Sunday, April 21, 2013

History

It is always confusing to watch people rant about how the times are changing. It's as if we are living in an age where everything is disgusting and that our social structure is at the verge of collapse. Perhaps it is justified. Our collective memories come with an expiry date. Perhaps we choose to forget History.

Take the case of the recent rapes in India for example. The whole charade of shock and pretentiousness while treating rape as a 21st century phenomenon. What we have chosen to forget is that it was only in the 12th century, that the first set of laws defining rape as a violent crime rather than a property crime were passed in the anglo saxon community. Before that, patriarchy was so strong that the female members of society were considered as property. I can imagine that thousands of years ago, the dominant hunter gatherer could come back and pretty much force himself on any woman of his tribe while fellow males watched before their turn could come. Let's face it - we're animals. Rape has always been a part of our society - globally.

Corruption brought the roman empire down to it's knees. Bureaucracy in the Chinese dynasty led to Genghis Khan to enter with little resistance. It's not just now that people in power discovered ways to remain in power.

War was never about causes - it still isn't. It was, and always has been about the spoils. Earlier it was land, women and weapons. Today it is about land and resources. Whether it was by Alexander yesterday or by Separatists in Kashmir today. Religion and vendetta are drugs to ensure the war horse remains running - but the spoils of war remains land, and the power to control all resources of that land.

Humans, by nature, are an invasive species. We are meant to grow, multiply and invade surrounding ecosystems - drain it of it's resources and move along till nothing is left. We have managed to impact climatic changes in the last 100 years to an extent that has never been witnessed before. We are, ultimately, at the decline of our curve. The curve that started with Adam. It will perhaps lead to the rise of a new species that will study our fossils just as we study dinosaurs today. In the long run, our despicable acts and our little lies will be forgotten. Just like we have forgotten our own History.

As they say, everything that has a beginning, has an end. Such ends, are inevitable (heavily quoting The Matrix here as usual).

I'm not saying we are all about to die. Nor am I a nihilist. Of course we should strive to be better. I'm just a fan of one of the few people who also saw it my way - the great Douglas Adams who reminded us - 'Don't Panic'.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I want to be like Einstien

.. because, in the near future, people will say jackshit. And then, just so people listen to them, they will give me credit for the quote and post it with my pic in the background on their walls. I'd be THAT cool.
- Ali

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Surprise Surprise

It's not easy to tune into bollywood gossip these days. However, in the process of trying to find like-minded people online, I googled for "Jacky Bhagnani vs Uday Chopra" to read entertaining pot-shots at ugly sons of rich producers. To my surprise, I found THIS!

Two wrongs do make a right, indeed.

Monday, February 18, 2013

For the worse..

The past year hasn't been easy. I was back in India in April and by now, I have already asked myself several times as to how good an idea it was. To strive and to have educated myself to be ahead of the curve.

The future seems more bleak. Corruption, rapes and Climatic changes seem to be staring in your face with no remorse. The wrong are seen as right and the right - they just watch. Assholes are bosses and sycophants follow on. Our government seems more shameless than ever, but no country on earth can claim to be clean anyway. People are more pretentious these days than they are plain stupid. Noone has a healthy life anymore.

5 years ago, if someone had asked me "whats up?", I would have a list of things to talk about, none of them concerning my employment. But today, working 6 days a week, I have nothing else but to say that work is hectic and how I have no time for anything else. My body screams for rest on Sundays. I haven't played any physical sport in the last one year nor have I blogged.

I don't know if growing up has made me bitter or the world has indeed morphed so rapidly into an ugly monster. What I do know is that I am bitter and I am no longer the same guy who posted on this blog almost 7-8 years ago. I want to be, but I am unable to type anything but complaints. I truly hope to god that this is a phase that will pass.

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Return

Moving back to India after almost 2 years in Africa. Having access to cinema halls once more, look forward to more active reviews and blogging in general. Muhahaha. See you you soon!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Proof of a truly global economy

A region that has grown real fast in the past centuries due to colonies feeding the economies more than resources available within the region itself, viz. Europe, is now coming to terms with reality. Financial markets come crashing down showing a gloomy picture of the future. Hence now, they think that they'll eat lesser chocolate in the coming years.

Reduced demand means a drop in global Cocoa prices. This means that International Trade Houses which work on a small margin are forced to reduce prices being given to cooperatives and in effect, farmers.

Sawadogo Adama, a farmer in Mid-Westen Cote d'Ivoire, Africa, will not make as much money on his 2 hectare plantation as he would have, if Italy had done a good job in managing it's economy. And that, is a true proof of how much our lives are interlinked in an international global economy.