India was born 5000 years ago. Around 300 BC, Chanakya and Chandragupta unified this land from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. But the unity lasted only 100 years. After Ashoka, India broke up into many kingdoms. And starting around 700 AD, she was conquered and ruled by foreign invaders.
Finally in 1947, the last foreign invader - the British - left. But they handed over to us only the half of India that they directly ruled. The other half was made up of 565 kingdoms. They had to be merged with the rest of the country if we were to be both free and united. It was done by one man - Sardar Vallabhai Patel. (So the liberals' argument that the British made/ created/ united India is b***s***)
So more than 2000 years after the Maurya Empire, we were free and united again (of course, with the exception of Sindh, West Punjab & East Bengal). All because of one man - Sardar Patel. This was the re-unification of India. And that is what it should be called. Instead, Leftist historians called it 'Integration of Princely States'. They deliberately coined this silly phrase to downplay the magnitude of Sardar Patel's achievement.
Let us call a spade, a spade. Sardar Patel was not an 'integrator of princely states'. He was the re-unifier of India. Today on his 140th birthday, let us remember this great son of Mother India, and thank him for the priceless gift of freedom and unity he gave us. Bharat Mata ki jai!
31 October 2015
11 September 2015
A Short History Of The World
A short history of the world:
1. America fought USSR.
2. Jihadis fought USSR.
3. So America helped jihadis.
4. Jihadis formed Al-Qaeda.
5. Al-Qaeda attacked America.
6. America blamed Iraq.
7. America invaded Iraq.
8. Islamic State took over Iraq.
9. America is fighting Islamic State. (See #1)
10. Al-Qaeda is fighting Islamic State. (See #2)
11. So... (See #3)
Moral: The more things change, the more they remain the same.
1. America fought USSR.
2. Jihadis fought USSR.
3. So America helped jihadis.
4. Jihadis formed Al-Qaeda.
5. Al-Qaeda attacked America.
6. America blamed Iraq.
7. America invaded Iraq.
8. Islamic State took over Iraq.
9. America is fighting Islamic State. (See #1)
10. Al-Qaeda is fighting Islamic State. (See #2)
11. So... (See #3)
Moral: The more things change, the more they remain the same.
01 August 2015
'Post-Industrial Society'
In 1971, French sociologist Alain Touraine wrote a book called Post-Industrial Society. He said that Western society after 1950 had entered a new stage of development – the 'post-industrial' stage. His thesis was:
In 1973, American sociologist Daniel Bell wrote a book called Coming of Post-Industrial Society, and popularised this idea among English-speaking social scientists. And in 1980, American futurologist Alvin Toffler wrote a book called Third Wave, and popularised this idea among laymen across the world.
Is this thesis correct?
There are some differences between early industrial society (the West till 1950) and advanced industrial society (the West after 1950). But they are nothing compared to the differences between agricultural society and industrial society. Touraine, Bell, Toffler (and others) are 20th century Westerners who have never seen agricultural society. So they do not know the huge chasm that separates agricultural society and industrial society. They saw the minor differences between early industrial society and advanced industrial society, and jumped to the conclusion that the latter is a new stage of society. It is not. It is only the second sub-stage of industrial society.
So the term 'post-industrial' (and 'post-modern') is meaningless.
| 1. Agricultural | ||
| 2. Industrial | ||
| 3. 'Post-Industrial' |
In 1973, American sociologist Daniel Bell wrote a book called Coming of Post-Industrial Society, and popularised this idea among English-speaking social scientists. And in 1980, American futurologist Alvin Toffler wrote a book called Third Wave, and popularised this idea among laymen across the world.
Is this thesis correct?
There are some differences between early industrial society (the West till 1950) and advanced industrial society (the West after 1950). But they are nothing compared to the differences between agricultural society and industrial society. Touraine, Bell, Toffler (and others) are 20th century Westerners who have never seen agricultural society. So they do not know the huge chasm that separates agricultural society and industrial society. They saw the minor differences between early industrial society and advanced industrial society, and jumped to the conclusion that the latter is a new stage of society. It is not. It is only the second sub-stage of industrial society.
So the term 'post-industrial' (and 'post-modern') is meaningless.
19 July 2015
'Baahubali - 1': Review
Review of 'Baahubali-1':
A. Traditional Indian Story =
"Once upon a time, there was a king. He was good, brave & wise . . . "
B. Typical Indian Movie =
Handsome hero + beautiful heroine + wicked villain + romance + songs-dances + drama + action
C. South Indian Masala =
LTL + OTT (larger than life + over the top)
D. Hollywood Seasoning =
CGI special effects
A + B + C + D = 'BAAHUBALI'! :-)
* Paisa-vasool scene: When Kattappa places Baahubali's foot on his head.
