one of the best ways by which i like to while away my time is to listen to BBC radio online. today i heard a drama based on a short story by arthur c clark. it was named all the time in the world. it is a short tale about a con and a time traveller, the end was simple yet chilling with a message to the humans to control thier unbridled arrogance and not to test the patience of nature anymore.
although the story was written long ago it holds importance for us in this age of rising global warming.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
indian democracy - a tower of babel?
doubts have again resurfaced about the way this country has been headed into the future.
i have always believed in the powers of democracy. though flawed and slower than what we would expect, it has worked relentlessly to express the opinions of the oppressed among this country.
a large number of marginalized sections have moved to the mainstream of politics and have gained from it. our reservation system, though deeply structurally flawed has helped a small number of poor become economically and socially as well as politically dominant. we have abolished untouchability and at least in the cities it has virtually become extinct. old brahminical order has crumbled and replaced by aggressive middle classes. although there have been pangs, the upheavels have been far less painless than what some other countries had to undergo.
then you might ask why do i raise doubts about the democracy?
the reason is that we have stalled ourselves. the middle classes that have gained power after independence have refused to give space to still more poorer sections and infact have taken to inflict more humiliation on such lower sections than brahmins and rajputs would have done in the earlier era. tamil nadu is one such place.
tribes have been completely excluded both from the decision making as well as resource consumption. they have been consistently uprooted from thier natural habitats with meagre
compensations.
minorities are being appeased by using religious symbols without anything truly being done for them.
a sense of static helpnessness is creeping over the public opinion with people merely hiding thier heads in the sands rather than do anything to change the situation.
i have always believed in the powers of democracy. though flawed and slower than what we would expect, it has worked relentlessly to express the opinions of the oppressed among this country.
a large number of marginalized sections have moved to the mainstream of politics and have gained from it. our reservation system, though deeply structurally flawed has helped a small number of poor become economically and socially as well as politically dominant. we have abolished untouchability and at least in the cities it has virtually become extinct. old brahminical order has crumbled and replaced by aggressive middle classes. although there have been pangs, the upheavels have been far less painless than what some other countries had to undergo.
then you might ask why do i raise doubts about the democracy?
the reason is that we have stalled ourselves. the middle classes that have gained power after independence have refused to give space to still more poorer sections and infact have taken to inflict more humiliation on such lower sections than brahmins and rajputs would have done in the earlier era. tamil nadu is one such place.
tribes have been completely excluded both from the decision making as well as resource consumption. they have been consistently uprooted from thier natural habitats with meagre
compensations.
minorities are being appeased by using religious symbols without anything truly being done for them.
a sense of static helpnessness is creeping over the public opinion with people merely hiding thier heads in the sands rather than do anything to change the situation.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
बी बी सी
मेरा बी बी सी रेडिओ से बडा गहरा लगाव है. आज लगभग पन्द्रह साल हो गये हैं मुझे रेडिओ पर बी बी सी की वर्लड सर्विस सुनते हुये. फ़र्क सिर्फ़ इतना है कि पहले मैं उसे रेडियो पर सुना करता था और आजकल नेट पर. यह कहना गलत नहीं होगा कि मैने बोलचाल की अंग्रेज़ी उन्ही से सीखी.
इन्टर्नेट पर रेडियो सुनना अपने आप में एक अनूठा अनुभव है. बिना किसी स्टैटिक और रुकावट के सरल और साफ़ अंदाज में रेडियो का आनंद जो इंटर्नेट ने दी है वो भला शौर्ट वेभ कहां से दे पाता.
इन्टर्नेट पर रेडियो सुनना अपने आप में एक अनूठा अनुभव है. बिना किसी स्टैटिक और रुकावट के सरल और साफ़ अंदाज में रेडियो का आनंद जो इंटर्नेट ने दी है वो भला शौर्ट वेभ कहां से दे पाता.
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