When an issue gets my goat, I often tend to have verbal diarrhoea. So I have made an effort to write on a something other than the Mangalore episode that caught my attention last night. But as a prelude, here is something that was told to me quite a few years ago. Ask a child of any nationality which is the greatest country in the world and the child would answer with the name of his own country. But ask an Indian child the same question and 9 out 10 would answer - America. As a nation we have always been obsessed with the "Big Brother" nation and its opinion about us. No matter what, we always try to remain in their good books, this despite being a larger democracy population-wise.
Anyways coming to the point that really got me thinking.
I was reading the Barack Obama edition of India Today. The intro to the story actually carried a line that goes like this. .... "becoming possibly the first American President to mention 'Hindu' in an inaugural speech..."
This really got me wondering what the context was all about and so I got a transcript of the speech online to see. And the line goes thus ... "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers." - Now what in the world is so extraordinary about this. Are we so starved for attention that one inane reference in a presidential speech actually warrants a mention in a magazine of such calibre. Its almost as if our nation achieved demi-god status with Barack Obama's speech.
At the same time, a news channel made a huge hue and cry about the fact that A R Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire jackpot song 'Jai Ho' was used on an international ramp during a fashion show. Granted that A R Rahman deserves all the credit but come on guys, this is not the first time Indian music has been used internationally and will most certainly not be the last. The international world has had a taste of India for years now... right from firangs turning to India for moksha, to Indian motifs being displayed on clothes and bodies, to yoga, to ..... the list goes on.
Of course there are several more such cases. Why do we still feel the need to prove ourselves internationally and try and ride out on really silly international recognition. Why can't we display the attitude that comes with being a success internationally with class, rather than behave as we are being done a favour.
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have noticed that too. Something as small and irrelevant as nothing being made into this huge thing to be gloated about.the media especially laps at the comments made by any firang abt how great India is.. well..he better say good things in front of the camera for crying out loud. egad!!! its absolutely crazy to see us going gaga over minuscule comments
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