Don't Shoot the Messenger

 The Statesman, August 9


Since it was introduced to the world in 2009, WhatsApp has become one of the more popular messaging apps with an estimated 1.5 billion users worldwide.
It was acquired by Facebook in 2014, an event which seems to have resulted in a massive spurt in the number of users in India. Currently, there are around 200 million WhatsApp users in India, of which more than 50 per cent are from rural areas.

Recent lynchings of five people suspected to be child-lifters by a mob in Maharashtra were sparked by a rumour circulating on WhatsApp. This generated much debate about this messenger service.
The Indian Electronics and Information Technology ministry asked Facebook Inc (which owns WhatsApp) to find ways by which they can curb transmission of irresponsible messages.

I believe that putting external curbs on this particular medium may not be a sound or practical idea. Here’s why:

To my mind, someone inclined to spread a rumour, create a ruckus or induce a riot, will do so by any means at their disposal. It could be through public or private meetings, sermons, lectures, Facebook and other social media sites, YouTube videos, loudspeakers, pamphlets, in fact anything in the firmament.

Violence has been an integral part of mankind’s existence since millennia. So has gossip. As have rumours. Social media is a fairly recent entrant into the list of human preoccupations.
On the Indian continent we witnessed the carnage of partition with thousands of lynchings. Millions of refugees worldwide will tell you of the atrocities that have been committed on them.
Human greed, intolerance, a lust for power and money and divisiveness are to blame. Social media is merely a communication tool. One does not need mass phone aided mobilisation to lynch a man or even a small group. A few barbaric citizens will suffice.

Humans have been communicating through sign language, through drumbeats in forests and mountains, Morse codes, smoke signals and several other ingenious ways.
How can you prevent human beings from communicating with each other? History is replete with examples of ‘underground’ resistance movements. There was no social media in those days. Decrying WhatsApp will only make users switch to another format.

The app itself is really well designed in that one can share messages, videos, attachments, photos, rendering it quite complete in itself. There is end to end encryption which means that no third person can view a message including the service provider.
There are no distracting advertisements. Being so easy to use makes it an effective communication tool for villagers and an apt app for facilitating a ‘ digital India’. It is currently a free service.
There are options to mute or block a number, exit a group, delete a group, delete a message within seconds. It is very self-regulatory. Users can actively choose to ignore or not forward a rabble-rousing message or one can call it out publicly or report Spam.

WhatsApp features allow a large degree of privacy as well as autonomy. It is contemplated that WhatsApp can be a payment portal in the near future as well as a safety app as geographical location is pinpointed.

Attempts to ‘sanitize’ the conversation by having all posts filtered through an administrator on WhatsApp create practical and ethical dilemmas. People would not be able to communicate swiftly and meaningfully in real time as there would be a time lag – related to the availability of the administrator.
The administrators themselves may have personal biases or lack discretion. This post of being an arbiter of conversations, by its very nature would have to perforce be a full time job. If not compensated, the job’s fairly thankless nature would have few takers. The moment it becomes a paid job, it would then be liable to be controlled by those rendering the payment as often happens in the classic editor-owner ideological/ethical clashes of print media.
In the past, an idea was mooted, to hold the group administrator accountable for any inappropriate posts on that group. This suggestion is bizarre because nobody can determine beforehand what is on a person’s mind.
People are invited to a group because they form part of a particular cohort: say people who work together, or have studied together, etc. To try to first filter out who would be welcome in the group based on their leanings and personalities attacks the very foundation of healthy interaction – a multi-faceted, inclusive and rich dialogue.
Moreover, people’s opinions, likes and dislikes change with time. Sometimes, an otherwise very responsible citizen may be unable to maintain their cyber composure under emotional duress. Above all, the truth needs to be told.
It is critical that everyone who has attained adulthood be deemed responsible for their own thoughts and actions. To burden a third party with this responsibility seems to completely absolve the author of an unsuitable post of their duties and instead targets an innocent bystander – administrator/medium instead.

