Over the last few years I’ve seen a depressing and terrible pattern emerge. People I know are smart act like crazy lunatics and idiots for their own benefit.
Makes them closer to the BJP ecosystem, gets them media coverage and gets them retweets from the Bhakt ecosystem... 1/n
Makes them closer to the BJP ecosystem, gets them media coverage and gets them retweets from the Bhakt ecosystem... 1/n
I know Ministers and CMs who are decent people in person, but turn into worse than trolls on Twitter and when the cameras roll.
Several TV panelists I’ve met over the years don’t believe in the venom they spew. They tweet based on RT potential in ecosystem, not belief... 2/n
Several TV panelists I’ve met over the years don’t believe in the venom they spew. They tweet based on RT potential in ecosystem, not belief... 2/n
Some of these people are colleagues, some friends and some acquaintances. I won’t name anyone, but this phenomenon is just disturbing!
I’ve never engaged in a debate, because I know they won’t answer anything rationally. They’ve made a concerted decision to disregard facts! 3/n
I’ve never engaged in a debate, because I know they won’t answer anything rationally. They’ve made a concerted decision to disregard facts! 3/n
What you do in a situation like this though is something I often contemplate...
Misinformed in one thing, brainwashed another... but when people gain personally by blatant disregard for what’s right, or even basic logic, and they do it knowingly... that’s just disturbing!
Misinformed in one thing, brainwashed another... but when people gain personally by blatant disregard for what’s right, or even basic logic, and they do it knowingly... that’s just disturbing!
I mentioned this phenomenon in the book when I wrote it an year ago, but things have gotten much worse!
A lot of otherwise logical people now feel they’ve invested too heavily in the ecosystem and can’t turn back. They feel their personal gain is tied to blind support! 5/n
A lot of otherwise logical people now feel they’ve invested too heavily in the ecosystem and can’t turn back. They feel their personal gain is tied to blind support! 5/n
I know this phenomenon personally for smaller people, but I can imagine that people at the level of even Arnab Goswami and senior RSS/BJP leaders also go through the same mental arithmetic, and they end up siding with lies and BS. 6/n
How this ends is beyond me, but it is something to think about. Also an extremely important angle...
A lot of people will grow up viewing themselves as Modi ji and BJP supporters.
It will be difficult for them to change this as it gets linked with their identities - both personal and religious!
It’s all bigger than politics. Society itself has changed and a chasm now exits.
It will be difficult for them to change this as it gets linked with their identities - both personal and religious!
It’s all bigger than politics. Society itself has changed and a chasm now exits.
This isn’t about to be a simple issue. And definitely not as simple as just voting out the government and bringing in a new one.
Mark my words, this will be a battle for the soul of India over the next 4.5 years! It’s about to get way worse...
Mark my words, this will be a battle for the soul of India over the next 4.5 years! It’s about to get way worse...
