What's my politics?

My political identity has been a curious question. I speak of leftist and socialist ideas while running a startup. Aren't businesses supposed to be Capitalist? Can a person promising investors a multi-fold return define himself as a Communist? What is my style of Communism?

Drawing a box and labelling thoughts had never worked for me. I've never been able to express views concisely. So, let me try to put more words to it.

Ideology is a culmination of people, environment, and experiences. My parents never identified themselves by a political party and taught only the principles of empathy. The ability to perceive and empathise with a wide range of people helps in drawing holistic viewpoints. As summarised in an earlier post (Biased), I grew up with lessons in the dignity of labour, equality, and sourcing of knowledge.

Gannavaram, the constituency I was born in, had once been represented by Comrade PS. The influences started creeping in through interactions with my barber, and the newspaper in the saloon, Praja Shakthi. R Narayana Murthy took it to another level with his influential movies. They resonated with my maternal grandmother talking of her cousin, Comrade KS, the founder of the People's War Group. Active party leader on the paternal side added a concurrent touch to it. Communism felt closer to heart. As a fifteen-year-old, I proudly identified myself as a Communist.

The story gets more complicated as knowledge creeps in. I got introduced to the nomenclature of Marxism, Leninism, Maoism, and plenty more thought structures within the Communist identity. The kid in me was confused. (I've not bothered to take a deeper dive into each of these thought processes; maybe it is time I do.)

I hinged on to my understanding of The Motorcycle Diaries. The systems and society prevalent around Marx, Lenin, Mao or Trotsky, inspired their political ideology. As in many cases, using the same yardstick doesn't bring equitable equality. The crux of the learning is to understand their thought process and draw inspiration to create doctrine more pertinent to our ecosystem. We should adopt parts of different ideologies or write ourselves anew.

I continue not to label myself, but use the word Communist to state my inclination broadly. At the very least, it helps in ensuring not to be befriended by the right-wing. My political ideology will continue to evolve with new experiences. I strive to calibrate my moral compass often, to stay relevant to the idea of developing a holistic viewpoint.

#perspectiveat30 #politics

Talking Politics

Oxford defines Politics as "the activities involved in getting and using power in public life, and being able to influence decisions that affect a country or a society".

Whether to discuss politics, let alone aspiring for power or not is an individual decision. Yet, I use conversations on politics to discern empathetic traits in an individual.

Most governance policies have limited direct impact on us as individuals. Hence, many find it convincing to take a neutral stance on decisions. "Those on top know better than us" seems to be the general ideology. The silence of us, collectively, is taken as a grant by politicians to continue with their agenda. Issues like "Citizenship Amendment Act in India", "National Security Legislation: Hong Kong/China", and "Executive Orders by Donald Trump", drove deep wedges between the pro and the opposing groups.

Topics such as those listed above, when discussed, draw a picture of personal beliefs, knowledge sourcing and consumption patterns, and the ability to think through a multitude of spectrum. Society influencing decisions need scrutiny through the lenses of past, present and the future. Stepping into someone's shoes is not about what you would do if in their position, but, to comprehend what they feel in a situation.

Conversation discussing politics help substantially in assessing the skills of an individual to listen, understand and express, the primary empathetic tools in a holistic relationship. The inherent biases, ability to learn and unlearn, perception of power, expectations from the society, are a few impressions that help in setting a tone for building a relationship.

A general expression at this stage could be "aren't you overthinking?". True. We've seen our parents live together for decades despite their differences in politics. Two different thought process can co-exist. But, that ability to not go to war, but co-exist, can also be primarily understood through the above approach.

A politically active individual can pair with an apolitical. Two opposing sides of ideology can still live together. For those whom relationships are not just compatibility, but bringing the best in each other, understanding the process behind the evolution of their ideology will be crucial.

I believe relationships should not be to meet societal norms but to feel connected with another in the real sense to inspire the best in you and of them. That's how you build a better world, especially if you plan to raise kids!

#perspectiveat30 #politics #relationship

పిలుపు

సీతక్కో గీతక్కో,

చూసావంటే రమణక్కో,

లాఠీకి బెదరని లక్ష్మిలెందరో,

తూటకి ఎదురు నిలిచిన రాణిలెందరో ...

దారి మళ్ళిన ప్రజాస్వామ్యానికి,

నారి భేరి జవాబు చెబుతోంది,

కలసి నడుదాం రారండో , దేశ

గతిని మార్చుదాం లేరండో...

షెహ్ల, రానా కదం తొక్కి కదిలినారు,

అయేషా, లదీదాలు గళం విప్పి గర్జించినారు,

మన బిడ్డలు తోబోట్టువులు మొదటి అడుగు వేశారు,

జరిగే అన్యాయానికి అరికట్టేందుకు పోరాడుతున్నారు...

లేరండోయ్, రారండోయ్, సీతక్కో గీతక్కో,

కలిసి అడుగేద్దాం రావే రమణక్కో,

ఉద్యమాల భారతానికి పునాదులు వేద్దాం,

మెరుగైన పాలన మన హక్కందాం ...

#activism #telugu #politics

Edited by Naga Venkatesh