Photo Blog: 2009

It is very common to come across people volunteering (referred to as seva) to provide free drinking water to thirsty travelers. It is a respite in summer. Take a look at this woman who is sitting all day along filling and refilling and sieving the water every few minutes, as you can read (in Hindi) it is in memory of some departed soul. Also some places I have seen they create tanks for stray animals to drink. I recall when I was studying in school there was an old woman (boodi amma) who used to provide water to children. She used to sit next to a huge tree with pots of cold water. And how does market function…well by putting monetary values on things, which necessarily is about creating selfish context. First step would be to cr

eate need and that can be best done by creating scarcity…more the demand more the value (Market seems to have value for everything even something as basic as water. The reason why they want to privatize water, the reason why they don’t put tab on ground water exploitation by MNCs). So instead of giving water better strategy would be to contaminate all sources of water in the vicinity or suck up so that nothing is left for others. It is also referred to as seizing the opportunity; they also have some other trendy vocabulary this blogger doesn’t understand. With ‘development’ there is a furious attack on natural resources. Next step is the easiest, in the meantime with the money and clout play savior. Show some concern, patronize people, the PR. Presto we have a professional!!. And in this professional world most of us it seems don’t even deserve to live. That boodi amma was such a foolish woman, wherein she could have easily cashed in the opportunity and extended her business (worst she might have passed these values to her children, creating some misfits). The way all the multinational food companies (like McDonalds or whatever) gets started by enterprising people, wonder when will we become like them. In capitalism enterprising necessarily is about how much money you can make, clearly giving free water is nothing enterprising. So whatever you do think always about where you can gain how much money you can make. Live and let live!!. In Indian context enterprising as I see it is about getting things done, it is more existential, the jugaad factor. It is about saving money. Professionalism is an important part of job but then where do we draw the line, isn’t it schizophrenic?. Increasingly professionalism is entering private areas, everything is for sale…pain, happiness. Don’t know much about Indian culture but yes these don’t seem to be civilized. There is no culture here. And then from this context they also want us to show concern for environment, wildlife. Very strange.