Rebel Yell

My favourite Billy Idol song. The title is self-explanatory, so I won't go into details. It's been one of those days. My nose is running like a leaky faucet. I'm trying to hack my way through mechanics this time (why do I even try?). Not to mention that my dad is, once again, monopolizing the telly to watch the news. NEWS? What a waste of time! Controversy after controversy, scam after bloody scam. Anchors jumping from one breaking news to the next, serious expressions and mascara firmly in place. Scamsters, schemers, swindlers and plain old sociopaths getting their fifteen minutes of fame is not my idea of time well spent. Since I've gotten on this harangue anyway, let's look at the world around us.

The general population is showing an alarming lack of grey matter. People have forgotten how to think. All we can see nowadays is grandstanding and jaded rhetoric, but even that is enough to whip mobs into homicidal frenzies. We are taking everything at face value and not even thinking of the consequences of our actions. Why? Well, here's what I think.

Like it or not, the 21st century homo sapien is one confused S.O.B. There is just too much information to handle. Too many beliefs, credos, tenets, faiths, creeds and religions to make sense of. Couple that with surviving in this cut-throat world, and we find ourselves well and truly bewildered. As it is, the advent of the 'global village' has reduced most of the human population to brainless gits. True, they can make the distinction between a Paris Hilton and a Britney Spears. Also, many of them have enough sense to laugh at everything that George W. Bush says (by the way, what does the 'W' stand for anyway?). But this is the limit of their intellectual capacity. Club this lot with those dullards who can be seen working 9-5 jobs and meandering their way through life, and we have a sorry state of affairs indeed. They are like lambs, ripe and plump and juicy, ready meat for the wolves.

The wolves are another different ballgame all together. To give an example, take Raj Thackery. He wants the Maratha votebank, so what does he do? He overhypes the issue of North Indian presence in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. End result? MNS activists having a field day - trashing taxis, looting shops, roughing up innocent citizens just for the heck of it. The politician waves the wand, and the brainless zombies do his bidding. And the worst part is, it was probably a shrewd political move. Other than these idiots who get to satisfy their caveman instincts, there is an even bigger bunch of morons who will see Raj Thackery as the saviour of the Marathas and vote for his party. Most of them wouldn't have even thought about the supposed 'North Indian' invasion before he roiled them up. It's like they say, an idle mind is the devil's workshop. The inability of the common man to think for himself and not be swayed by rhetoric has made his job all the more easier.

Now let's come to those poor souls who still have something sloshing about in their craniums. More often than not, you will find them simply smothered under the collective weight of mass inertia, till they themselves become dull and devoid of the creative spark. Some might succeed in raising their voices and making themselves heard, but they will only find themselves buried under an avalanche of lawsuits and public litigations. Every self-righteous group of busybodies with iron rods shoved up their arses will then take out rallies and generally make their lives pretty difficult. More enterprising individuals will assault either them or their family members and destroy their property. These hooligans might be the biggest consumers of the M.A.F.I.A (Malayalam Adult Film Industry Association), but the people will still laud them as heroes. The police will be benevolent, the judges will be lenient. Veritable legends like M.F. Hussain and Amitabh Bacchhan have learnt it the hard way. You are with the majority, or against it. And being in opposition is very lonely indeed.

People might get the impression that I'm ranting and raving only about India. Let me correct that impression. Myanmar, Pakistan, France (the turban issue), even the USA, with its 'ideological' Iraq incursion. Authorities move ruthlessly to curb individual thought. They lure the general public on high-sounding moralistic grounds into supporting questionable endeavours. The people are left confused and more than a little terrified. Surely this is not the formula for leading a contented life.

What' the solution then? I don't know. This was meant to be an indictment of news channels. Instead, it metamorphosed into a broad denounciation of the entire human population (including me; I like Lohan better). What I can advise is to make a start. Start thinking. Don't believe any and everything under the sun. Examine the situation for yourself, and only then you should come to a conclusion. And in this internet age, when information is just a click away, that shouldn't be too hard.

P.S. Nudists will probably view this post as an endorsement. Please, sirs and ladies, don't look at it in that light. Granted, you are highly... ahem! ... 'individualistic' people, but surely you have to draw the line somewhere. Jeez! Even Adam and Eve covered up their stuff! If you are so eager to show your jewels to the world, contact the M.A.F.I.A. They are always scouting for fresh talent. The exercise will do you good!