The fact that this myth of TINA has survived for more than a decade tells me two things:
(a) majority (>80%) of Indians (based on my limited and biased survey of family and friends) don't know their role in the formation of our government and the process in general. (b) the ruling party has propagated this myth very effectively to their advantage.
I was not impressed with the smart Rama Rao not taking the occasion to show the interviewer her place. I don't know whether she though she was the reincarnate of Barbara Walters, shouting out her question repeatedly without giving him any chance to respond in a sensible way. He should have brought out her ignorance or (more likely) her deviousness of raising the wrong question. It is the megaphone of the media that has kept the public chasing the wrong question and remaining ignorant.
Decades, actually - but yes, a huge gap in our *primary* education is that the Constitution, the law, and basic civics are not taught. I don't mean in depth, but the idea of rights and responsibilities, of states and citizenship, need to be inculcated early. It isn't, and this is a consequence, one of many.
I thought KTR did as well as he was allowed to. He brought up 2004 - an election where India *did* vote against something specific, but Prakash derailed that. He brought up the point of parliamentary bs presidential systems, but again couldn't complete the point...
But yes, true about media loudspeakers drowning out sense.
On Twitter/socmedia a lot of people who were previously quiet are finding their voice now, true, and it does have an effect, however unquantifiable. Combine those voices with the fact that the Opposition has finally learned to play the social media game, and it has the effect of dampening the BJP's absolute hold on this element of propaganda -- an element it had totally dominated till very recently.
What interests me more is the reaction of people at the ground level. There never used to be raised voices against Modi, at least in public, before. There is, now. But more significantly at least to me, there is a quietly simmering anger that is palpable even when people speak guardedly, retailing commonplaces, and to me at least, this is new -- this pervasive anger. Whether it has force sufficient to influence people to vote in numbers, I can't tell -- the voting patterns in the first three phases send out mixed signals, but clearly there is no spike. But it is there, and for me at least, that sub-surface anger, across various sections of society, feels like the most important development in recent times.
The fact that this myth of TINA has survived for more than a decade tells me two things:
(a) majority (>80%) of Indians (based on my limited and biased survey of family and friends) don't know their role in the formation of our government and the process in general. (b) the ruling party has propagated this myth very effectively to their advantage.
I was not impressed with the smart Rama Rao not taking the occasion to show the interviewer her place. I don't know whether she though she was the reincarnate of Barbara Walters, shouting out her question repeatedly without giving him any chance to respond in a sensible way. He should have brought out her ignorance or (more likely) her deviousness of raising the wrong question. It is the megaphone of the media that has kept the public chasing the wrong question and remaining ignorant.
Decades, actually - but yes, a huge gap in our *primary* education is that the Constitution, the law, and basic civics are not taught. I don't mean in depth, but the idea of rights and responsibilities, of states and citizenship, need to be inculcated early. It isn't, and this is a consequence, one of many.
I thought KTR did as well as he was allowed to. He brought up 2004 - an election where India *did* vote against something specific, but Prakash derailed that. He brought up the point of parliamentary bs presidential systems, but again couldn't complete the point...
But yes, true about media loudspeakers drowning out sense.
Absolutely Brillinat analysis, you were spot on.
Hope so :-) Thanks, Santosh
Brilliant as always, Prem. Still trying to get my head around the tempo faux pas!
And I agree that KTR was as good as he was allowed to be without descending into a shouting match.
I'm seriously hoping for a regime change, but fear the rumbles are more on Twitter/X than they are on the ground
On Twitter/socmedia a lot of people who were previously quiet are finding their voice now, true, and it does have an effect, however unquantifiable. Combine those voices with the fact that the Opposition has finally learned to play the social media game, and it has the effect of dampening the BJP's absolute hold on this element of propaganda -- an element it had totally dominated till very recently.
What interests me more is the reaction of people at the ground level. There never used to be raised voices against Modi, at least in public, before. There is, now. But more significantly at least to me, there is a quietly simmering anger that is palpable even when people speak guardedly, retailing commonplaces, and to me at least, this is new -- this pervasive anger. Whether it has force sufficient to influence people to vote in numbers, I can't tell -- the voting patterns in the first three phases send out mixed signals, but clearly there is no spike. But it is there, and for me at least, that sub-surface anger, across various sections of society, feels like the most important development in recent times.
Prem
Been a fan of yours since Rediff days.
Time India has a different government. Hope it happens now
Thank you and yes, I share that hope. :-)
Great article!
Love your articles. Do let me know if your articles can be republished. Thanks
Sure, with credit please and a link to the source? And thank you :-)
Great. Thanks. Will be putting it out on www.theprobe.in
Here's my email id. Do share your contact details if possible.
Warmest regards.
prema@theprobe.in
prem.panicker at gmail gets me, Prema
Cheers, have a good day
thanks, you too have a great day :)