I have been meaning to write on this subject for some time now, ever since I left Bombay…
The subject is of the practice of having the national anthem played before the start of a movie…
Of course, mob mentality and pre-consciousness societal teaching being what it is, we all stand up and sing along with our gazes upturned to a digital flag waving a few feet from our faces…
We feel patriotic and dutiful and yes comfortably conventional…even if we sit down to watch ‘Striptease’ after that…
So what is it that gets my goat?
Is it the faux patriotism? or is it the truism of the Churchill statement that patriotism is the last refuge of the fool? A bit of both, i admit…I sat resolutely at the last movie I saw, to the staring eyes from those around me…but here are the reasons why I had had enough…
Its a godamn trap…I felt like i was a part of the novel 1984, where you are watched and you have to show patriotism and obedience or else! You are boxed in and everyone stands up because, well, your mom taught you to…I don't like being forced into situations which demand a certain behaviour from me without asking my choice…If I don't have a choice, I would rather be a stubborn child than a lawful
coward
What is the whole freaking point anyway? To make fine upstanding gentry of us (or the unknown citizen, as Auden would have put it)? To ensure that we don't become terrorists? To trust the government and believe them to be the good guys because they put the flag on the screen? so that we don't forget the words of the anthem?
I may not go literally with Lennons utopian – imagine there's no country. But I believe in the essence…we draw borders and imagine the enclosure to be home…in essence, we are just glorified mobile wielding primitives dancing to the chieftains tune, which is the national anthem…(plus I am a little comfortable with the fact that the anthem was written in all probability as a commemoration for the King of England, but that is besides the point)
So, no, I don't believe in patriotism. I know this is something very controversial that I am putting out, but I believe that it is an over-rated concept. Its an opportunistic feeling that we cultivate – to be brought out when its convenient and bottled up when personal needs are paramount. Bring it out during times of collective danger like Kargil war and bottle up when the neighbouring state needs water…
Put Satyendra Dubey and Manjunath’s photo there (remember them?) and appeal to us not to forget them – that would be patriotic, something tangible, something actionable. Flag waving is easy when you can sit down to popcorn after a few minutes…
Anyway, the whole point of the above rant is that its a damn silly concept and its time the people who defied the Sena to watch an atrociously bad movie give a thumbs down to this tyranny as well, a tyranny, which when compared to the Sena is much more subtle and hence much more dangerous…
3 comments:
I can understand your sentiment on this but I hope you do know that by law everyone present is expected to stand and respect the national anthem. Not standing for the same if you are physically capable is a punishable civil offence.
As for patriotism, it is a very subjective thing IMO. While some people associate to patriotism only through freedom fighters, others can feel patriotic even if they see the tricolour waving and the national anthem playing. So I do not agree with your point that it is tyrannical... I am sure even the theatres would rather sneak in one more of the pesky trailers rather than play the national anthem. On an aside though, even they are breaking the law since it is clearly stated that the national anthem should be played completely in exactly 52 seconds.
Well, i guess that even if it is a punishable offence, I still retain the right to exercise my own opinion and action. I do not disrespect the anthem...i just choose to be indifferent
and yes, patriotism is a subjective thing...i stated as such in my article...
Even I would agree with the fake show of patriotism. To me it feels more an act to project belongingness more than anything else.I don't know why we need to have rules to follow something that should come from th heart anyways, having said that I would not feel very good looking at someone who doesn't stand when the anthem is on or who tramples my flag or doesn't treat it nicely. I do not feel patriotic listening to the anthem, it feels like a chore I have been doing since childhood. Every day in school in the morning assembly. Why would you feel a need to project love for your country. Why do I need to prove to others? Specially in cinema halls its a stupid activity. People come there for a specific purpose. And business should stay business. Watch the movie and go home! I prefer trailers to national anthem. Specially more so to the animated flag version which makes me feel like a dummy! It lacks the beauty of the real flag or the very important ingredient of human visibility. So I guess I feel somewhat same though not as strongly.
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