* Best performance: Satyaraj (Kattappa)
* Doesn't Prabhas look like Manoj Bajpai?
* Why the hell can't we see this movie (& others) in Kannada?
A. Traditional Indian Story =
"Once upon a time, there was a king. He was good, brave & wise . . . "
B. Typical Indian Movie =
Handsome hero + beautiful heroine + wicked villain + romance + songs-dances + drama + action
C. South Indian Masala =
LTL + OTT (larger than life + over the top)
D. Hollywood Seasoning =
CGI special effects
A + B + C + D = 'BAAHUBALI'! :-)
* Paisa-vasool scene: When Kattappa places Baahubali's foot on his head.
* Best performance: Satyaraj (Kattappa)
* Doesn't Prabhas look like Manoj Bajpai?
* Why the hell can't we see this movie (& others) in Kannada?
01 July 2015
India's Complexity/Diversity: Survey Categories
If you want to do a survey for India, what are the various categories you have to cover – so that your survey captures the whole country?
A. ZONE
1. North+Central
2. South
3. West
4. East
5. North-east
B. LOCATION
1. City
2. Town
3. Village
C. SEX
1. Male
2. Female
D. AGE
1. Young
2. Middle-age
3. Old
E. CLASS
1. Middle class
2. Lower class
3. Poor
F. CASTE
1. Upper-caste
2. OBC
3. SC/ST
4. Other
So total number of survey categories = 5 x 3 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 4 = 1080!!!
A. ZONE
1. North+Central
2. South
3. West
4. East
5. North-east
B. LOCATION
1. City
2. Town
3. Village
C. SEX
1. Male
2. Female
D. AGE
1. Young
2. Middle-age
3. Old
E. CLASS
1. Middle class
2. Lower class
3. Poor
F. CASTE
1. Upper-caste
2. OBC
3. SC/ST
4. Other
So total number of survey categories = 5 x 3 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 4 = 1080!!!
03 June 2015
'Mad Max: Fury Road'
The 1973 & 1979 oil shocks increased oil from $20 to $100. The world suddenly faced a new question: What if oil runs out?
In 1980, Australian director George Miller made a movie called Mad Max to answer this question. In an imaginary future – oil becomes scarce, modern civilisation disappears, and humans go back to living as savages. The movie became a blockbuster and a cult classic.
35 years later, George Miller remakes Mad Max with Tom Hardy (Bane in Dark Knight Rises). Human society has been through 3 stages: tribal, agricultural & industrial/modern. But its fundamental forces have always been - and will always be - the same: resources/wealth, power & religion. Mad Max: Fury Road illustrates this truth brilliantly.
Even if you don't care about social-economic-philosophical analysis, watch it (if you haven't already). Because it's one hell of a kick-ass action movie! :-)
Trivia:
* The movie was shot in Namibia.
* Heath Ledger was the 1st choice for the new Mad Max.
* George Miller's other movies include Babe: Pig in the city and Happy Feet!
In 1980, Australian director George Miller made a movie called Mad Max to answer this question. In an imaginary future – oil becomes scarce, modern civilisation disappears, and humans go back to living as savages. The movie became a blockbuster and a cult classic.
35 years later, George Miller remakes Mad Max with Tom Hardy (Bane in Dark Knight Rises). Human society has been through 3 stages: tribal, agricultural & industrial/modern. But its fundamental forces have always been - and will always be - the same: resources/wealth, power & religion. Mad Max: Fury Road illustrates this truth brilliantly.
Even if you don't care about social-economic-philosophical analysis, watch it (if you haven't already). Because it's one hell of a kick-ass action movie! :-)
Trivia:
* The movie was shot in Namibia.
* Heath Ledger was the 1st choice for the new Mad Max.
* George Miller's other movies include Babe: Pig in the city and Happy Feet!
01 June 2015
India's Complexity: Religion, Language, Caste
India's complexity (religion, language, caste):
| Country | |||
| India | |||
| China | |||
| America |
Total number of combinations possible in India = 7 X 15 X 5,000 = 5,25,000.
30 May 2015
Kannada Movie Industry: Economic Analysis
Q: Why is the Kannada movie industry so weak – especially when compared to its neighbours?
Total revenue figures are not available for the Kannada and Malayalam movie industries. So we use another measure:
Immediately we see the strength of each film industry. How to explain this difference? We start with the most basic fact:
1. Karnataka is straightaway at a disadvantage – being only the 3rd biggest state in south India. (only Kerala is smaller)
But how many people actually speak Kannada (as their 1st language)?
