Why We Are Talking Crap?

September 22 2011 .

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him” - Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

I don't have a clue who this Stanislaw is. Still I added his quote because I liked it and this quote has the potential to set the phase for this post. You might also be wondering why Anna Kournikova's picture is added here. When you finish reading this post, you will know the answer.

Almost all of us who are into the social media scene have some idea or the other about networking with people through blogs, facebook etc etc... So most of us think that we know it all. We use the services of search engines like Google to search for any information on the web and with that knowledge we talk and engage in conversations on subjects that we have no idea on.

A few months ago ,we all were talking about 2G scam. We pointed our fingers at Raja and called him a thief. How many of us really know what 2G scam is all about? If I have to make an announcement that all who do not know basic details about the 2G scam to leave this blog right away, I have to be the first person to leave. We do not know many things that happen in the background. But we are guided by the media. The NDTV and the Times Now give exact opposite views to the same news and we form our opinions based on the media views.

Coming to cricket, there are many of us who know classic details about the game. Some of us follow the game in detail and have a clear cut analysis of the game and also a great grip about the teams and players. But because of media's out-of-the-world projection every Tom Dick and Harry has started to give their opinion about cricket. I have friend Sruthi (Name not changed purposely). She is the kind of girl who watches a cricket match because she thinks that Virat Kohli is Hot. When Virat Kohli bats, she would say " Awwwww! I love his eyes". I hate it when she fails to even note the classy flick with which he would have dispatched the ball to the ropes. Instead of saying "Wow! What a shot", she would say, " I like his beard stubble". When we indulge in a cricket conversation with friends, a person like Sruthi would also be there talking nonsense.

Now we have the Lokpal bug that has bit the entire nation. All of us talk about it. How many of us know what exactly this Lokpal bill is? Anna Hazare might be a good person. But I hate the manner in which he goes on a hunger strike. Isn't it emotional blackmailing? or Should we call it a suicide attempt? People might have difference of opinion on this regard. What I respect is that he is doing it for the country. But Isn't he being a little autocratic in a democratic clothing? What if all his demands are met?

When Anna Hazare was a kid, the following might have happened

Mom : Go to school
Anna : No. I won't go to school. I will tell the teachers what to teach me.

Mom : Eat your food son
Anna : No. I am on a hunger strike

Mom : Do your homework son
Anna : No. I won't do homework.

Most of us just take a stand without even knowing the heart of the matter. Some of us might support Anna Hazare because of his radical stand. Some of us might even support him because we might hate the ruling party. Some might support the ruling party because of Brand Loyalty. It doesn't matter whom we support; What matters is this! We should be knowing Why we support someone! When we support a movement, we should also be in a position to have a detailed grasp of the subject and we should be better listeners to listen to others when they give their views. The recent Lokpal movement has generated the " I am ANNA groups" and " I am not ANNA groups" also. I am not a member of any of these two groups. I would prefer Anna Kournikova over Anna Hazare anytime. (Do I sound like Sruthi now?)

I found the following picture in a friend's facebook album. I don't own this picture. But It sure made me laugh.
Two things that made me smile are

1) The Information and Broadcasting minister. (I couldn't even imagine what would happen to our country if he becomes the I and B minister)
2) Baba Ramdev is definitely a chubby darling who can make me laugh anytime. (Don't ask me why)

2 comments:

Arthi said...

"But Isn't he being a little autocratic in a democratic clothing?" - spot on and I have been trying to say that in various ways but you put it precisely and beautifully. :) Of course, that does not mean I claim to know about the Lok Pal Bill.

Pooja said...

Bullseye! This truly is the nub of the matter, too much information available too easily has made us all too lazy. Too lazy to go out in search of details, too lazy to take time to analyse them and too lazy to form an informed opinion.

I'm ashamed to say that I'm beginning to be a part of this herd. Nice timing for me with this post, pulled me up short!