More musings

One month in India doing nothing but eating, couch-potatoing, and relaxing has made me lazier than a snail. Here are some random reflections over this period of semi-hibernation.

- Height of irony:
There is a big banner in the campus of Saudi's national oil company that proudly states "Conserve energy....use bla bla" (sponsored by the company of course). Within a stone's throw of that banner there are 3 big multi-storeyed buildings that have 1000s of rooms in all. Breaking news: Not one room has a switch to turn off the lights. Not one. They all apparently have a master switch that keeps the lights ON non-stop for 20 hours a day (even on weekends). What a way to walk the talk!

- Zahiliayat hai unki (this is their illiteracy):
This was one thing that a Pakistani cab driver told me during a ride that summed it up nicely. I was talking to him about the reaction of Mumbai attacks in Pakistan and how does the common man there feel about it. I cant write the expletives he used against Musharaf, but his point was that Musharaf sided with USA to alienate the common population, and that Islam doesnt teach whatever the terrorists are propagating and that those guys are targetting the illiterates to indoctrinate them. Fair enough. Illiteracy is the key. More education, more avenues, less probability of getting indoctrinated.

- Profound realization:
If there is ONE thing that has screwed up the common man in India more than anything else is lack of clean and green energy. I realized this when I was on my way to the US embassy office in Kolkata. I dont want to sound cliched but I found there is hardly much enthu left to do useful things with so much pollution. Imagine if the city had clean fuel, pollution-free roads, what a boon it would be to the mental state of the common man more than anything else. I know, this sounds quite strange coming from a guy who works for an oil company. Lack of stricter emission standards is to be blamed more than oil companies but thats a separate discussion for another day.

- Research project:
Like I have mentioned many times, finding a girl in a typical arrange marriage is a big research project. Reluctantly, I had to go through a lot of profiles and pictures of wife-aspirants. Also met a few father-in-law(FIL)-aspirants. There are 2 major realizations from these experience. First, it is personally very difficult for me to say 'no' even though I dont have to say it directly. It hurts me to disappoint FIL-aspirants sweating so much to find a match for their daughters. It's difficult. But it's unfortuantely something that has to be done, given the process. I cannot feel their pain but I sure can empathise. Second, it's about time girls (and even guys) in India become more fitness conscious. They dont have to be size 0 (whatever that means). But having an majorly overweight structure does no good to their health or to their parents who are losing sleep over finding a right prospect for them. Unsolicited though it is, you get my drift. And this is a candid comment. Genuinely.

- Gandhi's principle:
I am no big fan of some of Gandhi's practises but I believe his policy of non-violence was a master-policy. It just takes away from the oppressor a desire to attack you. I cant think of any other cure to terrorism. Israel attacks Gaza, 100s get orphaned, 10s of them grow up to be suicide bombers and kill 1000s of Israelis. The cycle continues. 1000s die on both sides. Who wins? No one. Replace Israel and Gaza by any 2 entities in violent conflict and you get the same result.