2. Now the situation becomes even worse. The Kannada-speaking population is much smaller than Karnataka's population. In every state, some people speak another language (as their 1st language). But the situation is worst in Karnataka.
[So Karnataka's size is misleading – only about 60% of its people speak Kannada as their 1st language]
Next, it's not enough to have people. The people need money to see movies. So:
3. The situation gets even worse for Karnataka – with almost the lowest per capita income in south India.
[Tamil Nadu is the most developed state; but Kerala has the highest per capita income due to money sent by Keralite workers in West Asia]
Finally if we multiply the per capita income by the number of language-speakers, we get a measure of the total market size in that language:
4. The Kannada movie industry has the smallest market in south India. The markets for the Telugu and Tamil movie industries are almost 2 times bigger.
That is why the Kannada movie industry is so weak.
| Kannada | |
| Telugu | |
| Tamil | |
| Malayalam |
Total revenue figures are not available for the Kannada and Malayalam movie industries. So we use another measure:
| Kannada | ||
| Telugu | ||
| Tamil | ||
| Malayalam |
Immediately we see the strength of each film industry. How to explain this difference? We start with the most basic fact:
| Karnataka | |
| Andhra Pradesh | |
| Tamil Nadu | |
| Kerala |
1. Karnataka is straightaway at a disadvantage – being only the 3rd biggest state in south India. (only Kerala is smaller)
But how many people actually speak Kannada (as their 1st language)?
| Kannada | |
| Telugu | |
| Tamil | |
| Malayalam |
2. Now the situation becomes even worse. The Kannada-speaking population is much smaller than Karnataka's population. In every state, some people speak another language (as their 1st language). But the situation is worst in Karnataka.
[So Karnataka's size is misleading – only about 60% of its people speak Kannada as their 1st language]
Next, it's not enough to have people. The people need money to see movies. So:
| Karnataka | |
| Andhra Pradesh | |
| Tamil Nadu | |
| Kerala |
3. The situation gets even worse for Karnataka – with almost the lowest per capita income in south India.
[Tamil Nadu is the most developed state; but Kerala has the highest per capita income due to money sent by Keralite workers in West Asia]
Finally if we multiply the per capita income by the number of language-speakers, we get a measure of the total market size in that language:
| Kannada | |
| Telugu | |
| Tamil | |
| Malayalam |
4. The Kannada movie industry has the smallest market in south India. The markets for the Telugu and Tamil movie industries are almost 2 times bigger.
That is why the Kannada movie industry is so weak.
30 April 2015
Bollywood/India's Movies: Logic and Realism
Logic and realism are industrial values. That is, they are the values of an industrial society (in-soc). They do not exist in an agricultural society (ag-soc). What does this mean for art – especially motion picture?
Movies in industrial societies (US & Europe) are logical and realistic. Movies in an agricultural society (like India) are not logical and realistic. How are they then? They are just the modern (technologically, not culturally) version of the village play. In fact, it can be argued that village plays are more logical and realistic than ag-soc movies – the former are stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. For the real inspiration of the ag-soc movie, we must look elsewhere.
In the old days, a "picture man" travelled from village to village with his "picture box". If you looked into the window of the picture-box, you could see a picture. The picture-man would turn a lever, and you could see different pictures one after another. The pictures were sights from the big cities: Bangalore (Vidhan Soudha), Bombay (Gateway of India), Delhi (Red Fort), etc. You would pay the picture-man a coin for this pleasure. The ag-soc movie is nothing but the hi-tech version of the village picture-box.
The ag-soc movie is not what a movie should be: a logical and realistic story told using moving images. Instead it is just a visual spectacle: handsome hero, beautiful heroine, nice houses, nice clothes, songs and dances, some romance, ugly villain, some violence, uglier comedian, some humour, saintly mother, some melodrama, hero and heroine marry, then they live happily ever after. This is the typical ag-soc movie. (And Bangalore/Bombay/Delhi are out of the question; we are shown New York/London/Paris instead)
This is why Indian movies are illogical and unrealistic. As India becomes an industrial society, hopefully it will make logical and realistic movies.
Movies in industrial societies (US & Europe) are logical and realistic. Movies in an agricultural society (like India) are not logical and realistic. How are they then? They are just the modern (technologically, not culturally) version of the village play. In fact, it can be argued that village plays are more logical and realistic than ag-soc movies – the former are stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata. For the real inspiration of the ag-soc movie, we must look elsewhere.
