The Game of Hierarchy...

Under the influence of my very old habit of keenly observing the people around me, I have often wondered… do people submit to oppression easily ? The immediate response to this question comes as an obvious ‘NO’. No they don’t.

Unless there is this issue of hierarchy involved.

Hierarchies… we are simply surrounded by the concept in our daily lives. Be it the workplace or relationships, it is rare for a person to escape the effects of hierarchy. Effects which are mostly (if not always) negative. Negative though, for the one who is placed at a lower level in the ladder of hierarchy. Whereas, the so called superior enjoys the benefits of this very ladder of hierarchy.

A daughter-in-law quietly tolerates the whims of her mother-in-law. An assistant lives by the commands of the boss at work. A ‘junior’ college student is ruled by the ‘seniors’. Hierarchy works almost everywhere.

But what is it that drives those placed low in the hierarchy submit so meekly to those placed higher up ? From the looks of it, the very obvious answer would be the need for survival. To maintain a peaceful relationship with the in-laws. Or the necessity to keep holding on to the job. Or the so called benefits to be had from the ‘experienced’ seniors.

All the above reasons seem very logical. But beneath this practice of observing the protocols of hierarchy, there exists a sense of anticipation. The anticipation to grab the powerful position one day and exercise it over one’s future subordinates.

Very recently, I was witness to a cultural program at a government medical college. The highlight of the show was a small skit by the first year students who portrayed the life of a ‘fresher’ which also included the menace of ragging by the seniors. And as the students acting as seniors abused and threatened the ones acting as the ‘freshers’, it extracted a big applause from the entire audience including many professors watching the show who seemed to enjoy it very much.

Maybe they remembered their own days of harassment at the hands of their ‘superiors’ which eventually made way for the happy days when they were able to harass their own subordinates. It appeared to be a sweet recall of the pain and then the pleasure. And the bliss of revenge.

I have always found it strange how someone can cozy up to the very person who abused them physically, mentally or verbally. How people are able to befriend and ‘respect’ those who harassed them just a few days back ? It never did sum up as per my thinking abilities.

   

But now, it is a lot clearer to me after understanding the ways of hierarchy and the sadistic pleasure it brings once a person has been able to tide over the rough and tough days of being a subordinate. The pleasure of tormenting a subordinate is way too grand for anyone to remember the abuse their abusers meted out to them.

The delusional sense of superiority is good enough to forget the real pain and hurt of inferiority. The cycle continues from being real to being delusional. But as long as it ends on a happy note, people just don’t care.

After all, ‘kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi’ !

(Image Courtesy : Google Images)

Face Off...

Recently, on the way back from an official trip for academic purposes, the colleagues and me made a stop-over at Amritsar for a day. We visited the 'Golden Temple' and the 'Jallianwalla Bagh' as is almost mandatory for any visitor to Amritsar. However, I was anticipating our visit to a place called the ‘Wagah border’ which is known to be the point of entry into India from Pakistan and vice versa.

We actually didn’t plan to stroll in to Pakistan territory, but were repeatedly advised to visit the ‘Wagah border’ by people who had been there before. The reason for the interest in that place seemed to emerge due to a daily exhibition of a ‘Beating retreat’ ceremony that marks the lowering of flags of the two countries by their security forces on each side of the border.

After making utter gluttons of ourselves over the famous ‘Amritsari thalis’ and ‘Kulchas’, we set of for the border in the heat of the afternoon with a jolly old Sardarji as our guide cum driver.

But as soon as we were dropped off about one kilometer from the actual site of the event, I could sense a strange feeling one experiences on arriving at a cricket match. There were people with boxes of colors in one hand and brushes in the other literally chasing and harassing the visitors to get the national flag painted on their face. Others were harassing the visitors into buying snacks and bottles of water. The scene appeared no less than a picnic spot. We somehow managed to escape those harassers.

After half an hour worth’s walk in the sun (which was a welcome option after all the over-eating) and surviving long queues on at least three security check points, we finally reached the site of action. The venue consisted of public stands made on either side of the Grand Trunk road on each side of the border with a couple of gates separating the two sides in the middle of the road.

