For those without the fantastic means or professional requirements that sustain globetrotters, interest in keeping abreast of the global scenario can be quenched enough by national and international media and occasional interaction with foreign nationals.
Considering aspects like philosophy, politics and commerce, one may form a less erroneous picture of what’s abuzz and what’s not by scanning the mainstream media along with the alternative media and the openly anti-establishment bodies- many of whom appear to be intent on floating ‘conspiracy theories’ or whatever that is required to counter the general view of the ‘establishment’ just for the heck of it or as part of a planned market strategy.
In some time an observer might comprehend how capitalism directs communist governance, how totalitarianism is at times disguised as democracy and how the profit motive fantastically unites even mutually opposed ideologies.
The current global scenario in general appears to be in a state of flux with the actions of natural and human-made forces presenting an image akin to the stereotypical ‘good against evil’ tale. The global media speaks of battles killing multitudes including non-combatants, attempts to influence or erase cultures, communities and environment, religious and other fanatics with blood lust, progressive developments with responsible citizens ensuring elected or appointed public servants do the needful, communities and nations rising above tragedies coming to terms with their past and present.
Armed attacks by individuals and organisations differentiated by packaging and jargon have for some time now been part of routine life in parts of the globe though recent years have seen a surge in armed attacks apparently motivated by religious and cultural factors even in the developed nations considered to be secure and better equipped to tackle such threats.
The outrage expressed and demands made by opposing sides often reveal obstinate inability to actually learn from past experiences and take proper action. Regarding the recent terror attacks, it may seem like a disproportionate generalisation to call it comeuppance for the now developed societies which have a history of perpetuating unimaginably worse killings, torture, crimes and unethical practices in diplomacy and business affairs compared to current scenario.
Not that people should face vengeance for the crimes of those ancestors who were often marauding invaders colonizing native-inhabited lands gradually through the business of warfare and aggressive marketing. However, rest assured that we in Uttarakhand and beyond too will soon face consequences of the persistent follies that are either ignored or exacerbated especially in ‘developmental’ activities affecting the environment, culture and composition of society.
The advent of rainfall in Uttarakhand has already killed dozens of people and hundreds of domesticated animals in landslides, flash floods and varied accidents. In many such cases, it is starkly evident that little if any has been learnt by the authorities and society in general from the June 2013 disaster which had claimed the lives of thousands of visitors from across the nation and abroad in addition to the locals. This year while villagers died in floods in the mountains, others continued encroaching along the banks of Rispana and Bindal rivers in Dehradun.
Some cite disasters this season in Pithoragarh, Chamoli and Uttarkashi, stating that the establishment, not learning from past errors, has continued - even stepped up unscientific and unnecessary construction and schemes as if to prod Nature saying “…remember the place where raging flood waters had swept away heavy vehicles like paper boatsIJ Well, we have laid foundation for a multi-storeyed parking at a spot not far from that site - let’s see what Nature does now. Oh and yes, in the area sanctified by proximity to the Kedarnath shrine where calamity had killed multitudes, we have arranged for thousands of people to stay overnight also laying foundation for a meditation and discourse centre in a place where the ‘unenthusiastic’ prefer the serenity and majesty of Shiva amidst the Himalayas and simplicity of the native culture.”
Whatever such compulsive skeptics state, the politicians, officials and dealers –depending on political and personal status—hone their skills, extol or lambast developmental claims and go about their business as if nothing has changed. Some consider this a progressive attitude while others identify it as the tendency to ignore or exacerbate follies till the preventable becomes unavoidable.