at a price. His funeral attendance rights too brought in the moolah. And I can tell you, the post death marketing juggernaut won't stop anytime now.

Now the intellectual moralists may not like what's happening to one who's dead and gone. Tell you what, these dimwits are the same ones who sympathise with goons who hold up trains. What a pity. I wish they knew that the only philosophy that matters is one that can be traded. Where the ones involved in the trade benefit. Their lives get 'uplifted'. If the Maoists wanted answers to Social upliftment they should look to the likes of people who cash in, even in death. Simply because there's money to be made. Make no mistake, nothing that breaks the law of the land must be allowed. But if something's within the law, and can be traded, so be it. In fact I'd say, encourage it. The Maoists with a laudable goal of social upliftment should teach the tribals the tricks of trade. Because that's the only philosophy that matters. One that engineers social upliftment. Instead of blocking trains, one must learn to sell to people on trains, learn to participate in the spoils of transportation.

Because in the end, our salvation lies not on a held up train. But on one that's running. Held up trains are only good for socialist graffiti. The ones running on tracks open up markets for capitalistic trade. Of course, Social upliftment too.