Many readers have asked here, why we have such a name for the blog? I ask them, why not? What do they understand from this title? When we rave about Kerala saying its "God's Own Country", do we really think we, the people, are Gods? Hopefully not. Similarly, it is not to call anyone a dog, but its rather a phrase to depict the negative aspects that are really horrifying and unbearable, especially the unruly behaviour and attitude of some malayalis, that not only ruin our progress and development, but bring shame to us as a community. I think the latter kind of people are our worst enemies and need to be isolated if they are not willing to change.
This blog is only a small initiative against the shackles that are holding us back from making advances as a community, state, and therefore, the nation. But I also want to clarify that this is only a blog (atleast as of now) that wishes to expose these lackings and issues, and discuss and debate them in a constructive way, so that it creates awareness, and hopefully inspires people to change or act proactively to foster change. So for people who ask, what is this blog doing besides "talking" about change and the negative issues, I have only one thing to say: I sincerely hope this blog and our collective efforts will make us ask the question, "what can WE do?" some day very soon.
But for now, as long as people are reading and thinking about whats written here, I consider this blog is a success. What this blog will lead to, and how we can collectively make changes, is the next step. But before we draw action plans and try to influence policies more vehemently, we need to unite and make sure that the majority of the people have a common vision and inspiration for our state. We need to ensure that our mindsets change. Development and progress is not just about industries and infrastructure, but its about civility and character too. You and I still may not be able to influence the entire state. But we can influence our neighbours, our relatives, our co-workers, our local rickshaw driver, or the local shopkeeper. Thats something we can do.
One of our biggest challenge and the main factor that hampers the progress of the state is our political interference and polarization. I dont know how long it will take for our "100% literate" people to understand this basic fact. It is evident in our day to day life how deeply and adversely this has affected us and ruined ourselves. Whether its the criminal who gets away with the crime from the police or its one of us wriggling out of a traffic offence, or the dispute between students getting settled in a group clash, the political influece and the wielding (and misuse) of power backed by politicians is very clear.
Ofcourse, we need politics and politicians for running the state and governance. But thats where it should end. We should eliminate politics and political interference in areas such as religion, education, judiciary, and in particular our own civility and conduct. I think in general we, especially the youth, are disillusioned by baseless ideologies fuelled by too much politicization. If that ends, things will begin to look much greener again.
In the movie Rang De Basanti, there is a character Laxman Pandey (played by Atul Kulkarni) who blindly believes in the political ideologies of the party, and unknowingly becomes their best tool for selfish and communal activities. It took a great awakening for him to realize how flawed the politicians are and how empty and hollow the ideologies he was made to believe in were compared to reality. We need such an awakening in Kerala.
We actually need politicians and leaders who are educated and qualified for this perception against politicians to change, and politics to become a mainstream and dignified path that people who are truly dedicated can take. It may be oft-repeated, but in a world where we insist on minimum educational qualifications even for posts such as peons and aids, how can we allow uneducated people with dubious backgrounds rule our state(s) and imagine that they will ever take us forward? This is a very important thing that each of us need to consider and work towards collectively. Do we really need politicians who get selected on the basis of their crime records, wiliness, and past atrocities.
What is the sense in being so proud about (falling) social development indices if we cannot respect eachother, and we forget basic human values in our day to day life? How can we claim to be cultured and refined if we cannot respect our women and treat them as equals? Why do we call ourselves 100% literate when we still cannot resist selfishly motivated political and religious influences?
Would we prefer to continue to wag the dog?
THE 'SAVE KERALA' INITIATIVE
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Wag the Dog?
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44 comments:
MC, I'll tell there is absolutely nothing wrong with the blog or the topics being discussed here...
I cant understand some people criticizing the tone and topics of this blog!! How dumb some souls, who cant see how our mainstream media deals with the same things...Read Manorama or Mathrubhumi editorials and many a times you will come across teething criticisms in some really harsh tones...and them being read by millions across the world.
Our National magazines carried cover stories like "Paradox of Gods own country" and "Kerala- State of miseries"... So why cant we as individuals and citizens who love our motherland put forward our opinions and criticisms through the medium we own?
