#BlackLivesMatter — Why state the obvious?
I am an Indian. Indian society is way more complicated than Black or White. We are divided by state, language, religion, caste, creed, gender and finally by financial status, in that order. And we do differentiate. We do nothing but differentiate, and segregate and put each other through bad.
A problem too far away
I followed the 2014 US elections too closely thanks to satirists like Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver. It was the funniest thing to watch on YouTube then. But try as I might I do not live in that first world country, and I can not associate with everyday problems happening 7 seas apart.
The Black Community lifted me up
I have faced lows in my life that I would not wish upon my enemy. Situations that I have felt helpless, hopeless in. Some where I have been forced to bring pain to someone I really cared for. Some which have scarred me for life and some which will I will never have a chance to revert.
In all the situations when I felt down, words — whether it be from Tupac, Jay-Z, Bone Thugs, Lil Wayne, or Tech Nine — have been words which have given me hope, confidence and strength to continue persisting.
Tech especially as he shared his pain and suffering through his music I really resonate with him and his message. Partying the pain away had been the music that saw me through the worst days.
This is how I absorbed a lot of that culture and till date am thankful for it. I don’t think I would be who I am without the influence of these people in my life.
Claiming to understand the black community and its culture just after a few thousand hours worth of rap is just like claiming to understand Indians just after three hours of slumdog millionaire. But what I can say as an artist is I get the pain and experiences of the individuals I listened to. And I know their heart, and respect them.
Black Lives Matter
This is not a question. To some of us it might look like why is someone reminding us the obvious?
The reason is, that it is not obvious to many in these times of hate and segregation. Claiming racial superiority is nothing but a power move for a leader and stupid sin on the part of his followers.
In USA black citizens are many times more likely to die than a white citizen. It is the system’s approach and history and design towards dismissing the value of life of its black citizens that it needs to be reminded in strong, clear words:
Black Lives Matter
All Lives Matter
People might be naive to use this phrase in their posts. It is obvious and it makes you sound different. But honestly, it dilutes the current movement and only serves to demean the people fighting to bring “one” good change in the system.
I personally would get behind the #BLM movement. And stop saying stupid things like all lives matter.
Yes I have seen poor giving birth on roads, children bawling over their starved parents bodies in railway stations. Yes I have seen corrupt policemen help kidnappers traffic 13yo small girls. Yes I have seen so called protectors of the law mess up lives around the world. And those are Indian problems that call for activism within the country(which, by the way, will be a very bad idea right now)
The world is a messed up place and we will not get any progress made if we can not get one problem solved at a time — for good. Changing systems that favor one powerful section of the society is not an easy task and one good task needs all the momentum it can get.
Stop saying stupid shit like “All Lives Matter” in response to this movement. Of all the million problems that exist, get behind one and let it get done.
This World is Messed Up
Inequality is a fact of life. And segregation is too. We can not get rid of this evil from the society, just calm its effects and ensure prosperity.
We can live our fairy tales all we want but as my mom says:
There is a parallel hell running right by the side of our happy ignorant lives. No one knows when a perfectly happy small innocent family will have a skirmish with that hell. Helpless tears of blood and staying lifeless, wishing for death for years is what follows.
I say this out of first-hand experience. And all of these problems are systematic. But it takes intent and fighting opponents (that are benefiting from this broken system) about a million times stronger than you to change anything.
So you trust in the legal framework? Trump would have been impeached about 4 times till now if it was actually trustworthy. And many things in my own life would have been less jarring. Justice is not served in court.
From what I have seen in this world in 25 short years, given that these people are going to the other after death, I don’t have very high hopes for the next world either.
All Debts Will be Paid
This universe is growing, but still in equilibrium. Everything will be balanced. All debts will be paid. A wise old man once asked me:
Have you ever wondered why children of most high ranking officials are born with lifelong disorders? Fortunes earned the wrong way are quite hard to digest. He said.
Some debts we are able to pay ourselves, others we pass on to and entrust the universe to extract. Overall, this universe takes all the suffering that you have given to the world and brings it back to you. Same goes for good.
Cookytech’s Stance
Our communication manager asks me whether we can post about #BLM on behalf of Cookytech. I encourage each one of us to show support on a personal level.
At Cookytech we have a strong sense of meritocracy and equality. We do not need to capitalize on #BLM. Nor do we entertain anyone stupid enough to need reminder of this fact.
Our motto is to find problems and solve them. We are too far apart and disconnected from where #BLM is taking place to be of any help at all.
A post on a business page is a decision taken by leadership and marketing. Posts made by individual members of the team represents its culture. This movement, along with any major social movement is something I want my team to individually participate with.
We live the life of design to develop the design of life. Happiness. We craft happiness.
Can’t find a proper ending
This situation is so complex and the problems so engraved with the system that just like the movement I am finding it hard to find a fitting end to this.
There are no conclusions, no observations. Just a small voice of hope that we continue to find our solutions one at a time. A small wish that humanity continues to find a way to flourish and we keep paving that path forward.
That we overcome our individual greed and fears and continue to evolve. In Lil Wayne’s words:
Black or white diamonds — #FuckSegregation! 6foot7foot
