Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 11.4.21
Fanaticism
Fanaticism is an extreme and often unquestioning enthusiasm, devotion, or
zeal for something, such as a religion, political stance, or cause. A person who engages in fanaticism can be called a fanatic.
There are and have been fanatics in every country, religion,
faith and perhaps every political ideology. It was thought that with the
development of civilization, spread of education and rationality fanaticism
would wither away. It did not happen. In fact in several countries including
the reverse happened. Fanaticism like Corona virus is developing new strains
and variants.
In
India it is perhaps moving from what a social scientist says ‘competitive
fanaticism’ to ‘fashionable fanaticism’. From ‘I am more loyal than you’ to ‘Look
here, how fanatic am I’. It’s like sticking a poster on the front door
proclaiming fanaticism.
The
us and they binary is there- has always been there in some form or the other.
The next level is competitive fanaticism. Fashionable fanaticism is the next.
You become fanatic not because of any intrinsic value system or even reason.
You become fanatic because you think it is cool to be one. Or, if you are not
one, then you do not belong to the happening gang. Being fanatic is then being
cool. Fanaticism has become a kind of batch that you wear because you think
everyone else is and it is cool to be one.
This
belief is flawed. We’ll discuss about that next week.
Media Ethics
In
the new normal time, everybody and his/her uncle or aunty is ruing the lack of
ethics in media. Words like ‘presstitute’ are used too often. Media bashing has
become a common activity in the social media.
The
word ‘ethics’ started appearing in journalistic discussion by 1850. The first
code of ethics for journalists was formulated sometime in 1890.
There
are two key principles in media ethics. One relates to idealism: how strongly
we feel about the pursuit of humanitarian goals. The second is relativism: the
belief that the only way we can decide what’s ethical and what’s not is to rely
on our own experience and internal moral compass.
However,
there are five core principles of ethics in journalism: a. truth and accuracy,
b. independence, c. fairness and impartiality, d. humanity, and e.
accountability.
Media,
like any other institutions need free space and societal support to discharge
its duties. Both are shrinking.
Aam fale jhanka jhanka
In
1990s a folk song - Aam fale jhanka
jhanka, tentul phale banka, Baripada hatu tote kinidebi sankhya lo, kinidebi
kanara jhumuka... was very popular in Mayurbhanj in Odisha where we lived
then. My two years old son also used to sing it. Translated into English the
lyric goes like: Mangoes grow in bunches, Tamarind grows oblong, I’ll buy you
bangles and earrings from Baripada haat.
 |
| Location: IIMC, Dhenkanal, Odisha campus. Photo: Mrinal Chatterjee |
As I
see bunches of mangoes at the place I live now- I remember the catchy earthy
song and relive the sandal-scented past. I go back in time and see my little
son singing the song full throttle.
I
touched the swinging mangoes- green and young. They waved back. Probably they
also remembered the song and heard my little son singing it like only children
can do.
Wear Mask
Cartoons
ridicule. Cartoons comment and criticize. However, cartoons can also be used to
create awareness in social issues.
See
the following cartoons on the importance of wearing mask to contain Corona.
Wearing a mask and keeping social distance are the two main ways to contain the
Corona surge.
Cartoons
by Ponnapa, Chandrasekhar Hadda and Manoj Chopra.
Fine and Tax
What is the difference between
fine and tax?
Fine is a tax for doing wrong.
Tax is a fine for doing right.
***
Anthology of this weekly column
published in 2020 has been published in book form. Should you want a free
e-copy, please write a mail to mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com
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