Misuse of social mediums across the board has often resulted in disastrous consequences. Examples include the Blue Whale internet game driving teenagers to suicide, or stalkers and paedophiles on Facebook (using information voluntarily provided by users themselves) or the notorious ‘trolling’ on Twitter.
Recently our own external affairs minister was openly and abusively trolled on Twitter. Astonishingly the government was relatively silent and low key in its defense of their own minister. It was citizens who tried to come to her rescue.

In these times, when a large section of the print and TV media is perceived by many to be deeply influenced by the government, the viability of alternate channels of communication between citizens is imperative. WhatsApp has an important role to play.
Though there are many fabricated videos which aim to spread hate or falsely discredit someone, some such videos are deliberately introduced to obfuscate things and discredit the medium itself. To make people doubt the validity of some of the horrific but true things they see and prevent them from reporting it or taking useful action.
To counteract this trend, there are now helpful tutorials available which educate people on how to spot a doctored video. The bottom line remains that individuals must have the self-discipline to not share a video which is not from a trusted source or which contains inflammatory material.
There are already reporting methods in place to report cyber abuse or misuse of cyberspace though guidelines can be made more clear-cut. One can highlight it electronically to the office of the app provider as well as register a FIR with the cybercrime units of local police stations.
The company office can debar the accused individual from using this medium. The company often needs to do a balancing act between enabling freedom of speech and increasing user base versus conscience and social responsibility.
The company can further report them to police officials. The local police can apply any section of the Indian penal Code as relevant and have the person booked.

In conclusion, people themselves should show a low level of tolerance for divisive or incendiary posts on WhatsApp, calling out the person or reporting them to authorities.
We can come to each other’s rescue on any medium when someone is being bullied, or ourselves attempt to combat and thwart rumour mongering by ignorant or ill motivated people. Try as we may, if we are to be intellectually honest, we cannot pass the buck for our shortcomings onto a messaging app.

The writer is a Delhi-based medical practitioner.

A Many Splendoured Thing

 The Statesman, April 2018


The importance of love has never been greater. Our world is wracked with violence, stress, indiscipline and diminishing resources. Exploitation, intolerance and domination abound. What the world needs is a thorough immersion in this uplifting, peace-engendering and unifying emotion.

Lauded by prophets and poets alike, love’s positive power can transform people. In the earlier days, alchemists strove to convert base metals into gold. Love can be a superb catalyst, fostering a higher sense of purpose in us and protecting us from being driven by greed, profiteering and lust.
What makes love so potent?

The world is changing at a dizzyingly rapid pace. Love, in contrast, has a reassuring constancy about it. The eternal nature of love has been described in myriad writings and art forms. A passage from the Bible says, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away”. A Shakespearean sonnet asserts – “It looks on tempests and is never shaken.’’ Love is well suited to address the deep human longing for permanence.

Intolerance is the bane of our existence today; love teaches us acceptance. Persons with whom we form the most valuable relationships in our lives, our parents and children, are not chosen by us. They are blessings in human form placed on earth for us to love. Parental love is exemplary for its unconditional nature. Parents gladly sacrifice career advancements, personal choices and even their very lives for their children.

As children, we have only our ignorance, mischief and love to offer – but parents and teachers accept these as precious compensation for imparting knowledge to us. When we encounter cruelty, exploitation, discrimination and selfishness in the world, we would do well to remember the love learnt from these early childhood interactions. Love helps us engage more deeply with others. It encourages sacrifice and an ability to see things from another’s perspective. Love unarguably elevates the quality of human interaction.

Love can foster relationships between even greatly dissimilar individuals. Rather than inducing us to make a careful appraisal of the qualities, qualifications and faults of a person, love appeals directly to our intuition. Love just happens. There is scant premeditation. Were we to always choose whom we associate with based on a rigorous calculation of abilities, background or similarities it would be more like a job interview for choosing an employee.

