WEDNESDAY, JULY 02, 2025
These Days Aren’t Those Days
Published on May 31, 2025
By EMN
Share
Monalisa Changkija
- These are not those days. These days similitude to those days is almost imperceptible and appear to be some kind ‘cracy’. Could be some kind of ‘ego-cracy or ‘mouthocracy’ or tongueocracy’? For want of a better word, let’s just say that this ‘cracy’ ~ an unhappy blend of the ego and the mouth/tongue in unhealthy doses ~ has come to define today’s public, social and political interactions and engagements. But let’s also be clear that this ‘cracy’ is not the age-old bitchiness indulged by mean, spiteful, toxic and unhappy trouble makers. Actually, that too but this ‘cracy’ is more the insatiable yen for attention, public validation and to place oneself in the full frontal public gaze all the time. This ‘cracy’ is the opposite of humility, civility and human decency. Possibly, this need to thrust oneself into the public arena and be noticed has always been a part of human nature and now technology has provided the platform to centre-stage this trait with no shame, no reservations. So obviously, 24x7 there is an endless outpouring of emotions, views and opinions ~ sometimes in words and other times pictorially ~ which are of no public interest and benefit. For politicians and people in showbiz, probably it is necessary to be in the public eye to a certain extent but everything depends on the contents.
- Wise persons say it is better to listen than to speak. Clearly they must mean listening to words of wisdom, not some self-centered prattling about the self. One is not sure if phrases and idioms are taught in school these days but there is a now rarely heard saying: “blow one’s own trumpet”. It perfectly surmises today’s ‘cracy’, which is marked by a deafening cacophonic blowing of one’s trumpet symptomatic of a gross violation of the right to silence. Yes, one can switch off technology but surely there is a right to respectful technology. Ultimately, only we can safeguard, secure and protect our privacy but when we ourselves post an onslaught of photos of birthday cakes and bouquets, new apparels, relationships, holidays, whatever, we invade our own privacy and push such invasion down on others’ throats. What are such posts really saying? That we live a perfect life we want everyone to know therefore we blow our own trumpets.
- Those days blowing one’s own trumpet was considered a moral, social, political and economic no-no. But then, those were days of simplicity and humility. These are days of flaunting it all in full public view. These are days of the culture of brazenness. Is this what we have reduced ourselves to? Is this what we really want of our lives, our society, our country and our future? Is this what we want for our children? Has this culture of brazenness become the underpinning of the education imparted at home, in schools and in our religious and cultural spaces? What does this also say about our upbringing? Blowing one’s trumpet is also known as bragging. Have we turned into ace braggarts? Those days no one liked a braggart, these days braggarts are the trend. They say time changes everyone and everything but possibly everyone and everything change time and we have changed our time into something we really ought not to be proud of.
- Blowing one’s trumpet is not only shameful ~ at least it was considered so those days ~ but they also get braggarts into trouble, especially the kind that makes one lose face. Now, losing face is a very serious setback in the personal, professional and public space, from which regaining respect and reputation is almost impossible. The perfect saying for this is: eat humble pie. And this pie isn’t appetizing. But then, these days respect has a totally different meaning from what it used to mean those days, no? And there seems to be more hankering for publicity than respect, no? The thing is while blowing one’s trumpet, one also tends to demean and often defame others. A lot of news today consists of getting into trouble, apologies, losing face and even legal consequences. Per media reports, last Sunday (May 25), Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised NDA leaders to exercise restraint and avoid making “unnecessary remarks”, as he chaired a meeting of Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers aimed at bolstering his leadership. Reportedly, apart from dwelling on good governance, national security and inclusive growth, Modi betrayed concern over the controversial remarks made by some leaders. “Leaders should avoid saying anything anywhere. We should be careful before speaking on any issue as it could be blown out of proportion in the age of social media,” Modi reportedly said at the closed-door meeting. Media reports state that though Modi did not refer to any specific cases, the advice comes against the backdrop of contentious comments by some BJP leaders on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Obviously, the Prime Minister has realised that “unnecessary remarks” have not led to this objective or other desired goals. In fact, “unnecessary remarks” does not bolster any objective. And some “unnecessary remarks”, whether on social media or otherwise evoke responses that were unanticipated, tend to invite boomeranging and unnecessary controversies and hard feelings that invade public space unnecessarily.
- Over the decade, it is very noticeable that sundry members of the NDA have been indiscriminately making “unnecessary remarks”, (not least by a very famous leader in Assam too) most of which have been a setback for this political grouping ~ perhaps not so much electorally but in reputational terms. Moreover, nothing exposes a person’s character, depth and ignorance more than “unnecessary remarks”. Those days, a person’s character defined their reputation and weighted more than all the precious metals in the world, without which no person would never have been called “leader”, much less respected as one. These days, no one also remembers the saying: “empty vessels make the most noise”. It is so sad that these are days the sound of empty vessels are creating walls and distances from the soothing cadence of wise words, deeds and action and this shows in all aspects of our lives. With “unnecessary remarks”, persons considered leaders are found to be either with feet of clay or mere glitter these days.
-
- (The Columnist is a journalist and poet. Published in the May 30, 2025 issue of Assam Tribune)
Nagaland Districts
