Wednesday, December 5, 2007

In Defence of the "Accent"

We all speak English now.

But in our own ways.

Indian English is perhaps like no other. Each and every country has its plurality of accents but I refuse to believe that any other country could have so many variations as we do. I mean, I do acknowledge the fact that the Americans have the New York, West Coast, Texan, Hispanic, African-American and so many other accents. The not-so United Kingdom has quite a few of theirs too.

Lets have a sample of what we have- Marwari, Gujju, Bihar-U.P. Hinterland, Bengali, Keralite, Tamil, North-eastern etc. These have a solid ethnic reason to exist. But the reason I say we have no competitors in this space simply emanates from the metropolitans. Here, you have a assortment of all global varieties- some speak American, some cockney and some the Brit private-school. Trust me, I have even heard renditions of Irish and Australian. So it works like this- we have cloned varieties of most of the other accents, some mix-up jobs and hybrids and can claim a few (actually many) of our own; of our own vintage.

Then we have our oh-too-famous neutral accent. Clearly-spoken, no twangs, no drawls, no nothing. One of the reasons for our success- businesses all over the world dig this clear articulation. The importance of this can never be overstated: I have to go through the pain of making calls to people of all nationalities, who sadly, do not have this wonder tongue.
Most people say I have a neutral accent. That explains the job. It must have been the way I speak; the words seldom have any meaning.

So is life difficult for us Indians then? I mean every time you have to listen carefully what the other guy is bumbling out. That could mean at least two things- we develop a good hearing ability and hence less divorces; I keep reading that divorces keep happening because couples are not listening to each other! In fact, the divorce rate in India is actually quite low, albeit rising.

Moving aside from this case of spurious reasoning, I have generally noticed the "neutral" metropolitans have an equal distaste of their "firang" brethren and the "desi" bumpkins. The former tries to be too cool and the latter, well, may never grasp what goes as "cool".

Is this justified?

I mean the bumpkin can't help himself. It'll take a lot of time and effort to speak right and even then it may not turn out right. But the "uncool"stigma forces them to adopt a hybrid version of American-Australian-Brit-Irish and probably Yiddish. The logic is apparently right: if you aim for the stars, at least you reach the clouds.

Alas! it doesn't quite work that way. If someone knows you're a bumpkin and then you graduate to an occidental (without going through the breeding and sometimes despite the breeding) you become branded as a "wannabe". Trust me, that is no sign of aspiration and ambition.

The firang brethren are of many colours. Some are indeed very good at it. Bred in a manner detached from the real India, these people are role models for communication- impeccable English styled with the "right" accent. Some are not so good. They are the ones who usually speak in hybrid tones, retaining their last bit of Indianness (in speaking) or trying to be too many things at the same time. They get no respect either. The "Neutrals " look at them with disdain and try to convince themselves and others that they're putting it on. And theirs is the "right one". The bumpkins are more divided in their opinion. Some admire and imitate; some despise and distance themselves.

How does all this help?

I mean the "breds" and the bumpkins cannot help the way they speak. Neither can the "Neutrals". Everyone is just being themselves. Even when you're imitating, you're trying to be something that you're not now. "Now" is the keyword. That's you all the same. You aspire and you wish for it. Strictly speaking you're not trying to be someone else.

So I say, let's declare a peace on the war of accents and live and let be.

Anyone?

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Excellence

Most human beings, especially, the male variety, spend quite a bit of their time and effort to make sure they're getting somewhere: usually higher. When we are students, a lot of discussions, especially between not so close acquaintances, are based on how well the discussants are doing in their studies. Then comes the time of hunting for jobs and pay packages readily substitute for grades. Little while later come promotions, pay hikes and awards and ultimately who gets to be Mr/Ms. Big. In between, perhaps there is evaluation done on how well your children are doing.

A natural drive to perform is a good thing. To excel is perhaps even better. But I cringe on the evaluation bit. The thought of comparing my performances with peers has never had any appeal for me. I am certain that this uneasiness stems from nothing but my inherent mediocrity. And I also understand that this basic mediocrity ensures that when I'm doing well on something (judged on the basis of doing better than others) I still cringe on evaluations. It rarely gives me the joy that I feel when I have achieved on my own without being evaluated at; or compared with.

Others who are more competitive and/or less mediocre get entangled in the mess of comparative excellence. There are some who feign intolerance of this paradigm of comparative excellence and inveigh relentlessly against it; yet they are entrapped in it. It is indeed a fact that I'm not much different form this subgroup: I do feel nice when I've risen above my peers. But introspection has made me realise that the evaluation standard does not occupy a major space in my mind and most of my decision making is independent of it. Despite that, I haven't been exorcised of it yet and stand somewhere on the line, feet unsure of where they are.

