After a long time (months may be) I was watching TV at home... so many new channels, so many news channels.. new trends of TV world... it was not just about way of entertainment but also more about where the media is going.. or rather leading us!!!
I remember myself reciting poems in front of my mother in my childhood. Sometimes my mom used to say "have some expressions on your face, you are reciting poem, not reading news on TV!" I always used to wonder how do these news readers can be so expressionless! They used to read just any news with same calm face and tone. And this was not just about any regional channel but our national news channels also. They were very few and I had a great respect for all the news readers for their control on their emotions and personal opinions. All I used to get to listen to on these news channels was only information in its purest possible form (Even mosquitoes and flies roaming around were not 'edited'!)
Today I saw a totally different and quite shocking avatar of news channels. It was not that I was shocked for the first time. Even the headline of smallest size news has been seen tweaked to convey a totally different meaning than the actual information inside! Isn't it shocking and weird to pay someone (newspaper) to read their 'Opinions' and not just the information?
Anyway, The trigger for writing this blog is today's 'breaking News : Rahul, a youngster trying to hijack mumbai best bus on gunpoint killed by mumbai police in an encounter.' The sad part of this news is that I didn't get to see/listen/read this news on any news channel in this form of statement. I had actually option of numerous news channels!!! And thats where the catch is... Whats the point if all news channels provide the same information in same manner! Firstly why are there so many news channels? Because we need them? or because they need something? from us? I think so.. Thats why they compete... SABSE AAGE... SABSE TEZ... 'using' the news for themselves in this process... not for us!!!! I didn't see them conveying or 'reading' the information for us but rather giving excellent multimedia presentations of what they want us to believe about that information!!! And I understand the importance of expressionless faces of those great news readers in my childhood! They never tried to make us believe in what they read. And thats why we believed in it! Today if every news channel, every newspaper conveys their opinions about what has happened... whom do I believe! I just see opinions and presentations... where is the NEWS? The worst thing is those (mostly politicians) who understand this fact very well are just using it (media) for their short term benefits. In the evening I saw a NEWS VJ (best description) in digitally simulated bus environment to emphasize on what they "want" to tell us about the Rahul-bihar-mumbai police-Raj thakare news. So much efforts!!! So much Editing!!!!! And I understand the importance of those un-edited mosquitoes and flies in the recording studio of my childhood news channles!
For a moment al this hammering made me think as if this is the biggest and most important issue on earth! Not because a young man tried to do something on gunpoint, but more because he was from bihar, because he was in mumbai, because he wanted to talk to (or kill? not very clear from news) Raj Thakare... NO... no one was interested in knowing about other people in and around bus... their lives are of zero importance.. Only Rahul's life is omportant... because he fits the 'current context' very well!! For everyone... news channels as well as politicians... and those who enjoy multimedia presentations with evening coffee... Doesn't matter if 200 people get killed in some temple by stampede because of some missmanagement... people are more interested in proving how it was possible to avoid Rahul's encounter by vacating 4KM of Kurla market where it happened!!! No one is interested in discussing why a kid fallen in manhole could not be saved after 10 hours of struggle! Or at least how it can be prevented next time!!! Yes its certainly not important... It doesn't fit the 'Current Context' mannn.... Neither Raj Thakare nor Lalu Prasad Yadav (nor even NDTV Profit) can USE these news.. how can it be important mannnn!!!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
:)
m quite happy and excited today!!!!
remember remember... the 5th of November!!!!!
(line from the movie V for Vendetta)
remember remember... the 5th of November!!!!!
(line from the movie V for Vendetta)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
rossi roti...
it's not funny, I am serious. I have been thinking of this for a long and it still keeps bugging me.
This 'rossi roti' issue is much bigger and complicated than the normal 'roji roti' issue, not just for me but for most of us in this creative industry. For us it's not so difficult to earn money and live happlily with most of the amenities readily (almost) available with that money. But what doesn't let it to be so simple is the realization of fact that we are in this creative industry by choice and after a lot of struggle! For me 'roti' is not the issue but the urge to 'ride like rossi' is what doesn't let me enjoy this roti's taste! When you don't get something, you struggle a lot to achieve it. When you get something because you are supposed to, you want it some other way! Thats being creative professional!!!.. You just can't settle down for what you are getting, even if thats what you wanted! Yes this is true for every human being and not just creative professional, but then we just take every idea too seriously I guess... In the struggle to get that better 'rossi roti' we just forget to enjoy the roti we are getting! It's not wrong to aspire for much more and better, but does it mean we should underevaluate the present life and present achievements!!! We cannot afford to lose the capability of enjoying anything, because when one day we will have achieved the 'ultimate rossi roti', we may just be clueless about how to enjoy it!!!
