A Very English Obsession

The past week saw the release of two movies that spoke about the Indian obsession with English. Watching these two movies made me wonder, is it an obsession of ours with speaking English or is it a want to fit in, after all we humans are social animals.

As an Indian who speaks fluent English, I know we hold an advantage over so many people of different countries, after all English is a global language. It's the language in which majority of the countries of the world transact in. So in order to get the best opportunities we want our language and education tonne the best. And do our obsession of being in elite schools. Yes, there are countries where English isn't their first language, but English does form a common ground to help communicate, just like Hindi does it for majority of the states in India.

What the movie tries to highlight is using English as a status symbol, which is totally true. However, being around teachers, especially nursery schools, I know for the fact that children are prepared to answer the questions, no where are parents trained to speak in English. From what I understand is that the background of the parent cannot be used as an excuse to reject admission. Education is a right of all and you cannot reject on those grounds. I don't know about the international schools but your normal schools are not supposed to do it.

So in a way didn't agree with the movie a lot. I don't think anyone laughed at person who danced wholeheartedly on a Daler Mehindi song, in fact you clap and you cheer and you try to join. Again this might be a Delhi thing, a high society thing. I have known people who try to converse in English just to be see as in. But at that time you try and make them comfortable and speak in a language that's comfortable to them.

So in the end, English is seen  as a means to a brighter and prosperous future, but at the same time English too is seen as a means to fit in a finicky society.