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Yet Another Self-Important Blog.
Rohit Singh
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[Sat, 08 Nov 2003]
Stockholm Syndrome for Journalists ?
3:24am is an auspicious time for theorizing, especially about mundane
stuff. So here's one theory. My theory, though quite general, will be
supported only by my perceptions of foreign journalists in India. That is
in keeping with the spirit of inductive extrapolation, one of the
abilities that differentiates humans from computers.
Some of the more influential India-based foreign journalists (i.e. the ones I read: NYT, FT, LA Times, Time, NewsWeek, Economist) often write as if they are genuinely fond of India. Sure, to the people in India their stuff might be jarring or horribly insensitive. Some of it indeed is- like the one by whats-his-name about Prime Minister Vajpayee's fondness for drinks and meat. It was factually more-correct-than-not but it was too glib. But many other articles are written in a more sensitive/sympathetic manner, especially if you consider what a person sitting in NY or London would write about India. This is not to say that their articles paint glowing pictures of India (except Francois Gautier- do read the Nachiketa article). But their articles often try to look for the other side of the various Indian oddities/maladies.
I wonder why it is. Is it because it is a better career move to be enthusiastic about the country you are covering? Or would they feel more loved by their hosts if they wrote good things about them ? Or is it because anybody who came to India had a soft-corner for it already ?
A far simpler theory, which is quite India-specific unfortunately, is that India is just too damn cool and everybody who tries to get past the grime falls for it (e.g. Mark Tully). Some of the journalists- the better ones, atleast- probably do realize what a miracle it is that a country of 1 billion people chugs along in such a free-wheeling and fun way-- Murphy's Law wasn't made for India. As one of my American friends pointed out himself, if an Indian is weird enough to be one in a million there are still more than a thousand of them.
This article, by Amy Waldman of NYT, is what started the theorizing.
Economist on America
In keeping with their tradition of thought-provoking analysis mixed with
great tongue-in-cheek humor, Economist has yet another article
on why we should be glad that its America, and nobody else, which has
taken on the task of fixing Life, the Universe, and Everthing Else...
Here's two good reasons, as per them: 1) Americans are the only ones who
can fix things- so let them have a shot 2) They are the only ones who are
bold enough to try.
Classic line ? "Incoherence is one of the luxuries of impotence"- about people who talk about both Somalia and Iraq in the same breath.