Friday, December 17, 2010

Our communication with the Media leadership for the cause of reinventing democracy

Kind attn: Mr.N. Ram
The HINDU Newspaper, Chennai

Dear Mr.N.Ram,

Warm Greetings from 'CONSCIENCE OF THE SOCIETY', an NGO based in Delhi that stands for philosophic initiatives into CAUSES of Reason, Fraternity, and more centrally, REINVENTING DEMOCRACY !

This desperate note to you is not as a reaction to the current media scam gate, though it is the reason for my taking this opportunity now to write to you as my note may appear more relevant at this juncture.

The scam was bound to happen. I was individually attempting to wake up the media on their central role in 'world making', since 1990s, as my inner philosophic call was there from my child hood. From my single man office at GK-1 during the early 1990s, I used to fax almost daily to all the leading newspaper editors about their said role. It was a heightened stage of my creativity. Indian council of philosophic research awarded me a Residential Fellowship for completing my work,' advaita metaphysics'. Many of my philosophical articles were published in the Malayalam weekly called 'New Delhi today' during this period.

Last year, I formed this NGO named 'Conscience of the society' to fomalize my efforts. I discovered that the task of reinventing media is not possible before the greater evil is attended first, ie. our badly deformed and disfigured DEMOCRACY. I configured 'reinventing democracy' as the central cause of this NGO and started communicating with almost all leaders in the media, except you. This week, when I saw you at Headlines Today TV debate, I realized my folly. My efforts must have started from you, as I found people treating you as one of the elderly leaders of Indian media.

Mr.Ram, none of the mails sent in this respect to Mr.Vir Sanghvi was accepted by his 'counter point' (HT)mail box! It always bounced for some reason. Though Barkha Dutt's mails went ahead. She never ever cared to even acknowledge our mails ! Can I take the liberty to attach few of my said mails here?

Even during the heated debate in Headlines Today, or any other channel on this subject, none of the participants mentioned the dire need of attending the greater problem, the root problem, that of our political system based on democracy. As our NGO was researching on the theme of reinventing democracy for many years, will you look at your blog spot for many write-ups depicting the theme at various angles at Link:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/14249415589712707293

There are few blogs specifically depicting various aspect of this issue, especially ' WHY REINVENTING DEMOCRACY A DIRE NEED OF OUR AGE' (this was basically our circular mail intended for our MPs,now reshaped as a blog) 'INFLUX OF CAPITALISTIC VALUES INTO DEMOCRACY' etc.

In Democracy, fundamentally we are all people first - -the leaders, journalists (4th estate in general) and the common citizens. The term 'estates' was relevant only during the reign of Kings. Now the distinction and separation was supposed to end. The boarder lines was expected to totally blur. The fundamental problem with journalism is that, like the leader class and the politicians, media men too have opted to separate themselves into a niche class themselves, a different ESTATE from common citizens.

This fact is very evident from today's HT article by Rajdeep Sardesai, 'A STING IN THE TALE'. He says 'in the classical mould, a journalist should be the guerrilla in the system', looking at expose and investigate...but he has co-opted into the power elite, when he should really be the quintessential outsider'. In the role of guerrilla, or the quintessential outsider, when their central activity is to report political news, the reality of politics with its all the sins, dirt and irrationality gets indirectly legitimized and highly institutionalized.

A is needed for B to gain its identity by the principle of existence by association. By their silly act of following the politician even till his bathroom, that segment has gained a distinct and permanent entity in the system, though they were supposed be only people like us in democracy with 'CUSTODIAN-SHIP' of assigned responsibilities. Now, both the segments created and legitimized their roles in the system, ISOLATING THE COMMON CITIZEN into the most  powerless lobby. He has left with the old King-Time like status of 'powerless' state subject.

Media men, if remained the real symbol of peoples voice, and society's conscience, democracy would not have become so deformed and twisted from its destined spirit and meaning. Now there is no 'outsider' to act as 'guerrillas' against the system except the ever agitating maoists and naxalists, or the hardcore terrorists! Even society's  true intellectuals(Arundhati Roy etc) are stamped as 'non-patriots'  by the Media and state, as the former two segments only form the SYSTEM. I request you to read my blog ' a different story on the origin of establishment' that throws some light into the root of this calamity.

Media, unlike the political leadership, always enjoyed the confidence of the people as 'watch dogs' in the system. With the recent scam, this confidence also has been damaged as the truth has, at least partially, come out open. It was like raping a daughter by her father, who had the traditional role in protecting her!

Mr.Ram, the call for reinventing democracy need not a call for any revolution. It is not a call by any segment against any other segment, or ESTATE in the system. A series of EDITORIALS from people like you, followed by related articles, seminars, tv debates at the behest of the traditional WATCH-DOGS of the system, the MEDIA, will do the trick. It is a call involving the open minded political men, and nothing against them. It is the need of our age. It will only show our age in good light by our future generations. It will only make India its intellectual leaders in the democratic world.

I am sure you are aware of the similar, or heightened distrust and dissatisfaction of public in USA about their democracy and mainstream media. Most of my US citizens Facebook friends take refuge in non-mainstream internet sources like DEMOCRACYNOW.com,FREEPRESS.com, Grittv.com etc. for objective news. The latest exposure of CANADIAN PM's financial collaboration with Rupert Murdoch for mainstream media ventures has eroded the trust of the public further.

Hence, we humbly request HINDU, and you personally to step-in to do something in the direction of reinventing our democracy. It would only show you and Hindu in good stead by the world. So far, our many 'mails to letters@thehindu' never had any response. I am sure this time it won't be the story!

Our web site(www.conscienceofthesociety.com) is not so brilliantly made, as I am the sole soldier available for the struggle. Only a tiny minority like you are available in the country to realize the relevance, and great importance of the CAUSE that we try to highlight. Hence kindly take the cause of 'reinventing democracy' yourself and the entire media leadership. This exercise will definitely see the other segment also re-defined, your own media.

Sorry for the sheer length of the text !

Warm Regards,
Founder secretary

Conscience of the society-an NGO that stands for philosophic initiatives into causes of Reason, Fraternity and reinventing democracy.

(Note: This is the text of the mail sent to Mr.N.Ram, the prominent media leader in the country during December 2010)