Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Day 75 : The Chennai Floods Befuddlement

Those of us who tend to open up the News pages to at least catch up on most of the headlines of things that happen around the globe, often find ourselves asking this question, "Why do I have to put myself through this each day?"

There is apparently nothing good happening to anyone anywhere. Why do I have to keep coming back to these sites and read about yet another bomb blasts, shootouts, murders, rapes and yet another politician being a prick to yet another group minorities. I am pretty sure I have even written this same thing in here not that long ago. The world has now become a very crazy dangerous place to live in. At least that is what I get from all the news articles that's getting bombarded on my twitter and facebook faces.
Let's face it. These days, majority of the news that we get is from the social media. And I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with it. In retrospect I actually think that news consumption from the social media platform seems more personal and to-my-taste. As most of the articles that get shared into my feed are from people I follow or my friends. And there is more of a chance that those people and I share the same interests and care of about the same things, hence would be interested in the same things. More often so than when compared to the big news outlets that by reputation or confession tend to be biased to any one political ideology or the other. For example, how in heavens was I to know that Pluto isn't technically qualified to be called a planet if I wasn't following Neil deGrasse Tyson? Which popular media in their current hunger for clickbait titles would actually choose a topic like that over, say. Kim Kardashian's new son having more clothes than her?

To add to all of that, I still have a bone to pick with the journalists of today. I mean seriously come on. Are we still going to talk about the Sheena Bora murders when there is an actual disaster occurring right now in our country. I understand the temptation. This case provides all of the masala ingredients to fill atleast three years of prime time soap opera. But guys, I am sure there is more to the distinguished profession of journalism that dig through ages of murky family history and spray it all over your front pages and headlines. Sure.. this family has had a twisted history and family tree. Some level of possible incest thing going on. But hell. The death toll here is one. ONE. Actual death toll of the Chennai Floods? Nearly 300. How much airtime did you spend on each of them? About three weeks for the floods. And almost an eternity for the Bora case.

In the wake of such a tragedy in Chennai, there is so many stories of wonderful people doing wonderful things for fellow human beings coming out of the disaster ridden city. Stories of people of all ages, creed, religion and class coming together to help each other in times of need and bringing back a sense of normal to the city streets when logic would just ask them close their doors and stay inside their house where its safe. People are going out of their way to help people in need, by welcoming them into their own homes, sharing what little means they have to provide food and shelter to those who have lost everything during this tragic times. And you know what. That is so freaking awesome. I love these sort of news. I love reading articles and incidents that restore my 'faith in humanity'. In the midst of all this horror and terror in the dailies day in and day out. Stories like these.




There are so many more news of worth and warmth in Chennai happening right now. My wish is that they all come out safe and healthy when all this does pass. And that word of these amazing people and their humanity reach to everyone out there, who like me are in dire of something good to hold on to. Something to say that we as a specie still deserve to be around. We are still deserving to be called human.

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