In the old days, a "picture man" travelled from village to village with his "picture box". If you looked into the window of the picture-box, you could see a picture. The picture-man would turn a lever, and you could see different pictures one after another. The pictures were sights from the big cities: Bangalore (Vidhan Soudha), Bombay (Gateway of India), Delhi (Red Fort), etc. You would pay the picture-man a coin for this pleasure. The ag-soc movie is nothing but the hi-tech version of the village picture-box.
The ag-soc movie is not what a movie should be: a logical and realistic story told using moving images. Instead it is just a visual spectacle: handsome hero, beautiful heroine, nice houses, nice clothes, songs and dances, some romance, ugly villain, some violence, uglier comedian, some humour, saintly mother, some melodrama, hero and heroine marry, then they live happily ever after. This is the typical ag-soc movie. (And Bangalore/Bombay/Delhi are out of the question; we are shown New York/London/Paris instead)
This is why Indian movies are illogical and unrealistic. As India becomes an industrial society, hopefully it will make logical and realistic movies.
This analysis applies to all Indian cinema: Kannada, Hindi (Bollywood), Telugu, Tamil, etc.
30 March 2015
India's Greatest Prime Ministers (Ranking: Best/Worst)
Ranking of India's greatest Prime Ministers (best to worst):
1. P V Narasimha Rao
For starting India's real modernisation in 1991 by switching the economy from socialism to capitalism.
2. Jawaharlal Nehru
For helping India to survive as a free and united country by steering the Republic in its infancy.
3. Lal Bahadur Shastri
For making India self-reliant in food production by fathering the Green Revolution in 1966.
4. Atal Behari Vajpayee
For making India a nuclear-weapon power and continuing its modernisation.
5. Rajiv Gandhi
For not doing much good, but not doing much harm either.
6. Manmohan Singh
For heading post-Independence India's most corrupt government.
7. Jawaharlal Nehru
For condemning India to half-a-century of poverty by imposing a socialist economy.
8. Indira Gandhi
For making India a most poor and corrupt country by destroying its institutions.
1. P V Narasimha Rao
For starting India's real modernisation in 1991 by switching the economy from socialism to capitalism.
2. Jawaharlal Nehru
For helping India to survive as a free and united country by steering the Republic in its infancy.
3. Lal Bahadur Shastri
For making India self-reliant in food production by fathering the Green Revolution in 1966.
4. Atal Behari Vajpayee
For making India a nuclear-weapon power and continuing its modernisation.
5. Rajiv Gandhi
For not doing much good, but not doing much harm either.
6. Manmohan Singh
For heading post-Independence India's most corrupt government.
7. Jawaharlal Nehru
For condemning India to half-a-century of poverty by imposing a socialist economy.
8. Indira Gandhi
For making India a most poor and corrupt country by destroying its institutions.
28 February 2015
Society/System: Sheep & Wolves
People go to work and make money.
They go to malls and spend money.
They live in nice houses.
They drive nice cars.
This is the system called 'society'.
Nothing runs on its own.
Especially a system.
It has to be run.
By some people.
99% of people simply live in the system.
They make money.
They spend money.
They are the sheep.
1% of people run the system.
They are the wolves.
They control the sheep.
Sheep are good.
Wolves are bad.
It is the existence of wolves that allows sheep to exist and to be good.
They go to malls and spend money.
They live in nice houses.
They drive nice cars.
This is the system called 'society'.
Nothing runs on its own.
Especially a system.
It has to be run.
By some people.
99% of people simply live in the system.
They make money.
They spend money.
They are the sheep.
1% of people run the system.
They are the wolves.
They control the sheep.
Sheep are good.
Wolves are bad.
It is the existence of wolves that allows sheep to exist and to be good.
24 January 2015
The Soldier
All the battles he fought
All the battles he lost
Do they mean something?
Do they mean anything?
He stands amidst the ruins
Ruins of his own making
Where does he go from here?
Is there anywhere?
Where did he go wrong?
At the beginning?
How did he go wrong?
By following You?
Why did You make him?
To fight a war?
Where is his army?
Where are his weapons?
You sent him here
Alone and unarmed
To fight a battle
A wolf among sheep.
A soldier he is
In the battlefield
Lost and lonely
Afraid and defeated.
Each day comes
As a dark cloud
And goes away
Followed by another.
Where is the light?
Where is the path?
Where is the answer?
Where is the joy?
How much longer?
How much more?
Till he gives way
And falls to the ground.
He has nothing left
Only pain and fear
Show him the way
Or end his fate.