Were it not for the confounding effect of love, people would marry or befriend others less often. Most would keep glancing at their exacting list of desirable qualities and hesitate to take a step forward towards a relationship. Luckily for humans, along comes love and makes every imperfection likeable (as the saying goes “no one is perfect – until you are in love with them”), any circumstance tolerable and any set of people very happy together. The expression ‘I just can’t put my finger on what I really like about him/her’ beautifully illustrates the slight confusion that can ensue when people are asked to justify their choice. Love is just a wonderful feeling that switches on when a person you are fond of appears in your presence.

Love awakens spirituality as it sharpens our ability to perceive things keenly. We feel far more alert and enabled to experience first-hand the ‘duality’ of the universe that wise sages speak of. We find ourselves able to juggle opposing feelings at the same time – freedom (we feel validated and empowered) and bondage (as we close our options and modify our behavior somewhat in deference to the persons we care for); strength (we acquire loyal supporters) and vulnerability (as the people we love have a hold over our happiness) and so on.

As a race, only our love for ‘Gaia’, mother earth, may stem the current tide of destructive habits. With forests and animal species disappearing at an alarming rate and garbage and plastic swamping our overheated world, our acts of love for nature become crucial for our collective survival. From concerned environmentalists and scientists like Cousteau, Rachel Carson, Carl Sagan, M.S Swaminathan, to the modest fishermen or farmers who love the land they make a living from, all play a significant role in preserving ‘Gaia’.

Large-scale social movements based on love such as the Bhakti movement which originated in India underlined the equality of man. This popular trend which advocated devotional love for the Almighty considered all devotees equal irrespective of caste or creed. The sincerity of intent was the truly relevant criterion. Inclusive participation and commonality of single-minded purpose are prominent hallmarks of current movements arising out of a love for humanity such as the ‘March for Life’ protest against civilian-owned firearms or the global fight for nuclear disarmament.

Where can love be found? Everywhere. I find love in the simple everyday things; when my children gift me a box scribbled with bits of paper about why they like me and ask me to pull out one whenever I am sad; when my spouse sits up chatting with me at night about my worries; when my mother actually reads an entire medical textbook to teach me something I didn’t grasp or my father gives us tips on health; when patients run their hand over my head in blessing; when friends and siblings accept me just as I am and laugh with me over enjoyable lunches; when my pet anxiously sniffs my sleeping body if I wake up later than usual; in the treasure trove of wonderful memories bequeathed to me by my grandparents.

How do we create an abundance of this important emotion? By practising it frequently. From a smile or a helping hand to a personal gesture or sacrifice, there are countless ways to express love. As the advertisement for a popular drink goes “Do your own thing”. Love should also be talked about often; not just the sensational aspects – lovers’ plans thwarted by narrow-minded groups or the romantic linkages of famous people but also meaningful discussions to understand love’s many nuances as well as it’s great worth. A priceless letter to read is the Red Indian Chief, Chief Seattle’s letter to the ‘White man’ which describes his tribe’s immense love for nature.

More protean manifestations of love should be recognized and appreciated, such as a scientist devoting his life to save a species from extinction or small children sharing their meagre but precious assets of marbles and chocolates with their friends or love-filled letters written by people to each other and so on. We should allow love to be the dominant emotion infusing our thoughts. If we have to leave behind any mark of our sojourn here on earth, let it be the stamp of love.

The writer is a Delhi-based medical practitioner.

The Virtues of Vices

 The Statesman, Sunday, 28 January



In religious discourses, we often hear that the five vices we should avoid are Kam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (attachment) and Ahankar (ego).

However, these emotions are as natural as love and friendship. A wonderful book by renowned psychologist, Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes, titled Women who run with the Wolves made the point that many of the psychological problems in women – and to a lesser extent in men, stemmed from the fact that society discouraged them from expressing themselves in a natural way.

