Mumbai vs. New Orleans
Read this article today on Rediff.
Mumbai & New Orleans: A Tale of Two Cities
It is very well-written and I agree with most of the sentiments, especially the following...
The moral of the story is that all those who are in such a hurry to lambaste the US and Americans, and paint a rosy picture of India and Indians, should stop and look in the mirror first. Neither country is perfect by any means. And each has a lot to learn from the other. The American tendency to be condescending about conditions in the Third World with its poor infrastructure and corruption is just as regrettable as the Indian sense of moral and spiritual superiority.
In some sense, the Indian reaction to New Orleans is symptomatic of a nation that has gone from self-deprecation in the stagnant 1960s and 1970s to self-glorification in the roaring 2000s. While it is undoubtedly true that India is a rising power, with an economy that is growing at a rate that is the envy of all nations, it is way too early to sink into hubris. China continues to stay focused on becoming a world power, and anyone who counts the US out in the long run is in for a rude surprise.
The destruction in New Orleans and the Mumbai floods both point to a more fundamental problem that needs to be focused on. Politicians and leaders in the largest and the richest democracies in the world ignored warnings from experts, and pursued their short-sighted goals of winning elections by pandering to special interests. It is time for the citizens of these two great democracies to hold their elected leaders accountable for their actions.
Mumbai & New Orleans: A Tale of Two Cities
It is very well-written and I agree with most of the sentiments, especially the following...
The moral of the story is that all those who are in such a hurry to lambaste the US and Americans, and paint a rosy picture of India and Indians, should stop and look in the mirror first. Neither country is perfect by any means. And each has a lot to learn from the other. The American tendency to be condescending about conditions in the Third World with its poor infrastructure and corruption is just as regrettable as the Indian sense of moral and spiritual superiority.
In some sense, the Indian reaction to New Orleans is symptomatic of a nation that has gone from self-deprecation in the stagnant 1960s and 1970s to self-glorification in the roaring 2000s. While it is undoubtedly true that India is a rising power, with an economy that is growing at a rate that is the envy of all nations, it is way too early to sink into hubris. China continues to stay focused on becoming a world power, and anyone who counts the US out in the long run is in for a rude surprise.
The destruction in New Orleans and the Mumbai floods both point to a more fundamental problem that needs to be focused on. Politicians and leaders in the largest and the richest democracies in the world ignored warnings from experts, and pursued their short-sighted goals of winning elections by pandering to special interests. It is time for the citizens of these two great democracies to hold their elected leaders accountable for their actions.
posted by Anand | 9:47 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home