Change...

Change is inevitable, desirable and continuous. And with change comes a load of other issues viz. Resistance, inhibitions and fear. As is often said "People fear what they don't know". The fear of the unseen, unheard and unknown makes people reluctant to step out of their routine and the "comfort zone" thereof. But change is not always avoidable just as it is not always for the worse. As age, maturity, priorities change so do the needs. And new results can not be achieved by doing the same thing over and over again. This is why it is imperative that we change! But it’s necessary to avoid the chaos oft associated with the changes. As Alfred North Whitehead had once observed; "The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order." That is a daunting challenge for many of us. We cannot cope up with the change. Most of us, in fact, do not even understand the need to at times. Be it a piece of logic that fails to work or a relationship that is no longer intact. It is very difficult to let go and move on. More often that not we are still working on the same thing over and over again, letting go of many other good opportunities in the process. The inability to change impairs our natural growth process rendering us obsolete in the long run. It suffices to say that the reluctance to change more often than not kills the charm of life.
Falling into destructive patterns that do not work inhibits our growth as individuals. But stepping out of the cocoons that we have created for ourselves requires loads of practice, resolve and hard work... So what is it that we need to do? Stick with the same drab routine all our life or let the fresh and radical thoughts step in by making a few daring moves?
The choice is for us to make. Change or Perish!

A new headache! Sting Journalism...

Ah! Those hidden cameras. Many a swamy caught cavorting on the web. Leading film stars and the proverbial “casting couch”. Politician underworld nexus.

Tales that elicit collective disbelief and gasps… A peep hole that shows us how dirty indeed is life. While we are left with a bad taste in the mouth the selfless journalists who did it all to merely bring the true state of affairs to the aam junta is laughing all the way to the bank.

What has our world been reduced to? Do any of these journalists act according to what their profession once stood for, namely honor and integrity?

For the sake of high TRPs are we barging right into the lives of the rich and famous…? Are we intruding into the breathing spaces? Ok! You, some gung-ho journalist do not believe in horoscopes and other superstitious crap. That is your private wish. If I believe it does it harm you? No? You respect my opinion of what I choose to believe and what I choose to ignore, right? Then why does that same right hold true for Aishwarya Rai or the Bachans. Must you do a full length documentary on how silly it is for her to agree to do a grahashanti pooja?

Then there was nude MMS of Mallika Sherawat doing rounds. In both print and electronic media, not to forget individuals who were furiously forwarding the dope through SMSes. Ultimately turned out to be a cleverly computerized hoax. Poor babe! Already over-exposed and under-covered, did she really need this one? On a serious note though, does any of those journalist verify the authenticity of the shots taken? Or are the ethical issues washed over the slezometers?

My journalist friends must be cringing at every word here. “How dare you abuse our honorable intentions? We do it for public awareness? With selfless intentions. And you accuse us no end?” Yeah right! Public awareness indeed. For the sake of justice indeed. How many of the catchy headlines has the media pursued till the end? How many of the journos have strived with the not-so-hot anymore news? Why is Aman Varma still such a big star? Why is Shakti Kapoor moving around as if nothing ever happened? What happened to all those army officers implicated in the arms dealings?

Does the common man need the info which is loaded on him? Was Shaheed Kareena smooch actually of any relevance to any of us?
Stories that lack sense, shows people in bad taste and creates spiteful scenes causes undue loss of faith and credibility on the journalists. Serious viewers are skeptical about tuning into news channels. Sleaze, unwanted re-runs on stories of little relevance tend to put them off.

What is it the media is trying to gain with the sting journalism? What is it that it is losing in the process? Is the trade-off worth it?

Ethics? This is the mad mad ad world!

Ram Sir had once remarked, ”If you are the kinds who surfs channels endlessly just to catch a glimpse of your favorite ad then MBA Marketing should be a natural choice for you.”

As an ad-lover I have indeed browsed channels many a times missing AB Baby flicks too. Just to be able to catch that cute Nescafe ad or that “Kuch khaas hai zindagi mein” musical. “A cup of black coffee please…” would have me in splits while the Hutch puppy is my favorite example of people should not behave in love.

But what’s with the ads these days? I mean where is the credibility of big firms gone? Where has that creativity gone? Ads that make you pause think and then search for the ad again are so rare these days.

What is not so rare is irresponsible and utterly juvenile attempts of promoting the products.

What does a dame in red lingerie have to do with a bike? What is common to a nude woman a cuppa coffee? Why does a salesman riding a bike need to demonstrate gravity (and traffic rules) defying stunts? How relevant is the nudity, violence and action to the product the ad is selling?

Big names in the corporate world these days pool in bigger celebrities to endorse their products. The reason: Each celebrity had a degree of credibility to his/her name. An Aishwarya Rai endorsing Lux/Lakme product promises many a young woman of beauty that is comparable to her own. An Amitabh Bachan, a legendary Indian no doubt, makes a worthy brand ambassador for India Poised. But why does a Shah Rukh Khan or a Smriti Irani need to endorse their respective Cola brands irrespective of available proofs of their adulterated products? And how else do you explain the change of loyalties of many a cricket stars from the cricket grounds to the photo shoots?

Then there in the anathema of surrogate advertising… Products that are banned from being marketed in the written and print media are being cloaked under different guises and being sold to the public. Who associates the Haywards brand with mineral water? Does Seagram remind to of music hits EVER…

The growing “friendly” jabs at rival companies also tend to present the corporate tolerance in pretty bad light. SPRITE and PEPSI ads while tad amusing for a first time view, tends to look childish, boorish and almost spiteful at times. What is the excuse the companies have to offer for such bad ads? With crores and crores of rupees being poured in this field every year, why is a corresponding change not visible in the quality of ads that are being churned out?

What is it that we, the common people, the viewers, the ad lovers can do about it?

Here I am...

Ordinarily the page would have had close to ten new articles by now... Reason: No more work in project these days. But funnily this state of affairs has induced an unspeakable bout of laziness in me. No matter how long I sleep I long to sleep some more… But then enough is enough… Need to get some discipline back in life, right? I am signing off with a promise that I am working on a few drafts that will get in some kind of shape sometime soon. So keep checking out of me people!