Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Beast of Burden
I've been sick with a terrible cold, so was unable to get out and blog and upload etc.etc. but it was a wonderful respite in that I was able to catch up on some reading. Rana, whose flat I am staying in, had Kushwant Singh's book Burial at Sea, which was a fine light story that touched on some key elements of how India functioned in the last century. Now I am reading some essays by Salman Rushdie, and I must say I have an intellectual crush on him. I left the book here 3 years ago finding it too heavy, but now it's just perfect. I learn so much about India from these writers. It all fits together. And, I am feeling much better now thanks for water, rest, grapefruit seed extract and fruit.
People often say someone or something is "strong" when they mean that it has stamina. India has stamina. It just keeps going despite all kinds of pitfalls, insane hurdles, road blocks, savage interventions, amazing acts of everyday cruelty, basic disrespect, stifling authoritarianism, strangely warped sidewalks, rule books no one gives a damn about, ethics you can navigate a spaceship through, insults, ignobilities, humiliation, all these and more are heaped on people and institutions every day. The beast of burden carries on.
I suppose it is a kind of strength. I respect stamina. I do. Stamina is a very useful thing when we use it to pursue well thought out plans, plans that are helpful to people, plans that have designed into them some degree of efficiency or intelligence. But to waste the precious resource of stamina by grunting forwards with a burden and load of bad ideas towards an unknown direction is a true folly.
Yes, there are many good things. Beautiful babies, stunning women, great food, but I am quite certain we don't have to accept that as a balance. We can have all those things that are good and noble and beautiful and also work on doing away with all that is bad and base and ugly. It's not good enough to say "that's the way it is". Of course many activists etc. are working hard, that's not the point; the vast majority of people are quite resigned to the way things are. Sometimes I give gentle and friendly and laughing feedback to cafe, restaurant and shop employees. We chat. They see I am not hostile. They lament and when I commiserate, we have a good laugh together. It's good to laugh. What else do you do when the beast of burden has a momentum that makes it unstoppable - in this moment?
People often say someone or something is "strong" when they mean that it has stamina. India has stamina. It just keeps going despite all kinds of pitfalls, insane hurdles, road blocks, savage interventions, amazing acts of everyday cruelty, basic disrespect, stifling authoritarianism, strangely warped sidewalks, rule books no one gives a damn about, ethics you can navigate a spaceship through, insults, ignobilities, humiliation, all these and more are heaped on people and institutions every day. The beast of burden carries on.
I suppose it is a kind of strength. I respect stamina. I do. Stamina is a very useful thing when we use it to pursue well thought out plans, plans that are helpful to people, plans that have designed into them some degree of efficiency or intelligence. But to waste the precious resource of stamina by grunting forwards with a burden and load of bad ideas towards an unknown direction is a true folly.
Yes, there are many good things. Beautiful babies, stunning women, great food, but I am quite certain we don't have to accept that as a balance. We can have all those things that are good and noble and beautiful and also work on doing away with all that is bad and base and ugly. It's not good enough to say "that's the way it is". Of course many activists etc. are working hard, that's not the point; the vast majority of people are quite resigned to the way things are. Sometimes I give gentle and friendly and laughing feedback to cafe, restaurant and shop employees. We chat. They see I am not hostile. They lament and when I commiserate, we have a good laugh together. It's good to laugh. What else do you do when the beast of burden has a momentum that makes it unstoppable - in this moment?
