They'll talk to you and talk to you and talk
to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's
gonna scare 'em.”
Jack Nicolson's matter of fact statement in Easy Rider while two men are looking for America back in 1969 gives some perspective about where we are, where we've been and what we need to do all over again.
Its 15th August, Indian Independence Day. Holiday for me, long weekend starter for many and tricolor sale gimmick for malls... Its much more, of course, of tradition, patriotism, feelings and far-away dreams. It is a milestone to reflect on accomplishments and mull over shortcomings- both of which is done in abundance this day...
I am gonna cherry pick my share of shortcomings in terms of culture that India has...or rather multitudes of cultures and how they make us coherent, and at the same time,damage lots of things.
I sit in my room, few floors away from the flat which has been pretty much been the center of Mumbai's latest and most heinous crime scene. Pallavi murder case by the guard of this building who apparently had fancies for her, which led to a state where he wanted to 'attain' or 'possess' her...or whatever is the suitable word. She was, as i can gather from articles, fair image of new age youth. Well educated, learned family background, independent, self sufficient etc etc... News has all sort of pointers and built up stories about the guard having fancies for her because of her 'progressive' wardrobe, felt she is deserving target since she was living in with her boyfriend, and other stuff apart from her being 'a pretty thing.' All that together led him to try and rape her, and on retaliation by an athletic, national-level swimmer, slit her throat and run away to let her bleed to death...
Should these guards, drivers, helpers need to be trained for cultural sensitivity as they come from remote areas of India and get a 'shock of life' at lifestyle of youth..So that they don't have presumptions about their actions being less condemnable as 'such' people with 'such' lifestyle deserve it? Should prostitution be legalized so that sexually deprived men and women can legally satiate their desires instead of going out of the way where they have to force themselves on someone?
There are ideas supporting and opposing all these arguments and in due course something might, hopefully, be done- at least in an attempt to address these problems. What's sad is how in this parameter, India has failed completely.
We are the country with 2nd most rape cases (registered) High proportion of which is committed by relatives, husbands, boyfriends- these will be the people venting out all sort of life's desperation or frustration on most convenient target. It is a booster to their ego as they exhibit and prove their control on someone and overshadow own failure somewhere else. Other high proportion is led by the fact that they feel like responsible to keep essence and culture of the society intact by punishing those who are responsible for corrupting it. And then there are those whose definition of possessing someone goes beyond boundaries of consent or comfort.
I may be making a strong statement but I am sad to be a part of this confused culture- two faced- hypocrite society. Why was I brought up in the make belief world of being equable to anyone and everyone when I have to ensure that a man drops me till my door for the sake of my safety? Why did I get tired, deep down, of defending my equality and bravery the more i confronted this world? Why are my parents waiting in the balcony if I am taking a late flight home or why does it bother me when a cab driver, who is seating me in his taxi after two months remembers my building and office address? Why do I fight and claim that I am similar to others when I quietly check my doors twice in the night that they are locked? Why have I gotten used to the fact that I am an obligation- to be escorted, picked, dropped, tracked, accompanied, so that i can not be stalked?
We are youngest population of the world- and fucked up in many parameters. We have routines, habits, conventions, so deeply cultivated in us that they are hard to fathom or question. We have gotten used to the ills. " Hey hows Bombay treating you? Safer than Delhi?" " Its a nice place but c'mon Delhi is not as unsafe as media shows it to be.. I do go out in the night, just that my parents ensure that I have company of male friends..."
Yeah right... We are used to the ills being inseparable part of society that the defense has become a part and parcel of our life. "Carry pepper spray, use latch before opening the door, don't travel alone in night, have someone drop you, message me when you reach..." For god's sake why are there separate columns for Lone women travelers in every Lonely planet...
I want to be where I am called, after I leave, for being missed and affection, and not for concern...You know on lines of what Martin Luther King says in 'I have a dream' Where I am not judged by my clothes but by the depth of my character...
...Where sex does not influence judgment for one's ability. If we don't steal from politicians as we believe it gives them taste of their own medicine, then where does mentality of raping a prostitute or destroying a self sufficient thing comes from. There is something wrong in the whole DNA. A new generations needs to be bred which does not need to challenge the ills but knows that ills have no space in the society, leave alone questioning it to be right or wrong... or wanting to act by punishing their self decided culprits.
Anyway, Happy Independence Day everyone, I should head to swimming as I need to get back before its dark!!
