Ignorance, Idiots, Indices, And India. Ours. Theirs. Yours, Too.

I hadn't planned for this post, but too many small things caught my eye while my compulsive side forced me to check them out, but, although the anger dissipated, I've accumulated too many of them that, if lumped together, provide a multi-layered example of other media aspects that tie back to that "disillusionment" I discussed in that previous TYT-related post.

Blame the Excuses as the Reason

The header image was created off of a screengrab from news footage taken during Modi's visit in Kashmir, where he smacked five Pakistanis with two Chinese by celebrating the abrogation of Article-370 while simultaneously campaigning on that, as well as—What's that? Oh, but, isn't that the Indian version of our "two birds with one stone" expression? I'm sure it is, uh... unless... dId I? It wouldn't be the first time... would it?

Apologies. I may have been reading Hindi but thinking it was Bhojpuri again. Confusing Urdu and emoticons is another one I tend to do quite often, but putting my glasses on usually resolves that one.

Or, it could just be that, maybe, I can't read Hindi after all? Who knows? 

Back to that header: Those are Muslim women that were present at Modi's speech; there was no hint of that Beatlesque bigger-than-god fan frenzy, the essence of which is what obedient media does their best to serve up in any segment featuring Modi and a public, thus, never included are the gloomy sad-sacks of political-party-poopers always whining about life having given them improper bootstraps that break when they pull, yet, they always manage to pull a bomb together? Those types can't possibly be Hindus... look at the fools... being all anti-MAGA and semi-MIGA with their masks; those can't help them from the radiation each is absorbing from their purse, what with each one having a nuclear bom—What's that? Oh, right. COVID. Um... well, I suppose...  but they're still terrorists, right? I mean... not to be Islamophobic or anything; I've nothing against any religious lamos; heck, if lame-o be lamo, is lamo is A-OK, I say, and me is no anti-Islamo man... but, I mean... um... those are still Muslims we're talking about, no? Can those things even get COVID? 

"At least they're not blacks," offers a voice sounding oddly like Thomas Sowell. "We didn't play scarcity right with them, but we're done unless politics doesn't disregard that one economic fundamental this time, which means it's now more important than ever that elites be satisfied in order to trigger a bottoms-up scarcity that keeps politicians stable."

What?!

Oh! Hold on. 

Yep, there we go. I had Rumble open in another browser window buried under all the rest; I must have hit "play" by mistake and getting radicalized as I typed.

It happens. MSNBC said so. Based on a piece from their site, their experts tell us that any racist thought that one may have externalized is the result of video bad bits rendered by the moral-degrading, Russia-approved and supremacist-backed, Canadian Rumble, these thoughts becoming entirely Trump's responsibility the instant they leave one's body and enter into a public dimension.

Sounds good to most, I bet; who wouldn't accept that? As long as a Trump or an analogue can be created and Russians still exist, then why should anything be the fault of any non-status-quo rocking establishment team-player?

That type of vilification of another has now been a defining characteristic and driver of Western foreign policy, especially that of the US, the constant, sudden rise of Hitler-esque figures posing a threat to Democracies and the world that the US must take down, or play a direct part in arming those who must, exemplify this well, the monster that had to be slayed not quite being that once properly examined, except if one considers it truly "evil" to counter the desires of any wants expressed by the US establishment, if well argued for by banks, corporations, and defense-obsessed psychopaths living in outdated manichean notions, being encouraged to do so through the institutions that have been shaped to impress the needed reality on which those in power now rely on as basis and justification for their decisions.

But, if I'm honest, I should probably get my glasses and reread some of that... making now a good time to ask if this, what I'm typing, it's in English, right? I'd hate to have to get more translators just to make sense of my own opinions; makes posting expensive.

Anyhow, back to that image: I grabbed it from a segment that had been disseminated via an Arab site in thanks to independent Indian reporters present at the 'rally'.