We soon realized the futility of reaching the stand comparatively early as all the over-excited spectators decided to view the proceedings (even if nothing had begun yet) while standing. We decided it better to move to the edge of the stand to be able to catch glimpses by trying to stand on our toes.

Instantly, a tall man in a white sports suit emerged with a mic in his hand and greeted all the spectators (on the Indian side, obviously). He then gave a brief introduction about the ceremony and notified everyone about the slogans that would be shouted. 

It was then that we noticed rows of chairs on each side of the road in front of the stands. And then we realized that they were meant for VIP and VVIP visitors who wanted to have a ringside view of the proceedings. We were still discussing whether those seats were paid or not when suddenly movie songs suggestive of patriotism started playing on the loudspeakers all around.

On seeing the crowd in the stands bursting into a resounding cheer, I stood on my toes to see what it was all about. And there, in the middle of the road were large groups of females of various ages having the time of their lives dancing on the beats of the songs. 

It looked rather like a typical ‘baraat’, the only addition being a few Indian flags being waved by some of the enthusiastic dancers. How the entire crowd comprehended it as something highly patriotic was beyond me.

Soon, I could make out something very similar going on across the other side of the border. The dancing, waving and shouting continued for almost half an hour during which I had several bouts of reasoning whether or not it was a mistake to visit this place.

Thankfully, this extravagant display of patriotism ended and we saw a few of the troops marching out for what appeared to be the serious part of the ceremony. But we soon realized that it was just the formal part of the competition; a competition which the two countries indulge in every day.

A competition about –

Whose troops are taller and smarter…

Whose commanding personnel can shout louder and longer…

Whose soldiers are more aggressive in the routine…

The crowd on which side can over-shout the other…

And ultimately, who displays more patriotism than the other.

While the dedication of the security forces is unparalleled, it was really disheartening to see the results of the ceremony which the crowds on either side of the border took away with them. A sense of patriotism in any form is always welcome but what each country can do without, especially at this point of time, is the sense of aversion, hostility and distrust. 

The mutual lowering of the national flags should signify mutual trust and confidence between the two sides. The flags are indeed lowered. But only after the crowd on each side is assured that they are better than the other and the other side cannot be trusted.

It is ironic that on each side of the border, on the monumental gateways bearing the names and flags of India and Pakistan, there appear the pictures of the fathers of both the nations. It seems as if people on both the sides are ready to take on each other on behalf of their ‘father of the nation’.

But I’m sure that both M.K. Gandhi and M.A. Jinnah wouldn’t have expected being forced to face off each other so many years after independence.

Chance or Choice... ???

Just the other day I was talking to my five year old nephew on the phone as he was busy describing to me, his new adventures in school. Having heard enough, I tried to change the topic of the conversation.

“What did you have for lunch today?” I asked.

“Pasta…..” He replied.

“Pasta… ??” I checked again.

“Pastaaa… Faastaa… Fast thaaa…” I was on fast… he clarified in his kiddy voice.

On further enquiry I came to know that the poor kid was fasting due to the ongoing ‘Navratras’ (nine days of the Goddess).

To say that I was exasperated on hearing this would be an understatement. I mean, here was a little kid of five, who jumps for joy at the mere sight of the ‘M’ of McDonalds. To have him kept hungry for a whole day just to please the Goddess is laying it on a bit thick.

Okay… there are people who are very religious and hopefully they understand whatever logic they seem to follow by observing rituals. But what sense does a five year old kid have about religion, rituals and anything of that sort ?

Or are the ‘sensible’ adults promoting their religious devotion by forcing rituals on little kids ?

All humans who follow a certain religion, do so because they happen to be born into that religion (except those who convert). So automatically, they learn (are taught) that their faith is the only true faith. This learning eventually turns into belief which quite often results in fanaticism.

We identify a child by her or his religion right from the time of birth. But no one cares to ascertain which religion does the child wants to follow. Obviously, a new born cannot even decide upon the bladder/bowel functions, let alone be able to choose his religion.