There are nuances. I like vertical growth. An improvement in grades, salaries, consumption and other gratifying stuff have always been sought by me. But what I feel is that this desire has been independent of the kurtosis (height) of the distribution. I do not make the case I am oblivious of comparative excellence and pride myself on some sort of exalted personal sense of excellence. I know I am just plain mediocre and get distressed by rampant competitiveness.

Lately my friends have graduated from comparing grades to salaries. Some remain like me. Apparently the former group is doing better than the latter. I have no idea what the previous statement means, especially the phrase "doing better". Year-on-year raises are not the only yardstick. I agree that the last is perhaps the refrain of a loser.

Sometimes the talk comes to who's going to be "big". I find it a little exciting. For some reason I've always found it fascinating to discuss other people. I tend to lose my words when it comes to describing myself. I take the cover of being complex and mysterious when the truth is everyone else is as well. In their unique ways.

Usually there are a fixed set of names that people say. They all are brilliant. There is that initial disappointment of my name not being taken. Then comes the desire to disagree and construct profound arguments. Such is the way we act: the so-called educated, agreeably read and smart citizens.

I have noticed that people generally notice and single out the high-performers. This person has all the goods- the path, the speech, the articulation, the dedication, the drive and the brilliance, they argue. I agree. But I also feel that the foundation of that greatness needs to be examined.

Herein lies my interpretation of merit. Your performance is shaped, by a not so insignificant extent, by the privileges accorded to you. The path is a function of your independence- monetary, social and material; the speech and articulation dependent on your background. The drive and the brilliance shaped by imagination, often a privilege in itself. Pettiness does not permit imagination.

Of course there is the objective merit. Given a similar state, some excel over others. All variables are not in control, but still one can make a case. Not everything after all can be defined by the class position.

But why do we ignore people who have done so much, achieved so much in spite of very frugal and humble beginnings? Why do we focus on the exterior lustre and not focus on the background story? My argument is that if this particular person has come so far with his/her feet tied, what happens if they are free?

There is logic to the argument that their feet (and hands too!) may always be tied. Certain things are never overturned. But gradual improvements occur- in articulation and independence. And that may be enough. A person attuned to constraints can expect their achievements to take an exceptional trajectory when some of them are relaxed, if only by a little. They also have strength of character on their side.

Few discount all this when they take in a measure of others. Yet another angle to "Hell is other people"! It is an onerous job to measure a man. And one must do it carefully.

I believe those who have suffered all sorts of roadblocks, speed breakers and culverts will go a longer way than those who have not. "Big" is never measured in relation to others, but in relation to one's own situation. Any other measure is specious. At least in my book.

Amen

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Discovery of Deepness

Have you ever felt better by trashing "trash"?

One of my dearest friends is culpable of such offence.

So how does he (yes its a he, which really does not mean that only males are capable of such things) do it? He primarily focuses on songs, movies and books.

Lets take songs. Its a habit of his that whenever he gets his hand on my laptop, he fishes for a few of his "favourite" songs and make a playlist. The playlist is appropriately named "discovery of deepness". Why it is appropriate will become clear shortly.

Maybe elaborating his playlist will help. It starts with Scatman, follows up with Shaggy's "Bombastic" and Aqua's "Barbie Girl" thrown in between. Britney Spears and JLo also make their presence felt in this great list.

So?

In essence, this list is what my friend believes is a compilation of the worst songs that my laptop has in its hard drives. This practice of his is a cause of great irritation to me sometimes. But interestingly, though I have the complete liberty to delete these songs, I have chosen not to.

Why?

I do not know. It could be inertia. Why go through the trouble of sifting through numerous files and folders to delete nonsense? let them just be.

This sounds like a good reason. It isn't.

I have never been shy of deleting nonsense from my hard drives even if it means I spend my precious (don't ask me the value, I'd be at trouble to justify "precious") time to do so.

Then? Do I like these songs? It could be a clear cut case of one man's trash being another man's treasure. This can be a promising argument.

Yet it falls flat. I do not listen to them when I'm idle. They are just there, ready to be played when my friend gets his hand on my notebook.

The real reason, I am inclined to believe, is that I also enjoy trashing them up- laugh at the stupid lyrics, rhythm and their apparent zero value. Value is a difficult word, and so I qualify it in a subjective sense.

This is the "Discovery of Deepness". An attempt to laugh at trash. An attempt to jeer at the mediocre output of a flattened world. Do spend some time on"flattened".

This exercise really does not serve any purpose. We do not do it publicly so that a reasonable number of people can take our cue and also identify trash. It could be turned into a social mission of making people identify the "real stuff" from a cesspool of mediocrity and nonsense. Yet we do not do that.