Distracted, I had initially believed myself to be on one of the standard Indian mainstream outlets, having accessed the site via a link provided in DMS&UY's aggregator. I was utterly surprised to see takes of such sour-faced and dubious Muslim women—to be sure: none with bombs (that we know of)—the reality witnessed not being one that instantly impresses the desired image of PM Modi, the India-supercharging rock star, images affirming just that being what viewers have been trained to expect, hence my surprise, I suppose, though things fell quickly back in line once I'd seized that I was on an Arab site.

Note that a good look at the picture suggests that one may be trying to look the part of a Western-style Eastern terrorist, and I think one may have gotten new gold earrings she wanted to show off, but, otherwise, the really striking part of the footage shown was how unexcited, eager to leave, and slightly miffed the vast majority appeared to be, Muslims seemingly present in much higher numbers than non-Muslims, the clear Hindus among them visibly more engaged and enthused.

This makes that header particularly relevant to this post albeit the implications not being readily evident, nor is it likely that the discrepancy that's offered by the content is readily recognized as such by most Westerners, while I've no clue if that would also be the case for many Indians for whom such footage may be common but framed in a negative anti-Modi way each time, this being a part of a wider campaign to paint the Muslims as a threat to Hindus (80% of pop.), the purity of India unachievable, the Hindutva project under menace, because Muslims hate Indians and want to kill them all.

Like ultra-nationalist sentiments in the West, such a view isn't the dominant one in India, but it is one I've heard expressed with varying intensity and occurrence rates, the times dictating just how much of a threat to Hindu life the minority Muslims represent, the fear felt there drawing many parallels with the one faced by easily-replaced small-town whiteys across the bible belt, and most parts of Utah, too. In other words, the form of nationalism that's slowly been swallowing up India has been, in some part, shaped by a hatred, the type of fearmongering and the tactics used resembling those employed by white nationalist groups in the US, Canada, and elsewhere, such as the Great Replacement that Tucker Carlson mocks his critics for accusing him of promoting it, as he's promoting it.

Unlike Canada or the US, where, for some time, nationalist groups have not been responsible for any targeted hatred leading to sustained mob violence resulting in hundreds to thousands of deaths in just a few days if not a few weeks, India has had to face several such moments with some degree of frequency since their independence, and anyone telling you it's either all the Hindus' fault or that it's all the Muslims' doing, they're either all Muslims or all Hindus.

If you've got some contrarian blood in you and normally vote conservative, I've a feeling you may have felt a strong impulse to blurt out "Wrong! There's the BLM town-torching riots, you fool!"

Are you sure? Think it through. The Charlottesville 1st Annual Neo-Nazi Tiki Tickle and Torch Strolling Festival that took place on 11-Aug-2017 is the most recent large-scale neo-Nazi gathering that comes even close to the riotous, open-violence-styled events like those that have periodically marked India since 1947, leaving several scars across the nation.

Yet, albeit the continued risks to India posed by the country's very own internal dynamics, Westerners asked which of the two—India or the US—is more likely to find itself in the grip of violent nationalists eager to inflict harm on a portion of the nation, the US is the answer most will return while reality indicates that India is the shurer bet.

None of that is meant as a way to establish a superlative between "us & them", Canada having it's own problems, just not those, while the number of gun-related deaths in the US spread over so many years eclipses the high number of riot-related deaths sustained in a short period within those same years. Using any of that as basis to offer 'quick' conclusions about any comparisons between nations centred on violence that would justify a "more than" statement are sure to find validity only in the broadest possible versions of such statements for most comparisons were these to be carefully broken down and considered outside of the stereotypical notions we all hold vis-à-vis some 'other'.

Yet, far too many seem to spend more time on spotting perceived cultural faux-pas and on identifying possible ambiguities, shaping them into the wanted version, where acknowledged details and events sculpt the desired foe, while those missed can't have any effect if they remain unknown.

