Withering Values! Whither Media?

We hear a lot about significant foreign stake in Indian Media. I do not know if all that is stated is 100% true or correct, but, in my opinion, a large section of the Indian Media has not acquitted itself well either ethically or professionally.

 
Who owns the media in India?

Money (of all hues, shades and colours), and Individuals (of all Characters, Leanings and Interests) own it. If Degradation in Moral Values is a Past Perfect in case of Delinquent Indian Politicians, it is the Present Continuous in case of the Over Eloquent Indian Media. It stands at the Cross Roads, and any may choose any of the directions: Committed Journalism (Fanatically Biased News), Mercenary Journalism (Paid or Advertised News), Surrogate Journalism (Individual and Party Politicians Owned / Promoted), or Cynical Journalism (Yellow and Nihilistic Propaganda). We see more Views than News. We see more Complaining than Reporting. We see more Taking Sides than the Interests of Readers. We see more Commercialism than Journalism.

 
At least, in case of News Papers, we have a consolation: Today's News Paper will be Tomorrow's Waste Paper (disposable for a farthing), but what about the time we invest on Electronic Media! They have Long Stories and even Longer Cacophony of Discussions, but an Infinitesimally Short Memory, and Virtually no Follow Up!

That is the sorry state of the Indian Media today, barring a Pathetic Minority, which still struggle with Classical Reporting, rather Pathologically!!

 
V S Rama Rao

Parenting

I feel the essence of "Right kind of Parenting" can be distilled into the following two sentences:

"We want to indulge our children but not spoil them. We want to give them the opportunities that were denied to us but don’t want them to feel entitled."

It is true that Growing Children, especially the Boys, are susceptible to Peer Pressure, which Modifies (and some times Warps) their Behaviour. I think the Parents must be Conscious and Wary of their Kids' Peers, and, if they cannot Select or (De-select) the Peers, they must, at least, try to make their own kids either Immune, or at least Resistant, to such Peer Pressures, in their formative years. They can probably do this by Instilling a Sense of Pride (without being Arrogant) in their children, in What They Are, and What They Have, and Convincing them about the Cheapness and Cowardice of Aping or Envying others! They should Equip and Counsel their kids to become Models, rather than Mimics, to others! And the Earlier (the Parents Start this Exercise), the Better!!

V S Rama Rao

Truth – Is it different to different people?

It is a popular perception that "Truth does not change". I have no problem agreeing with it but I feel that the connotation that "Truth has only one meaning" cannot be applied universally, as, a "Meaning” may be only "Subjective" and not always "Objective”. I think Truth is essentially what one Believes. No Fact, Reality, or a reported Existence, Occurrence, or Happening can be regarded as "Truth", unless one "Believes" its existence, evidence, or an inference drawn from it. However, all “Beliefs” need not be “Rational”, or “Logical”. They may not even demand for Evidence or a Basis. “Beliefs” that may not have any element of “Truth” may include Superstitions, propagandized Miracles, unquestioned Customs and Practices, irrational Acceptance of Sleight of Hand Tricks, by a Conjuror. For some, they are the "Incontrovertible Truth", while others may regard these very things as “Dubious”, at best, and at worst, as “Rubbish”. The “Truth” may be somewhere, or, nowhere, depending upon the degree of “Belief”!

Thus, regardless of a “Fact”, “Truth” may be different for different people, and I may also add, different at different times and in different contexts, and, even for the same person in different states of mind! While “Fact” may be “Real”, “Truth” is just a “Belief”. I may add my own analogy: “Facts” are like Arithmetical Results (e.g. 2+2=4) that are absolutely verifiable, “Trust” is like Trigonometry based on facts and figures and, fairly verifiable, “Faith” is like Integral Calculus regarded as fairly dependable, and “Belief” is like Theory of Probability, which may prove either right or wrong.

Now, Do You Believe Me?!?

Truth – Is it different to different people? 12-07-2011

Independence with Interdependence

I think, for anybody, it is the freedom that is the biggest wealth, after one’s health. No matter what earthly possessions you may possess, if you do not have the freedom you have nothing. Freedom to think well, speak good, read good, learn good, freedom to express yourself, mould yourself, and to do virtually anything good. Freedom is not a licence to do anything one wants, or pleases one, disregarding the right to similar freedom of the others. The only freedom that God has given everybody is the freedom to think, and to keep one’s thoughts within the layers of his gray cells. All other freedoms are to be granted by the Society, the Government, or the Relative Might of your Co-habitants!

As a child I have always valued my Freedom. I, more often than not, defended my freedom rather fiercely too. I felt that my father was rather tyrannical, but my feelings never deterred me from asserting my freedom to be right - to think right and do right. I believed, (and practiced when I became a parent), giving the freedom children at an appropriate age / maturity, when they started knowing the value of freedom and became capable of handling it judiciously. I do not want to, and as a self imposed rule, did not, interfere with their decisions in four choices in life: Choice of Discipline for Higher Studies, Choice of the Job and Career, Choice of Life Partner, and the Choice of Residence. I would, however, as a duty bound parent and a well wisher of my children, rationalize and counsel them as may be warranted from time to time and from issue to issue, but studiously left the decision entirely to them. They are all grown up now and have found their own stations in life. They have all become parents themselves. We all live emotionally together but spatially apart, with full independence within our own space. Despite distance, we meet often and maintain optimum emotional closeness!

I feel, my belief in the individual independence with emotional interdependence thoroughly vindicated!

Judge me, as you like

To quote Napoleon, there are only two things that motivate people - Self Interest and Fear. It is only human to judge others' actions with the yardstick of one's own likes and dislikes, and the way one was affected, favourably or unfavourably, by the other person's actions. It is only natural that "Truth is what one Believes, and Justice is what Favours one".

I am just an average human. So I cannot claim that I am not a liar or a hypocrite because the very statement makes me the worst kind of a liar and a hypocrite. It is my belief that others judge us in the same way as we judge others, in their own way, and the honesty of a judgment may be unquestionable.

I write my musings about a subject, as I perceive it, at the time. I don’t believe that we must never correct or alter our perceptions or opinions. I believe that such a belief or act makes one a vacillating or a capricious person. I hope my postings will at least convey my thoughts, if not convince the reader(s). I hope they may at least entertain, if not provoke any thoughts in the reader’s mind.