USA and the modern freedom

Some people might be of the opinion that I completely dislike the west and it's role in the world. However, I prove them wrong by this post.

Actually, USA is the country that symbolizes modern freedom. And, it has a lot to do in the coming years. There are two things that it did, which helped the beliefs/hopes of modern freedom throughout the world.

1. Winning against The British, and establishing the "first free country" of the world.
2. Dropping an atomic bomb on Japan.

Yes, that is right. Though I do not say it is good, dropping an atom bomb helped modern freedom. Today, all the countries in the world are enjoying an unprecedented modernity of co-existence and collaboration. Does this mean, everybody likes everyone else, no. Almost everyone in the world dislikes his/her neighboring countries. Many people dislike other persons of different caste/creed/color/race. But still, peace prevails between countries! (Read my other post on history, if you do not agree with this: http://salahuddin-knowledgehobbyist.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-watched-kingdom-of-heaven-recently.html)

How did it happen? Yes, it is due to the fear of the "ultimate weapon", the "atom bomb". The countries/races which warred for centuries, are afraid of the word "war", only because of this ultimate weapon. As a result, whole humanity is focusing on other frontiers, like science, research, global business collaboration etc... And that is how, majority of the people of the world are living without the fear of war, every day.

The 2000-5000 years of human civilization is a testimony to "casulaties of war". Many a times, no arts flourished in a region, only because there was no good king, no stability there. And, places which were full of arts and artists, are those where the empire is stable for decades/centuries. And people had to be good at war to survive the unstable period. It does not matter what arts/sciences you know, you just have to be able to weild the sword. There is a great mathematician called Galois, who died in a battle, and wrote the stuff of his life, the night before it, since he knew what would happen the next day, anyway. So sad, and a great casualty to the human civilization.

There are no such casualties now. In some sense, post 2nd world war, is the modern era, much much better than the period immediately before that. People of the world are more free today, due to the "atomic bomb". (I do not say it is good to drop an atomic bomb, neighter do I approve of that USA act.)

It is not the nature of war, to result in stale-mates. And it is not the nature of war, to fight 10000 people with 10000 people back. The actions and reactions of war, are always dis-proportionate, and they are meant to be so. This incidentally gives the lost side's rulers, a way to play with history, and the mind-sets and sentiments of their citizens. It also helps the winners, twist the history to somehow justify the brutal slaughter they did. However, it is in the nature of war, that's it.

However, it could have been much worse, had it been another country that discovered the atom bomb first. USA dropped it on Japan twice, and stopped. If one of these colonial nations discovered it, that would have been the apocalypse to the rest of the world. In the name of the queen, all of the world would be mopping the floors of the Br....sh parliament or something. Good that it was the USA, the first free country of the truly modern world.

And USA does not believe in colonizing, it is a country built on freedom, compassion and equal opportunity. Great that USA did not capitalize on that particular technology, and colonized the world. Instead, the mayhem was stopped with Japan's surrender, ushering the gates to "modern freedom". So much so that, today, even the USA is afraid of attacking another tiny country with the "ultimate weapon".

The east had/has a notion of freedom, that is not based on material freedom, opposite to the west. However, in the wake of industrialization, and mechanization, the importance of such a notion was reduced, quite frankly. These are the days when technology wins wars, who would worry about a devout/idealistic warrior or clan of warriors, who do not like your opportunism? The idealism of the east flourished arts like Karate etc..., and made our earlier civilizations prosper. All this lasted before indusrial revolution, and western colonization.

However, post colonization, the whole world was literally forced to become western. It was so forced that by the turn of 20th century, everyone knows and is aware of the rest of the world, in some sense. It was all needed because no man, could win against the machines of the west, it had to be learnt and defeated using it's own way. And, I do not fret in telling that out to others.

Indian independence struggle was also unique in this aspect that, Mr. Gandhi tried to retain the Indian notion of freedom, as a prevailing philosohy of the independence protests. His philosophy of "You can take my life but not my obedience", gave moral strength to countless indians fighting british, and many countries in the world followed the method too. In it, lies the notion of "oriental freedom", which he forced the westerners to fathom.

However, the world wars are "quests for global dominance", mostly by the colonizing countries, to finally find out who is the champion. This was the pinnacle of mechanization era, which lasted for 200 years, exploiting the colonies and amassing wealths enough the destroy the world 10 times over. However, the destruction was huge, but, the colonizing countries finally had to pay the price. A new bi-polar world where the poles are two totally new countries emerged from those.

And good that those countries were "modern" in the present sense of the word. They do not want colonies, they just fight for freedom. They helped convince the current colonizing countries to grant freedom to other countries. And idealism changes in those countries, also helped colonies get their freedom back. Thus emerged the "modern world".