If being cheerleaders will take our state out of the mess we are in then every morning I will wake up and beat my chest about Kerala's 'quality of life' and compare it with Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand...if it will make me sleep better. If you want to improve in life you look up to how Singapore, Malaysia and Bangalore are doing things...Compare where they have beaten us, and what we can learn from them, just to make our state even a better place to live.
All this while taking pride for being born in this beautiful land of 'paradoxes'..
So move forward, this is all what I've to say! Cheers...
@ MC -uneducated people with dubious backgrounds rule our state(s)- Funniest by far....
You must be referring to our Finance Minister Dr Thomas Issac
Date of Birth: 26 September, 1952
Place of Birth: Kodungallur, Thrissur, Kerala
Education:
1985 Ph.D., Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Thesis Title: “Class Struggle and Industrial Structure: A Study of Coir Weaving Industry in Kerala, 1859-1980”
1978 M. Phil., Economics Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
1977 M. A., Economics University Of Kerala, Trivandrum
1974 B. A., Economics University Of Kerala, Trivandrum
Research Experience:
Honorary Fellow At Centre For Development Studies, Trivandrum
Fellow At Centre For Development Studies, Trivandrum
Associate Fellow At Centre For Development Studies, Trivandrum
Research Associate At Centre For Development Studies, Trivandrum
"we forget basic human values"- Human values, will that matter to the so called industry friendly states.
Can you show any other state anywhere in this country which had the courage to successfully enforce a land reform effectively as kerala did, The reform abolished tenancy, benefiting 1.5 million poor households. Do not forget history mate... The "falling socio developement " and the 'laurels' you ridiculed are not something which happened overnight.
Some of the states will take another 100 years to achieve "100% literacy".:)
"what is this blog doing besides "talking" about change and the negative issues, I have only one thing to say: I sincerely hope this blog and our collective efforts will make us ask the question, "what can WE do?" some day very soon."
And the day will be 31.2.2089. Till that day MC & co will do "talking" (read barking as this is dog's own blog:))
@ scorpio
National magazines will definitely have cover stories about kerala, coz that will ensure their circulation as mallus do have the 'ability to read'. Circulation will double if it has things which say bad about about the state as people love to read them :)
"And the day will be 31.2.2089. Till that day MC & co will do "talking" (read barking as this is dog's own blog:))"
There are only 28 days in February 2089. :P
Besides that..rest of the comments dont deserve a clarification!
MC,
I am sorry but I just happened to stumble upon this blog when I was looking up some other material on Kerala. I haven't read all of your posts, but I have skimmed through a few. Although I am Keralite by birth, I have never lived in Kerala. I will accept that I am young and naive and therefore do not understand Kerala's political affairs very well. I can however, understand why many people have a problem with your blog.
Kerala boasts many achievements and presents somewhat of an anomaly in the developing world. Dreze and Sen, in their book “ India: Development and Participation” write of the links between Kerala’s outstanding social achievements (including a life expectancy of 74 years, near-universal literacy in the younger age groups, a fertility rate that is now well below the replacement level, a virtual absence of child labour, and relatively low levels of gender inequality) and its rich history of public action (involving early state initiatives and social movements for the promotion of literacy, the implementation of land reforms, the elimination of traditional discriminations, the provision of wide-ranging public services, and related goals) ( Dreze and Sen 2002)
Kerala has achieved a lot in the global scale of things and your blog seems to lack a proper method of analysis. Fist off your opinions are very biased and one sided. I will exhibit this by examining your post on the UAE.
Your last post regarding Keralites who work in the UAE does not take into account many factors of the positives of working outside of Kerala. You spoke to very bitter people, who have very biased opinions.
The fact that many Malayalees have moved out of Kerala in hopes of living “The American Dream” has actually worked out very well for Kerala. Since many people have moved to other parts of the world Kerala has avoided a major population crisis. I mean, my mother had seven children in her family, both her and her two sisters have moved out of Kerala and resettled in Canada. One of her sisters moved to New Delhi and one moved to Hydrabad, leaving only three of her siblings in Kerala. Now consider the terms of land inheritance, if it they had been seven boys, the family plot of land would have been divided up into seven sections and then those sections of land would have been further divvied by their children. (please note that in the larger scale, even because they are girls, it would still work out the same because their husbands would have received a plot of land – so in this sense the land-population ratio still works out to more people then there is enough land for).
