Friday 17 May 2024

I am that part of the time

 Do you know what will be subject when a group of elders who are in their 80s get a chance to interact with their offspring, of-course it would be time. They cherish about kind of atmosphere prevalent in their time, the kind of relationship bonding, the kind of leaders and the world order they were part of.

 

I may be still in the end of 30s but I can experience the change in shades of time. Time isn't anyone's staple and it chooses the color based on niche profile. And what changed wherein I no more need to wait in queue to pay the bills, no more need to visit ration shops to buy grains, no more need to walk miles to fetch potable water and so on. And special aspect of this is I wasn't complaining about doing all these things as doing such things taught me to acknowledge value associated with these things rather than just getting acquainted to their the cost.

To add more I was that part of the time wherein I wasn't groomed to harbor a sense of fear and hatred towards the despicable and my parents weren't required to prove their patriotism towards the fallible. Again I was seeded with thoughts of universalism and be a valuable part of the global village.

 

As I said in the beginning there is a change in the shades of time wherein a group of  dogmatists wants to stifle the life support to the next gen conscience and blame it on the Bridgette. Dogmatists wants to stop the hearts from melting for the deprived instead wants next gen to feel bovine.


 


Thursday 16 May 2024

Family tree

Though I don't believe in scriptures which are just someones imagination about defining the ideal human being according to their understanding and experience, but one such imagination that moved me is the shloka "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam" which means world is a family. Though it is an imagination of how an ideal world should identify itself but practically world is divided based on borders, race, sex, currency and so on.

 The very aspect of treating a world as a family attacks its political masters who have divided mother earth and treat their share of the earth as their fiefdom. The most comical of this political aspect is when they give the call to its subjects to "return to the roots" and identify themselves as self appointed custodians of the "roots".

When a political organization gives you a call to return to roots or in hindi slang "ghar vapsi" it simply means a farman from the shahansha to fall in line with the group mania engineered by the shahansha or face the consequences. Its literally a war cry and weapons of these kind of silent wars is venom filled emotions directed towards enemy identified by the shahansha who expects you to undergo a ethnic test.

 

Hope you got to understand the politically painted meaning of identifying your roots. Our roots aren't anything depending on the society, it is basically how we have inherited positive aspects from our ancestors. It is the your well wishers who feel like appreciating how well you have justified to feel related to your ancestors from their point of view who witness your clan grow.



Sunday 12 May 2024

Contextual contradictions

When two people begin to communicate with different aesthetic background there are high probability that they end being non-constructive. The reason is they only try to understand the message from opposite rather than context behind it. There is nothing demeaning as there was no impure intent and the miscommunication was basically due to lack of co-ordination.

 Context plays a major role while deciding the quality of communication between the individuals. There many chances that when you confidently argue with your dissenter based on certain preconceived context in a fit of a moment. But when you recall the argument at later time of day in a feel good ambience you realize that your entire argument delivery was taken out of your opponent's context. Context can make as well as break the conversation. 

There are instances where two people get into argument with a premeditated context and those kind of argument will most probably end up in brawl. Its something innate that neither of two factions try to arrive at a mid-path as they don't want to give space to opponent's context as that would mean a death knell to their version of illusion. 

 

Everything can be sorted out over a cup of tea when there is an intent to arrive at a solution. But beyond a certain level the point of action is all about show of pounding power rather than allowing the wisdom to take charge. When it comes to pounding power it can only derail the physicality and it is the wisdom that takes the final call.   

Saturday 11 May 2024

My first selfie

To be frank I don't exactly remember about my first selfie, but the topic was something catchy. We all have many firsts in our life. Your first birthday gift, your first crush, your first loss of dear ones and so on. And this first moment may not be celebrated by many people but is lifeline for certain people who live close to their heart.

 That first moment is in someway lay a foundation for your future based on how you intake it. The most influencing thing I mean the fact which over take our first crush is our first accident we meet during our driving. The reason why I am highlighting this is because the damage is real. It was an unplanned and has every possibility to cause loss of limb.  It may not be as terrifying as I am trying to make out but does have lasting influence on our style of driving.

The specialty of our first moment is the thrill of how we respond to the surprise we had never rehearsed about. It is something pertaining to true uniqueness, it is that part of life which teaches you your uniqueness. It helps you to get acquainted to your inner strength and inner weakness you are expected to work upon. And it is that aspect wherein your realize that you are treated uniquely by the life.

