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Monday, July 25, 2016

Mind Your Language


Where have all the men and women of a few words gone? The obnoxious banter seems to have caught the fancy of one and all. Tune into any form of media and you will know the truth. People who matter hurl profanities in public with the least concern for the decorum. The politicians are on the kill all the time looking for the first opportunity to pin down their adversaries. The slanging match grows louder each time the elections approach. Even without elections most of the time it is a free for all and rarely does one see any streak of civility. The street brawls and road rages have become the order of the day. Most of these end up in severe causalities often leading to a fatal end.

The print media especially the newspapers that once upon a time treaded with caution lest their reputation gets tarnished have thrown their guards to the winds. In the craze for ‘breaking the news first’, each morning one reads more sleaze, tales of deceit, lies, blood, mayhem and falsehood than the previous day. Is there no positivity left in the world that can find a mention on the first page of the newspaper. The advertisers sell the products and services on a loud pitch and it resembles the fish market where everyone is eager to sell, by out bidding others. I never came across so much of negativity being circulated anywhere in the world from dawn to dusk. We are the second most populous nation with a very high level of poverty and illiteracy, thus the proportion of negativity is bound to be far more. What is alarming is that those who are spearheading the bad news are the ones who are supposed to be more affluent, literate and on a higher wrung of the social ladder. I remember when I was in Tel Aviv many years back when the city was struck with Scud missiles, just the days before. The newspapers highlighted the achievement of drip irrigation on the first page and the news of attack featured on subsequent pages. Every citizen was prepared to face the eventualities like an outbreak of chemical war. Even the visitors like us were informed to contact the hotel staff to collect gas masks, if situation so warranted.


We are a society that is in flux on many fronts. The political situation in North Eastern parts and Kashmir remains fragile and any permanent solutions still appear distant. The war hysteria is created from time to time. Worse, the journalism has taken a plunge to a new low that enjoys highlighting the perils of the common man on every front ranging from distraught leadership, rising prices, and growing crime. Unfortunately, even the leading TV channels that have high viewership keep ‘breaking the bad news’ of kickbacks, murders etc with much aplomb and within a week’s time dies into a whimper with no follow up, as something more juicy appears on the horizon. It is time we learn to ‘mind our language’ and take the right of ‘freedom of speech ‘in a responsible manner. We need people of few words and lot of action rather than the other way around!

PS : Image kind courtesy Google

19 comments:

  1. We feed on so much negativity that your anecdote about Tel Aviv is almost unbelievable. The media thrives on our outrage and boy, don't we love mouthing profanities! if you don't reply with double the anger and insult you are a wimp. A loser.
    Such an apt post. Sadly, no ones listening.

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    1. For each one the meaning of happiness is different as I have come to realize now, Alka! Else what could be the reason for people to feel happy at other's discomfort:(

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  2. Oh, I so agree! More kindness and good manners are what we need.

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  3. Oh my God! You just stole the words from my mouth, it seems! Why everyone around fancies the use of language that is as profane as can be just beats me!

    We just seem to love negativity. Every time I see the reruns of Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India on TV, I shudder. Why are people not interested in watching good shows? How can they like watching things that make them view just about everything around them in a suspicious light?

    I wish people understood and appreciated kindness, laughter and love more. Otherwise, we are just developing into a society that gets voyeuristic pleasure out of others' miseries. This sado-masochist culture that is on the rise must ebb away as soon as possible.

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    1. Such a lovely add on to this humble piece of writing Divya!You nailed it, the sado masochist culture perhaps is the right summation. Nice to see you here again after a long break:)

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  4. Makes me very sad, Rahul, but it is the unfortunate truth. Scream loudly, vent, outrage and make the headlines as cantankerous as possible. It is so difficult to look at newspapers these days and to shield the children from all the negativity. I refuse to believe that there is only negative in the world to be highlighted but the powers that be don't really care much. They keep badgering us with negativity. I wonder what we common folks can do?

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    1. I think we can only excersice our choice when we have one like shutting ourselves away from the negativity but can understand your situation as a mother of growing up teenage and small kids:(

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  5. Your post rightly hits the hammer on the nail. Everywhere we see, blind commercialism has taken its roots disturbing the sanctity of what one used to be. We are in dire need of more peaceful, loving, understanding and compassionate people than successful or rich people to make this world a better place.

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    1. Suc h a sad plight Arti, where so much of trash is forced down our senses. I agree with you that more positive thoughts need to surround us.

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  6. News reporting has become a huge business and all that matters is the bottom line.
    Can you blame the national press for headlines saying all good things about AAP?
    Party has a budget of Rs 526 Cr for advertising.Advertising for what?
    What we watch on TV or read in the print media is all about money.
    Because of this ,social media has become credible.

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    1. Agree Chowlaji, as crass commercialization has skewed the news and has very low credibility especially when it comes to analysis and solutions. Its a slanging match which one is left to watch:(

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  7. It's so true. Freedom of speech must be treated with sanctity.

    Yesterday was Kargil Vijay Diwas.
    Grim reminder of the fragile & sad state of affairs.

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  8. One reason I don't watch Indian News Channel. They don't have civil debates or discussion. It's mud slinging topped with screaming. It's high time people in power grow up and act.

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  9. That is what it is and I too watch it very rarely for the same reasons, Saru:)

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