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My culture is better than your agriculture

By Brij ⋅ March 17, 2006 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

I don’t know this fellow but considering the amount of comment and interest his post has generated I am getting tempted to add my own 2 cents to the debate.

I love the economics of 2 cent based intellectual debates. You just have to throw something out there - if it sticks good, if it hits somebody good, and if it hurts somebody all the more good. In anycase you wont loose any money. ROI on 15minute fame is pretty good.

See the important thing is to throw. Throw at the meta level since mark of a smart fellow is to sit one level higher as far different layers of abstractions are concerned. Sample this:

Consider how many of Hollywood\’s great actors and directors aren’t American. Consider the fact that Hollywood’s blockbusters, for the last ten years, have been essentially European (or Japanese) exports. Consider how many great fashion designers are American (no, Ralph Lauren and P Diddy don’t count). Consider the fact that reality TV - the present and future of TV - is a European export.

But why do they all end up in US? Why not settle down in Monaco or Paris?

Galloping stereotypical horse -

Is that what India and China want to be? Are they willing to pay the price America is paying - a society fraying at the seams? Anti cultures, where the life revolves solely around consumption and production? An economy where the market is chewing up and spitting out every form of capital, in the insatiable quest for near-term returns, and so the center can’t hold?

What price we are talking anyways? Are we supposed to read Das Kapital again or what?

I am all for culture and social order but when given a choice between poverty alleviation and cultural values I know where my loyalty lies. India and China want growth, unrestricted entrepreneurial growth based on ideas, merit, responsibility and capitalism. Growth is a best prescription for social dynamism. Inertia breeds culture worms.

Have been to many New Delhi art galleries where nice manicured hand touch those black and white village pictures in the name of preserving culture. Culture is many thing to many people. For the contemporary definition go ahead and play this song “Meter Down” on this site.

For me society’s culture need to be judged on it’s capacity to serve its weakest and poorest. Does culture allow every one to dream big, everyone to pursue happiness, everyone to pursue their own path in life. To me that’s where US scores and will continue to do that for many years. India and China would be lucky if they can get that kind of culture in their DNA.

I can already see signs of that in India and that is a good reason why majority of urban Indians have huge respect for American entrepreneurship. On my recent trip there I saw rapidly evolving democratization of aspirations.

And that is a very good thing. Culture or agriculture I dont care.