Right from the time of birth up to an age of maturity (which is taken to be as 18), it is obvious that a person cannot judge the pros and cons of a religion. Hence, a person below the age of 18 is unable to make independent choices.

So, I wonder that why should any person below the age of 18 years (or before attaining mental maturity) be known to be following a certain religion ? Once he or she attains maturity, a person should be free to choose from the available set of religions as per their own logic.

In other words, people below 18 years of age should NOT have any religion to follow. Unless a person is mature and aware enough to make choices, how can he or she know that his own religion is the best ?

Abolishing religious identity of all people below the age of maturity would help to prevent religious fundamentalism and fanaticism to a certain extent. Hence, a person should have a choice to choose his religion instead of being forced into following one by mere chance by birth.

I hope such a day becomes a reality in the future when people are able to choose their religion.

Though I guess people will hardly bother to think about religion, let alone choose one for themselves if they grow into sensible adults without being forced into following a religion by birth.   
 

(Image courtesy : Google Images)

Mind Your Language...

Once again, the debate on English versus the Indian languages (specially Hindi) is hitting the national news. Some people seem to have a big problem with the UPSC testing the Civil Services aspirants in basic English proficiency in its entrance test.

(Intellectual bankruptcy.... what else ??)

Earlier, I had written a post on the use of English as compared to the regional languages for higher education in India, when a loonie baba suggested that all higher education in India should be conducted in Hindi or the regional language.

Once all such ridiculous ideas are demolished through logic, such people turn to the issue of nationalism which they think is automatically associated with language.

What such people fail to understand is that a language is a means of communication. It is NOT the parameter to assess one’s patriotism.

A person may have a particular mother tongue. But it is not necessary that his or her mother tongue is understandable to most of the people that person wants to communicate with. Thus, if that person uses another language to communicate with other people, it does not automatically imply that he or she is being disrespectful to the mother tongue.

A person may be living and working away from his hometown and his parents in another place. And therefore, instead of his parents, he interacts with his colleagues and boss on a regular basis rather than his parents. Will that mean he becomes disrespectful to his parents simply because he is not interacting with them on a daily basis ? Similar logic.

Most ‘patriots’ who shout for the use of Hindi or other regional languages instead of English do so because of their negative views for the British who once ruled India. But they forget that English is not the Queen’s property. Yes, the British Empire once ruled almost the entire world. But one good thing that resulted from it is that it provided a common language of communication for people from various parts of the world.

My mother tongue is Hindi, but I’m writing this post in English. That doesn’t turn my loyalties towards the United Kingdom. Neither does it imply that I disregard Hindi or I’m disrespectful towards Hindi. I’m writing in English in order to put across my thoughts, whether good or bad or right or wrong, to people not just across India but across the world.

Often, when I visit a blog directory such as ‘Indiblogger’, I come across some popular blogs by people which are in their regional language. However much I would like to read their views, I cannot do so since I do not understand that language. Similarly, a person from another region of India would be unable to understand my blog if I were to write it in Hindi. So, either I have to learn another person’s language or he has to learn mine in order to communicate our views to each other.

English serves that purpose easily and efficiently bringing people on an equal platform instead of one learning the other’s language. The same goes for people from different parts of the world.

And when people give the examples of Russia, China, Germany, etc. to suggest that they still use their own language instead of resorting to English, they simply show their ignorance about the fact that even these countries are turning to English in order to reach out globally in every field.

And yes, the above countries are more or less homogeneous in the composition of their populations regarding language. India, on the other hand, is not a homogenous country. It is in fact, a Union of States with different cultures and languages. It’s similar in comparison if we consider the European Union to be one country. No wonder we don’t have a single national language and hence need to depend on English as a common language of communication.

So, instead of hating a language just because it is associated with a certain population, people should understand that a language is simply a mode of communication. One should not compare and classify languages, let alone use it as a tool to determine one’s patriotism.