But what motivates such unknowns, is the more interesting question, and how can we filter a "true unknown" from feigned ignorance or other types of lies aiming to deceive other parties about one's knowledge and true state of awareness concerning any details about any events?

As Information Technology reached a major stepping stone, sadly, we're being rushed along in one direction so that what receives very little proper attention is the fork in that road that this presents, the choice that's certain to be chosen by the populace being the one that elites are doing their best to stir all away from though they speak of change but refuse to alter their course in any manner, for the supremacist-fueled Western hold over the globe is what's being fought for, information being, so far, the main weapon unleashed on the West... by the West.

To understand and appreciate the full relevance of that header's content, one must afford careful consideration to the xenophobia and bigotry that provide easy means of manipulation, recent events showcasing that certain sentiments we loved to believe were no longer as relevant as they once were merely lay dormant, having been shamed into the shadows. The key differences relating to "level" and "scope" albeit entirely different targets, many parallels can be drawn with the racism that Trump's rhetoric had reawakened in 2016, exposing to all that the tangible progress sought on that issue was far from having been attained.

The first important revelation along that line came from the deep, easily-triggered Russophobia that had been revealed through a Russian SMO launched into east Ukraine, giving us plenty of moments wherein any lie, no matter how absurd, so long as it targeted Russians negatively or allowed one to attribute an evil deed to any Russian, was instantly taken as a truth warranting Putin's head on a pike and for Russia to be walled off.

Offering an entirely different handling justified through perspectives in stark contrast with what had been deemed sane, proper, and moral behaviour, anything outside of that falling into a traitorous sphere that deserved vilification and ostrification along with the "Putin Lover" label, the consequences of 7-Oct-2023 flipped the tables and freed a far more vicious vilification of those refusing to accept "insane" as the sane and proper reaction and course to a highly-manipulated and severely morally-flawed view of that October day; the failure to find any reasons that would justify any degree of that same "right to defend themselves" being applicable to Palestinians as a cause for Hamas' actions—the reductive, generalized perceptions of the group through a single branch also divulging much—can only be so and remain as such so long as one assigns a subhuman or animal status to Palestinians.

What that revealed was how ingrained and alive Islamophobia was in the West, for only crazed terrorists would ever complain about a harsh, oppressive violence being inflicted on them and on their family and pals over decades and then lash out one day. And only crazed-terrorist-lovers would put any effort toward not seeing the monstrous sexual depravity and devotion to a sadistic form of rape such "barbaric animals" practice.

And, while the violence of that day would have garnered little sympathy were reality anything close to what Zionists assure the world it is as they carefully hunt down the purest of Evil by blowing the shit out of more than not, just to be sure. Because, Hamas. True evil. Not because the occupiers with the far more savage army said so, but because, well, you know... Arab means Islam, which means terrorist, which translates into anyone whose real name is a bunch of squiggly lines is more than likely a terrorist.

The interpretations that had to be fought against, or the characterisation of certain interpretations, only a deep mistrust of Arabs linked to a deep hatred of Islamists can explain any of that, and only sustained propaganda efforts applied on the West through its mainstream media can explain how the stereotypes making such sentiments possible could have been shaped.

The sharp contrast that laid bare the deepest of hypocrisy given the emphasis on human rights that the US and other Western countries have continually leaned on to justify some intervention or other could only be downplayed through an appeal to terrorist tropes meant to shame anyone not offering their instant condemnation—there's only one acceptable answer to the most important question that must precede anything else one may say: Do you condemn Hamas?

Any of that and the skewed logic that absolves Israel of the abuses perpetrated through their measures and with the IDF, seeing no violations in their constant raids and only justifications in Tel-Aviv's treatment due to any Palestinian acts of aggression, only an ingrained belief in the claims that underline Islamophobia can possibly provide what's needed to impose such a one-sided, thus, semi-humane, view of any of the violence in the immediate region, for only a disturbing degree of callousness fueled by a deeply-held hatred against some group could provide what's needed for one to apply the "anti-Semitic" label on anyone presenting any friction against a slaughter and arguing the semantics around "cleansing" and "genocide" while survivors of the savagery inflicted so far are herded against a border where events are being shaped into offering "break into Egypt" or "be bombed" as their near-future.

