Of obtrusive thoughts and cohesive policies

Once a friend had asked me – “what does life mean to you?” Being in the prime of my life I had nonchalantly stated that “life is what happens to you, while you are busy planning other things” – a quote misused frequently these days. Probably I was living in a world of ‘make believe’ and boy those were the times then. The economy rose to steep heights, GDP touched new frontiers, stock markets climbed to new highs on a daily basis – without any solid reason to do so. People invested in an illusory bubble and boy did that justify the returns initially – justifying further investment.

Coming back to reality and current times – I cannot help but notice the false sense of security that most people had placed on the economy some time back has currently gone bust. And the most humorous yet probably short term measure that was suggested some time back can probably take the sagging global economy head-on and turn it around. In a world of conspicuous conspiracy theories and jagged claims this might just be it.

"What America needs right now is not more talk and long-term strategy, but a concrete way to create more imaginary wealth in the very immediate future," said Thomas Jenkins, CFO of the Boston-area Jenkins Financial Group, a bubble-based investment firm. "We are in a crisis, and that crisis demands an unviable short-term solution.”

Well this might apply to India as well. The housing bubble took off a few years back – rising demand was met throughout – but with the shinning failure of the government to curb the market with correct policies and regulations – prices shot off – leading to the market escalating false demand cases – a vicious cycle of price coup in an open economy. Everyone wanted a price of this bubble – and when the bubble burst – we all know the story right.

So technically if we do live in a world of make believe and false imagery does make the world go round then why not continue living a life of make believe. At least most people around won’t have a issue with coffee table discussions around global recession, Rakhi’s swayambar and Obama’s new muse. Like some bright politician stated a few days back on an issue to address India’s population burst, “Marry late, Watch TV”. Are we so dumb that we need the idiot box as a way to curb population control – who is this directed to? The middle class toiling away in a private firm, burdened under taxes and loans or the “real” Indian toiling away in the fields with no access to electricity, education, normal living conditions. So we are to dump education and stop enlightening peoples minds on what’s right and what’s wrong and instead follow medieval tactics to curb something as simple as population control.

Mr. Minister please go back to school.

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