Blog as wiki puts it is "A website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.". A thoughtblog however, would be a website on the lines of a blog but here one would pen down his ideas and opinions on things that fall in one's purview.
Blog could be called as a medium through which the reader can touch the author at a superficial level where a thoughtblog would enable the reader to understand the thought process and the ideas / feeling / opinions that make up the person.
To give a clearer picture lets take an example : Two persons ABC and XYZ visit a foreign land and spend three days there visiting a host of places. ABC writes a blog where he describes the places he visited, he can then very well go on to explain the experiences he went through, his feelings and the differences between foreign land and his native land. XYZ however writes a thoughtblog where he might / might not pen down where he went but he might talk about how people on two different lands are so different in the way they live but so similar on a lets say thinking plane, on what could be cause for a particular set of people to live like the way they do while others form there own community which differs.
Well, I would love to call this concept of thoughtblog as my creation but like many other things this has already been taken. People had already been writing thoughtblogs before the idea germinated in my mind, though there are not many of them yet.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Violent Fruits of Democracy
At times, Lok sabha sessions are a sight to watch, they are no less than rugby matches ( a sport known for on field violence) or mob violence events usually watchable in news channels every other day. Ministers of the parliament don't restrict their banging to the table in front, they frequently use opposition's head. Chairs are hurtled at each other and the whole affair gets really bloody at times. Yes, walkout is passe.
Other violent fruits of democracy include protest marches, burning effigies of people in a political dispute etcetera.
Great Fun isn't it? You can do whatever you want and can then call it your fundamental right if questions be asked. Pardon the memories of fundamental duties that accompany the rights if you don't want to spoil the fun.
No, do you like China then where even the media is governed by monarchic government. Just to go on record, India's democracy is envied by many nations where democracy doesn't exist. Fundamental right to speech, expressing oneself as a prime tenet of democracy makes it a very out there kind of thing, the presence of which is borne in every mind devoid of it.
Indians, in particular are very proud and boastful of their democracy, their freedom. Going back in the past, a story comes to my mind. On Aug 15 1947, people traveling by public transport refused to buy a ticket. On being asked to pay for the ticket, they said " What ticket? we're free now!!".
I personally like the lok sabha events. For the people who have been part of group discussions (GD's), try GD's with a difference, allow fist banging. I can tell you, you'll enjoy it. Forgive me for sounding so casual, I would like to remind that these parliamentarians discuss policy matters that decide the future course of action for running our country. Here's a stark contrast of these discussions with the normal group discussions that happen throughout the country over cups of chai coffee or other wise ( If man is a social animal, Indians are a hybrid). Discussions@parliament are a place where an MP just cannot give in to the magniloquence of the other MP. He is a forerunner and nation shaper. His agreements and disagreements would decide critical government policies which would eventually concern a crore plus people. He should and does speak his mind.
In our daily lives, we have often encountered situations where perfectly sane and educated people agree on a certain way to go about things. And, it so happens that a sub-ordinate or a less educated person points out the hazards of such a decision. Often, this voice is subdued but a retaliation doesn't come to preserve the tranquility of the vicinity. A mere imagination of an MP suppressing his own voice while in awe of his intellectual counterparts is enough to send chills down the spine.
It is to be borne in mind that the tranquility of parliament cannot be a botheration for government policy discussions. The need to be fair over-rides the need to maintain the sanctity of house of parliament. Democracy and the freedom of right is neither at the mercy nor does it need to castrate for respect of decorum of the hall of parliament.
An argument can be brought forward to say that whatever the discussion required should happen in a peaceful way without making a mayhem. For this, consider the people sitting in parliament, they hail from all sections of society, they can be English speaking Harvard educated or not educated at all.
Needless to say that each may have his/her own level of articulation. The power of democracy of a nation should not be limited by the articulation levels of the members elected to rule the nation. It is important to put forth your point in any which way, whether demanding physical force or otherwise.
Violence in the hall of parliament may also erupts when a MP sees a favorable decision being taken towards a policy matter which seems very absurd. Using Gandhiji's talisman here, I ask the reader what would he do if he is put into the shoes of such an MP. Being quiet is not given as a choice.
P.S. It is entirely plausible for a person to be incoherent as I am while writing this for a thought doesn't flow like a stream of water it flows like air in all directions. I have not tried to control it because the idea is to evoke though and not to prescribe or sell an idea. Also, the thoughts expressed in this post are entirely mine. You can use the comments section to support / disagree with ideas expressed.
Other violent fruits of democracy include protest marches, burning effigies of people in a political dispute etcetera.
Great Fun isn't it? You can do whatever you want and can then call it your fundamental right if questions be asked. Pardon the memories of fundamental duties that accompany the rights if you don't want to spoil the fun.
No, do you like China then where even the media is governed by monarchic government. Just to go on record, India's democracy is envied by many nations where democracy doesn't exist. Fundamental right to speech, expressing oneself as a prime tenet of democracy makes it a very out there kind of thing, the presence of which is borne in every mind devoid of it.
Indians, in particular are very proud and boastful of their democracy, their freedom. Going back in the past, a story comes to my mind. On Aug 15 1947, people traveling by public transport refused to buy a ticket. On being asked to pay for the ticket, they said " What ticket? we're free now!!".
I personally like the lok sabha events. For the people who have been part of group discussions (GD's), try GD's with a difference, allow fist banging. I can tell you, you'll enjoy it. Forgive me for sounding so casual, I would like to remind that these parliamentarians discuss policy matters that decide the future course of action for running our country. Here's a stark contrast of these discussions with the normal group discussions that happen throughout the country over cups of chai coffee or other wise ( If man is a social animal, Indians are a hybrid). Discussions@parliament are a place where an MP just cannot give in to the magniloquence of the other MP. He is a forerunner and nation shaper. His agreements and disagreements would decide critical government policies which would eventually concern a crore plus people. He should and does speak his mind.
In our daily lives, we have often encountered situations where perfectly sane and educated people agree on a certain way to go about things. And, it so happens that a sub-ordinate or a less educated person points out the hazards of such a decision. Often, this voice is subdued but a retaliation doesn't come to preserve the tranquility of the vicinity. A mere imagination of an MP suppressing his own voice while in awe of his intellectual counterparts is enough to send chills down the spine.
It is to be borne in mind that the tranquility of parliament cannot be a botheration for government policy discussions. The need to be fair over-rides the need to maintain the sanctity of house of parliament. Democracy and the freedom of right is neither at the mercy nor does it need to castrate for respect of decorum of the hall of parliament.
An argument can be brought forward to say that whatever the discussion required should happen in a peaceful way without making a mayhem. For this, consider the people sitting in parliament, they hail from all sections of society, they can be English speaking Harvard educated or not educated at all.
Needless to say that each may have his/her own level of articulation. The power of democracy of a nation should not be limited by the articulation levels of the members elected to rule the nation. It is important to put forth your point in any which way, whether demanding physical force or otherwise.
Violence in the hall of parliament may also erupts when a MP sees a favorable decision being taken towards a policy matter which seems very absurd. Using Gandhiji's talisman here, I ask the reader what would he do if he is put into the shoes of such an MP. Being quiet is not given as a choice.
P.S. It is entirely plausible for a person to be incoherent as I am while writing this for a thought doesn't flow like a stream of water it flows like air in all directions. I have not tried to control it because the idea is to evoke though and not to prescribe or sell an idea. Also, the thoughts expressed in this post are entirely mine. You can use the comments section to support / disagree with ideas expressed.
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