"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!" ~*~Jane Austen

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

I DO TAKE OFFENSE!!!

This story from the BBC talks about how a school text book used in the Indian state of Rajasthan compares donkeys to politicians and WIVES!!! The fact that politicians are being portrayed in a ridiculing light is prompting the book to be taken off the curriculum. There is no big "hoopla" about how women are portrayed. And why should it be? If there had been more upheaval over the fact that it demeans women South Asian society would have a little more respect for its women. How are men going to respect women in a society where a book that compares wives to donkeys is being criticized not because it makes this comparison but because it makes an ever more offending comparison--that between donkeys and politicians (that's sarcasm..in case you couldn't detect it).

It is often said that a child learns respect for a woman from what he sees in his own home and that respect for women needs to be ingrained at every step of the child's growth. If this is the kind of "satire" being used in institutions then I would have to conclude that disrespct for women is being consciously institutionalized.

Read the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4875430.stm

PAKISTAN!!!

A friend of mine did a presentation in her international marketing class about AT&T in Pakistan and used this video as a part of her presentation. Check out the LINK. I think its a really well-made video except for the fact that it portrays only one facet of Pakistan -- the facet that is visible to the rich and fortunate. How the poor and unfortunate see their world is not portrayed at all. The rich continue to live in their fortresses blind to the plight of the less fortunate.

An extremely good video otherwise. Definitely something worthy of the Pakistan Tourism Board's attention. Enjoy!