Behind that header lies issues that relate to nationalism as well as the Indian Muslims' place and fears amidst the situation they find themselves in and the possible outcome they may face, the parallels with other areas torn by an ethnic divide growing more visible, but the ones shared with Gaza and the manner by which "Islam" has allowed a senseless slaughter to go as far is the one that, surely, is keeping many Indian Muslims up at night the nearer they get to those election results.

Seeing such carnage, the devastation; allowing one's mind to wander and wonder about the impact, the loss. Turning that inward. Could it have had a positive effect on Indian PM Modi, propelling him down a different course that seeks to temper the rage that's been stoked toward minorities in some areas that are simmering in wait for the right trigger to unleash a fierce, unforgiving violence out of a mob having been pushed to its boiling point?

Otherwise, all indicates that a strong Modi win will likely result in extreme violence toward Muslims as they're driven out of the country, this being for the most part out of Modi's hands and up to the hate-filled and vindictive Hindutva spirit that's cultivated an exuberantly devoted and familiar national pride, one that's underappreciated and under the threat of 'others', hence, the level of hatred that responds to any populism tends to correspond with a region's general living conditions, and the more destitute and desperate an area is, the more violence one can expect being inflicted on a single minority group.

It's a two-way street: if the roots of a given hatred aren't present, such a populism will have difficulty taking hold, while any form of populism provides a means of quickly tapping into a superficial form of power that, in turn, without real substance to offer, motivates the feeding of a hatred that people respond to in order to retain that power.

Populism is always presented as a negative by elites and elite-serving entities, and as a simple conduit into people's actual wants by those who stand to gain from the exploitation of popular sentiments, framing such forms as simply "acting for the people; giving them what they ask." 

But shouldn't democracies be a reflection of populism? In a sense, in an ideal world, yes, absolutely. But if the Internet hasn't made clear just how manipulated and warped popular opinions can be, and how senselessly tribalistic political discourse can become, this on any given subject, then stop reading here, for what follows is applicable to earth dwellers only.

•       •       •

The perception of some other as a function of one's government isn't a topic that's readily discussed in terms of a nationalist identity examined from a sociological perspective, although aspects of the applied propaganda methods of a government are often examined, but always in a post hoc manner and when those responsible are no longer in the picture as concerns the West, or as a justification to classify another nation's entire media apparatus and any official statements as propaganda, expecting its public to unquestionably accept that anything that may contradict Western versions is pure garbage that only weak-minded people could give any credence to.

Russians and Arabs could definitely tell us much about being at the receiving end of Western 'disinfo' campaigns that were served up to sell some war, and of their lasting effects on an entire ethnic group. 

Certainly, as concerns the West, vestiges of the Cold War mentality that had been forged out of only bleak and horrid impressions of the Soviet Union that had been forced on us and shaped into a symbol of the constant menace that drew fear hadn't disappeared, the hatred that had been associated with set characteristics established in those stereotypes that had been created and exploited by Western media throughout the Cold War  were instantly reawakened, individuals more than ready to assign all blame on a clear enemy and earthly foe, convinced that Putin, being evil incarnate, needed to be assassinated at all costs. 

Oddly, that opinion relies on a frightening amount of gullibility and a deep trust in one's media that's in contradiction with all that the polls and surveys and statements made regarding any lack of trust in media tell us, corporate media—those who push the establishment-serving narrative—being those with the really shameful numbers.

Further, another aspect worth examining is the effortless transfer of related sentiments from those present during the Cold War to those too young to have experienced that period, yet, the desire they voiced to see grotesque violence and death inflicted on Russians was taken as a normal part of the chorus on the side of good. Only a blatant disregard for far too much can validate such a view, likewise if one wasn't struck by the seemingly innate hatred toward a conveniently-targeted  other that was expressed by large segments of the younger age groups.