And, instead of changing the education system according to one’s language proficiency, it is much better and easier to be educated in a common language of communication from the beginning along with one’s mother tongue and other regional languages.

(Image courtesy : Google Images)

The Impure Cycle...

Since times immemorial, the lives of women (especially in India) have been controlled by other people (including other women). Somehow people discover ways to dominate women by exploiting issues that make them feel vulnerable.

But it is all the more shocking to know that women are dominated/controlled/ridiculed for the very reasons that make them different from men. And one such reason is the occurrence of cyclical physiologic events that a woman experiences as a result of possessing a specialized reproductive system. Yes, I’m talking about menstrual cycles.

But instead of acknowledging it as a normal and physiologic activity, people go to the extent of attaching a sense of impurity with a woman’s monthly cycles.

Just imagine a scenario where a newly wed woman is forced expected to perform some rituals or prayers in order to provide her husband’s family a male heir. But once it is known that she is in the middle of ‘those’ days, she is immediately pronounced as untouchable and quarantined into a remote corner of the house.

How can a normal natural physiological process render a person impure ? How can a Goddess/God distance herself/himself from one of her/his own creation just because that creation was functioning normally ?

Do women really need to pray to such a Goddess/God ?

But it is all the more depressing when one finds women (even young in age) themselves accepting the ridiculous idea of being impure. Someone once told me that this impurity is actually logical as women in the process of bleeding would contaminate things they come in contact with. Thus they are prohibited to enter temples or touch objects (including containers of food) during ‘those’ days.

I ask, what if the son of the house, having injured himself falling off his cycle (pun intended) comes to the house bleeding from several places. Would he be considered impure too ? Would he be prohibited from moving about and touching things too ? But I guess we all know the answer.

The discrimination mentioned above happens only when it is known to others when a woman is menstruating. But the shame associated with it is so much that more often than not, it remains taboo. Even if a female is going through the worst possible effects (symptoms which include severe cramps, depression, fatigue, etc.) she cannot disclose the reason for the fear of being shamed.

Ignorance and insensitivity towards a completely normal physiological process makes life horrible for most females in a country like India. Having read quite a bit about the experiences of many females it is evident that even in urban areas, it is not easy for a female to tackle menarche.

Just spare a thought for the millions of girls in rural India who have no access to even the help from a confidant and/or knowledgeable mother, or to the knowledge of health education and health products, let alone have an access or freedom to go to a pharmacy. Add to it the presence of uneducated and insensitive people all around and one just shudders at the thought.

No wonder most young girls in rural India are forced to give up going to a school because of the above mentioned reasons. It is one of the most serious reasons for the pathetic female literacy rate, specially in rural India. Our country needs awareness, sensitization and health measures for all such females in rural areas. Even better if the government can provide free hygiene products from the Primary Health Centres across the country.     

Many schools in cities are known to conduct sessions to educate young girls about the health issues they are expected to face. But more often than not, the boys are kept out of such sessions. What people tend to forget that boys need as much sensitization towards such issues as girls, if not more. If young men are not educated about such gender-based issues, they will grow up being insensitive towards their female counterparts and will end up using such issues as a means of ridicule or jokes.

Why should a girl be made to feel ashamed of a completely natural process ? Why should she be denied a chance to explain the reason for her sickness ? Our country needs serious awareness regarding normal female physiology (specially for males) in order to tackle the inherent gender discrimination in our society.

For all the males who think that a female’s periods are something funny or ridiculous……. Grow up !

For all the people (including nosey MILs and grannys) who think that every girl becomes impure for some time every month……. Get a life, and let others live theirs !

When The Tables Turn...

Sometimes, it becomes really interesting to imagine what life would be like on the other side of the fence. But at times, rather than being interesting one can actually understand what life could be like if one is on the wrong end of gender discrimination.

