From My Inbox To Fib-erals

Here’s classic prose: “We Jesuit-educated, English newspaper-reading citizens who are “hostage to the Delhi-based bogus Left-liberal commentariat”. Also, apparently, the “drum-beaters of the Establishment”. This description of us is from the mission statement of the just-launched Niti Central, a news website promoted by Friends of the BJP…  and funded by Rajesh Jain, one of the country’s most well-known Internet entrepreneurs (he sold his company for Rs. 499 crore in 1999 to Ramalinga Raju who was arrested for fraud a decade later)”. Ahem! That is someone who goes by the name of Priya Ramani, writes columns for Livemint (“We the endangered people” September 8). The article is not very different from how Prakash Karat defends political murders by CPM goons. Rajesh Jain who funds NitiCentral also sold something to Ramalinga Raju who was arrested for fraud and therefore NitiCentral is born out of blood-stained money I suppose. Clever, very clever, isn’t it?

I get some mails every day. Most of these have compliments, suggestions, links to articles or incidents worth covering on this blog. I will share some of these mails and also some tweets from those in the media as we go along. Here’s a mail I received from a self-confessed “elite”, also a fan of this blog, who mentions the Delhi circle of ‘crème-de-la-crème’ doesn’t accept my articles too well for some reasons. (No reference to Ramani). Frankly, I don’t expect them to, no matter what. 

The mail further states that my being from Gujarat makes the posts suspect for them. (Er.. tainted like RajeshJain-funded?) Ah well, given their persuasions it would snow in Gujarat in May if the same posts were to be written from Kumbakonam I suppose. Still, the writer of the mail seemed to argue my case with friends. My reply was:  What is written is more important than who writes it. And my added advice to this friend was not to argue for me: “It’s better to lose an argument than lose a friend”. That’s a value system. Values can change, principles are enduring.

Here’s a tweet from someone who calls herself a columnist. Not exactly a big celebrity, but a columnist is mostly an “Opinionist”. Yeah, a lot like Ramani. Although the tweet wasn’t to me it refers to MediaCrooks and suggests undisclosed profiles lack courage. My response to that is also given. The reason I have blacked out her name is that this could have come from any of those media celebs who use this line when they run out of rationale. In just a few minutes this pompous, opinionated columnist will discover what some journalists on the ground really think. Come to think of it, the nation owes a great debt to the person who leaked the Radiagate tapes. That’s an anonymous person who hasn’t been identified. Imagine, if instead of Simon Denyer of WaPo someone called Maneetar Dumbari had written the same “tragic figure” article in a newspaper in Bihar, the media or PMO wouldn’t even have heard of it. That’s true, our elites are so steeped in the celebrity cult that any view counts only if it has a “tag” on it. That’s when commie-liberals, no Fib-erals, stand up and take notice. 499 Crores does get the attention of Priya Ramani. Doesn’t surprise me!

Over a decade ago I read a book about P&G, one of the most respected companies in the world. It was titled “Winning with the P&G 99” by an ex-employee, Charles Decker. The book deals with the 99 principles that made and keep P&G a great company. I have never forgotten some of those principles and here’s one of them:

“The prevailing attitude (in P&G) is that WHAT is right is far more important than WHO is right. Facts, truth, logic have far more authority at P&G than any individual” --Brad Butler, former P&G Chairman.

It’s a principle that is imprinted in my mind. Which is why I also hold the principle that what is written is more important than who writes it. This blog rarely relies on mere opinions. The posts attempt the best to use hard, indisputable facts. But since logic and reason don’t work with prejudiced minds this site also generously uses sarcasm, humour and gentle ridicule. But hey, facts, logic, truth aren’t for our supposed MSM journalists most of whom neither have principles nor values. Facts, truth, logic have far more authority at P&G he says. In his G+ Hangout, Narendra Modi made an important point. “Criticism needs research. In absence of that it will be just allegations”. Because our media celebs don’t research and merely peddle opinions, there is a consistent and glaring disconnect that is easy to expose. Naturally, it makes them feel “endangered”.

Here’s another mail. This one is from a mainstream journalist as he refers to himself. He says “don’t tell anyone… I might get fired”. He’s a Journalist, not an opinionated columnist like the tweeter and Ramani earlier.That’s the life journalists who are not celebs live. I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me either. I guess the man must have checked up the whole internet to find out who I am, where I live and what dark organisations I am associated with before he wrote to me. Haha! That’s what media celebs are scared of – simple facts and truths. But the hardworking journalists on the ground know what they go through, how their voices are suppressed or their notes twisted.

Here’s another one. Surprise! Again from a journalist! Now, “detailing” is not possible unless you fact-check. You don’t have to fact-check to peddle opinions. Read the blogs and columns from most media celebs, you can easily tell they are not only very personalised opinions but also agenda-driven. The honest truth is, the journalists in the mails have simply gone by what’s written on this site and not by who writes it. That’s the true test of how good a message or article is. That will be the day when celebs in the MSM start evaluating their own values, principles and prejudices reflected in their writes and tweets.

Now here’s another principle from the P&G 99: If a decision has to be made in the absence of facts, never confuse personal opinions with informed judgment. Specifically, ''The data suggests...'' is safer than beginning with “I think” or “In my opinion”…That’s perfect advice for many of our columnists.

Now here’s a tweet that should shock those who still believe an “ID tag” is what counts if what is written has to be worth it. This is not from a follower or a fan of this blog. This is from a very prominent reporter who is on News TV almost every day. The person knows me as much as the person whose tweet I quoted first. Zero, absolute stranger! The most abused line on TV has to be: “Having said that...” Next time you hear that line you can easily identify the ‘opinionated’ hawker. Why would a reasonable person say something and then go on to say something contradictory? Even worse, if they have to say “having said that...” then why say that thing in the first place? 

So you see, the problem with our media crooks is not the identity really. It is that ordinary people can openly and courageously say the right thing freely but the crooks are bound by the agenda of the organisation they are chained to. Not facts, truth or logic! The other thing to learn is that hardworking journalists on the ground have absolutely nothing in common with the opinion-peddling, opinion-swinging celebs and anchors. There could be more surprises in store.