Kerala has always been a trading port city, the outward emigration of its people is simply an extreme expression of this nature and in return Kerala now conveys a culmination of world culture and ideals. If everybody had stayed in Kerala, eventually our beautiful province would begin to resemble the rest of India; over crowded and dirty. Over population would lead to a fight for resources and or jobs. (This is because the majority of Kerala’s GDP depends on agriculture) Eventually the situation would become so severe that hardworking educated people will have to submit to jobs as cab drivers in Kerala because in the end, one does what one has to in order to put bread on the table.
“To save the little that they earn and send it back to their loved ones, even if they miss a meal” One would do this, even if they lived with their family or if their family lived a thousand km away. The fact that people send money home, is a testament to the importance of family, in many other countries family ties do no exist and the treatment of the old is left to hospitals and old age homes.
I am not saying that Kerala is perfect, there are MANY problems that need to be addressed, and that is what you are doing with your blog. It is simply unfortunate that your method of analysis simply does not look at the overall picture and it also generalises. My family in Kerala is nothing but amazing.
They understand how hard my family works here in Canada. Never once have they asked for money – unless they needed it. When we go to visit, of course we bring gifts. They are generous enough to offer us their home to sleep in, to make us our favourite dishes, to show us around. To say they hold an “air of arrogance” is a gross distortion of their personality. ( I do not include “disobedience, and disregard for the system” because these terms/phrases that do not make sense in that paragraph or simply need to be expanded on. What do you mean by disobedience and disregard for the system?)
The gift that Kerala gave my parents was the OPPURTUNITY to an education despite class, gender or caste. If my mother had been born in North India, she would not have given the opportunity to go to school as she is a girl and because she is from a rural farming family. She would have been expected to help out at the farm and would have been expected to do labour at a VERY young age. Without the ability to read, my mother would not have been able to do the simple tasks that we take for granted everyday such as knowing which bus to take or reading instructions.
I support you in your endeavour to bring to light the problems that Kerala faces, I just believe that you need to be constructive in your criticism. A proper analysis is needed for change. To take action in haste is to act without knowledge or understanding. Please add proper context to your criticism because at the moment your blog give simply comes of as disarticulated arrogant rambling.
You call for educated politicians, yet what is your standard of education? You are educated enough to demand your rights, to criticize. Make educated criticism then.
What do you define as development?
Is development Westernization or is it to live a standard of living that is above the world poverty line. Remember that there are some African Americans living in New York that have a much lower standard of living then some African's living in South Africa.
As for the status of women, Kerala is praised for having such high standards, yes some things have to change, but that is more due to cultural prejudice rather then governmental policies.
For the fact that people do not want to invest in Kerala, THAT IS A GOOD THING -- look at places where large corporations have taken over and have fueled civil wars. Kerala is independent in that regard. Ws are a state of independent family run businesses not a state of unhappy factory workers chained to the corporate and commercial Western world. (This is for the person that left the comment about Kerala being a place that is full of asses)
At all the Anons here,
If this is barking why are you all joining in? Doesn't make sense does it? Think about it! You know it is not barking and your presence here in large numbers is proof of that. You see this blog as a real threat as it is beginning to make people think. And that is why you all are trying to shout it down! ;-)
If you noticed, in the previous post people were scared to sign in and comment, but they did comment and that my dear Anonymouses is a clear message that you all can go on giggling and bullying but the common mans voice will be heard! Understood? Of course you do! :-)
Your presence here in large numbers is a testimony to the success of this initiative. Thank you!!
And while you are here I hope some of you will see the writing on the wall. Hang around comrades. This is will be a great learning experience for you all. :-)
@Scorpiogenious: Well said Sir!
I have read in the news paper that our electricity minister stated that the state will be in dark if “Thulavarsham” doesn’t bless us!.
I think this is a very irresponsible statement from a minister. How long we can depend upon this? Power cut is a daily routine in Kerala now. Whether Thulavasham bless us or does’t power cut will remain always it is.
