I have recently completed the book "The Free Voice" . As on the 3rd May, World Press Freedom Day, let us celebrate the free voice. This book is a kind of satire along with political ideas. We were brought up in society where we learnt to keep silent.(when you are a girl then you must) This book has so many different ideas with lots of facts, figures and references.
In the preface the writer talked about mobs who have power to do anything, with reference to Tabrez Ansari's case and how the media serve this news like dessert in drawing rooms of the elite. Importance of fresh and free thinking with figures and facts depicted here.
The few scholars who did speak of it have been marginalized. Mobs don't have a truth to feel proud about, that is why they believed in falsehood. People's ability to ask questions is diminished. Parents and teachers tell everyone to not ask questions. He talked about #whatsapp_university.
One of the finest sentences in the book is this. How authority forced us to not just speak only carefully but not to speak. Here some of the words used for satire like #lapdog, #godimedia etc. "There is law in Operation, the law of fear." How this mob and whatsapp University play major role to impute fear in people's mind. Most of the time people remain silent, because though they want to support the mob, they become part of it. "To be afraid is to be civilized."🙃 And yes be aware act of questioning #king/cortier too can transform you into a minority.
In next chapter, writer talked about #Robopublic. Fake news is a tool that "Power" uses to transport citizens to an alternative reality, forgetting their real and urgent problems. This is a kind of game to play with so called 'voters'. If someone is raising their voice then they become anti-national that's what the thing is.
Here is list of websites which is free from #fear.
1. altnews.in
2. indispend.com
3. boomlive.com
4. www.hoaxslayer.net
5. mediavigil.com
We must make a valiant effort to make youth and people aware about what is happening. We are never in doubt. We swallow whatever we are given without question. There are lots of people who spread rumors, how nice it is that there is punishment for rumor-mongers but none for those who believe in them.
Additionally, Writer provides lots of references from Congress government, AAP Party, Samajwadi Party, BJP and vice versa. Our recently studied writer "Arundhati Roy '' is also cited here for her injustice and spread of rumors due to fake news. And famous personalities abuse her. That is quite a question.
In the next chapter there is detailed description of project of #installing_fear. He used political jargon in it. "Converting every people in mob into a possible killer-this too is an ongoing process."
He satires on this so called #twitter handle. People are using it for creating fame, especially politicians and the media that want them to follow them back. What is more ironic is that apart from focusing on the development of the country they are playing a game of follow-unfollow. When you are at a certain stage you must be aware who you follow on such handles that's what he is trying to say in it. Our society and the responsible people support 'beti bachao, beti padhao' only at slogan level.
He used a perfect reference of Hitler's Germany. I was not aware about the history of it so it provides me with some ideas. How ideologies forcefully put into the mob. That was quite shocking for me to know about the history of it. To become a mob, at any place, at any time, it is to become Hitler's Germany.
In the next chapter, Being a people he stated examples of our Rishi like Chanakya. Human bombs are the most dangerous for people. Germany's people studied the history of Nazi so that they would repent. Can our people do this ? Idea of loss of reputation connected with only a higher class of people. It is important to have a plurality of parties and ideologies.
In democracy, the people come first in all senses, the system is meant to serve them, be answerable to them. He said that to create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion is also a form of terrorism. "Be a film star's fan or cricketer's, but never be a politician's fan." We don't elect any leader to give stunning speeches rather for work.
People have fear of being dissenter (virodhi). If we are not vigilant in our rights in a democracy, it doesn't matter how much bournvita we consume.
Most of the time we remain silent, but actually society teaches us to be. So that when we need people to take a stand for us there is no one.
In which he provided ample examples of Facebook posts which were questioned. Due to the reputation of politicians and famous figures it had been detected. Fortunately, I was also privileged to be the victim of deleting Facebook posts. As my classmates and I were aware about water's value, we saw exactly the opposite. Big Brother is watching everything, we met at great fate. Though we had supportive leaders who stood with us.
" There is a lot that we don't question, a lot that we just don't see."
To have faith is a good thing, no doubt. But that faith should rest on the foundation of facts, not emotions. It is proved that two percent of the population hold ninety percent of wealth. Other percent of people mostly remain silent when they speak, there will be revolt.
Talking about a leader's skill, where one leader dwarfs the landscape, there will be no 'lok' only 'tantra'. Only a hollowed system and temple of falsehood.
In the next chapter he talked about #Baba and their ideologies. Coincidentally, we all, especially women, were brought up by hearing this story. Somehow I also believe in a kind of ritual like Rishi Panchami but as soon as I matured I learnt that this is not true. One best reality he told is that when the poor take refuge with a baba for the sake of spiritualism, it becomes superstition; when the rich take refuge , it becomes a stress-management course. One more thing is that our political leaders use religion as a weapon.
In the next chapter ' How we love' he made reference to bollywood films, and talked about how there is no space for lovers and love. Numerous murders happened just because of love, you are very well aware of what is its reason, of course caste. " If you have only loved work, then what use is life ? If you are never possessed by the madness to look for hours into another's eye."(Ishq) That's what he stated for people who didn't acknowledge the value of love or feelings. He used a reference from the movie 'Rudaali'''s song " Jis man ko lage naina, woh kisko dikhaoon. " Writer told to be love-friendly.
He throws light upon #dowry like, a women must be only commodity whose price is fixed by a man's worth.🙃 Money along with a bride. After all, the bride is the #dowry herself. (Satire)
In the next chapter, 'The fundamental right to privacy', the writer depicted the value of this law. One can have the right to question and criticize the Government, it can strengthen Indian democracy. He described the whole process of making the law and how it was declared and how it will defend people and stand by them. But no right is absolute. There will always be reasonable restrictions. So we must fight for privacy means to raise a voice.
Writer whole heartedly criticize #Mainstream_media. We learnt to ignore the things and when we learn to ignore the reality, it is no laughing matter. He put forward examples of our martyrs, Guru Ravidas and Kabir and Geeta. Free medias are
1. The Wire
2. The Scroll
3. The Caravan
4. The Telegraph.
In the next chapter, "Reading 1984 in 2019" , he made reference to George Orwell's 1984. He was quite amazed that it is relatable in the present time.
" They no longer have a mind of their own, no sense of discernment." Welcome to the new republic, you have become the #party. Those who have not and must pay the price.
In the very last chapter, it is about Independence day celebration. "A person without compassion is a savage underneath the banner of piety and religiosity. If you have achieved dominance over any kind of hatred within yourself, increased your level of tolerance, you have the right to celebrate Independence day. If you don't hate another religion or community, you can celebrate it. If you have raised your voice against hatred, or faced war, within yourself, you can celebrate it.
So this is how he combined all the ideas from different times and places.
In a way, this book takes more than 15 days to complete. I learned more than 150 new words throughout the book. (Beginner of reading English you know.) I used to sit with a pencil and highlighter to find new words and interesting facts/quotes. This book is in a way, came up with new ideas and ideologies. Some were too new to me. If you believe in facing new realities and are ready to be overthinker then you must have to read this book. It will definitely give you a new way to question and understand the world around you in a better way.
Thank you.❤️💫
Indian Poetics and Aesthetics This blog is the part of thinking activity task of Indian Poetics. In ancient time in India ...
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