Just five minutes back, I read a statement by IIM Kozhikode's director in which he says that women make better managers than men.
Did any uproar follow that? Hell no.
But then wasn't there a huge uproar when Lawrence H. Summers said this.
I mean, how on earth are these statements any different (except for one small difference).
So basically it boils down to this, you can speak your mind only as long as you are praising/criticising only a certain part of the society.
Which brings us to the million dollar question: "What kind of world do we inhabit?".
One whose defining characteristic is hypocrisy.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The White Tiger
Two days wasted, forty eight hours of my life that I am not going to get back. 48 hours that could have been better spent either sleeping or even watching some mindless Bollywood masala film. These were my initial reactions after reading this Booker prize winning work by Arvind Adiga.
Let’s just try to be objective for a few minutes and evaluate this book on a few parameters:
Setting:
Imagine you are a journalist and you want to write about Bihar, you could either actually go to Bihar or visit a slum in your city and set that up as Bihar. Mr. Adiga has done the latter. The setting in this novel is as unrealistic as it gets. Here is why I think so:
1. If a village in Bihar has even an open drain, then it isn’t one of the most backward villages in Bihar simply because in the most backward villages; there isn’t a drainage system to speak of. Wait a minute, haven’t I seen an open drain somewhere. Actually I have, but each of those open drains is in Bangalore and from what I know, Mr. Adiga is a Kannadiga. Lazy journalism anyone.
2. “Kissing a god’s arse”. Where the hell did this expression come from? I am totally clueless here. I have spent a majority of my life in a hostel (read away from my parents), and I both know and have used almost every invective in vogue. I seriously doubt if the translated version of this expression has an equivalent in any Indian language. Why this expression has been used will be clearer in the second half of this post, hopefully.
3. A devout Muslim masquerading as a Hindu and staying in a Hindu household: Mr. Adiga, you can hide the dates concerned by not revealing them to your
audience; but sirjee ”real” people would notice if somebody fasts for a whole month at a stretch (Especially if it is the month of Ramadan and the people are as bigoted as the Zamindars mentioned in the novel).
4. Has the author ever been to a police station in Bangalore? I once went there to lodge a complaint. This is precisely what I was told, “Tum North Indians Bangalore aana, aur humaari jobs lena. Tumhaara Saaman chori hona to kiski galti hona, tumhari galti hona ya Police ki galti hona.” (You North Indians come to Bangalore and take our jobs. If you lose some of your belongings, then is it your fault or is it the fault of the Police?) Imagine a scenario where a North Indian’s employee is actually accused of murdering a Bangalorean in Bangalore; it’s anybody’s guess as to how friendly the Police would be.
Language: The language used in the novel is pedestrian at best. I can name dozens of people (engineers / phd students etc) who can write better than this so called author. Enough said on this.
Characters: One-dimensional. Straight out of a 50s/60s Bollywood flick. Other than the narrator and his employer (the one he murders), almost all of the characters are
unreal.
Having read this piece of garbage, and I am still being charitable to this so called novel, I was left wondering as to how did it win the Booker prize. That’s when the
cynic in my analyzed this novel’s success by using some of the basic concepts of marketing.
Segmentation and Targeting: The way I see it, there are three groups of people who are going to read this “offering”
1. Bihari: I have sub-segmented India into two simply because most of India has never been to Bihar, and isn’t likely to go there anytime soon. So as long as the depiction is ghastly enough, some of the audience may buy it. But I seriously doubt if any Bihari can identify with the way Bihar has been depicted here. This novel definitley doesn't target any Bihari.
2. Rest of India: They may buy what is written about Bihar, but selling them stories regarding Bangalore and Gurgaon is slightly difficult. Even if it were
true, selling us a story we all know isn’t going to work. Once again, not the target audience.
3. Foreigners: This is where the author has hit the jackpot. I mean most of this segment has never been to India and all they know about India is from movies like Slumdog Millionaire, Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom etc. They aren’t likely to have a problem in identifying with a character who mouths lines about kissing someone’s arse, after all the origin of that expression is Western.
Positioning: This book seems to be positioned as a “primer on India for dummies”. What is really unfortunate is that the Booker prize committee seems to have one too many dummies on its list.
It is a well marketed novel and it does a good job of continuing from where Slumdog Millionaire left off. Even amongst its target audience, anyone with an IQ in double/triple digits should have stayed far away from this book. But, apparently not too many did.
