I want to discuss here how the concept of boycott can be both used & misused.
The concept of satyagraha or boycott is a great concept. But it can easily be misused. I wanted to refrain from writing about it for the very same reason as a solution in my note "Social Dictatorship/Moral police" (read here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=180570371983386 )
Personally I've always disliked Gandhi but his idea of non-violence was great. I hated that notion too, until sometime back. Then I realized that violence only begets violence. So if you're against a better equipped or stronger enemy, non-violence is obviously the best route, from a totally businesslike point of view, disregarding all high & lofty philosophies.
The obvious question will be: If Gandhi's technique was so good, how can it be misused?
The answer is the Chauri-Chaura incident! During the non-violent movement led by Gandhi, at one point of time a mob got berserk & went on an out-and-out violent rampage & gave the British Raj what it deserved! But that's the point, a crowd/ a mob CAN'T think. A person CAN! A herd CANNOT think, an individual CAN! For those who have read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar or even the famous speech scene by Mark Antony at Caesar's funeral (in the play). [Here's a link to that speech: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=182639215109835 . If you want to read the whole play you can visit:http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1120 . Its copyright has run out & has been put in public domain.] Politicians have been doing the same for years! If if want to catch a master criminal, think like him. Both Professor Moriarty(Napoleon of crime) & Sherlock Holmes [thought unconventionally and] in a similar manner. Sherlock Holmes also said in one of his stories that had he not been a detective, he might have been a burglar ! Similarly to catch the politician off guard, we have to think like him/her.
I'll be pasting in brackets a part of my note Social Dictatorship & then put forward its solution by satyagraha & the pros and cons of such an approach:
[ Another example is a scene from No one killed Jessica, the reporter (Rani Mukherjee) cares about society, justice & such high and lofty ideals & ill treats her domestic help, who might even be a minor(child labour)! In real life Barkha Dutt is similar(2g scam)! I feel the middle class acted in the Jessica case it felt threatened from the rich & powerful. But what about the Rizwanur Rehman case?! Fans of SRK should feel good that he cancelled the ads he was to do for those criminals'(Todis' Lux undergarments) products; but he did it under pressure from fans' response. ;)What about Ruchika Gehrotra? Nothing happened to Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore because the middle class feels threatened as they aspire to loot 7 abuse from posh civil services jobs. That's why IPS Mehta's killers got away. And this mentality starts from as simple a thing as “ragging”. Today you bully, tomorrow you arson, the next day you kill! Its the truth. Its the mentality.]
The solution is total boycott. Shopkeepers should stop selling them essential commodities, vegetable sellers should also stop selling them grocery. Make them go without food. Now there are 2 questions that might come up here.
2. Vegetable sellers are poor. How will they survive?
Answer: There are marwadi sabhas, Jain sabhas, Ulemas, etc. that help people in times of difficulty. During festivals people shell out tens to a few hundreds as "chanda"(subscription to puja functions). A locality has around some 10,000 people. Each person putting in just Re.1 monthly will do the trick. How many families go above Rs.10,000 per month on groceries?!
1. How can it be misused? (This is of greater interest)
Answer: What do the khap panchayats(in Haryana) or such mob justice/ mafia justice systems do?! MURDER AS PER PUBLIC OPINION.
Similar instances: SATI; WITCH HUNTING IN JHARKHAND;..........
So, in effect, I think that any such mass implementations don't work.
Reason?
Few people control the thinking(castrate the thinking) of other people in the crowd! That's why we're in such a mess today.
My only earnest request: THINK. THINK. THINK
The concept of satyagraha or boycott is a great concept. But it can easily be misused. I wanted to refrain from writing about it for the very same reason as a solution in my note "Social Dictatorship/Moral police" (read here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=180570371983386 )
Personally I've always disliked Gandhi but his idea of non-violence was great. I hated that notion too, until sometime back. Then I realized that violence only begets violence. So if you're against a better equipped or stronger enemy, non-violence is obviously the best route, from a totally businesslike point of view, disregarding all high & lofty philosophies.
The obvious question will be: If Gandhi's technique was so good, how can it be misused?
The answer is the Chauri-Chaura incident! During the non-violent movement led by Gandhi, at one point of time a mob got berserk & went on an out-and-out violent rampage & gave the British Raj what it deserved! But that's the point, a crowd/ a mob CAN'T think. A person CAN! A herd CANNOT think, an individual CAN! For those who have read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar or even the famous speech scene by Mark Antony at Caesar's funeral (in the play). [Here's a link to that speech: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=182639215109835 . If you want to read the whole play you can visit:http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1120 . Its copyright has run out & has been put in public domain.] Politicians have been doing the same for years! If if want to catch a master criminal, think like him. Both Professor Moriarty(Napoleon of crime) & Sherlock Holmes [thought unconventionally and] in a similar manner. Sherlock Holmes also said in one of his stories that had he not been a detective, he might have been a burglar ! Similarly to catch the politician off guard, we have to think like him/her.
I'll be pasting in brackets a part of my note Social Dictatorship & then put forward its solution by satyagraha & the pros and cons of such an approach:
[ Another example is a scene from No one killed Jessica, the reporter (Rani Mukherjee) cares about society, justice & such high and lofty ideals & ill treats her domestic help, who might even be a minor(child labour)! In real life Barkha Dutt is similar(2g scam)! I feel the middle class acted in the Jessica case it felt threatened from the rich & powerful. But what about the Rizwanur Rehman case?! Fans of SRK should feel good that he cancelled the ads he was to do for those criminals'(Todis' Lux undergarments) products; but he did it under pressure from fans' response. ;)What about Ruchika Gehrotra? Nothing happened to Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore because the middle class feels threatened as they aspire to loot 7 abuse from posh civil services jobs. That's why IPS Mehta's killers got away. And this mentality starts from as simple a thing as “ragging”. Today you bully, tomorrow you arson, the next day you kill! Its the truth. Its the mentality.]
The solution is total boycott. Shopkeepers should stop selling them essential commodities, vegetable sellers should also stop selling them grocery. Make them go without food. Now there are 2 questions that might come up here.
2. Vegetable sellers are poor. How will they survive?
Answer: There are marwadi sabhas, Jain sabhas, Ulemas, etc. that help people in times of difficulty. During festivals people shell out tens to a few hundreds as "chanda"(subscription to puja functions). A locality has around some 10,000 people. Each person putting in just Re.1 monthly will do the trick. How many families go above Rs.10,000 per month on groceries?!
1. How can it be misused? (This is of greater interest)
Answer: What do the khap panchayats(in Haryana) or such mob justice/ mafia justice systems do?! MURDER AS PER PUBLIC OPINION.
Similar instances: SATI; WITCH HUNTING IN JHARKHAND;..........
So, in effect, I think that any such mass implementations don't work.
Reason?
Few people control the thinking(castrate the thinking) of other people in the crowd! That's why we're in such a mess today.
My only earnest request: THINK. THINK. THINK
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