The Last Word

Creep into thy narrow bed,
Creep, and let no more be said!
Vain thy onset! all stands fast.
Thou thyself must break at last.

Let the long contention cease!
Geese are swans, and swans are geese.
Let them have it how they will!
Thou art tired: best be still.

The Last Word, Matthew Arnold

Vain thy onset! all stands fast. I am amazed and a little touched at the fatalism of that line. Vain have been your attacks. Look around you, my dear child, everything is just as it was before you began. The world has gone its own merry way, dancing its own mincing waltz, oblivious to your frothing and fuming.

The world does indeed have its own irresistible inerita and sometimes it's not within the means of you and I to change that momentum.

Talking about Indian politics is like this. It is a frustrating and painful exercise, uncannily like  beating your head against a solid brick wall. Take the example of India educating Pakistan by giving them IIT seats and whatnot. When I said that they would do this very thing the first time, it's not like I believed it. Sometimes you just say things just cuz. You know, for the effect. You don't actually think that the morons will go ahead and prove you right.

Indian politicians are interesting. It is said that politicians tend to choose public programs with short-run benefits but long-run costs. Indian politicians take this a step further and choose policies with no visible short-run benefits and devastating long-run costs.

Actually, the more I explore Indian politics, the more I am convinced of one lamentable fact: India's political problems are rooted in culture, not politics.

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the culture itself. In fact, it is a rich and pluralistic culture that is capable of seeing many different views. But the trouble starts when this cultural pluralism is injected into politics and especially into foreign policy. Politics is a strategic game, not a love-fest. Those who exhibit the most hardnosed thinking serve the country and people best, not necessarily those with the largest hearts.

There is an unmistakable sadness in seeing something or someone you love going down the proverbial tubes, and the country of your birth is no exception. And it is sadder to think that there may be precious little that you can do to change that unfortunate reality.

Maybe I'll make this a day-to-day account kind of blog. You know, interesting things like what I ate for lunch yesterday or how my day went. Or some gossip about Britney Spear's latest boytoy. Maybe make it fun, like. Add a little bit of humor, yes?

Yes, that's what I'll do. Yes, yes, absolutely. What fun.

Uh...I don't remember what I ate for lunch yesterday.

I think I need a hobby.

Or maybe find myself a narrow bed.