So, what if –

Female newborns were rejoiced while male fetuses were aborted…

Little girls were given all the freedom to study, play and enjoy life while the little boys were told to learn household work and do it too…

Females could choose their careers and work to make themselves financially independent, while males were married off to move to their in-laws place to serve them and keep them happy…

Males would have to give up on their careers just for the sake of the careers of their wife…

Husbands would stay at home and look after the kids while the wife would go out for work…

All decisions for the household were made by the wife with the husband having no say except for agreeing with his wife…

It would be the man’s responsibility to dress ‘appropriately’ and carry the symbols of being married…

The men wouldn’t be allowed to go out of the house after dark while the females would move around till late nights…

Men would be subjected to suggestive stares and comments by groups of women at public places, and even probably be stalked around by them…

A man being all alone at a deserted place would run the risk of ‘adam-teased’ and being molested or raped by women…

After being molested or raped, the man would actually be held responsible for the incident for dressing inappropriately and stepping out of the house at the wrong time…

The list is endless. But just a few examples go on to show how our society is so heavily imbalanced regarding equality and freedom between the two genders. If only the males could put themselves in a female’s shoes and understand this inequality, it would help to make the society just a bit more sensitive towards gender equality.

I came across a video which depicts exactly how the world would be if the majority (males) would be the ones who are oppressed.

Advisory * The video is NSFW (Not Safe For Work) viewing for some crude language and unconventional visuals.*

Ragging : Illogical & Illegal...

Just the other day I was involved in an animated discussion about the practice of ragging in educational institutes in India. Though I had written on this topic a long time back, the contents of the discussion forced me to write about it again.

What amazes me is the support to the menace called ragging by those who themselves underwent the trauma while in college. During the above mentioned discussion, there were several points put forward in the favor of ragging. I will thus dissect each of them one by one.

Ragging is a means to ‘break the ice’ between the new-comers and their seniors.

Now, why does meeting someone new and getting friendly with them requires one to perform certain acts (even like singing and dancing) ? When you meet a stranger at a party, you don’t ask him or her to sing or dance for you to get friendly. What it simply requires is a shake of hands and some decent and nice talking to know one another.

And even if one accepts this theory of ‘introduction’ to be true, why is it only the new-comer who has to perform for the senior ? Why not the other way round ? The basic logic is that, to be friendly, all that is needed is a decent conversation of introduction. And it is required both ways, not just by any juniors.

Ragging teaches the juniors to respect their seniors.

Respect ?!?! A human being should respect every other human being and even animals and plants. And special respect towards someone comes through admiration, not through fear.

A person is respected not because of merely his or her knowledge, intelligence or even experience but because of his or her wiseness. And how can a so-called ‘senior’ by virtue of entering an institute before a junior be entitled to respect ? Isn’t it absolutely absurd to expect respect from someone just because you got admitted to an institute before them ?

Ragging teaches the new-comers to be disciplined and get accustomed to the rules of the institute.

Another absurdity ! How can something disgraceful and illegal be a tool to inculcate discipline ? Moreover, if a person could not be disciplined through twelve years of schooling, how can he or she be disciplined by ragging ?

Also, if that were true, all those ‘seniors’ who harass their ‘juniors’ should have themselves been disciplined after they themselves were ragged as new-comers.

Ragging creates a bond between the ‘seniors’ and ‘juniors’ after which, the ‘seniors’ help the ‘juniors’ with their studies and their life in the institute.

I fail to understand how someone can bond with a person who abuses and harasses him. As for the several benefits the ‘juniors’ keep in mind while tolerating the harassment, isn’t it something ridiculous to think that a person would harass someone in order to help them later ? A helpful person would help others irrespective of their being ‘junior’ or ‘senior’ to them. Doesn’t this signify that the ‘seniors’ need to be pleased in their pervert acts in order to expect help from them ?

And how can any benefit be greater than one’s self respect. Are people so vary of doing their own work or studies that they depend on some pre-cooked benefits from their ‘seniors’ ? My batch at college didn’t have any ‘seniors’ (as we were the first batch) but still we got through with our studies and life at college without any problems.

Ragging helps to build confidence in new-comers to face a tough professional life in the future.

How abuse, degradation, humiliation, harassment and torture can build someone’s confidence is something that is beyond my imagination. This is one of the lousiest excuses put forth in favor of ragging. In fact, the menace of ragging is an evidence of the perverseness and sick mindset prevalent in our society.