What wrong did he do?
All he did was
Walk on Your path
The path of right.
Are You testing him?
Is this a test?
If yes, he is close
To failing it.
He is falling apart
Piece by piece
Just a matter of time
Till nothing is left.
He lies in the battlefield
Bruised and battered
Wounded and tired
Waiting for a sign.
Show him something
Show him a way
Or take him
And be done with it.
He will fight
To the bitter end
Till jackals and vultures
Feast on his bones.
He will go down
With a sword in his hand
A smile on his face
And a song on his lips.
All the battles he lost
Do they mean something?
Do they mean anything?
He stands amidst the ruins
Ruins of his own making
Where does he go from here?
Is there anywhere?
Where did he go wrong?
At the beginning?
How did he go wrong?
By following You?
Why did You make him?
To fight a war?
Where is his army?
Where are his weapons?
You sent him here
Alone and unarmed
To fight a battle
A wolf among sheep.
A soldier he is
In the battlefield
Lost and lonely
Afraid and defeated.
Each day comes
As a dark cloud
And goes away
Followed by another.
Where is the light?
Where is the path?
Where is the answer?
Where is the joy?
How much longer?
How much more?
Till he gives way
And falls to the ground.
He has nothing left
Only pain and fear
Show him the way
Or end his fate.
What wrong did he do?
All he did was
Walk on Your path
The path of right.
Are You testing him?
Is this a test?
If yes, he is close
To failing it.
He is falling apart
Piece by piece
Just a matter of time
Till nothing is left.
He lies in the battlefield
Bruised and battered
Wounded and tired
Waiting for a sign.
Show him something
Show him a way
Or take him
And be done with it.
He will fight
To the bitter end
Till jackals and vultures
Feast on his bones.
He will go down
With a sword in his hand
A smile on his face
And a song on his lips.
12 January 2015
Technocrats in India's Politics
Technocrats in India's politics:
| Manmohan Singh | PhD @ Oxford | UNCTAD |
| P Chidambaram | MBA @ Harvard | Lawyer |
| Yashwant Sinha | MA @ Patna University | IAS |
| Arun Shourie | PhD @ Syracuse | World Bank |
| Jairam Ramesh | MS @ Carnegie Mellon | World Bank |
| Montek S Ahluwalia | MPhil @ Oxford | World Bank |
15 December 2014
Politics: India, China, America
1. AMERICA [Scene: A school inspection]
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is John. He is our 1st rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become President of the country.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is James. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become Governor of the state.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Joseph. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become Mayor of the city.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Alex. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and become a drug addict. Then he'll become a rock star.
2. CHINA [Scene: A school inspection]
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is Chang. He is our 1st rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become President of the country.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is Ching. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become Governor of the province.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Chung. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become Mayor of the city.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Cho. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and learn kung fu. Then he'll become a movie star.
3. INDIA [Scene: A school inspection]
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is Rama. He is our 1st rank student. He will study medicine and become a doctor.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is Shyama. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study engineering and become an engineer.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Bhima. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study management and become a manager.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Timma. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and become a politician. He will become a corporator, MLA and MP. He may become Chief Minister or even Prime Minister.
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is John. He is our 1st rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become President of the country.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is James. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become Governor of the state.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Joseph. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study law, enter politics and become Mayor of the city.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Alex. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and become a drug addict. Then he'll become a rock star.
2. CHINA [Scene: A school inspection]
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is Chang. He is our 1st rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become President of the country.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is Ching. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become Governor of the province.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Chung. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study engineering, join the government and become Mayor of the city.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Cho. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and learn kung fu. Then he'll become a movie star.
3. INDIA [Scene: A school inspection]
Teacher: Good morning, sir.
Inspector: Good morning.
Teacher: Welcome to our school.
Inspector: Thank you.
Teacher: Our school is the best school in the city. Our boys are the best boys in the city.
Inspector: Really?
Teacher: Yes, sir.
Inspector: Can you show me some of your boys?
Teacher (points to 1st boy in 1st bench): This is Rama. He is our 1st rank student. He will study medicine and become a doctor.
Inspector: Excellent!!!
Teacher (points to 2nd boy in 1st bench): This is Shyama. He is our 2nd rank student. He will study engineering and become an engineer.
Inspector: Excellent!!
Teacher (points to 3rd boy in 1st bench): This is Bhima. He is our 3rd rank student. He will study management and become a manager.
Inspector: Excellent!
Inspector (points to the boy in last bench): What about him?
Teacher (embarrassed): He is Timma. He has flunked 3 years in a row.
