Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Servitude

A friend told me about the book 'India Calling'. The reviews intrigued me and hopefully I will be able to read it soon.
The reviews I read are here and here.

The book says
For centuries, he argues, Indians had been born understanding their precise place. They knew who was master and who was servant, fixedly.

Also, not only situationally inferior, but someone who is eternally, intrinsically inferior.

The last statement is so evident at places.
This inherent servitude and snobbery is confounding and, at times, amusing.
Especially among some people who seem to have a very wealthy background living in the richest parts of Mumbai, I am amazed at the their desire to create and be a part of the 51st state of the United States. Judging people by how much money they have or their language of communication or place of origin.
It's quite hilarious to see how their self-esteem goes for a toss as soon as they meet someone from 'America'. Their effort to portray that they are almost like them, except only grown up in India is commendable. How they watch the same TV shows, same movies, speak the same language with its abuses and how many people they know of who live there. Because of course, since they have grown up in India, their life hasn't been that cool and they all vie for the American Pie-Harold and Kumar experience which they couldn't have being on the other side of the planet. They only need more money and a BMW and a suburban-house-with-garden/penthouse-in-LA to be worthy of society. Even then, they are hard done by the color of their skin and hence are always at a disadvantage with the ladies.
If only they were American! *Sigh*

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

error: don't generalize Naval Chopra to everyone.