I. Narrative and Politics
What is a narrative? A narrative is, in essence, telling a story using a set of facts, tying them up together in a coherent (or at least an attempt at) manner towards a particular conclusion.
Who uses narrative? Well, anyone interested in telling stories, really. It is one of the common rhetorical devices employed in literature. It helps tell a story. To rephrase that, it helps tell a version of how events happened.
Historiography also co-opts narratives. Now, one would think that the historian is chiefly concerned with his or her facts. Far from it, many historians are concerned with narrative: telling a story using the same recycled facts.
Our dear politicians too seem to be fairly skilled in employing the narrative device. They could teach us writers, historians etc. a thing or two about rearticulating nay reinventing reality. Apparently, the scientist who proposed the parallel universe theory was a politician in a parallel universe.
The point is - look at the recent ordinance that was withdrawn. Everyone knows that politics is criminalised. The Supreme Court (rightly or wrongly, separate of powers or not) boldly passed a judgment prohibiting politicians of a certain antecedent from, essentially, representing us. These are facts. More facts? Practically every party in parliament (refer to the minutes of the all party meeting. Use blackle, if you must) assented to the bill being introduced. Fact. Bill was introduced and then sent to the standing committee. Parliament session closes. Fact. Ordinance is proposed. Initially, opposition is to the nature of ordinance and not the content or the bills (you can use youtube to verify). Then, then, well, you know the sequence of events, right? The BJP's shift, Rahul Gandhi's outburst, the withdrawal. Most important fact: all were in favour to begin with. Narrative: Depending on the political positioning, every one is trying to rewrite or shall we say - engage in a different version of history. Lesson: If you know the facts, ignore the narrative. Make your own up.
On this theme, one of the biggest regrets of my life is that i will never be able to meet George Carlin, have a conversation with him over lunch and just sit and listen. Here is why:
II. Life On Mars
I read a piece in the local daily Mawphor, the other day and thought i would do a bit of investigating.
I was surprised that the good lord waited for us to spend billions to get to Mars before the grand unveiling happened. Apparently, prayer may not be the way. If one were to go by the information relayed.
I cannot, unfortunately, find a copy of the article online. They may have realised quickly, what it was that they were putting out for consumption, being a news paper and all. If so, good on them.
Google - thanks to its indexing - still threw these up as search results:
You ask me to consider the possibilities? Okay, let us!
As for me, I say we should let David Bowie shed more light on this. Nobody knows more about the Mars on Earth better than David.
III. Not The Nine O'Clock News
If you have run out of things to watch on the telly or if you need to be entertained or if you are stark raving mad (especially if you are stark raving mad) you could do a lot, lot worse than watch its Not The Nine O'Clock News. It KINDA LINGERS. It really, does. Arnab, take this.
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