Some Perspective On Media

I've generally stayed away from talking about the Radia tapes controversy on the blog and on Twitter. Not because I don't want to talk about it, but because both these mediums are extremely polarised to be able to have a meaningful conversation without it getting hijacked by some fundoo on either side. Someone asked me "What are these Radia tapes?" to which I responded "A mixtape released by MC Radia and distributed by DJ Internet Hindu". First off, it was a shit joke. Second off, it referred to Sagarika Ghose and her calling everyone on the right a rabid fundamentalist. Ofcourse, that innocuous statement led to minor blowback with people telling me to watch my words and so on. (I find it rather funny. If I make a Sikh joke, I'm anti-Sikh. If I make a Hindu reference I'm against all Hindus and if I make a suicide bomber reference I am a hateful right winger, despite them calling me names for not siding with them in the first place.) 

Which is pretty much the state of our national discourse even now. There is no way anyone can be a centrist. Now me, personally I agree with the right on a lot of issues and generally lean that way. That doesn't mean there aren't issues where I am not pro-Congress for example. Somehow people don't seem to understand that condition and you're either slotted on the left or the right. (Reminds of that Chris Rock joke - I forget the exact lines, but it went the way of "There are some things I'm conservative about, and some things I'm liberal about. Spending, I'm a conservative. Prostitution? I'm liberal". It's a pity that the rabid idiots who exist on these forums who think they're standing up for an issue don't realise that intimidation and going ballistic on someone's ass (especially moderates) will do nothing but drive people towards the other side. 

Also, as much as I love sex and shit jokes, I usually try and talk about deeper issues through satire or (now) through the attempted stand up act. For me, comedy changes a lot more minds and shapes a lot more opinion than rabid idiots on either side whose only job is to intimidate or force an opinion down someone's throat. But again, like with that lame Radia joke, one realises that for all their claimed knowledge and national interest, subtlety isn't one of their virtues. Pity.

Which leads me to this post. I usually don't post videos and other people's content on the blog - but I think this is one of those things that shouldn't be missed. Some of you would have seen this already - but for those who haven't I suggest you watch. It's Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow talking about polarised politicial discourse in the United States and the role of the media in perpetuating that. This interview happened after some comics on the left (Bill Maher in particular) panned his Rally for Sanity for being pointless and not being used effectively enough. I'm posting the interview in full. Don't miss the parallels with India.