There were a great number of impositions and codes of behavior laid down and adhering to the more rigid of these artificial impositions created psychological stress and complexes in women. The onus of conducting themselves correctly – and these notions of correctness were often spelt out by men – was disproportionately loaded against women.

Nature and science place a lot of emphasis on homeostasis and balance for optimum functioning of an organism. Even spiritual texts extol the benefits of moderation. The ‘middle path’ is well highlighted in Buddhism as are a balance of Yin/Yang in Daoism.

Though there is a fair amount of emphasis on overcoming ‘negative’ emotions and subduing them to a great extent, I personally believe, like many others do, in a beautiful balance of forces being the key to a healthy life. Not accepting these qualities as positive contributors to our psyche and health may actually lead to imbalances. I feel these five emotions have a very important role to play in our lives and their worth cannot be ignored.

Let us examine some of these emotions:

Look at the feelings of very young children. Innocent children sound nothing but sweet when their sense of envy with their sibling makes them tell their parents accusingly ’you love him/her more!’ Or just watch the way your little pet jumps onto your lap and places its snout into your hand when you are talking to your children lovingly. It seems to say, ‘it’s my turn- play with me now, not with them!’ This pure and clean form of envy and desire doesn’t seem unhealthy in a child or a pet. It acts as a signal to the parent that the child is merely seeking reassurance.
The parents are often able to successfully provide this reassurance and this leads to a feeling of security and confidence in the child. If the child did not express these feelings, it may end up feeling quietly hopeless in its own mind. Conversely, if parents and caregivers communicate with the child and proffer reassurance, it is more likely to grow up to be a fairly confident and secure adult.

Attraction or attachment to a person you love can be quite healthy in moderation. Thinking about others and their welfare is a highly desirable emotion. Putting others before self is a rare quality, not easily found in the atmosphere of selfishness prevalent today. Moreover, at a community level, it is extremely important for the community and for its members to be interested and engaged deeply with one another. It is a true manifestation of the spirit of ‘the world is one family’. It is also far better than being obsessed with oneself.

When one is asked to look inward, it is more with the idea of examining one’s shortcomings, recognising them and working to eliminate them. Sadly, many are not able to cross the first step itself and ‘looking inwards’ tends to merely veer towards narcissism.

Similarly, anger can be an excellent watchdog in alerting a person to the need for self-defense. It is usually thoughtless or unkind actions or disappointments that evoke this in us. We can use anger as a valuable guide and catalyst that spurs us to action. I often think that women have taken Gandhiji’s advice of ‘turning the other cheek’ more seriously than their male counterparts.

They should stand up for themselves and others more often when confronted with abuse and unkindness. Anger, if interpreted and controlled correctly can be an excellent stimulus for goading one towards working for social justice, for making things right.

It was the anger of a nation when Nirbhaya was so brutally gang raped, that led to sweeping changes in the way sexual assault was viewed and handled in our country. It is anger at the prevalent patriarchy that has led to a sustained movement for equal representation of men and women in the Indian parliament for a full 21 years (though the goal is currently unattained). One must not quickly flare up in anger, and not be consumed by it certainly, but it is an excellent red flag – an internal indicator that drives change.

David Steindl Rast, a modern philosopher of our times has eloquently pointed out in his book ‘The Listening Heart – the Spirituality of Sacred Sensuousness’ that spirituality and austerity do not necessarily go hand in hand and we must celebrate our ability to appreciate the richness of experiences, sensual ones included.

Excess of anything is bad, even perhaps virtue. I would, however, make an exception for love and friendship. I feel strongly and sincerely that one can never have enough of both of these!

Accepting our emotions fully and releasing them in a controlled manner may be healthy in the long run. Avoidance of these so-called negative emotions may lead to their erupting suddenly and unexpectedly in unsatisfactory ways.

The writer is a Delhi-based medical practitioner.