How much effort the state done so far for finding out other alternatives to hydro electric power? We don’t have enough forest left to remove to build more dams. Remember Kerala is the state who passed a resolution against nuclear deal. This is the irony!
They opposed the deal only on the basis that it’s a deal between US and India. Now it’s really shameful to depend upon Thulavarsham for energy crisis after opposing other alternative ways to find more energy.
Our Industy and Tourism minister is in US to attract investment after all these dramas! That is the height!
One small suggestion
Karnataka government is introducing a coaching class for politicians who might have at least degree qualification. They will be trained by IIM Bangalore. This is a good initiative
In Kerala, we must ask the candidate coming to our house for vote to show the certificate next time. They have lot of time to do this. Time they are spending for hartal and bandh. Otherwise no vote from at least educated malayaless. Each and every (100% literate) Malayalee must take this decision and then the change is not far way!
Attitude is all we need changed first and the rest will fall in place. But for that we need Malayalees to educate their kids, the next generation outside Kerala. They should be taken way from the festering rot or they grow up and become people who talk of how pristine Kerala is because it does not have industry! :-))
And this gentleman sits in Canada and says all this! :-))))
Now wonder you have your work cut out!! What a bunch of idiots you are up against!
Anna Thomas
NAA
Bangalore
@ scorpiogenius - reminds of the tweaked joke: (the malayali) is afraid to commit suicide because he is worried what his neighbours will say about him. we are forever cowering behind past achievements and false pride, and failing to evolve. we shun progress as though we dont need to change, and instead focus on the negatives of others to imagine that we are better of.
appreciate your comments (both for and against) and the sensible moderation in thought and understanding that you have always offered here.
@ anonymouses - i had to delete some of your comments as they were too random.
i talk about politicians (which means the majority) and you come up with the biodata of one person. this just shows your intent to NOT understand the meaning of the post, but only to oppose it at any cost. think about it yourself. and whatever you say or do, there are enough people reading this and thinking about what we have to say.
@ joe - at no point have i said that kerala does not have any positive or disputed its past records in health or social development. but what i meant is we are resting on our past laurels and achievements, and over the last 2 decades we have been slumping.
@ phoenix - :) thank you.
@ pillai - talking about electricity, the power price has already been increased again. and while we continue to experience the joys of daily powercuts, the government is busy selling power to neighbouring states. as you rightly said, there is no thought about how to overcome the crisis or about alternate power sources.
@ anna thomas - dont worry, sooner or later, the same questions that we ask will be asked by the next generation. the people who ridicule these questions and flutter in rage now will not be able to run when their own children question them.
already many parents in kerala are seeing how their children do not want to come back to kerala, and feel isolated. this is only going to increase in the coming years.
@MC - you have mentioned uneducated ministers - Rather than making generalised statements like that, come up with a list mate, comeon be a man and name them...
If you look at our ministers, it ll be hard to find ministers who never had proper education, however I can show uneducated idiots ruling states, who sometimes even make a mockery of esteemed institutions like IIM...
@Anonymous at 3:36 AM: People with private agendas work at cross purposes. Phoenix made the right move by getting hidden agendas on the table. People with pvt agendas don’t know what they are supposed to do, or it makes no sense. They are also uncertain what their mission is. Such people become putty in the hands of people like Phoenix with no axe to grind. A defocused mission had zealots like Seema and her boys groping in the dark. I am a legal strategist. If you understood this then you will agree that the formula to win the argument is by swaying your opponent with reasoned argument rather than name-calling.
@MC: Came here from Silverine's blog. Great write up and certainly true. When you’re referring to a colloquial term, you have to bear in mind that other people may differ slightly in the definition. This post should clear the air for reasonable people.
"I can show uneducated idiots ruling states"
If you meant Laloo then you are right. He turned the railways around into a profit making body. Wonder what is right with our educated Kerala ministers!!
Karnataka ministers maybe a bunch of goons but they have succeed in turning Bangalore into the Silicon valley of India! :-)
Ya why dont u bring Laloo and karnataka ministers to kerala and see the 'change' they are gonna make....Bring in Modi also that will be great..