One could say that this post is an attempt to reach out to people to do just that. It isn't. This blog is rarely read and I take great comfort at that. This is just to inform anyone who reads this piece that we do it and why we do it. No grand missions here.

And then there's the classic argument- one man's trash is another's treasure (I am not sure if this has been quoted). Who are we to judge music? I have never listened to the greatest works of the art.

It is probably a personal experience of how to separate the wheat from the chaff based on our own understanding and then gloating on it. For me it has been an acquired taste. Deep down, there have been instances when I have enjoyed it- trashing "trash".

To add, "we" (partly me, mostly him!) do it for movies and books. For the curious, Robert Ludlum is on the receiving end when we're on books. As for movies, it ranges from Govinda to Dharmendra.

Imagine our surprise when we went to watch "Johnny Gaddar" for such a reason (It had Dharmendra in a leading role and we thought it'd be complete trash) and actually ended up seeing a taut thriller.

It doesn't always work.

But Dharmendra was at his usual worst.

:)

Thursday, October 4, 2007

These are but confusing times

This struck me once. And I never came out of it.

Have I ever been blissfully happy? Have I experienced those delightful moments of happiness where you stop thinking about everything else and gloat with your happiness?

Yes I have been. There had been quite a few moments, fortunately. Mostly are moments of what people would say "success". Admission to school, college, university and then the job. And of course the "yes" that every boy wishes to hear since he gains real consciousness.

There have been little moments too.

But life gets tortuous. There have been people who have loved me very much. I have not been so kind. Some had to leave me, but the rest I left behind.

Decisions I take affect others. Yet I seldom flinch. I do think but an outcome with a cold finality is reached.

And the result is the same always- these decisions apparently help me and as a price, I have to leave people behind.

When will this stop?

When and where will I stop?

With regret, probably never. It is the new conquest that always allures me. That is my reason to live and that is the reason I die.

Everyday.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

The benefits of owning a rarely read blog

I am a proud owner of a blog.

I started pretty late, in fact from this June. It was more of a solution to pass away my idle time in office and so the posts were mostly private and hence unreadable. I used to think of it as a e-diary of sorts- only its open to all.

The web is a mystery. Its open to all but yet it hides so much.

There are so many blogs out there that I know for sure no one unfamiliar would even bother to check this one out. For effect, the name that I chose is too cheesy- "free from boredom" and the stern message that accompanies it is hardly a nice welcome doormat.

A month or so passed. No one ever found out. But then Google (Search) dumped me.

One of my friends found out. She told others. And then a lot of people knew. Even office colleagues got the drift.

Suddenly a few comments began to appear on my posts.

It felt good.

It was almost as if people were appreciating my new suit, watch, car...

But then it stopped.

The comments dried up. People became bored of my slow harangues. I mean there is nothing I write that makes sense. Its purely dry and pedestrian.

I was left alone.

With my blog.

So here I am. Writing for the sake of it. Writing because I feel like. And keeping my blog alive, so even if someone pounces on it, the natural curiosity in us compels him/her to check it out and if I'm really lucky, post a comment.

But is this really bad?

Well, it allows me to write on anything without offending/disturbing others. And I'll be damned if I say this but this also allows me to edit the blog time and again to smooth en out the posts and remove the errors. Me no perfectionist but I do get bothered by anything that sticks out and can be changed.

That is one liberty I'd have to give up if this blog ever became popular. And Id' have to be politically correct, gender-sensitive etc etc as well as linguistically correct.

Blah!

Too much of a responsibility!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Another comment on JNU

I passed out of JNU three months back. Though I had one of the greatest of experiences in the campus, its difficult to put it down in writing that I love the place.

My belief is that the professors of my department had some role to play in this. CESP professors, or rather most of them are old hacks holding on to a dead school of thought.

No wait!

I'm being kind. They are no more than the extended intellectual propaganda machine of the CPI(M). To them, everything the party does is an unmitigated blessing- from opposing nuclear energy deal with the U.S., to killing farmers in Nandigram.

They do not stop there. They have reduced economics to a farcical textual analysis backed with laughable numbers. Such dilution of the science is hardly acceptable. It has never ceased to amaze me how people like Anjan Mukherji, Satish Jain, Krishnendu Ghosh Dostidar, Subrato Guha etc (high priests of real economics, not the speak-easy leftists) can chose to stay in this stultifying unscientific atmosphere.

Professor C.P. Chandrasekhar (one of those idiots) once mocked those, who according to him, have become economists by reading World Development Reports.

Some of us actually fell for it.

