C: Hey it’s been a while since we conversed
H : Yes, I have been quite appalled by the news I keep reading and wanted to be alone
C: What news could have such an impact on a nihilist/absurdist such as you?
H: Have you read about the alleged rape & murder of a 9 years old Dalit girl in national capital?
C: Yes, I read it. It was disgusting. The persons, who were arrested for the heinous acts are well over 40 and someone was even in his 60s
H : How could they do it and have the balls to say that the girl died of electrocution?
C: When in a country people argue in favor of capital punishment, these acts tend to happen.
H: Don’t get me started to these mindless citizens, who think Justice can be served by lynching
C: So should they wait for years to get the justice they deserve?
H: No I didn’t say that. Delivering Justice is a slow process. If we don’t do it right, innocent people might get punished. And it so happens, more often the people with no power/representation are the ones who will get affected
C: How can you say that?
H : Lots of studies have shown this to be the case. In US, there is a project to get those who were incorrectly convicted out of the prison systems. Most of the cases involve people of color and people from lower economic class. I am sure, if a similar project is undertaken in your country, you will find the similar pattern.
C: What other news that made you so appalled?
H: The list is endless; A mob attacking a person from other faith with his child watching the act, bills rammed through the parliament without any meaningful discussion, people (read middle class imbeciles) care more about the money being lost during the parliament sessions and not about what actually was lost, people giving a damn about one of the biggest controversies of our time The Pegasus spyware attack, A company known to claim Privacy as Human right builds a sort of backdoor to the law enforcement agencies, students missing out on education due to pandemic and a large proportion of them deciding to quit schools, hockey player who scored a hat-trick was harassed for the loss just because she is from a lower caste, and on and on and on
C: OMG. This is depressing. Weren’t there any good news?
H : Why not, we won a Gold Medal in Olympics. What a great news it is. Sometimes I feel sports must be banned
C: Oh oh! why what sports did to you? weren’t you a passionate sports follower yourself years ago?
H: Yes, I was. Sports take attention away from the real issues. People get so hyped about some individual winning a piece of worthless metal when millions are living of hunger and millions more pushed into poverty and take pride in the act of the individual
C: Can’t people enjoy sports and worry about the suffering of people?
H: I guess so. But when you have a burning house in front of you and an individual performing some acts near by, would you say worry about burning house and watch the act?
C: Don’t you think your example is stupid?
H: It might be. But you get the point right. Let’s first put off the fire and then watch the act. More often people tend to ignore the fire in favor of watching the act. It gives them pleasure. They live in their own bubble
C:Seems you’re on a downward spiral today.
H: Sometimes I think people are made to face these ugly news everyday so that they become inured to such acts in long run. Then the powers that be can do whatever they want, because people become indifferent to the sufferings of others
C: Do you really think people are so heartless?
H: I seriously think so. I am not talking about those who are so wound up in their everyday worries that they don’t have time to think about the other stuffs. I am talking about the elite lunatics, who think they attained everything in their lives through their own acts and think of high of themselves. Once they reach a certain position they hang onto some abstract concepts such as religion, nationalism and meritocracy and become mindless morons
C: WOW!! That’s quite a tirade.
H: Thinking about them make my blood boil.
C: I thought you never cared about mundane/absurdist life of people
H: Even now I don’t care. But it’s just that these news get into my nerve somehow and cannot help be concerned about it.
C: I want to ask you about a nagging thought I’ve been having. I have read recently that one cannot disclose the name of the rape survivor/victim or their close ones in the media or to larger public except in some extreme circumstances. The reason given is that society might ostracize them and that they might be put in danger. I was wondering, what the hell? The victim is treated as if she did some mistake. Shouldn’t the society be put behind bar for letting this happen? Those who ostracize the victim should be taken to books. Instead the victim is made to feel guilty for something that was forced on her.
H: Bingo! I have been having the same thinking. However, when I thought about it harder, may be there is no way this sick society is going to change anytime soon. Instead of waiting for that to happen, it’s better to “protect” the dignity/honor of the victim.
C:I was little more hopeful about the society, but talking to you took way whatever little hope I had.
H: Ha ha!!
C: One final question, before this conversation starts to get boring. What do you think of the Independence Day that will be celebrated nationwide as if everything is hunky dory?
H; Are you serious?
C: What?
H: Explain what will be celebrated?
C: Country being the largest democracy and people are free
H: Don’t kid yourself. Our democracy was good while it lasted. Freedom is an idea. A nice cute idea, but it’s just an idea. Lol 🙂
C:You’re one incorrigible specimen. See ya…!!
1 – Discussion on 9 years old Dalit girl’s alleged rape and murder
2 – Discussion on Parliament proceedings
3 & 4 – Pandemic’s impact on School students
agamthedal 