Ritendra's Blog

The doomsday predictions have oscillated from sanctified despair to amusement. Let me not spoil the party mood by juggling hideous consternation or brood about this never ending debate of whether this year is going to be the end of this civilization. Films like 2012, showing an orgy of violent destruction hardly provokes a thought in me other than titillation because I have no doubt that this should be the end. Another member of the nay Sayers group…. Well that is as far from the truth as you are from reality. The truth that we espouse is the convenient truth that is comfortable to digest and which is incessantly poured in our delirious minds by the ‘ corporate’ sponsored media. The same ‘Corporate’ who caress you with greed and at the same time makes our mind sick and tired and pushes you to a purgatory plane of existence. Well once our life is ensnared by the corporate behemoths, we find peace by gloriously calling it the discreet life of the bourgeoisie. The American Dream. Let...

It is often believed that Media is the Fourth Pillar, along with Judiciary, legislature and executive that is responsible for supporting democracy. But since the Media organizations are not sponsored by the Government unlike the other three pillars, continuous flow of revenue dictates Media’s survival. Moreover media does not exist in a vacuum nor does it enjoy monopoly power in most of the states. “Sensationalism” can be viewed as a cream that differentiates various cakes of same taste to get peoples interest and thereby ensuring the survival of the organization ‘making the cake’ that is Media Organization. In an environment where 24 hour news channels rule the roost, it is often very difficult for the media organizations to deliver the news to its target audience and do it successfully over a long period of time. It cannot be ruled out that sensationalism of news can hurt the interest or feelings of certain people or community. To ensure such incidents do not take place privacy law...

When I look at the mirror I see gloomy yellowing eyes covered by thick black glasses, replacing the rimless glasses of the years that have passed by. They were white and shinning and full of hope when I was younger. A fat, melancholic face framed preciously by drooping eyebrows and defeated lips that once threw snappy phrases. I am not bald, or even balding, but now the hair on my head is extravagantly spaced. I had once sported curly disheveled hair and gained an almost professional air with it. The hairs grayed and became extravagantly spaced with time. The shriveled skin of my face now glistens with sweat from the midday heat. Bare chest with a thick white thread running across the body, would give up my religious identity of being a Hindu. Crisp white Pajama on my lower part of the body would establish my identity as a Bengali. This appearance of mine would not reveal what socio-economic background I come from or what are my tastes and education. You have to look at the table at ...