The last few weeks have been quite hectic. What with Tarun Tejpal, the editor of the radical magazine Tehelka getting arrested on sexual assault. The public outrage has been overwhelming. As far as I am concerned, I was heartbroken. This man was supposed to be a messiah who rose above billion of others with his free-thinking and taking a stand against everything that was polluted and corrupt in our country. Oh boy, will there ever be a greater fall? Probably, probably not. Too soon to tell.
Tehelka, till this day, remains my dream job. I don't know if I'll ever make it but well that doesnt stop me from dreaming. At this point I am probably rambling but I swear I am gonna get to my point soon.
Yes, what happened with her was terrible but somehow I just don't have it in my heart to condemn the perpetrator. Mostly cos, he committed an act that has become so common place now. People hardly raise an eyebrow there. Which is why the public backlash took me by surprise.
I knew it wasn't to do with the crime itself. I knew there were other factors at play here. Kafila helped me elucidate my thoughts beautifully. A paragraph in the article read as follows
"That explains to an extent the almost personal animosity that is at display against Tarun Tejpal. Men who may never ever have met him, have had nothing to do with him, are not even regular readers of Tehelka, they all hate him. The woman he assaulted must be wonderstruck at the overwhelming support she has received from these men. But is it about her? I don’t think so. Tejpal, to a certain elite Indian male represents what they could be, what they want to be. He is hated because he generates envy. He has touched the kind of success that a lot of men today desire but fail to achieve. I am aware that my statement will generate a fair amount of anger and I am willing to change my opinion if a more convincing argument is put forward. He is the twin that a lot of men have but never acknowledge."
Simply explained, its the pleasure people (men in this context) derive when the great fall.
The BJP is baying for Tejpal's blood. Fair enough. He did put most of their henchmen/stooges in jail.
What is this crazy blood lust that people have in them to see the high and mighty fall? I know its envy but envy is only part of the answer. As for me I couldnt care less. I don't have it in me to be jealous of Deepika Padukone or Sandra Bullock. I am ambivalent about their success and I couldn't care less if their movies tanked at the box office.
I should be outraged as a feminist but I can't gather the energy or the inclination to do so. Mostly cos I have been at the recipient of mild unwelcome advances in an office dominated by men.I didnt pay attention to the man in concern and he got the message. Maybe the Tehelka journalist wasn't so lucky. Poor girl.
Bottom line is, it wasn't about the sexual assault. It never is.
Tehelka, till this day, remains my dream job. I don't know if I'll ever make it but well that doesnt stop me from dreaming. At this point I am probably rambling but I swear I am gonna get to my point soon.
Yes, what happened with her was terrible but somehow I just don't have it in my heart to condemn the perpetrator. Mostly cos, he committed an act that has become so common place now. People hardly raise an eyebrow there. Which is why the public backlash took me by surprise.
I knew it wasn't to do with the crime itself. I knew there were other factors at play here. Kafila helped me elucidate my thoughts beautifully. A paragraph in the article read as follows
"That explains to an extent the almost personal animosity that is at display against Tarun Tejpal. Men who may never ever have met him, have had nothing to do with him, are not even regular readers of Tehelka, they all hate him. The woman he assaulted must be wonderstruck at the overwhelming support she has received from these men. But is it about her? I don’t think so. Tejpal, to a certain elite Indian male represents what they could be, what they want to be. He is hated because he generates envy. He has touched the kind of success that a lot of men today desire but fail to achieve. I am aware that my statement will generate a fair amount of anger and I am willing to change my opinion if a more convincing argument is put forward. He is the twin that a lot of men have but never acknowledge."
Simply explained, its the pleasure people (men in this context) derive when the great fall.
The BJP is baying for Tejpal's blood. Fair enough. He did put most of their henchmen/stooges in jail.
What is this crazy blood lust that people have in them to see the high and mighty fall? I know its envy but envy is only part of the answer. As for me I couldnt care less. I don't have it in me to be jealous of Deepika Padukone or Sandra Bullock. I am ambivalent about their success and I couldn't care less if their movies tanked at the box office.
I should be outraged as a feminist but I can't gather the energy or the inclination to do so. Mostly cos I have been at the recipient of mild unwelcome advances in an office dominated by men.I didnt pay attention to the man in concern and he got the message. Maybe the Tehelka journalist wasn't so lucky. Poor girl.
Bottom line is, it wasn't about the sexual assault. It never is.
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