The Not-So-Stately State Of The Fourth Estate

The state of the fourth estate in Bhutan, it can be safely said is ‘not good.’

And behind those lines stand an array of mainstream and stray events that have stuck to becoming a leech for the industry that has visibly downgraded in areas of ‘keeping the faith’ as in maintaining quality journalism or upholding the truth.

The growth of media in Bhutan was and is parallel to the growth of democracy as both started more or less from the same springboard.

While the journey for the democratic institution can be wrapped up in changing governments and parliamentarians, the journey has been by far more eventful and tempestuous for the media.

Fast forward through the trails of yester years to date, and one cannot simply avoid the stark changes. The media that started full steam and guns blazing is now more or less operating on fumes and almost running on empty.

Well, those are just semantics; the picture as is visible showcases a starving private media downsizing on employees, office structures, and eventually and most veritably on the quality of journalism.

Many may say, there is no better motivation then money, Well, for one this has come to bear undeniably true life situations in the media where offices (especially in the private print media) have initially struggled to make payments to their respective employees and then eventually failed for months to eventually do the needful.

Consequentially, many have left the roost for better jobs (read non-media) or at least places where monthly salary is paid monthly. Many among those who have left have been senior and experienced editors and reporters.

So then, it seems the issue to be faced is entirely ‘financial’ and financial alone for it is been agreed among many that the only censorship in practicing the trade has only come from oneself.

A simple household truth in prevalence may also pinpoint to the understanding that at present, media is not really a ‘good place.’ It is being said, parents, mentors, and seniors do not point their children or wards in the direction of the media.

And there is quite the disapproval expressed in their ‘lectures’ to those may have entered the media industry in its one form or the other.

Government on its part has not been entirely silent on its part to lend an ear to the issue and it has been quite accommodating by putting in place media foundations and agencies to facilitate problem-solving ideas.

One form of its help came as the numerous trainings that were conducted for the human resources in the media pool. But more numbers have only been added to the said ‘unhappy’ pool as they wallow in the existing conditions. But there is also the understanding that media itself has not been able to effectively answer the government’s question of ‘what can we do for you?’

For now, it looks like more of the experienced lot is on their way out while respective media houses adapt to individual tactics of cost-cutting by hiring fresh graduates to serve as reporters and editors.

Market forces dictate ‘only the best survives.’ In this case, it is not very reassuring that the ‘best’ may exclude the entire private media. And if the elements of a build-up to a healthy and strong democratic institution is anywhere in consideration, this development is sincerely not healthy.

Published as Editorial for Business Bhutan June 07, 2014

HOW CRUEL THE WAYS, OF THE BEING ABOVE – “ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY”

#ForNickyWhoWantsToWalkAllOverHisHeart

#FromElvenWho'sGonnaLetHer

#NickyAndElven #LegendaryLovers

You relish, witnessing the hopelessness of people who don't have the slightest of chances wen it comes to achieving something or winning the good grace or even love of someone that is completely out of their league. Yet, u mold their inner workings in a manner that they aspire for the biggest dreams, pine for the wrong girl (in the sense tht she is almost-goddess and he's chopped liver), all without complete sense tht he will be crushed, completely and hopelessly at the end, when nuthin' comes through.

How cruel the ways, of 'the being above - all high and mighty.'

Perhaps the rules of engagement have changed for everyone, everyone high-up, down-below and us insects, in the middle. Seems like Guy... or Gal (cuz no one's ever got face-time with him/her u know) just decided overnight, to endorse the S&M cult and set it trending.

Arguments are pretty much legit right now, to peg you a sadist by all standards and under all diagnosis. U create objects of affection, compassion etc. but u also enjoy creating conditions of pain, hurt and misery all the time.

You have preached and led us to believe, not to create this emotion called 'hurt' in the being of someone else, at least not intentionally. We are to spread as much joy as humanly possible; if both can't be done, then at least, stay still in the middle and do nuthin'. 

A good lot of us, just likes to hurt another at the smallest chance they get, to-do it. What's worse is, there's no remorse, no afterthought, no guilt. To know the feeling, to be empathetic of things, you might think, it will actually require one, two or three hundred encounters under similar conditions 

Truth is, we are the very same pin and the pin cushion, the piñata and the bat, the punching bag and the punch, or the pigeon and the statue, all on different days.

