~ Thangsanglor Infimate
The overarching power being given to the media by the State today has led to glorification of COVID -19 as a virtual omnipotent being, the absolute leviathan or the walk of god on earth. The State today instead of using the media for the benefits of its people, has created a fear psychosis in the minds of the people, by zeroing the news on the data-rise of spiraling death tolls and the havoc caused by the virus across the nation. This has led to the crowning glory of the virus, as goddess Corona, an incarnation of a demi-god, for many across the country. This is not becoming of the State. Is this a containment or a conflagration? No, to be candid, "The State is honeymooning with the virus".
With no oppositions around and the citizens being glued with the fear of the virus, the State stands tall, and is on a honeymoon with the bride, Corona. It's a blessing in disguise for the State with the whole nation fixed as silent spectators, gripped with the fear of being chosen to join the bandwagon of the bride. Well, the State is on a kill mission in its fight against the Red Trozan (virus), with the media back-up, unearthing only those clips and news that benefit the State, while a few selected chunk of the masses could be seen to glorify the State for the small titbit-schemes being provided from the Centre as relief fund in the wake of the invasion of the deadly virus. This is too meagre, a solace to erase the magnitude of the pain caused by the invader.This is just an eye-wash to deflect the attention of the citizens from the real issues facing the nation today. In fact, corruption runs amock backstage, behind the makeshift iron-curtain of the State.
The media is doing exactly what the State wants it to do i.e., conflagaration. It is a pawn in the hands of the State, be it in India or elsewhere. Even the social media is not being spared either, with thousands of recruits in the virtual world, stationed day-in and day-out to propagate and sing the songs and ideas of the 'State's consolidation of power' still despite the exodus crisis of millions of poor migrants fleeing from cities to their hometowns, to evade 'the fear of being caught up in the honeymoon of the State with the bride' in the metropolies. Is this 'back to the countryside' or 'sons of the soil' movement? No, absolutely not! This is 'Hitlerism-Romance' at it's climax! We are not too far from the Holocaust, with glimpses of trucks and buses in the vicinity, loaded with fragile men and women, being dictated by the State to encampments without basic amenities.The worst being the case of Bihar. If this goes on unabated it would lead us to a skyfall! We are in a failed State!
India, a tropical sun-rich country is indeed a safe haven for the people from the virus, as perceived, but because of the State's inability to fulfill its assignments, the land has been turned into a disarrayed battlefield, with the poor and the middle-class alike, completely whitewashed and shattered. And still worse, the poor migrants are being baked to death under the scorching Indian-Sun with no or minimal State relief, as they journey back home from their workplaces. The worst being the uniformed policemen acting as Gestapo, as NextGen Nazist, who have usurped the law by using the brutest of force on their own fellowmen, on the pretext of containing the crisis.This is jingoism being preached to them by the State! Their brutality has been a nightmare for every soul who have walked this earth. On top of that, the media, as an umpire or the final court, power conferred on by the State, rule the roost as Rasputin and this is unbecoming of the State.
The Indian State is on a roller-coaster ride. While the nation is reeling under the fear of corona, hunger and death, the State is on a joy ride with the media as the kangaroo court by its side.The go ahead 'Central Vista Project' to rebuild a new Parliament out of the blue at this juncture, is absurd and irreconcilable, while India battles against the pandemic. Well, this wasn't in the news either as the focal point, and thus it nullifies the media's integrity and independence. There is no logic in what the State does and plan in the context of the time and space. And this is just one instance. How many more unsung news and events do we have? Corruption is lurking in the dark, it's rampant, dancing with the wolves! Today, the State has accredited itself with a new phrase i.e., white sepulchre. So, is the State stateless with no echoes of substance for its citizens? Is this Hitler's State or Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime? These are the pertinent questions that often resonate in our minds today. Indeed, we are heading towards the rise of authoritarianism of the State along with the media being elevated as the chief high priest of the state.
It thus reminds me of what Antonio Gramsci, a Marxist wrote on 'Hegemony', wherein the ruling class in order to impose its ideas on the ruled uses the media. And now that the media, be it the TV, print media or the social media, have been painted yellow and have been elevated to rise with the State, this is going to be a dangerous state of affairs, and with the corona fever being pumped into the air, in our psyche, we, as cattle to be slaughtered are forced to live with the thought that the virus is here to stay. The tremor has been already felt ,far and wide, with the namings of hotels and individuals after the virus and even with some equating it to a demi-god. Well, I would say these are empty talks and sounding gongs without much of substances.
Practically speaking, with scarcity of resources running high and the fear of corona looming large, men are becoming more and more selfish, where every man begins to think only for himself. It seems that we are heading to 'the Savage World' then, where 'Might would be Right' and where only the strong would survive. In such a state of affairs 'insecurity would be the only secure thing'. So, as a civilized nation let us not be carried away by the State or the media's propaganda. No matter what may befall us, let us work together, hand-in-hand to evade this catastrophe as responsible Believers. For we all would be asked, "Where were you when I was sick?". Let us not be deceived, that we close our doors and start ostracising the needy and the sick when they need us the most.
Matthew 25:43
" I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me."