Inspector: Don't worry. He will drop out and become a politician. He will become a corporator, MLA and MP. He may become Chief Minister or even Prime Minister.
08 December 2014
India's Middle Class and Politics
Q: Why does India's middle class not participate in politics?
Middle class is a modern/industrial class. But Indian society is not yet an industrial society. It is still an agricultural society. Worse, it is a feudal society. So India's middle class is an industrial island in an agricultural/feudal ocean. An industrial society runs on merit, knowledge and education. A feudal society runs on money, muscle and caste.
A country's politics is a function of its society. That is, a country's politics is decided by what kind of society it has. An industrial society has industrial politics – ie, professional knowledge-based politics. A feudal society has feudal politics – ie, the politics of money, muscle and caste. Since India is a feudal society, it has money-muscle-caste politics.
Since the middle class is an industrial class, it has only merit, knowledge and education – but not money, muscle and caste. So it is unable to operate in India's money-muscle-caste politics.
Therefore the Indian middle class does not participate in politics.
Middle class is a modern/industrial class. But Indian society is not yet an industrial society. It is still an agricultural society. Worse, it is a feudal society. So India's middle class is an industrial island in an agricultural/feudal ocean. An industrial society runs on merit, knowledge and education. A feudal society runs on money, muscle and caste.
A country's politics is a function of its society. That is, a country's politics is decided by what kind of society it has. An industrial society has industrial politics – ie, professional knowledge-based politics. A feudal society has feudal politics – ie, the politics of money, muscle and caste. Since India is a feudal society, it has money-muscle-caste politics.
Since the middle class is an industrial class, it has only merit, knowledge and education – but not money, muscle and caste. So it is unable to operate in India's money-muscle-caste politics.
Therefore the Indian middle class does not participate in politics.
01 December 2014
Middle Class Indians' Marriage Obsession
Middle class Indians are obsessed with marriage. But there is a small exception to this rule:
Why is it so?
In ancient/traditional India, there were two types of people:
1. Grihasthas (householders)
2. Sanyasis (ascetics)
The vast majority of the people were Grihasthas. They married, had children and took care of their families. That is, they pursued Kama and Artha. Then there were a few Sanyasis. These stayed single and devoted themselves completely to working for society or to spirituality. That is, they pursued either Dharma or Moksha.
Both these options were open to all the Varnas. But since only Brahmanas had knowledge, only they (ie, a few of them) became Sanyasis. Since non-Brahmanas did not have knowledge, none of them became Sanyasis; they were all Grihasthas only. Thus society became like this:
This system has existed for 3000 years. So today's society is a result of 3000 years of social programming – which is very powerful. Therefore we have the situation described by the first table. Non-Brahmins (most of them) know only one thing: make money, marry and have children. But Brahmins (a few at least) are aware of an alternate path: devote oneself completely to society or to spirituality.
Thus the middle class Indian marriage obsession has a small Brahmin exception. But among non-Brahmins, it is total.
The Sanyasi system is and should be an exception. If everybody becomes a Sanyasi, then society will cease to exist.
| Brahmins | |
| Non-Brahmins |
Why is it so?
In ancient/traditional India, there were two types of people:
1. Grihasthas (householders)
2. Sanyasis (ascetics)
The vast majority of the people were Grihasthas. They married, had children and took care of their families. That is, they pursued Kama and Artha. Then there were a few Sanyasis. These stayed single and devoted themselves completely to working for society or to spirituality. That is, they pursued either Dharma or Moksha.
Both these options were open to all the Varnas. But since only Brahmanas had knowledge, only they (ie, a few of them) became Sanyasis. Since non-Brahmanas did not have knowledge, none of them became Sanyasis; they were all Grihasthas only. Thus society became like this:
| Brahmanas | ||
| Non-Brahmanas |
This system has existed for 3000 years. So today's society is a result of 3000 years of social programming – which is very powerful. Therefore we have the situation described by the first table. Non-Brahmins (most of them) know only one thing: make money, marry and have children. But Brahmins (a few at least) are aware of an alternate path: devote oneself completely to society or to spirituality.
Thus the middle class Indian marriage obsession has a small Brahmin exception. But among non-Brahmins, it is total.
The Sanyasi system is and should be an exception. If everybody becomes a Sanyasi, then society will cease to exist.