This 'rossi roti' issue is much bigger and complicated than the normal 'roji roti' issue, not just for me but for most of us in this creative industry. For us it's not so difficult to earn money and live happlily with most of the amenities readily (almost) available with that money. But what doesn't let it to be so simple is the realization of fact that we are in this creative industry by choice and after a lot of struggle! For me 'roti' is not the issue but the urge to 'ride like rossi' is what doesn't let me enjoy this roti's taste! When you don't get something, you struggle a lot to achieve it. When you get something because you are supposed to, you want it some other way! Thats being creative professional!!!.. You just can't settle down for what you are getting, even if thats what you wanted! Yes this is true for every human being and not just creative professional, but then we just take every idea too seriously I guess... In the struggle to get that better 'rossi roti' we just forget to enjoy the roti we are getting! It's not wrong to aspire for much more and better, but does it mean we should underevaluate the present life and present achievements!!! We cannot afford to lose the capability of enjoying anything, because when one day we will have achieved the 'ultimate rossi roti', we may just be clueless about how to enjoy it!!!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
keep walking....
I left for a long walk in the evening...
on a bridge... and it connected me to the other better world...
near a lake... and it did offer green (if not red) carpet for me to walk...
I kept walking...
I walked in the market... and it offered a lot of 'life' to me...
so I kept walking further,
happened to pass by a temple, and it offered me a mind full of peace...
And then there happened to be a long barren patch ahead me...
I stopped, felt depressed and lost...
thinking, this barren land had just nothing to offer me, neither any fuel for my walk!
And then it said, "this is the only part of your walk when you can't afford to stop!"
Keep walking....
on a bridge... and it connected me to the other better world...
near a lake... and it did offer green (if not red) carpet for me to walk...
I kept walking...
I walked in the market... and it offered a lot of 'life' to me...
so I kept walking further,
happened to pass by a temple, and it offered me a mind full of peace...
And then there happened to be a long barren patch ahead me...
I stopped, felt depressed and lost...
thinking, this barren land had just nothing to offer me, neither any fuel for my walk!
And then it said, "this is the only part of your walk when you can't afford to stop!"
Keep walking....
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Search for a beginning
How often have you heard it said,
"Now that's the end of that."
A common phrase we often hear
When with our friends we chat.
This phrase, so glibly used by all
Implies poor reasoning
For, when we think about it,
There's no end to anything.
Look closely at a piece of string.
"There's an end to that," you say.
But where's the end if you should turn
It round the other way?
Ah, strange it is. We were so sure.
Now, doubt its head has reared,
For, where the end was once in view,
A beginning has appeared!
I guess the lesson here is, that
When life seems oh, so blue,
We should back off and turn around
And take another view.
So, if you think all has gone wrong
And you've no hope of winning,
Yes, pray your troubles soon will end,
But search for a beginning.
There is no end to anything,
Fresh starts there are, a-plenty.
And that is true at eighty-one
Or the golden age of twenty.
-Wilbur A. Tharp (1904 - 1996)
"Now that's the end of that."
A common phrase we often hear
When with our friends we chat.
This phrase, so glibly used by all
Implies poor reasoning
For, when we think about it,
There's no end to anything.
Look closely at a piece of string.
"There's an end to that," you say.
But where's the end if you should turn
It round the other way?
Ah, strange it is. We were so sure.
Now, doubt its head has reared,
For, where the end was once in view,
A beginning has appeared!
I guess the lesson here is, that
When life seems oh, so blue,
We should back off and turn around
And take another view.
So, if you think all has gone wrong
And you've no hope of winning,
Yes, pray your troubles soon will end,
But search for a beginning.
There is no end to anything,
Fresh starts there are, a-plenty.
And that is true at eighty-one
Or the golden age of twenty.
-Wilbur A. Tharp (1904 - 1996)
Monday, October 06, 2008
Things work out....
I got reminded of this poem again while reading neeru's blog ('DOn't quIT')... so thought I should post it here... very nice and positive...
Things Work Out
-=-=-=-=-=-=-by Edgar Guest
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.
Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.
Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.
So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.
Things Work Out
-=-=-=-=-=-=-by Edgar Guest
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.
Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.
Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.
So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.
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