The Satyam Fiasco has caught every one's fancy.
Software pros across India are either ruing their bad luck or thanking their lucky stars, depending on the brand they sport on their corporate gear.
India Inc. can't stop talking about it...
And the media just can't stop licking its chomps in glee....
Why ever not? After all, we have our very own 'Enron' now.
The nation's acquisition of a corporate debacle in the true American mould comes hot on the trail of India's 9/11. A few short weeks ago, Mumbai writhed in the vice grip of terrorism. Of course, at the time, our over-enthusiastic media conveniently forgot similar incidents of terror which has been rocking the nation at regular intervals over the past couple of years.....Such was the media's eagerness for an attack which would place it at par with the World Trade Center tragedy.
And now, we have been given the Enron moment.
Our eagerness to liken and brand our national tragedies with those of another nation baffles me.
Isn't each nation's sorrows and shame unique to itself?
We didn't call the Bhopal Gas Tragedy anything other than the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Probably because there wasn't an industrial disaster of its magnitude in the annals of American history. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy remains the world's worst industrial disaster and yet, no where in the world, have we seen a similar catastrophe being rechristened as Bhopal.
So why Enron? And why 9/11?
Why not just Satyam and 26/11?
Can't help but wonder what's next on the cards....Ku Klax Klan episodes? Or perhaps, Palin moments in the next elections? Or maybe, India will find her Obama!
Your guess is as good as mine!!!
That was excellent! Very lucid and strong writing there. I guess, we, as a nation, enjoy a sadistic satisfaction in playing the victims!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pal...
ReplyDeleteThis whole branding confusion bugged me during the mumbai terror attacks...Satyam fueled it further...which is why I am up at this unearthly hour venting!!!
LOL
As Pal said, pretty incisive writing. And so true! Being here, we don't get to watch much of Indian media, but I can imagine how it is.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay...each nation will come around full circle...now it's the US, tmrw it might be China or India the world will be aping :) or perhaps one day, each nation will come into its own :))) now, that's an even better thought!
ReplyDeleteYeah Roopa, strong and incisive becos it is something I feel strongly about.While I am all for globalisation, KFC, Green Tea, Gucci and everything good from all parts of the world, I also think Indians must retain their identity and not confuse it with that of any other country in the world.
ReplyDeleteGanga, :) :)
I am normally an optimistic idealist but this is the one of the rare occassions when I am not so sure...But then, hope does spring eternal in the human breast, does it not? :)