We may or may not treat our firsts specially but it will never leave you without stamping itself onto you highlighting its remarkable influence. Many people especially when they are made to injure someone with their firsts try to abscond of their guilt citing it to be their first and was done unintentionally claim impunity. But there are also group of people who don't learn from their first experience and repeat it habitually.


 

Thursday 9 May 2024

Propaganda in the Age of Augustus

When Julius Caesar was assassinated, young Octavian at the age of 18 became his sole heir. He immediately went to Rome, yet encountered backlash from Julius Caesar's right-hand man, Mark Antony. The ingenious Octavian immediately responded by suggesting that Antony had "sold out" to the murderers and the Senate. This was the inital confrontaion between Octavian and Antony and his initial use of propaganda that would last until the death of Antony in 30 BCE.

There were two contrasting views of young Octavian. He was a good leader, great for Rome, if he was brutal, he had to do it. Once in power, wonderful things came to Rome such as the Pax Romana or peace.

On the other hand, he was terrible, decieved allies, and the peace he brought was sustained with blood. Augustus was a glory seeker and claimed to do good things for Rome, yet it was for his own power.

No matter what people believed, Augustus was a master propagandist. From the beginning, he used propaganda against his enemies. He was patient, skillful, and intelligent. Although she was beautiful, it was thought that Augustus married his wife Liva to solidify his political stance and gain status in the elite population.

Augustus seduced soldiers with bonuses, gave the people food, entertainment, and peace. He further made himself stronger by solidifying the functions of the Senate, the magistrates, and the law. 

Before the Battle of Actium, Octavian used propaganda to turn the soldiers and people against his opponent Mark Antony and Cleopatra. He convinced the people of Rome that Cleopatra had seduced Mark Antony and that he was under her control. Also, Cleopatra, a foreign Egyptian queen wished to take over Rome. Octavian convinced people that she had her name inscribed on Mark Antony's soldiers' shields. He also accused Antony of dressing in a way that was not native to Rome. This scared the Roman people and soldiers as it was unheard of to have a woman rule Rome, especially a foreign woman. 

Many soldiers switched sides before and during the battle due to the rumors.Mark Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt. Octavian was triumphant. He ended civil wars and officially brought peace to Rome.

27 BCE marked the beginning of the Roman Empire and the reign of Augustus, Rome's first emperor. He negotiated a power share with the Senate, yet said "I restored the republic and gave power back to the Senate." Again, skillful use of propaganda. He reorganized the provinces and gave himself the most powerful provinces. 

Augustus's propaganda worked. He was awarded the corona civica which was a wreath of oak leaves that was for ending the civil wars. He was also awarded the clipeus virtutis or the shield of virtue, given for bravery. Coins were made in his honor, which spread the word of his achievements. 

Augustus was careful not to be called a king or dictator. Instead, he took the name "Princeps" meaning the first man, which was a republican title. He was given eleven consulships and maius proconsular meaning he had higher power in all the provinces. Augustus was a brilliant propagandist and politician. He knew it was all about appearances. 

Augustus made his mark on Rome. It is said he turned Rome from a city of bricks to a city of marbel. He wanted to transform Rome into a true cosmopolitan capital of the Meditteranean. Augustus created the golden age of literature. The writers of the period were cultivated by Maecenas who was comissioned by Augustus. There was an expectation of presenting Augustus in a positive light. The most famous was the Aeneid, which Augustus claimed to be a descendent of the hero Aeneas. Aeneas was a military man, devoted to the Roman gods, and a man of honor and sacrifice. He embodied the behaviors Augustus claimed to have and promoted throughout the empire. 

Augustus also used coins as a form of propaganda. Due to the high illiteracy rate, it was a way to spread images of himself and his messages across the empire. 

 Finally, more portraits and statues of Augustus appeared throughout the Roman Empire than any other man in history. They appeared in public spaces and private homes. Many were embedded with messages of propaganda. 

In conclusion, Augustan propaganda was spread throughout the Roman Empire. In his early years, he spread propaganda messages against his enemies through the use of rumors. As he became more powerful his use of propaganda evolved. He married for political gain. As time went on his propaganda messages became visual and were seen on coins, buildings, literature, and statues. He used his family by marrying his daughter to multiple men. He later banished his own daughter to set an example for his moral reforms. Augustus stopped at nothing to become the most powerful man and Rome's first emperor. By his death in 14 AD, Augustus's messages would be widespread throughout the empire. Augustus had a vision and knew how to get what he wanted. His impact through the use of skillful propaganda on Rome, the world, and history was monumental. 