But, with too many of the 'wrong' pictures making their way to the public, and, so, because similar tactics didn't produce a similarly-desired effect on these same young-adults and teens as concerns the proper view and the correct, single foe responsible for all Israeli and Gazan woes, efforts to apply a greater control on media is the corrective course sought by the White House and US Congress, a move encouraged and backed by India, having already banned TikTok out of a clear hatred of the Chinese dressed up as data and security concerns with the proof being the mere mention of "communist party" said with apparent disdain.

The last, when considered against the many "mind your own business" statements made by current BJP officials, provides a great example of one of the side effects of ideology once embraced as a way of life: an utter lack of self-awareness.

•       •       •

All of the above raises interesting questions regarding free speech and the role of media, these being equally meaningful to the West, East, Global South, Whitey West, Non-Antarctica, or, simply, in any country, but, for this one, I focus on India for the material it provides and the news environment it operates under, which offers the clearest case of a media being both bound and driven by ethno-religious beliefs, hence, this imposes an added layer that should force a proper reevaluation of "Democracy" along with "meddling", Indians being the biggest hypocrites imaginable on that front.

Two aspects make Indian media an interesting case, which I examine free of the animosity I may have expressed in its regard in the past; these are:

1. The advertising scheme instituted by the BJP, which forces media outlets to be favourable to the BJP or forego the thought of any ad dollars going their way, which most rely on to survive.

2. The prominence of Hindutva adherents and the influence and aggressive nature of the RSS.

The second gives us a particular view that, in one way or another, informs the majority of media across the world through the national bond each identify under, but in India's case, it does so without pretense, albeit not promoting itself as that.

The issue is: Hindutva doesn't allow the public dissemination of anything that portrays India in a bad light; Hindus and Hindi culture must always be celebrated.

•       •       •

As one can imagine, this gives us plenty of cases featuring one of the more upsetting forms of a clear bias being applied that many readily identify as "hypocrisy". Simply, comparable news stories are given an entirely different treatment, the only variable affecting aspects key to one's interpretation being the "who" concerned.

A Firstpost "Vantage" segment from Wednesday's episode provides a clear-cut example, should anyone have caught any of the host's coverage of the unemployment and economic situation in China.   

The instant China's numbers reflected low employment among the youth, this was instantly sold to viewers as Chinese mismanagement and the country going to shits, Xi Jinping ought to resign, while here, in India, we're the bright spot and fastest GDP growth place of rainbows...   

However, with the International Labour Organisation's numbers being out and their report stating that "the total unemployed youth almost doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to 65.7% in 2022," the state propagandists dutifully put a different spin on even worse figures.

It's not mismanagement or poor decisions if India, it's the [nameless] government doing it's best in the face of "a tall ask", what with the Wuhan Virus—making sure she hit the name hard—which is an external cause and what's to blame for India's numbers, unlike China's.

India faces tough employment challenges, but it's a global situation when India is central to such stories, and, not surprisingly, this not being a segment glorifying India, PM Modi's name was omitted entirely, the BJP not being mentioned once 

This type of manipulation can manifest itself at the individual level, the result of personal feelings or beliefs, and it can also be an organisational issue, such as those in power applying control over acceptable views expressed, however, frequency along with consistency across a media landscape most assuredly makes it state propaganda, hence, a governmental issue.

Albeit a simple case, it's visible across most news landscapes, where very important moral and ethical issues are casually side-stepped and aggressively defended should anyone not disregard the behaviour, as expected, so that calling it out for falling outside the bounds of respectable journalism now earns one a negative label and the same treatment usually reserved for conspiracy weirdos.

The tribalism seen from small indie outlets is a more pointed form of that behaviour.  