In this era, the East's notions of freedom (from oneself, non-egoistic living etc...) are of lesser consequence than the Western notions, unfortunately. However, as a matter of evolution, we need to accept that, and go along, even if those look alien to us. And, actually great thanks to USA that gave the countries their way of understanding that, in some manner. Hope that through "global partnership of people, especially the Indians and Americans", as naturally happening now, a new and better notion of freedom, marrying these two would come into prevalence.

Truly USA and the east have a lot to do together, in the future.

Phake (Hinglish for Fake)

I watched IPL cricket matches this year, and sort of this amazing fact struck me. There are many foreign players playing for us, which means India could pay them so that they prefer IPL to their local county etc... matches. Whatever it is, it is coming from some industrialist in India. Great, India has money in at least some pockets :-)

Also, I was aware of big software companies which are looking for Indian customers. That's another great news. And someone reported that BRIC countries, Brazil/Russia/India/China, will become top of the world economic forces by 2050, India being the first. Whether our politicians allow such an abnormality to happen or not, is to be seen though :-(

After all these I have thought of an easy "crash course" for all those foreigners visiting India. After all, "Know Thy Customer", is one of the most basic business commandments, right? And I am sick of all those NRIs carrying water-bottles, dying their hair, talking with a heavy american accent, regardless of how much time they were in (or not in :-)) USA. Some of the extremes of this "crash course" are reserved for them.

So, the crash course consists of the following:

1) Get familiar with Indian roads, very very important.
2) Know Hinglish and be fluent in it, along with all vernacular-isms here.
3) Expect Desi outings, not american style.
a) Do not expect outings to have beer etc... served, it might be desi bhang or something.
b) No DJ dances, and Briteny songs, just desi tamil/punjabi tunes.
c) No hi-fi games, just the Kabaddi and all local stuff only.
4) Eat Indian food, when in India, and most importantly, stop complaining.
5) Have a little exam on Indian family relations and clear it. I prefer exams on Hinglish as well.

Before people say this is too-much and etc... Come on guys, we are working like them, and why don't we freak-them-out like ourselves? Let's not go ga-ga on becoming american, come on son, give your culture a face-lift! Anyway, we are not colonial India doing export of raw material/only body shopping now, is it? Also, I don't mean people (NRIs) staying there for decades don't have issues with weather here etc..., I am just saying "folks, get used to the folklore here!", remember "Know thy customer".

Okay, the roads part now. Arrgh!!, a manager comes from USA, and you take him to one of those water-parks or amusement parks that gives great thrill!! Are you joking? Come on now, I feel thrill there, but, there are better thrilling places, ok. For example, get to one of those places where road is dug-up and they are building a flyover, from the past decade. Take an auto that is jam packed, and get in. Hold anything that you can grab on to, and go on. That is great thrill man! If you are releasing a supply-chain solution or a simple GPS software for India, God knows how you would do, if you don't know of this thrill.

Now comes the Hinglish. How many foreigners know the meaning of "that much is not there", or "this only" or "that only"? Come on, don't say "I am sorry", "did not get you" etc..., after all "Bro, it ain't got no wrong". When we understand americanisms, please do understand ours. I am also thinking of creating an exam in the TOEFL style, certifying foreigners in Hinglish :-)). If ever in future, we have call centers in USA, working for India, this training would be of great use to them, right. (Wildest imagination, alright)

About company outings? Which movie do all of us like, is it "Inception"? Yes, that is right. Come on, I don't really prefer Inception to my Hindi Shah-Rukh-Khan's Don, would you? Be open there, ok. Just because it got oscars, Slumdog Millionarie does not become the best Indian movie ever made! :-( I would like them westerners to dance to our tunes than we dancing to theirs, come on, put some attitude into it, that's what I am talking about.

And why play those obscure team-building games? Play some local games, like Gilli-Danda, Kabaddi etc... Those build (and break) teams and bones. Give 'em a taste of India, alright. You can play simple stuff like, "leave a foreigner in some village on the highway, and see how he gets back to the resort, asking directions, hitch hiking rides, taking short-cuts". :-)

And get used to the indian menu. Don't complain, we eat burgers and drink coke when in USA, and you should not complain in India either, ok. Now you find something "extremely hot", well, drink lots of water after taking it, no sugars and stuff. No cereals in the morning, only Idly-Sambar and stuff. Come on, let's pretend we (almost) do not have any Cokes and burgers in India, what would you do? Get the idea.

Now comes the relations part. 'What is the "brother's mother-in-law's father's grand-son" to you?' kinda questionnaire. Okay, remember, make no mistakes, India is good in family systems, it ain't like USA, and if you make one mistake when writing a software or marketing it, it would be a very awkward discussion you have there. Face it, and find out the complexities of relations in India. Clear that exam, in the end, something like the Anal section of GRE.

All them foreigners, and especially those "NRIs who hate India", should be subjected to these "norms", before entering India. This is the best way to tell the Phakes apart.