We can make this place a beautiful valley similar to Bihar and Gujarat. LOL
You people are blind, coz u have no idea about common man.. If foreign investment is the ultimate option to eradicate poverty and unemployment, y is other BIG states still has low rating in human developement indicators... There is absolutely no point in 'upbringing' english speaking tech savvy gentlemen in this country . Its the people who doesnt even have food and shelter which we need to focus on....
@ano,6:05 AM, November 02, 2008 remarks needs a fitting reply
“Ya why dont u bring Laloo and karnataka ministers to kerala and see the 'change' they are gonna make....Bring in Modi also that will be great.”
Laloo and Karnataka ministers play cast openly. What is the difference between them and our comrades?
No difference at all.
Commies play cast card much intelligently. When the “secular” communist choose candidate on election they field candidate of the majority cast in the constituency. The guy who worked hard for the party will be sidelined. Best example is Ernakulam. Open your eyes ano.. Commies are cheating you!
Lalu plays cast card openly.Your commies do it behind the curtain and cheat you. Now who is better!
People of Gujarat wants Modi. Have you ever screwed your mind thinking why gujratis want him as their leader? Ask Ratan Tata
“There is absolutely no point in 'upbringing' english speaking tech savvy gentlemen in this country”
Who are you sir? A good example of “english speaking tech savvy gentlemen”? Right. U write comments in English using a technology tool like internet right. Pinne gentileman. Sorry no comments you decide!
Realised one fact-
People who support this blog are civilised and people who oppose are uncivilised invariably no matter what they write or comment.:)
"But once they realised that this blog is full of dogs they just left and stopped commenting."
Then why does this blog have so many comments while some city rising and other blogs have none? And why are you commenting here Sir? Dont you have any self respect? Let me tell you why you comment here. Because this blog has eyeballs!! And you want attention because your pathetic blog has no takers!! :-P
What losers!!! To come to this blog to say that no one is interested in commenting here! You seem to be pretty interested in commenting here! :-) What does that make you? A blogger with no readers! ROFL!!!
@ anonymouses - i have deleted some of your comments. sorry about that. if you just want to dirty up, please use your own blog.
People of Gujarat know who is good and who is bad for them. If Modi is guilty he must be punished. Let the Gujarat people do that! If you have too much problem against Modi you can go to Gujarat and educate the people over there.Sicerely. I made my view.
“Well if I know English, I can survive in any part of the world. I do not need any support from government for that. That was exactly my point”
You know the biggest problem in Kerala is the unemployment of educated people. You mean to say that if they are educated and English speaking go to any part of the world and search for job? No support from Government ! Hello give me a break!
“That is why the pathetic feudal view of you and this blog has zero relevance except for some people who have born with silver spoon in their mouth”
Feudal view! I don’t think my view is feudal and I do not represent it also. If you came into this conclusion by seeing my sir name , I take you to the name of the guy who founded communist movement in Kerala!
Communism was a necessity in Kerala when AKG and Krishna Pillai founded it. They were poor and lived with poor and died with them. Now our communist ministers and leaders travel in Toyota corolla and preach Viplavam. Now for the poor and educated malayalee it’s a burden
MC and others including me love kerala. We want our Kerala to be No:1 in every aspect. We clearly kow a blog can’t make much revolution. But more and more social networking site come up it will make an impact no doubt!
@ anonymous - If you look at our ministers, it ll be hard to find ministers who never had proper education
are you really blind or just talking rubbish here just for the sake of distorting the blogs discussion? i dont think its worth anyones time and energy responding to your trashy comments.
mc, if we could ensure that the discussion centers around the blog, it will be better.
to the authors of this blog...
I thought you were going to bring in comment moderation from what I read and saw in the previous posts. The tale goes on here..
Your disclaimer claims this is a site for discussions. Not being rude, but apart from personal dung flinging no concrete discussions are taking place abroad DoC now..This one is slowly getting degraded into something like an obscene Orkut discussion thread..
Is it too difficult bringing in comment moderation or at least wiping out the Anonymous menace from here, considering there are 5-6 moderators in the editorial board?