07 November 2014
Life, Love, Duty, Society, Country
COUNTRY
# There is Absolute Truth and there are relative truths. And the greatest relative truth is India.
# Love is the greatest force in the world. And love of one's country is the greatest love in the world.
# What can be more natural than the love of one's land, its people and their culture?
# If there is any cause in this world worth living for, fighting for and dying for – it is India.
# The 3 greatest blessings in the world:
1. To be born in India
2. To live in India
3. To work for India
LIFE
# Life is war. The world is a battlefield. And we are all soldiers.
# Life is a war. Every day is a battle. Give every day/battle your 100%.
# Life|War = 1/3 Preparing + 1/3 Fighting + 1/3 Waiting. The last is the toughest.
# A man's life must be judged by how much it increases the order of the System (ie, society).
DUTY
# Dharma is the highest Purushartha. And Rashtra Dharma is the highest Dharma.
# Great nations are not built by people who seek their own happiness. They are built by sacrifice.
# A patriot's life is dedicated 100% to his country. There is no 'balance' in his life. 'Balance' is for vegetable sellers, not patriots.
# The lofty ideals of country/nation/Motherland and duty/service/sacrifice can only be achieved through the mundane thing called SYSTEM – ie, getting into the right system and working in it.
LOVE
# What is love? It is surrender. It is submission. It is sacrifice. To an ideal greater than our petty individual selves.
# Romantic love, or male-female attraction, is a chemical reaction inside the brain. It is a program written by evolution to ensure the survival of the species.
# Most people don't know the meaning of love. They equate love with sexual attraction. True love is dedication to a great ideal.
# The concept of love has been hijacked by the entertainment industry, which has reduced it to sexual attraction. Patriots must take it back and make it their own.
# All love is good. But all love is not the same. There is the lower/ordinary love (family/friends) and the higher/great love (country/society).
SOCIETY
# Society/civilisation is the constant struggle of Order against Chaos.
# First law of thermodynamics says that energy cannot be created – it can only be converted from one form to another. Brahmacharya transforms sexual energy into social energy.
# Second law of thermodynamics says that a system's order can be increased only by supplying energy. For the system called society, where must this extra energy come from? It comes from Brahmacharya.
15 October 2014
Nietzsche: A Brief Life Story/Biography
Today is the 170th birth anniversary of the great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900). A brief life story/biography:
Nietzsche (pronounced 'neecha') was born on 15 October 1844 in a village called Roecken in the kingdom of Prussia (today's east Germany). His father, a priest, passed away when he was 5 years old. The family then moved to a nearby town called Naumburg. There he studied at Prussia's most prestigious school - Schulpforta - and excelled as a student. He then went to Bonn University to study philology – the study of the ancient Western languages: Greek and Latin. After one year, he moved to the University of Leipzig.
At age 23, Nietzsche joined the Prussian army and excelled as a cavalry officer. But a horse-riding accident injured his chest severely and forced him to quit the army. The injury would stay with him all his life. 2 years later, he volunteered as a paramedic in the Franco-Prussian war and contracted dysentery and diphtheria. These diseases too stayed with him till the end.
[That year (1870), Otto von Bismarck (Prime Minister of Prussia) completed unifying the 40 different kingdoms of Germany into a single kingdom – for the first time in history. Germany was now Europe's largest – and most powerful – country]
Nietzsche finished his PhD at age 25. He became a professor of philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He was the youngest philology professor in Europe. But he suffered a lot from his injury and diseases. 10 years later, at age 35, he retired and got a small pension. He spent the next 10 years (age 35 to 45) living in different places in Italy, France and Switzerland. This was the period when he wrote his greatest books: Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885), Beyond Good And Evil (1886) and others.
At age 45, when he was in Turin (Italy), Nietzsche had a mental breakdown and became insane. His mother took him to Naumburg and looked after him. 10 years later, he passed away at age 55 in Weimar, on 25 August 1900. His body was buried in the Roecken churchyard. His notes were published as Will To Power the next year.
Nietzsche is the greatest thinker produced by Western civilisation. He went far ahead of Western philosophy. He had the honesty, the courage and the intelligence to ask the right questions. Unfortunately, 19th century Europe was unaware of Hindu/Indian philosophy – which has the answers. So he had only the pain of his questions (which finally drove him insane). He never found the peace of the answers (which he so richly deserved).
We are filled with respect and admiration for Nietzsche's genius. Equally, we are filled with sadness at his tragic fate. My pranaams to this great Rishi of the West.
See Nietzsche's Superman theory.
Nietzsche (pronounced 'neecha') was born on 15 October 1844 in a village called Roecken in the kingdom of Prussia (today's east Germany). His father, a priest, passed away when he was 5 years old. The family then moved to a nearby town called Naumburg. There he studied at Prussia's most prestigious school - Schulpforta - and excelled as a student. He then went to Bonn University to study philology – the study of the ancient Western languages: Greek and Latin. After one year, he moved to the University of Leipzig.