Well to me, JNU rolls out economists whose knowledge is bound by Macroscan and EPW. If you were to ask me, I'd be really confused to point out which one is better.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

A Communist at JNU

Let me proffer a few details about myself- I am a Bengali, born and educated in Calcutta and then when I figured out staying in Calcutta beyond my 21 years of age would actually limit my chances of getting decent education and career opportunities, I moved out.
It so happened that I landed up in JNU, New Delhi and after a remarkable two years, got a job.
(my remarkable period in JNU had a lot to do with the kind of friends and experiences I had and maybe not so much the institution itself)

I don't know whether it was by God's design or not but somehow this made sure I get a lot of exposure to communism- in practice and in theory. Interestingly, the practice came before theory and I suspect that is the main reason my derision for this school of thought remains intact. Some of my Delhi friends have a romanticized left-wing view and my guess is that a month's stay at Calcutta would cure them of their disease. They say if you see what the communists are up to in West Bengal, you'd end up either as someone with staunch anti-left inclinations (centre-right or god forbid, the right-wing!) or someone down the drain (extreme left).

JNU is a heaven made for leftists. Many people may not be aware of this but there are competing schools of thought within left-wing ideology. They probably hate each other as much as they hate the bourgeois. All these schools have their representative political parties and these form the core of JNU life- politics everywhere.

My batch was an exception. Most students were from DU and even the CU (Calcutta University) people had restrained fancy to politics and ideology. In other words, wanted to take up the responsibility of their own life and career.

There was one exception. The guy was from Kerala, so he had similar background to mine. But with totally different results. I have had always been politically and socially conscious and my ideas generally emanated from a centre-right perspective. This guy, on the other hand, saw great beauty in communist praxis and had a dogmatic belief in the party; it really did not matter to him who ran the ship.
Many students of our batch, upon coming to JNU got a flavor of something that they have never had in their schools or colleges- unbridled politicking. We all had moments of confusion and self-doubt. But this guy was different. He never flinched in the defence of his great party- as it plunged into one crisis to another.
The guy also gave up his studies. He spent more and more time in politicking, trying to shore up support for the party in the keralite minority, making placards or simply listening to countless speeches and talks that keep happening in JNU.
His clarity of thought and prose made him stay afloat in the absurdly easy theoretical papers but deserted him in the math based ones. There his scores came in binary numbers.
I am hardly the one to judge. I did not do well in some papers. I gave up studies too, to a large extent, disillusioned at first by the politicised pedagogy and immersing myself in placement work later. But in the end, my grades come to 6, while his, I guess hovered around 4.5 -5, in spite of taking easier papers.
He had an explanation as well. He was ideologically opposed to the mathematical treatment of a social science, or some such rubbish. I at least have the humility to say I am aware of my intellectual limitations.
This fellow had aspirations of becoming an IAS officer in the start. In the last sem, when we had pretty much a direction in our lives, the fellow dumped his IAS dreams.
I suspect IAS requires dedication and commitment; to studies, not politicking.
God knows how he got through M.phil without no knowledge whatsoever of Econometrics, Game theory, Microeconomics or math. Well, stranger things have happened at JNU.
And now he cribs to my juniors that I have corrupted their minds- that I have shown them that even JNU students can have a meaningful life.
I have high regard for a lot of communists and respect some of what they have to say. But I have seen the worst of them as well and what they can be capable of; in JNU and in Calcutta.

Subin, you are just like any other shitty communist- all talk!

A try at fiction

It was a warm Sunday afternoon. The sun was up, the air was still and most people were indoors.

Aseem was trying to take a nap after a sumptuous Subway brunch. His roommate Guru was following on the net an yet another cricket match India was on the verge of losing. As his roommate's facial expressions turned from one of disgust to sadness, Aseem drifted off to sleep, thanking a non-existent entity for making Guru lose his commentary skills.

No such luck. The cell phone made its presence felt. Aseem has got a new text message. Reluctant as hell, but knowing it could be important, he got up. Grooggily he went up to the place where his cell phone, a priceless Samsung antique was on the charger.

It was from his friend, Siddhant. Aseem smiled; he checked the time. It was four PM. Almost time Seedu got up; for the first time in the day.

Seedu had heard about some Indra Sinha getting nominated for the international booker prize. He wished to know whether Aseem had checked out his stuff.

Aseem had no clue. But he was high on the Borat fever. Trying to be witty, he messaged his reply: "Me in my country. Book ban here. No read. So no know. Me with my sister. She good!!!". Then pressed the send button.

With a smile on his face, satisfied by his juvenile humor, Aseem lied down again.

Five minutes passed. The cell phone was ringing.

Aseem picked up. "Congratulations! your message has been selected as the funniest one sent at this hour of the day. If you choose to make this message public, you win... Even if you do not, you still..."

Aseem was stunned. He did not know what to say. He cut the call. He could not figure out how to feel.


P.S. - This is a work of fiction. The characters are all imaginary and bear no relation with real people whatsoever.

But this could happen.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Where is the alternative?