@ scorpiogenius - comment moderation is something we have been considering of late due to certain elements trying to literally ransack the comments section here. but i personally feel it brings in some level of restriction even for genuine commentors. so lets see if we can try to bring in some moderation by deleting disruptive comments. if not, we will go ahead and do something.
Please moderate comments. it will not restrict genuine commentators and definitely stop cheap personal fights .
Well said!
Bouquets and brickbats are part of life. People have to learn to take it in their stride! Keep writing doc, we are all here for you! :)
I have been silently watching MC's blog going from 0 comments to what it is today and that's about the minimum number
of people who he has been able to attract to this space.And why? Have you ever stopped to think, even for a millisecond, that if
more thinkers like him were around especially in the political system what an amazing change it would bring to us.I am not talking
about the filthy rich masses, I am talking about the core of our population- the one's that need to use public space and depend
on what the rich do next.They provide us service and what do we give back to them? hmmph.
For his efforts he should be given massive support, and thoughts lead to action.Somewhere a spark lights and if even that one person
can extend their support to uplifting even one person, his job is done.Not just done, well done.
Of course, there is always good and bad.It will always linger together.We need the good to balance the bad and vice versa. Am not talking
in tongues but it skims around to deal with several topics being discussed here.Bad will always persist so that our good(read social activists)
get spurned to generate better ideas and come up with more ways to deal with the kind of society we are living in today.It keeps one well
armed to fight against the unexpected and the expected.
Always treat people the way you want to be treated.Before you say something think about it once as if you were in the other person's shoes at the
receiving end.Does it make sense? Yes, then go ahead and say it.It probably needs to be said but otherwise just can it.
Eighty years from now it will not matter where you lived or what you ate for lunch today but what will matter is that at least some people
got spurned to act upon the words of a blogger.
This blogger would have by then brought in much needed reforms into the black holes which we are all spiraling into
and our kids may even live to see the day where you don't have any of this,that is happening right now.(All included)
We are all hundred per cent literate as you all say,but the effort of every true education is to unlock the true hidden treasure which is to
learn to be human again.We are all here and teaching each other some very important lessons, every minute of the day.
Try to find something good in all this, do not bring your ego into this forum and go on and on and on and on.Take something from in here and think.
That's all he is asking to do.We all went to school to be trained to think in a disciplined manner, some of us may have even questioned our teachers
but ultimately they teach us how to write,read and be who we are today.We picked up from where they left us.Do we go back and criticize them too?
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."
The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth."
This thing called "truth" is what is being exposed in here and WE don't like it.Why do we bark? Cos we don't like what we see.What is it?
It's the truth and it hurts.We try to defend
and cover up for the mess by focusing on the good aspects when we are not even addressing the issue that is being brought out.
Stare it.It's right there in your face.It maybe
ugly but it's there for all of us to see and deal with.The more you deal with it, the lesser the problem becomes and ultimately it will be negligible.
Pat on the back to everyone who is stirring a revolution in here.
Maya
@ silverine and maya - thanks so much for the support! more power to the ladies!
@MC...
I cant think of a more suitable title for this blog...I think you were rather kind in making it Dog's own country... I would have chosen something more demeaning..
It surprises me that ppl still believe in that tag ( GOds own country ) .... If there is any state in India which doesnt deserve that tag...its us. Of course there is Bihar and some other northern states...but they can atleast say that most of the ppl are illeterate which is not the case in Kerala.. It easy to sit back and say that our state is waste and do nothing about it...you have chosen to do what you can to make it better...and I (we ) really appreciate your efforts..
Thanks
To the gentleman from Canada, if you have not grown up here, if you do not live here, you should not pass judgment on the judgment of those who do. When I see my father hold his head in his hands at the state of the place he once loved, ruined at the hands of corrupt politicians and bureaucratic nightmares, when I see this there is nothing I can say or believe to contradict it. These are the words who are living the experience, I would hope you would honor that, and its distance between your own.
God's own country, Devils own people will be good as well. The place is good but the attitude of people is very bad.
BPO work from home
Some human cultures, such as the various peoples of the Arctic Circle, until recently made their clothing entirely of furs and skins, cutting clothing to fit and decorating lavishly.
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