At age 23, Nietzsche joined the Prussian army and excelled as a cavalry officer. But a horse-riding accident injured his chest severely and forced him to quit the army. The injury would stay with him all his life. 2 years later, he volunteered as a paramedic in the Franco-Prussian war and contracted dysentery and diphtheria. These diseases too stayed with him till the end.
[That year (1870), Otto von Bismarck (Prime Minister of Prussia) completed unifying the 40 different kingdoms of Germany into a single kingdom – for the first time in history. Germany was now Europe's largest – and most powerful – country]
Nietzsche finished his PhD at age 25. He became a professor of philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland. He was the youngest philology professor in Europe. But he suffered a lot from his injury and diseases. 10 years later, at age 35, he retired and got a small pension. He spent the next 10 years (age 35 to 45) living in different places in Italy, France and Switzerland. This was the period when he wrote his greatest books: Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885), Beyond Good And Evil (1886) and others.
At age 45, when he was in Turin (Italy), Nietzsche had a mental breakdown and became insane. His mother took him to Naumburg and looked after him. 10 years later, he passed away at age 55 in Weimar, on 25 August 1900. His body was buried in the Roecken churchyard. His notes were published as Will To Power the next year.
Nietzsche is the greatest thinker produced by Western civilisation. He went far ahead of Western philosophy. He had the honesty, the courage and the intelligence to ask the right questions. Unfortunately, 19th century Europe was unaware of Hindu/Indian philosophy – which has the answers. So he had only the pain of his questions (which finally drove him insane). He never found the peace of the answers (which he so richly deserved).
We are filled with respect and admiration for Nietzsche's genius. Equally, we are filled with sadness at his tragic fate. My pranaams to this great Rishi of the West.
See Nietzsche's Superman theory.
01 September 2014
Education in the Agricultural Age/Society
In the Agricultural Age, there were 4 groups in society:
1. Scholars
2. Warriors
3. Merchants
4. Farmers
This was true for all civilisations (India, China, Europe, etc).
Knowledge in the Agricultural Age was low. The knowledge required in people for the effective functioning of society was also low. Whatever knowledge existed was required only for the scholars. It was not required for the other groups – ie, warriors, merchants, farmers. So in all civilisations, only the scholars got education. The others (warriors, merchants, farmers) did not get education.
In India, these social groups were nothing but the Varnas:
1. Scholars – Brahmanas
2. Warriors – Kshatriyas
3. Merchants – Vaishyas
4. Farmers – Shudras
Thus in ancient India, only the Brahmanas had education. The others (Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) did not have education.
1. Scholars
2. Warriors
3. Merchants
4. Farmers
This was true for all civilisations (India, China, Europe, etc).
Knowledge in the Agricultural Age was low. The knowledge required in people for the effective functioning of society was also low. Whatever knowledge existed was required only for the scholars. It was not required for the other groups – ie, warriors, merchants, farmers. So in all civilisations, only the scholars got education. The others (warriors, merchants, farmers) did not get education.
In India, these social groups were nothing but the Varnas:
1. Scholars – Brahmanas
2. Warriors – Kshatriyas
3. Merchants – Vaishyas
4. Farmers – Shudras
Thus in ancient India, only the Brahmanas had education. The others (Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) did not have education.
01 August 2014
India's Middle Class: Money, Marriage, Family
India's middle class is obsessed with two things: money and marriage. Why?
An industrial society (US, Europe, Japan) has welfare systems like social security, social welfare, etc. An agricultural society (like India) has no such systems. Because there is no social security, people must rely completely on their savings. Because there is no social welfare system, people must rely completely on their family (ie, wife/husband and children). Therefore people in agricultural societies are obsessed with money and marriage. Obsession with money and marriage is a feature of the agricultural mindset. People with a truly modern/industrial mindset are not obsessed with money and marriage.
As India industrialises and becomes an industrial society – and builds the systems of an industrial society, this obsession will reduce.
An industrial society (US, Europe, Japan) has welfare systems like social security, social welfare, etc. An agricultural society (like India) has no such systems. Because there is no social security, people must rely completely on their savings. Because there is no social welfare system, people must rely completely on their family (ie, wife/husband and children). Therefore people in agricultural societies are obsessed with money and marriage. Obsession with money and marriage is a feature of the agricultural mindset. People with a truly modern/industrial mindset are not obsessed with money and marriage.
As India industrialises and becomes an industrial society – and builds the systems of an industrial society, this obsession will reduce.
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