The Indian Crab

Indian Crab is an anecdote that is told to symbolises the Indian mentality of pulling people down no matter how good they are or beneficial their intentions maybe.

This mentality so evident in our current political situation. Whatever the Government proposes the oppositon and some of the government's coalation partner disposes. The Government introduced some Economic reforms by allowing the Foreign Direct Investment in the retail sector to be more than 50%. This opens the doors to groups like Walmart and TESCO to invest in the Indian retail sector. The Oposition and Mamta Baneerjee (who now days has taken upon her to oppose everything and act like a stubborn child, maybe she likes the attention she gets when people try to pacify her) that these reforms are against the people. They say that the Government is acting as the puppet of the US with these reforms.

I wonder which people is our opposition referring to. With FDI the farmers and the service providers would get a fair price for their goods and service as they would be selling directly seller thus eliminating the need for a middle man. The common man would get better good and services at reasonable rates. More competition means the retailer will go over each other to try and give the best products at the best price. That leaves only the middleman who anyway try and cheat the farmers by giving them a less price and sell at exhobarant price to the common man. With the entry of better brands these will have to up their game.

The Opposition contend that if these retail brands enter the Indian Retail Market then retailers like the Kirana store owners would loose their business and will have to close shop and people would loose their jobs. Having been to both to Walmart (in Texas) and TESCO (in KL) they reminded me of Big Bazar and we need to remember that Big Bazar has been around for over a decade and these kirana store are still there. Many home grown retail brands like Reliance Fresh, Godrej's Nature Basket, More and D-Mart open shop and some shut shop but these kirana store still continued to prosper. So will new competitors effect them... Probably not. With regards to people loosing their jobs I feel it is the opposite. Many more jobs will be created.

We need to watch is the impacts that these reforms have on the Economy. How they will benefit us make us grow. Rather than listening to the political drama we need to see how the entry of the foreign players help our economy to grow and prosper.

The New Eve

In his sermon during a Sunday mass, the priest used the term The New Eve. He was comparing the so called temptation that a woman's dressing and behaviour to that of Eve tempting Adam to have the forbidden fruit thus leading to the Original Sin. According to this priest, a woman who dress scantily or in a modern way is a temptresses as her dressing and behaviour lead men in to sin. Thus they become the New Eve. According to him woman should dress conservatively to avoid leading others in sin.

This, according me is a very sad and irresponsible thought being made in public. There have been times where I have looked at a woman and thought that she has been asking for trouble. So i too am guilty of this thought.

We got to remember that a man can be tempted by a fully clothed woman. A beautiful woman can also lead man into sin. Her only fault being that she is born beautiful. So in this way God too has an hand in sin as he was the one who created her beautiful. I have seen a truck full of men trying to eve tease a fully dressed woman. A woman has a right to dress the way she wants to. No one has the right to touch her dignity. What would have happened if Adam and Eve would have not discovered the fig leaf. We would still be roaming in our birthday suits with everything out in the open for all to see. Who are we to judge and pass comments on someones dressing. It is not how a woman dresses and behave, it is more on how we as men keeo what is in our pants in check. Rather than blame someone else we need to control ourselves. It is easy pass judgement and make comments but not easy to mature and change with times. We need to be responsible for our actions words.

Acceptance

We all crave acceptance. We go to any extent just to be accepted. We put a facade, wear a mask, in short become something that we are not. We are willing do any thing just to be accepted. We will turn our backs on people we consider inferior, even if they are our friends. Acceptance comes at a premium. We can become someone who we are not.

The important thing about acceptance is that we need to accept oursleves for who we are. Hold ourselves in a tight bear hug and never let go. Then we need to accept others no matter who they are. No matter their colour, their orientation, their gender and their background. We need to accept each other for who we truely are. In that way we will accept someone in its true meaning.

Criticism

Yesterday an article appeared in the Washington Post stating that our Prime Minister cuts a very sorry figure. Previously he has been  called an underachiever by the Times. This is not a good thing to see and read. What's bad is that the government is gone out to discredit the article saying that it is unfair and based on improper facts. This is actually quite weird. We need to remember that this article is an observation of the state of affairs of the nations. Which is unfortunately quite true. The endless numbers of scams that have been creeping out of the woodwork and the loggerjam at the parliement has all lead  to this article. The silence of the PM on the state of affairs is quite perplexing. It has lead to his downfall from a reverred academic to a mute spectator of the shenigans of the collation government cuts a very sorry figure. Whatever respect he has earned has all gone down the drain because his perplexing silence and his ineffectiveness. Instead of finding a solution to problem going after the press is only going to worsen the situation and make things worse. In short you playing into the hands of your detractors.

Are We Moving Forward

When you read about the statements that politicians from all around the world make you wonder which direction are they taking the world in. When you read about their fantastical views you wonder if they will ever embrace a changing world or will they be content being wrapped in age old views and traditions. It is a scary prospect cause to extent they encourage outdated thinking and in their own way encourage divsion. Are these the people who you think will assure you into a brighter future? If their thinking is like this then God only save us.

Birthdays

Birthday is always a special day. Its the day you were born, it's your day. Its a day that needs to be celebrated cause you have made it through another year and you have another filled with opportunities ahead of you. You need not celebrate it by cutting cakes and donning party hats and throwing the elaborate parties. It could be a day of simple celebrations and self pampering or quite dinner with ones you love and the ones that matter to you. Remember the key word here is SPECIAL. And you need to feel that way. No matter how much people may say, you are never to old to celebrate and feel special on your birthday.