Dr. Sen Censored ?

Look I thought the demonetization stunt was a bad idea and executing it was as good as killing the Indian economy and setting us back by a few years in terms of growth. But I am not an economist, hell, I haven’t studied economics except for 3 papers in first year of MBA. So when Amartya Sen who has been recognised for his knowledge happens to say that it’s a mistake people who may be blind supporters would be expected to take notice. In fact, even the proponents of the demonetization debacle also took notice. I am sure lot of people don’t like Dr. Sen because he has views and opinions contrary to them. But to want specific 4 words to be beeped out of a documentary on his life is taking it a bit too far. 

The few things that bothers me as per my common sense are here below:

1. I didn’t event know there was a documentary made on his life, assuming not a lot of people knew this, looks to me,

• How many people really watch documentaries? 
• The censor board is making a mountain of a mole hill and giving free publicity to this.
• The director doesn’t want to agree to this ‘mute the words ‘ direction because he knows he is getting publicity.

2. What happens if the words are muted?

• The whole feature loses its heart and soul,  mind you these are beeped out words in sentences not scenes cut.
• The audience is able to understand the meaning and intent  of the speakers words even without the words, assuming documentary is watched by people with a certain intelligence level.

3. What have the censor board achieved if the words are muted ?

• No one will watch the documentary because it has muted words.
• Everyone will flock to watch the documentary ( I don’t know where.)
• Everyone will understand what is being said even though the words are muted.

Pray tell me which of these points make sense to You? I personally cannot understand why the censor board is bothering unless motivated by political bigwigs if so why are the bigwigs bothered about a documentary? And what’s with the director posturing so much,  you dont like the decision go to court. Why play the media circus? And why are people suddenly worried about their freedom of speech not that they ever have anything good to say? Isn’t it high time people realised the media business requires them to sensationalise every thing happening here we really need to stop being riled up and act like high and mighty arm chair social activists all the time. 

10 reasons why people aren’t condemning the killing of Amarnath Yatris.

10 reasons why the intellectual secular liberals on my friend list and others on social media are very quiet about the attack on and killing of Amarnath Yatris.

1. It is a terrorist attack and that’s not really about religion .

2. Terrorists have no religion .

3. Nobody really cares about these suckers who believe in doing pilgrimage.

4. Who told them to go to a terrorist zone? Serves them right.

5. Why should we feel bad for people of one religion? We are a secular country.

6. All these Amarnath Yatris are actually RSS followers because no common man of a particular religion ever goes for pilgrimage. Only right winged religious fanatics go for such trips.

7. Look no real anti Govt  celebrity has said anything against it so why should we share the news or give opinion or make our profile photos black in protest.

8. It’s just a bunch of old people probably not a young bubbling man or woman who had a life to look forward to. So why bother protesting .

9. We condemn right wing propaganda and this is all propaganda actually the bhakts are pretending to be dead and the media is spreading fake news.

10. There was no Amarnath Yatra this year, these photos are from 2015 .

Reading List July 2017

I am a bit late this month to post the reading list. I have had a good run last month with the books. Having been able to finish the 3 I had set my sights on and add a few more. You may have seen the updated reading list for June.

This month I have set my self the usual target of 3 books.

1. STEPHEN KING’S IT- This is a highly acclaimed horror genre title. After The Shining this is probably the most talked about book by King. The fact that a new movie is releasing this year made it a good time to read. I will confess I am not a big King fan. The initial fear factor is wearing thin as I progress into the middle part of the story. The story keeps shuttling between narrators and that is putting a bit of strain on my ability to read smoothly. I keep having to go back and re read chapters. Let’s see how it goes.

2. The Closing by Ken Oder comes highly recommended by Bookbub site and Pinterest books to read . This is a legal genre, my reading of the genre is unfortunately limited to Grisham, and I am a fan. But it’s still early days to pronounce a verdict on Oder’s ability to hold my attention.

3. Paula Hawkins’ The Girl,on the Train remained a bestseller from its 2015 release till 2016. It is now adapted for a movie. There is a lot of hype about the book, and I had been waiting for the price to go down as happens with most paperbacks. Turns out in 2 years it hasn’t reduced Re.1. So I finally bought it. The story again has the numerous narrator issue, which means the reading is not smooth. The protagonist and all female characters mouth sad and redundant cliches about how women think or react. Some of it is actually cringeworthy, specially where these women show so much self doubt that borders on paranoia. They are quick to dismiss their gut feel or plunge head first into following their heart instead of weighing in reason or logic. They are obssessd about fitting into the societal expectation of being a good wife and good mother. It may be a thriller but it is a sad commentary on how women view their own Gender. I am particularly disatissfied with the deneoumount because it is lethargic and lazy. There is no closer. There is no reality check. The protagonists are insipid in their reaction. Overall, it’s a badly written fiction. But that doesn’t surprise me because even E L James was a bestseller with her horrid Christian Gray series.

4. 

 

Deadly Impulse by Carolyn Arnold is a police detective series. The Detective Madison solves a 3 murder mystery which is not a serial killers handy work. Recommended for light reading. 

5. 

Carolyn Arnold’s-Ties that bind, is a prequel to the Detective Madison Knight series and in this she solves the serial killings of three apparently unrelated victims. A bit melodramatic at the end but good enough for a relaxed reading on a rainy afternoon. 

6. 

Three seconds to rush by Danielle Stewart is a mystery drama, about reconciliation of  2 childhood soulmates in the midst of mystery related to a crime. The solution of the puzzle is slightly loosely written but the emotions in the book are touching. So much so that sometimes it feels like reading a romance. It was enjoyable. Definitely worth a read. 

Image sources for all covers Google Image search.

Image 3- Copyright belongs to Me.