On my way to office, I managed to catch glimpses of the world outside. It was calm,serene and ravishingly beautiful (I'm talking about the Noida-Greater Noida expressway here and not Noida, mind you!). The sweet smell of wet vegetation entered my nostrils and as the wind swept by my face, I drew a long sigh.

Makes me wonder...

Am I wasting the best years of my life? waking up early, getting ready, reaching office, tuck into a chair and stare at the computer for ten hours?

Its not as if I'm changing the world. My work does not alleviate poverty. All that nonsense about trickle-down won't work with me because I know economics. The real one, that is.

So here I am. Not changing the world and not having fun either.

But still getting paid.

And that, my friends, is the root cause of the problem. The payroll account has enabled me to raise my standard of living considerably.

Really?

Lets ponder over this. Yes, I have gained access to outrageously priced restaurants. Gradually I am becoming enveloped by gadgets- all bought by me and not by my folks. There is a sense of pride in that. I can think of the future, raise a family and this that.

I never had it better than this?

You gotta be kidding me!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Re: Delhi girls are like no other

Yesterday, 7th September, 2007: Went to the Delhi Book Fair.

Before I go any further, Let me explain my relationship with books. I love books. That does not necessarily mean I read them. If you were to compare my reading habits with most people in my office I'd come across as an intellectual. On the other hand, do the same with my friends from JNU then suddenly I'm a half-literate.

Doesn't say much for my office people. Can't help it.

I love books. I buy lots of them and now that I've started earning, I care a damn about how much I spend. This pathological condition let me spend 2.5k on books even though I have like two year's supply waiting for me back home.

Let me get back to the topic I started writing for. Delhi girls are like no other! the previous post on this amused and bemused guys and offended girls. Well... Can't please them all. Was never my intention anyway!

Ok, now, when I was getting myself out of Pragati Maidan, I managed to catch a glimpse of the India Fashion Week. I mean I didn't go inside, there were guards to ensure people like me do not. But I probably managed to see what is going to be displayed inside.

By that I do not mean necessarily refer to the nature's wonderful creations that are going to walk down the ramp but also the scores of wannabes who won't get the opportunity but still have dressed up for it.

Delhi girls are like no other. What I managed to see in those five minutes or so I spent gaping at mother nature's wonderful creations blew my hats off.

As Sid would have put it, they were awesome, rubbing his hands in glee! (for the uninitiated, please do not feel lost, Sid is one of my best friends and a testimonial is expected shortly!!!)

I have spoken to my friends in Bangalore and Mumbai and all are of the same opinion- that if you were to check out the nature's finest- 'saada delhi' is the place to be.

Makes me a proud citizen of NCR. If nothing else, at least I can gape at them.

How many more "committed" souls can do that? :)

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

A Rainy Day!

It rained in the morning!
Not like the sweeping downpour that only lasts for an hour but leaves no traces behind. No, today it was the more persistent variety that flood lanes.
Today was also office day. So in spite of the killing desire to loll on the bed and get up late, I had to get up, do the bachelor chores and get ready.
But that was easy.
Once outside, I could see that the much talked about Noida's infrastructure was coming apart. The roads were jammed and the streetlights were unsurprisingly not working. I had a first-person view of a free for all. How there managed not to be a pile-up, only god knows.
No buses were going to my office's side, though normally they do. I am not too fond of buses but sometimes take them if I have enough time as they do save me a lot of money.
We, as in me and my flatmate managed to get an auto but the bugger refused after initially agreeing. What made him change his mind that I'll never know.
It was getting late. My flatmate was getting edgy. The furrows on his brows became a permanent fixture. I took myself out of the scene (mentally) to view the world (or so to speak). It was beautiful. The puddles on lanes and roadsides, the cloudy skies, the pleasant weather- it was amazing. I know I'm taking this far, but it felt breathtaking.
But the world seemed to mind. They were in a hurry to get on with their lives and the weather somehow was not permitting. The roads were jammed not because they were too narrow but people had no patience.
What have we become?
We can't even enjoy what we see around us? The beauty that we so crave for and often pay astronomical amounts on a vacation is right in front of us. Why then we choose to ignore?
Has our lives become so neat and arranged that we reserve the time we can admire the beauty of nature?
I have lost a lot of things over my adolescence- my innocence and part of my conscience. But I still haven't lost myself. I want all the good things in life too but not at such a cost.
So that one day I look back and still recognise myself.
So that one day I realise that I have not wasted myself in this pursuit of Unhappyness.
So that one day when I sleep for eternity, I know it has been a life well spent.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Office Office!

