Was trying to de-clutter my mailbox by removing old mails. I started with visiting my first mail…mail to friends, family and oh yes, a couple of (thankfully) forgotten dates. Memories flooded back so fast and with such intensity I couldn’t imagine. Couple this with the fact that I relied more on mail than chat (still do), so forgotten memories – sweet, spicy and bitter, hit one after the other. I think I experienced what many people describe after an NDE – a complete flashback of my life! It was a wow feeling. I ended up with placing some of the mails into a new folder – Memories.
December 22, 2009
Corruption
Here is an extract of an email discussion I recently had:
On corruption, there is a cultural difference between India and the West. Not that the West is corruption-free. But there is zero tolerance, at least in theory. In India, we think bending the rule is not undesirable as long as the ultimate objective is achieved. It starts with the family and right from childhood.
I don’t know why our people don’t understand. Life is so peaceful when your mind is totally free and abhors corruption. It is something akin to when one has conquered material desires. Being self satisfied with what one has is the key.
In my opinion the most dangerous trend in Indian society is that the society no longer perceives bribery as a crime. Not only have those who give bribes but also those who take now proudly advertized this fact. It is not the policing but the social stigma that keeps such vices under control. However when corruption becomes socially acceptable or even desirable that’s when one realize that the society has begin to rot.
All corruption yield is that overpriced sub-standard goods being produced by under-qualified persons who cannot deliver in time. It also frustrates the honest and competent persons away and makes the society worse off.
December 20, 2009
Direct vs indirect taxes
All the developed countries tax the income (direct taxes), rather than the expenditure (indirect taxes).
Reason: It is easier to introduce tax slabs or progressive taxation rates so that the rich pay a higher proportion of their income as taxes. The poor spend a higher portion of their income on food and basic necessities while the rich are able to save and reinvest bulk of their surplus. Hence by taxing good and services the country ends up taxing poor more than the rich. VAT discourages consumerism, and hence slows down economic growth.
However it’s easier for an underdeveloped/developing society to tax the goods than income. The reason behind that is to be effectively able to collect direct taxes you need a sound financial reporting and auditing else there will be pilferage. What is worse is that there will be a situation like it exists in India where the middle/service class end up paying a much higher percentage of their income as taxes than the rich who through hiding their income or via various tax shelters hardly pay any.
One of the important learning/change in viewpoint that happened after my stay in France is that now I understand how the corruption rots the entire system and makes the society worse off. Sometimes end does not justify the means and corruption is one of the instances.
December 19, 2009
Why do I blog?
I started blogging way back in 2005 with a simple aim to improve my English. English is not my mother tongue and more often than I was stumbling for the right words. This is probably the reason why almost all the posts are in as good English as possible free from any spelling or grammatical errors.
Like the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, over the years, I moved from the need to be able to write correct English, to the need to be able to crystallize one’s thoughts and express my ideas and viewpoints. Now this blog often serves as a vehicle where I can store my opinion. Over the past 5 years I have seen my viewpoints being changed. What is even better is that more often than not the regular reader or someone who stumbles into the website will contribute his view points and either refine or totally change them. So this place has become a kind of a melting pot. As far as possible I try to reference the source and make the facts discussed in the blog to be as accurate as possible. There have been many instances where my view took a complete U-Turn after these researches and comments from the viewers.
E-Nagar is a team blog and every person in the team has a different reason to be here and of course a different viewpoint. We don’t advertize on the blog or derive any revenue from it. On the contrary we pay quite a sum every year for the domain name and the hosting of the website.
A lot of people blog to generate traffic, however I could not get myself into doing that. Also my writing style is not engaging enough that I can retain my viewer’s attention. However I feel that the quality has improved dramatically over the years. I try to have as much variety in the blog as possible and usually restrict the length to 200-400 words so that it is not too long and torturous.
This post is to celebrate over 8000 user comments and nearly 1400 blog posts over nearly 5 years.
December 18, 2009
Free prostitution
What I don’t mean is “Yippie!!! Make prostitution free, who likes to pay for it anyways”
The issue of prostitution cannot be answered without taking into account the issue of human trafficking, pedophiles, exploitation by pimps/underworld/law enforcement authorities, drugs, AIDS/STD, religion and scores of other vices that exist in the society. Most countries find the issue so complicated, esp. if one adds the political, societal and moral dimensions to it that they prefer to ban the entire profession all together.
However in this ostrich like approach of governments looking the other way and praying that the problem will disappear, they make things worse. Prostitution is one of the oldest profession and answers to one of basic needs of the society. Almost in all societies there are a few ancient texts that highlight the importance of prostitutes in maintaining the morale of the army and law and order in the city. Yet for all their important roles, the prostitutes/mistresses were always outcasts and looked down upon.
However this post is not to glorify the profession or convince people to visit one. All I am saying is whether the governments like it or not, this profession exists in some shady alley of the city or another. The cities which allow it legally are better off. Firstly it makes it easier for the law enforcement authorities to regulate the trade. Ensure proper rights and safety for the sex workers and control the vices which are often seen in the unregulated trade.
However the moment the government bans the trade, everything becomes illegal and the distinction between the good and the evil disappears. Instead of drug and disease free women practicing out of their free will, the society ends up with underage girls being pimped away and treated like slaves. A situation which is neither good for the society nor for the girls trapped inside this trade.
December 17, 2009
Round the world ticket
Warning: This is a personal post, not the regular stuff of E-Nagar.
I am finishing my MBA on 13th March 2010. Like a bird that has spent his last 2 years inside a gilded prison I want to travel and explore the world. These are the places I want to go:
1. Melbourne
2. Johannesburg
3. Cairo
4. Istanbul
5. Mexico City
6. Hong Kong
7. Shanghai
8. Kerela
9. And lot more
I know for sure that if I don’t take this trip now, the next time I will be able to would be after 35 years maybe more. Star alliance, along with its partner airline, is able to give me a good deal on the flights and I am tempted to buy their tickets. However there are a lot of serious concerns that I have.
In the past, I applied for visas from USA, Singapore, Thailand, S Korea, Taiwan but it took me more time, trouble and money to obtain one from France. And this makes me think will it be a good idea to apply for a VISA from 15 countries. How much time will I have to spend at the embassy?
About the finances, I think I should be able to obtain a bank loan at 11-12% interest rate. This along with some of the money I had saved from my previous stint in gambling, stock market and betting should suffice for another 3 month long vacation.
Next and most important concern is a partner. No one in their right mind can take this 3 month long wild goose chase alone and I am finding it real hard to find one. The most optimistic reply I have received is that “there is an 80% chance that I won’t be able to make it to this trip”.
Probably it’s because of this I will either not take this trip or take a short trip to 1-2 country as a consolidation prize. I have been planning this trip (with different itinerary every time) for 4 years now, but every time had to put it off because of one reason or the other. Maybe it’s like the Hajj, there are 100 reasons why one should postpone, but when one is mentally ready he finds a way out of all the troubles.
Anyways the reason why I posted it here is because much like in the movie ‘Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain’ I would feel happy if someone else would live my dream or even better inspire me to take the journey.
