Mainstream media

So salaries are being reduced in the mainstream media companies, earlier there was talk of layoffs too.  Unlike the developed countries where major newspapers are closing their print editions, the mainstream media has flourished in India in the last few years.

However, at least for the English language papers, it is going to be a struggle soon, since they cater to the same English speaking internet using population.  The only advantage is that most people spend a lot of time commuting in major metros, so newspapers are still very convenient for reading when you are stuck in a traffic jam.

Ragging

This recent ragging death has got a lot of media coverage.  The students who suffer the most are those who stay in hostels, usually 17 or 18 years , living far away from their parents for the first time.  Its been a long time, but from what I remember from my hostel days, those who take greatest pleasure in ragging their juniors are those who have the attributes for success in the corporate world – arrogant, brash and inconsiderate, ragging is their idea of “fun”.

It is worth noting that the to be “doctors” who committed the murder were drunk, why is drinking and pub culture considered  being “forward” and modern?

Pub Culture

So Nirmala Venkatesh has been removed from the National Commission of Women for stating what 95% (or more) of the population of India feels about the incident – in most parts of India, wearing skimpy clothes is asking for trouble.

I once met a British lady tourist at Jaipur airport, the first thing she asked me was why do people in India always want to “touch” her.  She had traveled all over the world, including Africa alone, but she had never encountered such bad behavior.  This incident occurred many years ago, but from news reports, for female tourists”Incredible India” , still remains incredibly unsafe India. Most foreign countries issue advisories to female tourists visiting India to be properly covered, why does the media not highlight it or do something to change it?

Other than people working in call centers, mainstream media , advertising and  a few other sectors, few people have the time and money to waste going to pubs. Unfortunately, they are under the delusion that they represent the entire country and blind to the fact that the majority of the population lives on less than 2 dollars a day. Alcohol causes a number of health related problems, you wonder why the mainstream media is promoting pubs so much.

The other thing is the increasing isolation of the privileged in India from the reality. As an engineer, one of the first things I was told after starting my job was to wear a bindi and dress conservatively. Student trainees were told not to wear sleeveless tops, jeans and other such clothes.  You had to get your panel designs manufactured on the shop floor by workers and the trade union was controlled by the Bhartiya Kamgar Sena (affiliated with the Shiv Sena). Their attitude was very different, but the emphasis was always on getting work done quickly at the lowest cost, not criticizing or ridiculing them.  Attitudes change over a period of time.