OK, so here come the brickbats. After writing an entry under confessed pressure, I was matter-of-factly accused of writing only about celebrities or dead politicians. Are they the only ones who are worthy of your attention, I was asked. So this blog is dedicated to that critic (or pressure-putter-volunteer) to tell her, no, my blog isn’t just about what’s happening at the moment. Presenting a list of things that (also) really make me go “hmmm:”
- Farmer suicides: Though it has been in the news lately, it’s not the latest phenomenon. Farmers in Maharashtra (and as I now learn, Karnataka as well), for as long as I can remember, have been committing suicides, tired of debt-ridden lives. I cannot get over how measly these loans can be – as little as Rs.3000 sometimes. Moreover cannot get over about how just some basic education and a responsible attitude of urban Indians (and people across the world) towards the environment can totally change the situation for the farmers.
- Global warming: A village in Nepal is facing the threat of a ‘tsunami.’ What was ice 50 years ago is now a lake, and threatens to wipe out the village, if the glaciers keep melting like they are now. Though the environment has been a much-discussed topic, I am overwhelmed at the extent of damage we have caused to the planet already and can cause further. We need to stop – today, now – or else it will really be too late. We need to understand that the global warming is not “happening elsewhere;” it’s happening to us and will be worse for our children. That is, if they have a planet to live on.
- Unnoticed goodness: I either have way too much time now, or have become more observant. Either way, I have just begun to notice how much goodness there is around us that goes by without an acknowledgement. What scares me is the day these do-gooders stop because no one cares anyway. (Actually, I do have an entry about this one! http://discordantthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/reward-goodness/)
- The daily grind: I am one of the lucky few who can pursue what is closest to my heart. Unfortunately, millions of people are not fortunate enough to be able to make that choice to put their interest over financial gains. I get all choked up and mellow when I think of all those people (some of whom are very, very close to me) who wake up every morning and go to work just because they need that paycheck they get every month.
- Dignity of labour/loud-mouthed S.O.Bs: Just because someone is a domestic help or gathers trash or serves food for a living does not automatically put them at the receiving end of physical or verbal assaults. That’s just their job; it does not define who they are – human beings just like the people who employ them. Grrrr!
- De-planetisation of Pluto: I am still so sad about this demotion. Pluto is the smallest and most insignificant planet of the nine, and they had to take the one thing it had – being called a planet! Life’s just so unfair – even in the galaxy!
This list is not comprehensive – there is so much more that tugs my heart strings or causes so much agony. To keep my emotions in check and write about these things objectively is something I need to be better prepared for. I’m working on it, I promise!
So dear PPV, I assure you that while the Khans and the YSRs are an integral part of my thoughts, they are not the only ones. Now, let the bouquets fly!
No comments:
Post a Comment