Clamouring narratives in social-discourse

When I chose to pursue my graduation in Electronics, I was assuming with all the creative cognitive faculty at my disposal that since science contributes to the progress of the larger humanity, I’d possibly be able to participate and contribute to this noble endeavour.

However, with 20 years of corporate experience under my hat, I’ve come to realise that there are other pressing issues in front of us before we can aspire to make that scale of impact I initially assumed we could.

The intelligent native has chosen to pursue more scientific inclinations leaving a huge gap for the intellectual. Thus a questionable form of intellectualism has taken a central narrative where elementary sense should have prevailed. Take for instance some very controversial issues which may force you to twitch and shift in your seat while you look forward to a wholesome family dinner after a long day of work.

Why are women not allowed in lord Ayyappa’s temple located at Sabarimala?
Why do we need to have events like Jallikattu and what sense could a circus like Dahi-handi possibly make when we are still struggling for roads, electricity <insert your most pinching gripes here>?

I see this growing narrative of the rising conscience manifest and amplify itself at various levels. Instead of occupying this limited space to expand on these points, I’ll merely aver them here to be deliberated upon later.

1. Indians have always been conscientious people

The controversial Aryan Invasion theory hasn’t been proven yet. Credible researcher and scholars like Dr. Raj Vedam , Nilesh Nilkanth Oak and many others have empirical scientific evidence which proves beyond doubt that the civilisation in the Indian subcontinent goes back to anywhere from 7,000 years to 11,000 years BCE. That such a civilisation continues to exist and flourish till this day is only an evidence of the fact that the socio-political constructs of this people have evolved and kept up across ages and with times.

2. There’s a certain type of mindset behind the narrative being constructed

There’s quite a popular phrase in the local lingo which talks about the colonial mindset of the English speaking citizen (long after the British have left). But essentially we can’t wish away the fact that we continue to see ourselves and the world around us from the colonial lens of the European invader who treated us as:

…unwashed, unevolved, savage and hence sub-human “native”…

— J. Sai Deepak

… Godless people with a mythical history wherein it was the white-man’s burden to fix their history, civilise and liberate them.

It is then for us to pick up from these leftovers of the colonialist and pursue questioning our very own indigenous even if unknowingly, unsuspectingly and ignorantly thanks to our of modern education.

3. We are not equipped to form an educated and well-informed opinion

It is then for the rest (and majority) of us to fend for ourselves, our cultural norms, practices, rituals, identity social or political. And given that the smart, modern family left it to their children to pursue more scientific / academic endeavours devoid of social-discourse and application, we are ill-prepared to form an educated and well-informed opinion. Thus when our very own children come back to question our very roots, we not only do a huge disservice to the current generation but also to the next by being circumspect about the questions raised.

We thus shouldn’t be surprised by the exodus of the new generation techies who find convenience in abandoning their native land and settle down abroad to find solace. As a matter of fact, most of us wear it as a badge of honour.

4. Someone has chosen to bring these issues to the mainstream social discourse

Going by the above, it’s only evident that the line of questioning we are being subject to is not as simplistic and innocent as we assume it to be. At the root of this is lot more that hides behind the colonial lens in the name of modern, reformist forward-looking mindset — a mindset that washes away the accumulated knowledge of millennia and questions everything however trivial that we participate in in our day-to-day lives.

This narrative is driven by some very motivated individuals (and groups) with a certain agenda if not all. And this narrative gets support from the rationales of educated elites as well as foreign stakeholders who have invested and chosen to fund and further it for their own interests and agenda.

The challenge posed & how to respond?

When a society is cut-off from its grassroots, it’s only essential to address the very root of this issue than to beat around the bush and find alternative routes to address the challenge posed. Narrative must be countered with facts.

But it is doubtful if that level of argumentation and reasoning will stand the test of time given that young impressionable minds continue to fall prey to the motivated influx of counter-arguments.

From a long-term perspective sensitisation of this crop of new generation is paramount — to realise the roots of our identity in addition to the identity itself and to take pride in our civilisational heritage without any superiority or inferiority complex.

All this said and iterated, with this web-space of mine I intend to engage in a journey and pursuit of presenting and reforming my opinions. The pursuit of knowledge itself is a noble, just and pursuit-worthy cause. To expand upon it and incidentally happen to connect this with other seeking-individuals shall only be the divine’s grace if not explicit intent.

Happy to stand corrected

While one could put these narratives and counter-narratives in the silos of the left and the right, it is pertinent to acknowledge facts and base ones rationale on these and it would otherwise be circumspect at best to continue to clamour and beat the bandwagon of asserting oneself devoid of founding-facts.

And if one is the progressive liberal they claim they are then it should suffice to say that their ideology should be accepting of the diversity of tradition, beliefs, identity and be willing to discuss and debate without prejudices of any sort.

Should one opt to choose that discourse, I’m more than happy to stand corrected in all humility and sincerity. After all, the school-of-thought where I come from has long being accepting to alternative narratives that are willing to coexist peacefully with others’.