Office is a remarkable institution- it is the melting pot of all kinds of people. But before I start off on a boring piece of multiculturalism, let me neatly divide the office population into three groups-
  1. The Intellectuals- A rare commodity. They hardly belong here, they do not like their work, their hobbies do not match with the rest and amusingly, their hobbies can actually become their full-time work(??) if there was no pressure from conjugal life, kids, parents, belly(food!) etc. So how to identify them? Simple. Their clothes are "thoda hadke"(distinguishably different) and their talk all the more so. They utter long lost poems in Urdu, listen to Ghazals and Thumri, yet have an encyclopedic knowledge of classical English literature and western music of the yesteryear's. Their movies do not play in the PVRs or Waves. They wait for the Osians and discuss Bergman (may his soul rest in peace) and Goddard. They seem to agree that there were only two directors of any class ever born in India- Satyajit Ray and Ritwick Ghatak. The Benegals, Sens and Ghoses are just pretenders!
  2. The Half-Intellectuals- A far more common breed. They are stuck in the middle. they sometimes like their work, sometimes they don't. They are torn between their mediocre tastes and the promises of higher thinking. They are also aware of their limitations- they are too materialistic and crass to evolve into the first group. They like their junk food, Action movies, Harry Potter to discard all the pedestrian stuff. To them, My Brother Nikhil, Swades, Black etc stand for cinematic excellence. Their reading habits follow the bestseller lists.
  3. The Workers- They do not seem to think. They do work, they are happy and then they party.Chilled out people, their life stands for many things- gadgets, parties, food, family and even work! They like career planning, usually aware of how to grow their money and somehow they are also not at peace, in spite of the fact that this is what they wanted to do in the first place. As for ID, look for KJo and Jlo fans, people who've heard of Britney Spears but not Morissette, and swears by the crappy business books that come out every week.

In the end, we all fight with existentialism and indulge in 'bad faith'. Profound, huh?

Bollocks!

P.S. - In case, you're curious where I belong, look in the middle.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Opinions

We all have opinions on everything- life, work, men, women(!), books, movies, art etc. But should we have opinions on people- I mean how they are?
Its a difficult choice. Its one of my beliefs that no one behaves in a few particular ways. Human behaviour is a perennial fliud motion. Its never static, always under the influence of one thing or the other- it could be circumstances, the base instincts, the upbringing, the peer pressure and so on. At most, human behaviour can only be imagined as a fliud which takes the shape and contour of the vessel that stores it. And if the vessel breaks, the spirit flies and no predictive forecast of the behaviour would have any meaning.
But then the post-modernists say that even each and every medium can be interpreted in a different way, based upon the ideology you follow, the circumstances that you're in, and the world that exists. But do these intangibles also follow a fluid state?
The world is a sum of the parts. But some has more influence on how the World behaves than others. Take for example Armani, Hugh Hefner or George Bush. Do they change? or are their behaviour constant?
Their behaviour is again governed by a complex set of factors, the state of the world being a pretty crucial one. So here we are in a circularity- men who decide what the world should be are governed by the world themselves.
I need some clarity on this.
Till then I make an oath that I will not have any opinion on anyone.
But I will on books, movies, places and so on.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

A little free time in the week of madness!

Yes, I've been given a project and the sacrosanct norms of client confidentiality requires me to stay silent on the details.

But I won't stay silent about the volume of work. For the last couple of days I had been leaving at 1 AM. And i come to office at 9-30 AM, not so sharp :)

15 hours of work! Hell, they don't pay me that much!!!

Now that the boss is not in today, we have a little vela time, and this is how choose to use it.

I must be mad!

But then I am what I am!

P.S.- They should get more clients from China, Vietnam etc etc.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Delhi girls are like no other!

Delhi girls- stuff that dreams are made of?

All right, let me get this correct. I am not writing about my fantasies or publishing material on the web fit for a guy's wet dreams. This is about them -yes, them. And not their details (my more unsophisticated friends say stats!)
Delhi girls are seriously like no other. They have a hugely different world-view (mostly centre-left but customised to individual preferences), awesome skin (and hair) and very active S & D status. They are also quite experimental (and I hope you get what I'm referring to. If not try DPS). They are also extremely knowledgeable (they read their books and papers), smart (quick, perfect accents but not usually cocky, but I've seen that type also), argumentative and accomplished in professional life.

The ideal image of a modern woman?
Yes and No.

Why yes? Their uninhibited lifestyle (pubs, male friends, boyfriends, sex, short-term relationships, smoking, drinking, even drugs) are all good signs. Do not get me wrong here. Some of the things mentioned in the last parenthesis are habits and overdoing them might land you up in trouble- social, moral and physical.
But there should be acceptance of such lifestyles- if a man can smoke, so can a woman. The process takes long, there will be people talking about it and there will be people staring at women puffing. But there should be a conscious effort to dismiss such talk and discuss that it is not such a big deal (wherever possible). If a man can move on from one relationship to the other, then so can a woman. Right now, such a man is a stud, and the woman a slut. That needs to change.
Lets emancipate our women from the stereotype of the "Indian Woman"- principled, traditional, homely etc while we (the male species) are free to so whatever we like. Some argue that we (men and women) should both practise such rigid lifestyles to maintain "purity" and what not?
The reply is that most often it is not possible, and even if possible, maybe not desirable. A man (and a woman) should have the right to do as he (she) chooses.