What's seen from the main institutional media houses that are readily associated with a nation, be it those in Canada, the US, across Europe, or the world, and, especially, India, and in light of the all-reaching, borderless info world now provided by the Internet, opens up many questions concerning the legality of disseminating some views, while a wider, shared understanding of "meddling" needs to be defined, especially for those who complain of it the most.        

Hindutva, State, and Media

The always reactive and insanely biased state tool that is mainstream media in India promptly amplified the ministry's message as they chided the US for "lecturing India" and "meddling in India's internal affairs" after a US State Dept. spokesperson offered the following when asked to comment on the arrest of several governmental people allegedly involved in a bribing scheme over liquor licences:

"We encourage a fair, transparent, and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal"

"Wrong answer," snips Vantage's Palki Sharma, "'No comment' is the correct answer."

She's one of the country's main State PR persons as, under the guise of being a newsperson, she fronts what's been specifically created as a main, openly-operating, external-facing propaganda arm of the BJP government, its primary goals being the projection of a positive image of India, shaping internal and external impressions that are in line with Hindutva goals, and helping New Delhi in policing opinions on India voiced anywhere in the world, amplifying to ridiculous levels anything perceived as praising India while spewing endless venom aimed at anyone commenting on any aspects of the country that may be taken as a criticism, the last betraying a disturbing level of insecurity that's present alongside the aforementioned lack of self-awareness.

The reaction to that 13-word comment from a US spokesperson is far from what I'd qualify as precocious and normal behaviour, yet, this is highly typical of the Modi government, and, after all, "Mind your own business" is the country's External Affairs Minister's catch-phrase, slogan, and autoreply.

The Germans also dared to comment when asked by the press, to which "the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'protested [the] German Foreign Office Spokesperson's comments' issuing a statement in which 'We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary.'"

The chiron then offered, under India having slammed the US and Germany, "New Delhi says that casting aspersions on Indian judiciary unwarranted."

Yet, actually, frankly... there's much to suggest otherwise, many aspects relating to "perspectives" and the views that have been cultivated about some other. 

Also, let's be real clear: the current Indian government is one that "meddles" far more in other countries affairs, but simply does so less directly, relying on a vast network of RSS-controlled outlets across the globe to push Indian views in a more subtle way, and on its mainstream media and dedicated  propaganda outlets like Firstpost to push and bully a given view openly, sinking to absurd levels of unprofessionalism at times, as was witnessed from their reaction and handling of the Khalistani affair following the assassination of an Indian-Canadian Sikh.

In a recent podcast touching on politics, its hosts, discussing global divisions and how a potential China-India conflict may shape the globe, qualified Canada as being "anti-India". I then heard another mention of Canada being anti-India and decided to locate the source behind such an erroneous thought.

It came from propagandist Palki Sharma, meddling in other countries' affairs but either too dumb or too ideologically brain-damaged to realize that she's a state tool and doing far worse meddling than anything for which she spouts attitude and throws tantrums over.

Within a two month period, Firstpost alone posted at least 113 videos wilfully spreading lies and false impressions of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, continually attacking him, despicably viciously at times, simply for having advised Canadians of an ongoing investigation in which the Indian government refused to cooperate.

But she knows she's a state tool; she's well aware she's bending truth to present a false but positive image of India no matter what, as I've plenty of examples of.

That said, Sharma meddled far more in our affairs, for example, during the Freedom Convoy, justifying her BS and venom because Trudeau had dared offer support to the protesting farmers that New Delhi was happy to beat on and hose down. Heaven forbid the propagandist meddler should, in turn, really mind her own business, not just say it to others, in which case she may be shocked to learn why India is ranked as it is in the many global indices available? 

Although I see much positive in India developing its own Democracy Index, which I'll discuss in a part 2, the aspects of Hindutva that define what's acceptable news and, given the level of responsibility and accountability of the media, this is just more of India seeing itself as a global leader and devising and implementing more propaganda means with which to enforce that view on others.