Should we go the American way?

There was a time when everything associated with United States of America looked and sounded greatly fashionable.That was long time ago.....

Following the great globalization and liberalization of trade and commerce millions of us waited with bated breath for the launching of the famed Macdonalds, the chains of supermarkets like Wal-Mart and vast number of new gleaming irresistible cars expected to be available in plush show rooms which were dull and drab till then, hardly exhibiting any Premier Padmini and Ambassador because it was a sellers market and you had to wait unbearably long to take delivery and drive out one.

Our own economy was in worse shape in the early 90's when we had to pledge whatever little gold we had to keep the required reserve which was on the brink of bankruptcy. With gradual liberalization and opening of Indian markets 'foreign' goods once a rarity found their way to our homes.With the Gulf job boom people had a lot of disposable income which enabled them to indulge in shopping sprees.

Lawrence Sammers, the then Treasury secretary, United States, was very brutal in his scathing attack on the Government control and lack of private capital penetration in developing countries like India, China etc.. He advocated the need for the third world countries to adopt American method of accounting, transparency and more capital oriented business in the private sector.That was in 2008, fag end of Gunshot Bush's tenure.

American economy started falling apart in the late 2008 and in 2009, the once awesome colossal economic power became a shadow of its might and its fall was complete. US banks became synonymous of shady deals,with their capitals virtually wiped out started going bust one after the other.When all these were happening, the third world countries like India and China stabilized themselves which helped them to build up on a strong economy.We don't know what advice MR.Sammers could offer to his own countrymen!

Don't pat your back while you read this.Our problems, may be a bit different, will soon follow.
Our children enjoyed Macdonalds day in and day out, played computer games and watched televison all the time, started showing signs of good living. Obesity became a grave danger and soon there was a big chunk of adult population suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.Gradually, people started to wean their kids away from rich fatty food to bring them back to the regular food they used to consume earlier. Adults too, looked the other way when they saw restaurants serving pizzas and ice creams. We started accusing the Americans for getting us hooked to their food habits.

More danger was lurking for 20-30 age group. The vast IT potential of our countries was fully utilised by the American business. The 20 -somethings earned hugely which helped them to lead a lavish lifestyle of material comforts which beckoned them for more.Men and women became intolerant of each other which shattered their family life. Divorces were uncommon till then, but now it hit the roof. The courts in Metro cities were bursting in their seams due to the heavy work load. Physical violence became more common among couples. Extra marital affairs and unwanted pregnancies became the norm. People raised questions in the open forums of TV channels- is this the result of going the American way? May be.

We never anticipated the development that would lead our cities and towns to severe traffic congestions. We were not used to planning beyond 5 years. This caused extreme chaos on our city roads with thousands of vehicles having been added daily to the existing numbers. Our roads are narrow and ill-paved with no proper maintenance and not equipped to handle such a vehicle population. Result? People preferred to park their cars at home and board the ubiquitous auto or just walk-good for health!The surging vehicle population also contributed more carbon into the already polluted air and our oil demand increased many times.

Our minister for environment, Mr. Jairam Ramesh is the latest in line to fire salvo
against American life styles. According to him imitating American life style is detrimental to every thing. He recently refused permission to build a hydro electric dam which would have probably lighted some more sprawling ranch houses in the suburban Delhi. He asked one pertinent question. Why should I allow them to block the free flow of water in a river to give the more affluent society of Delhi more power to waste?

Can we say the honourable minister is wrong? Hell no! Development is fine, but mindless unimaginative development will be a disaster. We have a responsibility to our grand children and their children; we shouldn't leave them the legacy of destruction and poison in air and water.Youngsters, think about the trauma of your child when you both separate. If you were that child how would you have reacted? Enjoy life; but your family life is more important. Give your children emotional and physical security and leave a clean earth for their healthy life.


American life is fine to those Americans; but every aspect of American life is not acceptable to us. Imbibe the best and discard the rest. Take for instance,their abhorrence to lack of cleanliness. They don't dirty their roads spitting all over or urinating wherever they want. Why can't we take that up? Why can't our youngsters be more tolerant to each other and start loving their families? There is a lot morelife ahead of you.

India Shining?

Harsh Mander has a column in the magazine section of Sunday's 'Hindu' His last week's column upset me.
Just like any other Indian, I gloat over the frequent statements of our politicians and businessmen and also by the greedy foreign tycoons about the opportunities offered by the emerging India and its surging economy.I'm, one of those several thousands of Indians who dream about being one of the citizens of an economic super power.Every timeI thought about it I loved it, till I read that article.

I can't say I was totally blind at the lurking poverty of this country;but having been in Kerala the most literate state flush with Gulf money, I haven't seen much of agonising poverty except while visiting other states. I haven't seen many Malayalees begging for alms as much as the beggars from other states on the streets of our cities and towns.But in the remote villages of Orissa, Rajastan, Jharkund,UP,Bihar and Andhra Pradesh the anguish of the parents for not procuring enough food for their childdren let alone schooling them is palpable.One Sahariya tribal in Rajastan says most of the time when the children cry for food, he feels so desperate that he wishes to take out his own liver and offer them.His wife begs for rice water left over after cooking rice from her neighbours and feed them. More often than not, the parents go hungry to feed their kids. Harsh narrates how Sheik Gaffar confided about his granddaughter takeing a fancy to something and demands it. Shamim, her mother, gives her a slap painfully raising her paralysed hand and the child sobs to sleep.Manee a young widow forcefully breast feeds her daughter and leaves her for the whole day in the care of her older daughter barely one year older.They wait desperately for their mother to return with some food. On many occasions, Manee goes to bed without any food.Those who go to the forest in search of food gather green edible leaves, 'kardi' (tender shoots of bamboo)grind them to a paste and drink with some water and some rice floating in it.

I've reproduced a few cases from the article. They were sufficient for me to feel ashamed of my indulgence be it food or life style.We bury our heads in every new Forbes list of billionaires to check how many Indian names have been added.We scan daily newspapers to see newer models of Bentleys, Mercedes, Audi and all other expensive cars introduced in this country.We go in raptures when we read about Ambanis building a 27 storied house just for 4 or 5 people to live in.

Where is our conscience? Are we to keep these wretched souls always illiterate and keep them away from such outrageous display of wealth? Are we to condemn these hapless children to their dismal future? In the hot pursuit of material comforts are we careening to a catastrophe? The article had a telling effect on me and forced me to think the disaster is just around the corner. When it strikes it will be merciless as we saw in great revolutions.We can still prevent it. Only if we consider these poor people as human beings; only if the politicians become less corrupt and engage in nation building; only if education is for all and compulsory; only if the government provide them jobs to improve their standard of life; only ifinexpensive medical help is made available for all and.Yes, the best technocrats can put their heads together to find a solution to this disgraceful problem-the extreme poverty.

Give it a thought, my friends; perhaps I may not live to see the end of poverty in our country. But you can. And you can be proud of it.

God bless you.