Caste, different from class, but still an artificial construct of human value that deems one set of humans to be superior to another. In addition to the breaking down the origin and building blocks, the book alsohas some very interesting stories – the origin of ‘Caucasian’, eugenics in the US, lynching scenes-based tourism and so on.
In addition to the familiar themes of rogue capitalism and class prejudices, we now have the conversion of India from a democracy to a fascist state. The book has nine essays that cover recurring topics – Kashmir, NRC, CAA, RSS – all of which hold a mirror to those of us who can afford to live in bubbles. And yes, the Azadi here is not from India, but in India.
A book that I found pathbreaking, despite having been published more than 40 years ago. Metaphorical concepts are ubiquitous in our thoughts and deeds, and by changing the metaphors we live by, we can change our thinking, lives, and future.
Meritocracy began as a remedy, and its earliest proponents aimed to ensure mobility across societal hierarchies if not equality. Unfortunately, we are now in a world where privilege just exacerbates the disadvantages of those less fortunate. Education is no longer an answer, and efficiency is the discourse as opposed to what is morally right or wrong. In a polarised world, this is an important conversation to have. Great narratives, well articulated.
Brain Pickings has been one of my favourite websites for a long time, and thus, this book automatically went into the wishlist. But as with many good things, it took a while to get into the cart! This is not a book that one can (or should) categorise easily, but as a reader, what I […]