The feeling of helplessness that one feels, having to willingly welcome that flood of emotions because, if you throw it away, disown it or throw it back to the source, you know that a bigger amount of pain awaits you. The pain and agony of living with the knowledge that you're on ransom, only that you don't get to feel that set-free attitude even after paying up-front every day – a crushed-to-death-from-the-inside feeling. It's not much of a feeling.

"the world is going to the toilet, soon. And that there really is such things as The Armageddon, that The Apocalypse is really on the cards and this wheel of existence is churning nearer to it every fleeting second."

Thats the generally popular thought running across the respective mind (s) when situations befall. This general reaction is in motion usually because, all of us, we believe that 'it cannot be happening to me.'

I suppose, Such a thought crosses our mind cuz we believe we are wronged without reason, on very invalid grounds. That it is supposed to happen to someone of characters more deserving of such mishaps and miseries. That we are good and have been ‘a good human being,’ one who always played the chips right in all the right manners in all the right places.

Thought be given a chance, (in this chain of thoughts), maybe it's a personal emotion, that negative turn of events are not to swim 'my way,' at all, and no undesirable actions should come to play in 'my life.'

Simple reason for believing that would be cuz, We think, we cause no harm, at least not in the carefully designed manner to another human being.

Well, guess that's a whole lot of 'get-out-of-jail-free-cards' to demand.

Putting my case forward, I should say:

After all, I am a sinner just like everyone else in this mud pit. I may not be behind the wheels of the truck carrying that truckload of guilt, driving downhill at the speed of a roller coaster, but I'm sure I'm riding shotgun in at least one of these trucks.

Be that as it may, in all cases, there are still some of those who have been handed the short end of the stick and a very raw deal, just so that the good scale of approximation is rounded off to the next whole figure.

Where's the justice in that? People are just being sacrificed in a cross-fire that has the seriousness and legitimacy of a pissing contest. Times like that, it really sucks to know that your go-to guy or girl,..... Is such a sadomasochistic douche.

#GodIsASadistAndHeLovesIt

Where everybody knows your game

#ForNickyWhoWantsToWalkAllOverHisHeart

#FromElvenWho'sGonnaLetHer

#NickyAndElven #LegendaryLovers

Everyday we are keen to judge the actions of others, but what about ourselves when we go through the same motions. Do we hope to retain the best of our behaviors, keep them scaled at par with what holy high horses we judge others from? Money's on probability,  you too shall be found wanting, of more grace, more heart, more humanity . blah blah,.. blah blah,..

All well n great if u prove convention wrong, all the shame in the world shall not have descended upon you. Then again, fat chance of that ever crossing paths with the factually-defective citizenry of this flawed species.

You have not faced your demons and, you have not tasted true bile of Life, until you have tempered that cold steel of life, or brushed past the hot iron of daily grind and toil to save some impossible situation on a regular everyday.

And you cannot really say how low you can get under unexpected situations or how appreciably and most commendably you would portray yourself when under life's trials n tribulations.

When we lay our heads to rest at night, we do tussle with the conscientious mind, as to why take pains to pull and have at others, when we know, we may very well be in the same murky pit this day or another.

No surprises but we never seem to learn. And there's always that whole 'I'm only human' cushion to fall upon. But if you look back, and you will look back, how many times do you want to get away with murder? It's ridiculously-selfish or selfishly-ridiculous.

Every once in some time, in a very beautifully evil manner, we attempt to right our wrongs, through very farfetched justifications and most times, tsk tsk,.. we do succeed in doing so (but only in our minds).

Many are humbled when ambushed by life's miseries and surprisingly find themselves converted into a more understanding, more encompassing, kinder soul. Some lay low for a while on their otherwise ignoramus, impossible, obnoxiously-behaving self, but finding it unnatural tread the old territories yet again , few are those who transform by extreme measures, into a doubly-terrible and singularly-conceited personality that is, b.t.w only more despised and less desired among men and womenkind.