Source: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3b0c2d94ff7c41bdb971fc21b85d1c21 




 

 

Tuesday 7 May 2024

Performance space

 This world is a stage and we all are actors who are expected to perform as per the execution plan. But there are some people who believe that once they get hold of the stage they can perform and dictate the performance of other individuals as per their wishes and whims.

 

There are many factors going into who gets what part of the role to perform and based on unsigned commitment to the role they are given opportunity to decorate the stage with their performance. Once the executive board finds something fishy in the deviations in the performance from their allowable role, the evacuation process kicks in.

Just because you get hold on the performance stage doesn't guarantee the performance space. And this factor of granting performance space is heavily populated with best of the best mind's thought factor. Hijacking performance stage and acting rebellious to once permitted role for want of infusing deplorable ideology is not only an act of disgrace but an invitation to get debarred from future roles too. 

This world is only running based on belief system. A girl loves a boy with a belief that their love results in themselves groomed into a family filled with love. A soldier is armed with weapons based on belief that he will use those weapons for safeguarding ethics of the country he serves for. These are all unwritten and there are no recorded evidence if the said beliefs are desecrated technically. Just because there is no written agreement doesn't absolve the perpetrators of crime from facing the action without any evidence the process they applied in perpetrating crime.

Saturday 4 May 2024

I want to but I cannot, I can but don't want to

At one point of time we get an opportunity to act God and at one point of time we get an command to behave evil. Naive people who don't want to take the burden of establishing their uniqueness go with the flow. I mean they are just situationist. They don't want to take the burden of confronting the situational pressure tactics. They act god when situation asks them to be so and they behave evil when situation imposes them to be so.

 

There isn't an easy way to evaluate this traits of the humanity, I mean who enforced this quality onto them or otherwise are they willing to be part of this colossal phenomenon  right from their characteristic embracement. This quality in entrenched on part of the subscriber to such an extent they have become totally alien to the other part of the picture.

This social  diatribe may have become the new convention but believe me just because a cat closes its eye while stealing milk will not obfuscate cat from its culpability. Its intricately chained that decides the next course of action based on the present and previous links of the chain.

 Its not being judgemental of putting someone on notice based on their choice. We may be silly in wanting to see the collapse of weirdo but deep within we all regret on not braving enough to act weirdo. Busy in forming a sense of outlook captured by our imagination that no one cares to remember once our exit is confirmed. 


Thursday 2 May 2024

'Whip'ping the constitution

 

In parliamentary terminology, a whip is a written order that party members be present for an important vote, or that they vote only in a particular way. It can also refer to a designated official authorized by a party to issue a whip.

Important Provisions of Whip

Not in a Constitution: Neither mentioned in the Constitution nor the  Rules of the House and Parliamentary Statute But based on the conventions of the parliamentary government
  • Type of Whip: There are typically three main types of whip  in parliamentary contexts, 
  • One-Line Whip: The mildest form of whip suggests to members that their attendance for voting is desired but not binding, granting MPs some leeway in their presence.
  • Two-Line Whip: A stronger directive, indicating that the party expects its members to be present for the vote. While technically not mandatory, MPs are strongly encouraged to abide by this whip.
  • Three-Line Whip: The most stringent form of a whip, a strict instruction to attend and vote in line with the party’s position. Deviating from this directive without permission may result in serious consequences, such as expulsion from the party.
 The Government Chief Whip: 
  • The most important duty is mapping out the time of the session, coordinating, monitoring and management of the business of the Government. 
  • Also acts as an important communication link between the leader of the House and the Members of the ruling party and also keeps in close touch with the whips of the other parties on matters concerning the business of the House as also on many other matters relating to the House as a whole.
  • The Chief whip of the government party in the Lok Sabha is the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
  •  In the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs holds this position.

Source: https://pwonlyias.com/udaan/whip-system-in-parliament/ 

These whips are more powerful than Prime minister in the democracy as they have right to impose party decisions onto its members, powers which even Prime minister doesn't enjoy and thus exactly what paves way for weakening of constitution. The more powers the chief whip are entrusted with more weaker the constitution becomes in the eyes of democracy.