The overarching power being given to the media by the State today has led to glorification of COVID -19 as a virtual omnipotent being, the absolute leviathan or the walk of god on earth. The State today instead of using the media for the benefits of its people, has created a fear psychosis in the minds of the people, by zeroing the news on the data-rise of spiraling death tolls and the havoc caused by the virus across the nation. This has led to the crowning glory of the virus, as goddess Corona, an incarnation of a demi-god, for many across the country. This is not becoming of the State. Is this a containment or a conflagration? No, to be candid, "The State is honeymooning with the virus".
With no oppositions around and the citizens being glued with the fear of the virus, the State stands tall, and is on a honeymoon with the bride, Corona. It's a blessing in disguise for the State with the whole nation fixed as silent spectators, gripped with the fear of being chosen to join the bandwagon of the bride. Well, the State is on a kill mission in its fight against the Red Trozan (virus), with the media back-up, unearthing only those clips and news that benefit the State, while a few selected chunk of the masses could be seen to glorify the State for the small titbit-schemes being provided from the Centre as relief fund in the wake of the invasion of the deadly virus. This is too meagre, a solace to erase the magnitude of the pain caused by the invader.This is just an eye-wash to deflect the attention of the citizens from the real issues facing the nation today. In fact, corruption runs amock backstage, behind the makeshift iron-curtain of the State.
The media is doing exactly what the State wants it to do i.e., conflagaration. It is a pawn in the hands of the State, be it in India or elsewhere. Even the social media is not being spared either, with thousands of recruits in the virtual world, stationed day-in and day-out to propagate and sing the songs and ideas of the 'State's consolidation of power' still despite the exodus crisis of millions of poor migrants fleeing from cities to their hometowns, to evade 'the fear of being caught up in the honeymoon of the State with the bride' in the metropolies. Is this 'back to the countryside' or 'sons of the soil' movement? No, absolutely not! This is 'Hitlerism-Romance' at it's climax! We are not too far from the Holocaust, with glimpses of trucks and buses in the vicinity, loaded with fragile men and women, being dictated by the State to encampments without basic amenities.The worst being the case of Bihar. If this goes on unabated it would lead us to a skyfall! We are in a failed State!
India, a tropical sun-rich country is indeed a safe haven for the people from the virus, as perceived, but because of the State's inability to fulfill its assignments, the land has been turned into a disarrayed battlefield, with the poor and the middle-class alike, completely whitewashed and shattered. And still worse, the poor migrants are being baked to death under the scorching Indian-Sun with no or minimal State relief, as they journey back home from their workplaces. The worst being the uniformed policemen acting as Gestapo, as NextGen Nazist, who have usurped the law by using the brutest of force on their own fellowmen, on the pretext of containing the crisis.This is jingoism being preached to them by the State! Their brutality has been a nightmare for every soul who have walked this earth. On top of that, the media, as an umpire or the final court, power conferred on by the State, rule the roost as Rasputin and this is unbecoming of the State.
The Indian State is on a roller-coaster ride. While the nation is reeling under the fear of corona, hunger and death, the State is on a joy ride with the media as the kangaroo court by its side.The go ahead 'Central Vista Project' to rebuild a new Parliament out of the blue at this juncture, is absurd and irreconcilable, while India battles against the pandemic. Well, this wasn't in the news either as the focal point, and thus it nullifies the media's integrity and independence. There is no logic in what the State does and plan in the context of the time and space. And this is just one instance. How many more unsung news and events do we have? Corruption is lurking in the dark, it's rampant, dancing with the wolves! Today, the State has accredited itself with a new phrase i.e., white sepulchre. So, is the State stateless with no echoes of substance for its citizens? Is this Hitler's State or Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime? These are the pertinent questions that often resonate in our minds today. Indeed, we are heading towards the rise of authoritarianism of the State along with the media being elevated as the chief high priest of the state.
It thus reminds me of what Antonio Gramsci, a Marxist wrote on 'Hegemony', wherein the ruling class in order to impose its ideas on the ruled uses the media. And now that the media, be it the TV, print media or the social media, have been painted yellow and have been elevated to rise with the State, this is going to be a dangerous state of affairs, and with the corona fever being pumped into the air, in our psyche, we, as cattle to be slaughtered are forced to live with the thought that the virus is here to stay. The tremor has been already felt ,far and wide, with the namings of hotels and individuals after the virus and even with some equating it to a demi-god. Well, I would say these are empty talks and sounding gongs without much of substances.
Practically speaking, with scarcity of resources running high and the fear of corona looming large, men are becoming more and more selfish, where every man begins to think only for himself. It seems that we are heading to 'the Savage World' then, where 'Might would be Right' and where only the strong would survive. In such a state of affairs 'insecurity would be the only secure thing'. So, as a civilized nation let us not be carried away by the State or the media's propaganda. No matter what may befall us, let us work together, hand-in-hand to evade this catastrophe as responsible Believers. For we all would be asked, "Where were you when I was sick?". Let us not be deceived, that we close our doors and start ostracising the needy and the sick when they need us the most.
Matthew 25:43
" I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me."