Without getting adrift, we were talking about Delhi girls. They are a odd bunch. They mostly come from illiberal families (let me be careful here- this includes traditional, repressive joint-family settings and modern nuclear settings where new money rules and so rules extreme pragmatism, the preclude to neo-con ideas, if you know what I mean). So I feel that, more often than not, women trying to prove a point, trying to break out, and with a vengeance. That explains the unsavoury incidences.

It is instructive that NCR is also not a safe place for young women. It fits into my hypothesis- the society is still medieval. The man still thinks women are inferior and are sex objects. The frequent rapes are, I believe, are a function of the prejudices and the mindset as well as arousal.
The problem is, uninhibited lifestyles may make the men believe that women are mere playthings and treat them so. Ideally, we would like them to accept the women with her own independent lifestyle. But a scantily-clad,tipsy woman can also be declared an easy.
There are two solutions and they are both reinforcing. On one hand, the men of liberal disposition should make it a point to try and change their brethren's mind. Just a small chat does wonders. I have tried it out. There is still doubt on the sceptic's mind but it does help.
The women can use their learning and wisdom to make good role models. Role models, accomplishments etc do make men realise that women are just part of the human family and can in no way be a toy, a plaything; a human being with either less, equal or more intelligence and skill.

The Delhi girl can do this- they get the best of education, they are smart and there are plenty of opportunities in NCR to prove your mark. And why just stick to NCR? We are children of globalisation right. Its time to justify our lineage.

Its time to change- not just our lingo, our clothes and the work. Its time our society changes.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Not all who lead are Leaders!

Leaders strike fear into the opposition and not their followers.

Think about it.

Think long.

Do not bark orders. Do not keep your people in perpetual fear. Do not make them tremble. Do not create situations so that they curse your parentage behind your back.

Embrace them, inspire them. They will deliver their best for you.

The whole world runs on incentives.Discover the right ones, invest in people. For that, you need to talk to them. If you cannot, if there is some reason you find it difficult to open up to people, get someone who can. And always converse with that man.

Accept failures. They teach you a lot.

If this is reading like a stupid sermon, I cannot help it. I am in that mood.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Discrimination in Corporates?

As part of our orientation session, we were made to attend different PPTS- one of them was made out to be particularly important- the one on Harassment and Discrimination.
It was detailed, simple to understand and was being delivered by our Country Head, an amazing speaker. But there is one thing that struck me as odd. And that I'm going to discuss in detail below.
The policies were admirable- I'm sure it had all the bases covered (if you know what I mean). If a person felt aggrieved/concerned/uncomfortable etc with respect to any other person's behaviour or misconduct, they are advised to prompt the matter immediately to the authorities.
Even the age-old problem of "who will guard the guards" problem has been dealt with by having a lot of people responsible for the matter. Once informed, the authorities will launch and investigation and based on the findings of that, will take action.
Sounds all good, on paper of course.
But suddenly, as a response to a question, he cites an example (only to illustrate how our company is concerned with its employees) where a female employee had been a little doubtful that after dropping her and her colleague, the cab driver kept checking them out with his rear-view mirror for a brief second or two and then drove away. Upon reporting this, the cab agency was informed and it was made sure that the driver was fired. Furthermore, the company also chose another agency to run the pick-and drop facility.
Tell me if I am wrong but isn't this unequal treatment? The white-collar, B-school guy gets investigation, an attempt to speak out his case, perhaps even a case for settlement. If there has been an misunderstanding, s/he gets an opportunity to clear it.
But the semi-literate, rustic and unsophisticated cab-driver gets fired from his job- no appeals, no investigation. Even his agency is not spared.
Do we blacklist the recruitment agency which forwarded the CV of the wrong-doer in office? No.
Do we blacklist the campus from where he came from? No.
I understand that it might be easier for the driver to shrug off his 'crime' and get another job, but is it essential that we have a separate set of rule for different classes?

Got my Business Card - only to give it back!

25th June, 2007: the date I got my first business card (my own business card!). I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. All this, courtesy Grail Research- the best(est) company in the world!

I was hoping to get a feel of it- the name emblazoned(is that the right word?) on the card with the details and all.

Man!

Somehow managed to get through the PPTs in the afternoon and went down to collect the cards from the front- office executive. She passed on the pack to me.

It never rains in England but it pours.

