Hope - the quintessential human delusion
Its called the Obamania - Mad rush to find an 'Obama' everywhere. I read some recent reports that Lewis Hamilton was being hailed as the Obama of F1 racing. Daniel Craig has pitched in with his two cents of having the next James Bond to be an African American. India has also had its share by almost declaring Mayawati to be the Obama of India.
While Obama is part African American by descent, but he did not win the election because he was an African American. America did not vote for him because he was a black man. America voted for him because they felt that he was the right man.
In India sadly, voting still happens on casteist lines. While Obama is known to build bridges, our leaders (so called leaders) are playing the divisive card to their maximum potential. The person who can get maximum 'sops' for his caste/ community invariably wins the support and hence the election. While, some attempt was made by Mayawati to create the so called social engineering, it remains at best an electoral attempt.
If we are to look for an Obama in India, we need to look for the best man/woman for the job and not the lineage or social status. If we are to find an Obama in India, we need to recognize Obama went to the best of schools Harvard and Columbia included and in turn ensure that our future leaders get to attend the best of schools in our country too. And the first step is to create these world-class schools. If we are to elect an Obama, we need to create an atmosphere where entering politics or public life is considered a viable and even prefered career option for the brightest and best candidates. And if we are to see an Obama in our life time, then we need to ensure that our future leaders are those with whom the majority of this country can identify with - Less that 50 years age is a good start.
Somehow, I refuse to believe that 1 billion people cannot produce an Obama in every state. Or may be that is the question we need to ask ourselves. What is required to create Obama's everywhere. What needs to 'change'? or will 'hope' reman the quintessential human delusion.
While Obama is part African American by descent, but he did not win the election because he was an African American. America did not vote for him because he was a black man. America voted for him because they felt that he was the right man.
In India sadly, voting still happens on casteist lines. While Obama is known to build bridges, our leaders (so called leaders) are playing the divisive card to their maximum potential. The person who can get maximum 'sops' for his caste/ community invariably wins the support and hence the election. While, some attempt was made by Mayawati to create the so called social engineering, it remains at best an electoral attempt.
If we are to look for an Obama in India, we need to look for the best man/woman for the job and not the lineage or social status. If we are to find an Obama in India, we need to recognize Obama went to the best of schools Harvard and Columbia included and in turn ensure that our future leaders get to attend the best of schools in our country too. And the first step is to create these world-class schools. If we are to elect an Obama, we need to create an atmosphere where entering politics or public life is considered a viable and even prefered career option for the brightest and best candidates. And if we are to see an Obama in our life time, then we need to ensure that our future leaders are those with whom the majority of this country can identify with - Less that 50 years age is a good start.
Somehow, I refuse to believe that 1 billion people cannot produce an Obama in every state. Or may be that is the question we need to ask ourselves. What is required to create Obama's everywhere. What needs to 'change'? or will 'hope' reman the quintessential human delusion.
2 comments:
Dhoni - the Obama of Indian cricket? :)
Maybe they will add 'Obama' as a word in the dictionary the way it is going around!!
But yes he won because he was the right man for the job and he reached out to people the right way. The rest was merely coincidental.
olele :-) gtalk and mobiles are always there :-) all u have to do is - just respond to IMs! argh!
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