Random thoughts

With exams scheduled to be held in the first week of February, I have no other option but to start digging into my books again. It’s tough, ‘coz I usually need a couple of days to find the right rhythm, and as a result, my concentration level for the time being is freakingly low. I honestly hope and pray that this situation improves soon .

As I have mentioned earlier in my previous post, updating a blog regularly turns out to be tougher than I expected. It’s likely to get even tougher as I have switched my brain onto the ‘memorizing mode’, and have temporarily disabled the ‘thinking mode’. So even if I do make a post, it will most probably be some random thoughts scattered here and there. And yes, I am writing in English after a very long time. You see, there was a necessity, which is a secret I cannot reveal.

It is true that Mizoram has undergone tremendous development since the independence of India. From a tiny, backward and poor district of Assam, to a union territory in 1972, and in 1986 Mizoram became one of the states in the Republic of India. However, the sad fact of the matter is, Mizoram became a dependent state. Needs and wants increased, but production did not. What appears to be a great development in terms of education and material possessions in reality is what we might call a beggar’s development on the generosity of the Indian Central Government. Can Christianity steer the failure of Mizoram to a more productive and self-sufficient society? Let us hope it will.

(Extracted from “The Mizos : A people transformed by the Gospel – by Rev. Dr. F. Hrangkhuma”, an article from the book “Ground works for tribal theology in the Mizo context”).

A couple of months back, I was chatting on google talk with my old buddy from Kathmandu. He gave me a link and asked me to check it out. It turned out to be a sort of an entertainment website; with lots of pictures of what I assume were Nepali models. He said, “Dude, if you want those chicks, they are easily available for a few hundred bucks”. I thought he was joking. “Come on, what’s the logic in selling your flesh for just a few measly hundred bucks while earning much more from your profession?” Then his reply was like, “Bro, except a few top ones, models out here aren’t well paid like in India. But at the same time, they need money to maintain their standards. This is the easiest way, I guess”.

Fast forward to Tuesday night, the 2nd of December.

A friend of mine, an ardent ‘leaked pictures and video collector’gave me two new pictures of, well, you know, two well known ‘local super-models’. I have seen quite a few such videos and pictures, but these two really stand out. They were totally different. The quality, lighting and surroundings, to me were a bit too classy (don't ask me how I came to this conclusion). My first thought was, “These aren’t real”. So we got down to business, trying to prove that they were indeed doctored. But after many hours of careful examination and consultation with a few more friends, we failed to come up with any conclusive evidence, though I’m still not hundred percent convinced as yet.

And then the speculations started. One guy came up with this theory. “They must have posed for a professional photographer, who in turn paid them money”. Initially, we thought that was absurd. Why would someone do that? Just to see them naked? Just to circulate their nude photos? Or worse, maybe a Mizo adult magazine is in the pipe line? But those were a bit too far fetched, we all thought. And then all of a sudden, the conversation I had with my friend a few months back flashed back in my mind. Maybe these girls were doing exactly that in order to earn a few quick extra bucks. Just maybe…

To summarize Rev. Dr. F. Hrangkhuma’s words, there is a gross mismatch between the pace of our materialistic development and our state economy. Our worldly needs have swelled up several folds, sprinting fast ahead of a stagnant economy. Ironically, nobody gives a damn, and our priorities are all screwed up. This is reflected very clearly in all spheres of life. I have seen many things which are awfully out of place, take for example, fourth grade government servants with N-series mobile phones, daily wage earners with motorcycles, unemployed (or rather ‘unemployable’) youths being pampered with the latest and trendiest designer clothes by their parents, and housewives of modest earning husbands not hesitating at all to buy things on credit. The list goes on and on. Material possession, even at the cost of one’s dignity, it seems, is our greatest desire.

And what’s the use of having so many "celebrities" when their profession itself isn’t supporting them? Are our ‘idols’ and ‘icons’ getting any benefit by being idols and icons? If not, then it’s just a burden for them and for the society as a whole, which is counter-productive. And what about our so-called ‘super models’? Are they getting any paid assignments where they earn enough so as to support themselves at least? Are we elevating our "celebrities" up to that level where they become a constant headache for their families? As I have mentioned earlier, the pressure on them to maintain their materialistic standards might even force them into the flesh trade.

And what about the rest of us? There are many things I would like to elaborate here, but so little time. So let me just add these lines - materialistic and worldly desire is the same factor which propels us forwards in sowing the seeds of corruption.

Nevertheless, I am not the sort of person who whines about past mistakes. For I believe that those mistakes were what made me who I am today - a better person. And I have the same hope for my land and its people. I hope that one day we will be able to strike a balance, make full use of our high literacy rate practically for bringing prosperity and reducing corruption to an insignificant level. And I do hope that someday, each one of us will get our priorities right. I am an optimist, and I fully share Rev F Hrangkhuma’s optimism.