Let’s just try to be objective for a few minutes and evaluate this book on a few parameters:
Setting:
Imagine you are a journalist and you want to write about Bihar, you could either actually go to Bihar or visit a slum in your city and set that up as Bihar. Mr. Adiga has done the latter. The setting in this novel is as unrealistic as it gets. Here is why I think so:
1. If a village in Bihar has even an open drain, then it isn’t one of the most backward villages in Bihar simply because in the most backward villages; there isn’t a drainage system to speak of. Wait a minute, haven’t I seen an open drain somewhere. Actually I have, but each of those open drains is in Bangalore and from what I know, Mr. Adiga is a Kannadiga. Lazy journalism anyone.
2. “Kissing a god’s arse”. Where the hell did this expression come from? I am totally clueless here. I have spent a majority of my life in a hostel (read away from my parents), and I both know and have used almost every invective in vogue. I seriously doubt if the translated version of this expression has an equivalent in any Indian language. Why this expression has been used will be clearer in the second half of this post, hopefully.
3. A devout Muslim masquerading as a Hindu and staying in a Hindu household: Mr. Adiga, you can hide the dates concerned by not revealing them to your
audience; but sirjee ”real” people would notice if somebody fasts for a whole month at a stretch (Especially if it is the month of Ramadan and the people are as bigoted as the Zamindars mentioned in the novel).
4. Has the author ever been to a police station in Bangalore? I once went there to lodge a complaint. This is precisely what I was told, “Tum North Indians Bangalore aana, aur humaari jobs lena. Tumhaara Saaman chori hona to kiski galti hona, tumhari galti hona ya Police ki galti hona.” (You North Indians come to Bangalore and take our jobs. If you lose some of your belongings, then is it your fault or is it the fault of the Police?) Imagine a scenario where a North Indian’s employee is actually accused of murdering a Bangalorean in Bangalore; it’s anybody’s guess as to how friendly the Police would be.
Language: The language used in the novel is pedestrian at best. I can name dozens of people (engineers / phd students etc) who can write better than this so called author. Enough said on this.
Characters: One-dimensional. Straight out of a 50s/60s Bollywood flick. Other than the narrator and his employer (the one he murders), almost all of the characters are
unreal.
Having read this piece of garbage, and I am still being charitable to this so called novel, I was left wondering as to how did it win the Booker prize. That’s when the
cynic in my analyzed this novel’s success by using some of the basic concepts of marketing.
Segmentation and Targeting: The way I see it, there are three groups of people who are going to read this “offering”
1. Bihari: I have sub-segmented India into two simply because most of India has never been to Bihar, and isn’t likely to go there anytime soon. So as long as the depiction is ghastly enough, some of the audience may buy it. But I seriously doubt if any Bihari can identify with the way Bihar has been depicted here. This novel definitley doesn't target any Bihari.
2. Rest of India: They may buy what is written about Bihar, but selling them stories regarding Bangalore and Gurgaon is slightly difficult. Even if it were
true, selling us a story we all know isn’t going to work. Once again, not the target audience.
3. Foreigners: This is where the author has hit the jackpot. I mean most of this segment has never been to India and all they know about India is from movies like Slumdog Millionaire, Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom etc. They aren’t likely to have a problem in identifying with a character who mouths lines about kissing someone’s arse, after all the origin of that expression is Western.
Positioning: This book seems to be positioned as a “primer on India for dummies”. What is really unfortunate is that the Booker prize committee seems to have one too many dummies on its list.
It is a well marketed novel and it does a good job of continuing from where Slumdog Millionaire left off. Even amongst its target audience, anyone with an IQ in double/triple digits should have stayed far away from this book. But, apparently not too many did.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Whom Should Manchester United Buy
The year was 2005. Chelsea had just won the EPL title. It had been the second year running that United hadn’t won anything. Sir Alex and Manchester United responded by buying an exceptionally classy yet slightly under-rated goalkeeper from Fulham. In
the January’s transfer window, United bought two defenders in Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic.
Chelsea did go on to win EPL in 2005-06 as well, but at least in the second half of the season; United for the first time in many years started to look like a team that was capable of challenging for major honors. United went on to win three EPLs in a
row, a feat no other club has ever accomplished. Now let’s take a look at the season that ended just a few days back.
