Moral Decadence in the Era of Development

Kolkata flyover collapse is no longer a leading headline in the media even though it has changed many lives forever. The present headline is Panama Papers Leaks. Heads have already started rolling with Prime Minster of Iceland resigning yesterday in the wake of the scandal. Then there are many more scandals, conflicts, scams which are vying for space in the media. Somewhere all these negative realities are pointing towards humanity’s biggest decadence over years – which is moral decadence. 89022042_fc454e7b-279e-4218-b2cb-e0ee88043527

It is ironical, technologically we are evolving so fast that we are unable to keep pace but yet we choose to look away from long term good progress for all for a smaller short term immoral gain for few. How much and how long are we going to take things for granted? Some day there would be an implosion and maybe that time has arrived. We have to face consequences of being passive weak observers and letting handful corrupt people control our lives.

Global implications of Panama papers leak seem to be immense. When political leaders start looking for tax havens, then no one can save those countries and their citizens. Yes, it all gets blurred with time. Maybe the headlines will change soon but lives that have been impacted will bear the brunt and consequences for generations.

It is painful to read stories of people crushed by the flyover. Who is accountable? All fingers are pointing at each other and others, no one is willing to take onus or trying to introspect. There is no talk of safety measures and absolutely no accountability what so ever. Is this how it ends? Crushed under its own debris of development, will humanity end in a painful suffocation? Wait, thanks to all entertainment/social media which acts as a morphine there won’t be much pain either. Capitalism will crush us slowly, leisurely yet completely.

Image Courtesy

Upholding Heritage Buildings in the era of Development

It is a big challenge to safeguard heritage structures in a city which is growing and developing fast. Unfortunately, this development happens without a plan to save old heritage structures which define the city character and culture. It is indeed heartening to see the awareness campaign lead by the writer Amit Chaudhuri and his group. The campaign is garnering support as one of the themes of oldest locality  in Kolkata’s biggest festival of Durga Puja depicts this very concern through its installation art!!

One can only hope the city planners and local authorities will come up with a master plan to restore the old glory and plan new buildings keeping in mind the true aesthetics of the city.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Heritage-gets-a-helping-hand/articleshow/49425515.cms
image

A Musical Take on Decadence

There is a nice reference to the idea of being ‘decadent’ in Marianne Faithfull’s interview here . Its something to ponder upon…are we psychologically tuned to be decadent? But Marianne Faithfull has such a creative musical force within her that she has shown the world how not to let it destroy the mind and body, how to rise to be a witness to the universal decadence and heal the wounds that real decadent society inflicts upon our land and souls…