Jack Nicolson's matter of fact statement in Easy Rider while two men are looking for America back in 1969 gives some perspective about where we are, where we've been and what we need to do all over again.
Its 15th August, Indian Independence Day. Holiday for me, long weekend starter for many and tricolor sale gimmick for malls... Its much more, of course, of tradition, patriotism, feelings and far-away dreams. It is a milestone to reflect on accomplishments and mull over shortcomings- both of which is done in abundance this day...
I am gonna cherry pick my share of shortcomings in terms of culture that India has...or rather multitudes of cultures and how they make us coherent, and at the same time,damage lots of things.
I sit in my room, few floors away from the flat which has been pretty much been the center of Mumbai's latest and most heinous crime scene. Pallavi murder case by the guard of this building who apparently had fancies for her, which led to a state where he wanted to 'attain' or 'possess' her...or whatever is the suitable word. She was, as i can gather from articles, fair image of new age youth. Well educated, learned family background, independent, self sufficient etc etc... News has all sort of pointers and built up stories about the guard having fancies for her because of her 'progressive' wardrobe, felt she is deserving target since she was living in with her boyfriend, and other stuff apart from her being 'a pretty thing.' All that together led him to try and rape her, and on retaliation by an athletic, national-level swimmer, slit her throat and run away to let her bleed to death...
Should these guards, drivers, helpers need to be trained for cultural sensitivity as they come from remote areas of India and get a 'shock of life' at lifestyle of youth..So that they don't have presumptions about their actions being less condemnable as 'such' people with 'such' lifestyle deserve it? Should prostitution be legalized so that sexually deprived men and women can legally satiate their desires instead of going out of the way where they have to force themselves on someone?
There are ideas supporting and opposing all these arguments and in due course something might, hopefully, be done- at least in an attempt to address these problems. What's sad is how in this parameter, India has failed completely.
We are the country with 2nd most rape cases (registered) High proportion of which is committed by relatives, husbands, boyfriends- these will be the people venting out all sort of life's desperation or frustration on most convenient target. It is a booster to their ego as they exhibit and prove their control on someone and overshadow own failure somewhere else. Other high proportion is led by the fact that they feel like responsible to keep essence and culture of the society intact by punishing those who are responsible for corrupting it. And then there are those whose definition of possessing someone goes beyond boundaries of consent or comfort.
I may be making a strong statement but I am sad to be a part of this confused culture- two faced- hypocrite society. Why was I brought up in the make belief world of being equable to anyone and everyone when I have to ensure that a man drops me till my door for the sake of my safety? Why did I get tired, deep down, of defending my equality and bravery the more i confronted this world? Why are my parents waiting in the balcony if I am taking a late flight home or why does it bother me when a cab driver, who is seating me in his taxi after two months remembers my building and office address? Why do I fight and claim that I am similar to others when I quietly check my doors twice in the night that they are locked? Why have I gotten used to the fact that I am an obligation- to be escorted, picked, dropped, tracked, accompanied, so that i can not be stalked?
We are youngest population of the world- and fucked up in many parameters. We have routines, habits, conventions, so deeply cultivated in us that they are hard to fathom or question. We have gotten used to the ills. " Hey hows Bombay treating you? Safer than Delhi?" " Its a nice place but c'mon Delhi is not as unsafe as media shows it to be.. I do go out in the night, just that my parents ensure that I have company of male friends..."
Yeah right... We are used to the ills being inseparable part of society that the defense has become a part and parcel of our life. "Carry pepper spray, use latch before opening the door, don't travel alone in night, have someone drop you, message me when you reach..." For god's sake why are there separate columns for Lone women travelers in every Lonely planet...
I want to be where I am called, after I leave, for being missed and affection, and not for concern...You know on lines of what Martin Luther King says in 'I have a dream' Where I am not judged by my clothes but by the depth of my character...
...Where sex does not influence judgment for one's ability. If we don't steal from politicians as we believe it gives them taste of their own medicine, then where does mentality of raping a prostitute or destroying a self sufficient thing comes from. There is something wrong in the whole DNA. A new generations needs to be bred which does not need to challenge the ills but knows that ills have no space in the society, leave alone questioning it to be right or wrong... or wanting to act by punishing their self decided culprits.
Anyway, Happy Independence Day everyone, I should head to swimming as I need to get back before its dark!!
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