The surname has been spelt wrong. All the hopes dashed by the mere juxtaposition of letters. Celebration postponed!

It would never be the same. What I went through then will never be the same. Of course, I'll still call up my folks and tell them I have my card now (I might just wait for mom to call, as she does everyday). And I will not think twice before parting with one for any arbitrary stranger I meet on the street and happen to strike up a conversation.

Oh, how I long for my business card!

Self-obsessed, I say.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

The fuss with Business Cards

Gawd, I long for my business card!
I mean what is the thing about them? why do I long for them so much? Is it because the Grail business card is really great- looking?
Bollocks!
I love the feeling I'd get when I'll be distributing them- it gives you a high. It's a sign that you've arrived. Man, I have a job and a respectable one at that. That's something in this job-deficit country!
I read somewhere that the Asians love B-cards and the Japs actually distribute them by the loads. Its a very important gesture there. But why?
Is it because we love our jobs? or is it because as societies, we still have not graduated to a point that we do not have to show off who we are or maybe that we still have not done anything major on our peronal, individual front so we still like to identify or align ourselves with the organisation we're working for?
Or is it the oft-quoted oh-so-occidental trait of 'individuality' that we do not possess?

D's Testimonial

Only posting Neha's testi on my blog can give people ideas, especially when there is actually someone spreading falsities between us. So here is the other testimonial that I wrote- for the great friend, and the truly inimitable Dikshant Chopra-
D, Dastardly, Dikshant... Same man, different labels? D has been my classmate for two years, a friend for somewhat less than that.When I was on stage on our farewell, and going through the ritual of thanking my friends, D's is the first name that came out. Why? I don't know and I am not the sort who'd spent hours thinking about it. The instinctive response is simple- I had shared the most memorable times at JNU with him, he has made me laugh like few ever had, offered me nuggets of wisdom in his own imitable way. He had also been with me when I nearly exercised my life insurance. D is cool, charismatic, smart, articulate, genuinely funny (sometimes he craps, but its rare), fashion-conscious and according to the most of the class, "the most desirable man of CESP". That's what everyone sees. Someone close can make out that he's also sensitive, knows how to defuse a situation, how to enjoy life. But D, has a failing- he has all that he needs to be great, but chooses not to. And that makes him unique.

Precociousness!

Precociousness! - I know there is precocious in English dictionary and so I hope to god there is also precociousness- otherwise I might get some unflattering comments on my blog.
What am i talking about? It does have a specific contest. A few days ago, I had to make my first conference call- it was low priority- engagement with the media.
I had been the one who initiated and kept in touch with the person and so it was natural that i would be the person who'd speak first. Normally, I'd have started like this-
"Hi, This is Abhirup Saha, calling from Grail Research" "...." "How are you, sir/madam?" "..." " Is this a right time to talk?" "..." " let me introduce you to two of my colleagues- **** , of the Human Assets and ****, our Project Manager."
What I managed was a pathetic "Hi,this is Abhirup Saha, from Grail..." and straight into "I have with me ****, human Assets and ****, our Project Manager" with the voice almost breaking towards the end.
The heart was thumping, the voice was unsure and the unease was apparent.
Hell, there was considerable unease!
But why? I'd been the Placement coordinator- I had talked, interacted professionally with a lot of big-wigs including practice heads, country heads, VPs but every time I came out unscathed. Hell, who am I kidding? I came out pretty good- they all seemed to like me.
I have made presentations, speeches before. There was a time when I was diffident, and used to get really scared about any public engagement. But not now.
Is the past catching up? or is it just that I take a little time to settle down?
Is this the way all batsmen behave when they first walk out to the crease? unsure about their footwork and stance and hand-eye co-ordination? All the centuries and the good work in the past suddenly does not seem to matter?
I could have named this something like "Growing Confidence" but I chose not too. If someone bothers to read this, do let me know whether that title would be more apt. Or you understood why I named it the way I have.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

THIS IS NOIDA!

I had been putting it off for some time but no longer. Today I'll write about the place I've made my home and bare it all- thoughts, I mean!

Noida sucks, period.
Wide roads. No streetlights. Domino's. But no chinese takeaway. Outrageous takeaway prices. Pathetic public transportation. Unreliable electricity. Need I say more? But I will.
Everything, everything mentioned above can be forgiven and forgotten if the people are warm. They are the ones who matter- they make you feel at home.
People at Noida? well, they are only warm when they know they'll be able to con you. The autowallah's unreliable, charge you hefty fares, the shopkeeper's out to get ya- he'll stoop to the level of taking a hundred-rupee note from you and then claim he got fifty when he's put it inside a desk. And the less said about the landlord the better- a smiling face, a devious (and stingy!) mind.
And they call it the future of India, one of the fastest growing places in India and what not!

Bollocks!