Forwards: Rooney and Valencia were exemplary, Nani was a revelation, Giggs was damn good. The likes of Macheda, Welbeck, Obertan are ones for the future. Our forwards did reasonably well, considering the fact that we lost two world class forwards
(Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez). It has been suggested that United is a one man team (with Rooney being the one man); but then weren’t we called a one man team last year as well (Last time it was Ronaldo, apparently Rooney wasn’t good enough in the
opinion of some people). I have no complaints with our forwards whatsoever.
Midfield: Our midfield has been the weak link for a really long time. Ever since Roy Keane left United, and maybe even during his last year at United can be included; our midfield has been relatively lightweight. Carrick is an ok player at best.
Scholes can’t be expected to perform at a high level every week. Anderson has flattered to deceive. Fletcher has exceeded expectations. Hargreaves has been conspicuous by his absence (His absence really hurts as we lose a free kick specialist, not to mention a world class defensive midfielder). We desperately need some reinforcements in this area. Unfortunately world class midfielders are rarely on the market, and when they are then their price is grossly inflated. We may have to settle for a promising youngster or maybe we can get a Stephen Ireland or Joe Cole hopefully.
Defence: This is one area where we seemed to be well covered. But when Murphy’s Law struck, this was the area which caused us so much trouble that at one time we were playing with just one recognized defender. God willing and injuries permitting, we
should be fine here.
GoalKeeper: What if Ben Foster had not made a hash of the opportunities given to him? Well, we would have been champions of England and he would be going to the world cup instead of making the switch to Birmingham City.
In Edwin Van Der Saar, we have one of the best keepers in the world. But it’s highly unlikely that he would play for more than 1-2 years, and it is even more unlikely that he would remain injury free for these 1-2 years. What we need is a good/world-class replacement, unfortunately what we have are two goalkeepers who just aren’t good enough. Just like in 2005, we should be on the prowl for a good keeper if we are to wrest EPL back from Chelsea.
Sir Alex Ferguson has said many times that he has all the funds he needs. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, what kind of funds are available to him can be judged by the kind of signings he makes in the midfield and goalkeeping positions.
the January’s transfer window, United bought two defenders in Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic.
Chelsea did go on to win EPL in 2005-06 as well, but at least in the second half of the season; United for the first time in many years started to look like a team that was capable of challenging for major honors. United went on to win three EPLs in a
row, a feat no other club has ever accomplished. Now let’s take a look at the season that ended just a few days back.
Forwards: Rooney and Valencia were exemplary, Nani was a revelation, Giggs was damn good. The likes of Macheda, Welbeck, Obertan are ones for the future. Our forwards did reasonably well, considering the fact that we lost two world class forwards
(Cristiano Ronaldo and Tevez). It has been suggested that United is a one man team (with Rooney being the one man); but then weren’t we called a one man team last year as well (Last time it was Ronaldo, apparently Rooney wasn’t good enough in the
opinion of some people). I have no complaints with our forwards whatsoever.
Midfield: Our midfield has been the weak link for a really long time. Ever since Roy Keane left United, and maybe even during his last year at United can be included; our midfield has been relatively lightweight. Carrick is an ok player at best.
Scholes can’t be expected to perform at a high level every week. Anderson has flattered to deceive. Fletcher has exceeded expectations. Hargreaves has been conspicuous by his absence (His absence really hurts as we lose a free kick specialist, not to mention a world class defensive midfielder). We desperately need some reinforcements in this area. Unfortunately world class midfielders are rarely on the market, and when they are then their price is grossly inflated. We may have to settle for a promising youngster or maybe we can get a Stephen Ireland or Joe Cole hopefully.
Defence: This is one area where we seemed to be well covered. But when Murphy’s Law struck, this was the area which caused us so much trouble that at one time we were playing with just one recognized defender. God willing and injuries permitting, we
should be fine here.
GoalKeeper: What if Ben Foster had not made a hash of the opportunities given to him? Well, we would have been champions of England and he would be going to the world cup instead of making the switch to Birmingham City.
In Edwin Van Der Saar, we have one of the best keepers in the world. But it’s highly unlikely that he would play for more than 1-2 years, and it is even more unlikely that he would remain injury free for these 1-2 years. What we need is a good/world-class replacement, unfortunately what we have are two goalkeepers who just aren’t good enough. Just like in 2005, we should be on the prowl for a good keeper if we are to wrest EPL back from Chelsea.
Sir Alex Ferguson has said many times that he has all the funds he needs. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, what kind of funds are available to him can be judged by the kind of signings he makes in the midfield and goalkeeping positions.
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