As far as logic and psychology goes, ragging cannot be anything as per the above arguments. My take on it can be summarized as follows.

1. Ragging presents itself as an opportunity to those individuals who never find anything about them to be appreciated by others (and hence, live in severe inferiority complex) to portray a false sense of superiority and an ego boost.
2. Why should a whole batch of new-comers be collectively afraid of a bunch of so-called ‘seniors’ ? Yes, it is usually a handful of people from every batch who indulge in ragging.
3. If one is confident of his or her own abilities, they don’t need to depend on any sort of help from any ‘senior’ that too in exchange of their self respect.
4. No ‘senior’ has any moral or legal right to exert their superiority on a ‘junior’ in order to treat them as their personal slaves.
5. Why can’t people be helpful and friendly irrespective of the other person being a ‘junior’ or a ‘senior’ ?
6. Ragging is, in fact, an outlet of the hidden perverseness in certain people which they take out on diffident and scared new-comers.
7. Instead of any benefits, ragging corrupts fresh minds by forcing them to indulge in activities which are not fit for any civilized society.

I hope this menace is weeded out from the society as soon as possible.

You can read my earlier post on the menace of ragging here.

Image courtesy : Google Images

High Spirits...

Just the other day, during a cordial discussion with some colleagues, out of just plain curiosity I asked what it is that makes people want to drink (consume alcohol).

I didn’t know that my pretty harmless question would evolve into a considerably animated (and occasionally heated) argument. I had barely completed my question when someone made a statement – “A person who drinks has no character”.

Obviously, the debate intensified several notches after that comment as there were bound to be counter arguments for and against alcoholism, but my original question got lost in the process.

As far as logic goes, terms like addiction, dependence, etc. can be used to explain why a person tends to indulge in alcoholism on a regular basis. But I wonder what exactly is it that causes him or her to get addicted in the first place. What exactly does a person experience after consuming alcohol ?

As far as I’ve heard and known from common knowledge, alcohol gives a sense of being in an enhanced pleasurable state. Scientifically, alcohol intake acutely increases dopamine levels in the brain. So it is logical why some people turn towards alcohol when they are depressed. And it may also explain why some normal people consume alcohol when they want to experience even more pleasure, or maybe a state of euphoria.

Also, I don’t think a person’s character has much to do with what he or she consumes. Getting addicted to alcohol (or for that matter, even some other food or drink) may be related to a person’s will power or the lack of it. So, it is likely that a person gives in to the temptation to get on a high after consuming alcohol.

But the difference between getting addicted to alcohol and getting addicted to a McDonald’s burger is that one doesn’t lose his or her senses after consuming a delicious burger even though he may experience a sense of increased pleasure too.

A person may get a ‘kick’ after consuming whatever he or she likes. It may be a pizza, a chocolate, a coke, a dosa, a jalebi, a mango shake or whatever. And many times, certain food stuffs have their own adverse effects on the body. But what they don’t do is that they do not affect the person’s mental state (which alcohol notoriously does).

So isn’t it actually that deranged cognitive state (with decreased inhibitions and increased sense of pleasure) which people seek by consuming alcohol ?

I have even heard people talk of wanting to ‘try it once’ just for the sake of experiencing that strange cognitive state. Well, such a wish may be quite harmless if a person wants to try it out just once. I don’t think a single episode of alcohol intake will result in any serious medical effect on one’s body.

But people tend to forget that even a single episode of being ‘under the influence’ can have ever-lasting physical and social effects if the person is drunk beyond being capable of controlling his or her actions.   

If people wish to indulge in alcohol just to be in a false and pleasurable cognitive state, even if it destroys their body slowly, they should be free to do so as long as they don’t bother others by their actions or words.

But as far as I’m concerned, I have enough reasons to keep myself in a state of euphoria than to resort to methods that create a false sense of pleasure.

"We drink to each other's healths...

And spoil our own !!!"

Image courtesy : Google Images