State Of Journalism

Engineering did not happen by chance,but there was a point after highschool when I seriously considered journalism.So my life in highschool was like any other average typical indian student,someone who used to go to coaching classes( that train you for JEE) after school,come back home just in time for dinner in the sweaty uniform that I'd been wearing the whole day,study a bit-again- and fall asleep right there on the study table.This was pretty much how life was in those two years with some free time occasionally.So did i make it to an IIT? Nah .Despite such rigorous training i couldn't even crack the mains exam.It was only after having appeared for all these entrance exams(and while i was waiting for the results),did I get the time to actually think of who I really wanted to become.What did I possibly wanna do for rest of my life that would help me make money and remain happy? The answer was Journalism.Not that I was'nt interested in engineering but I was just having such a hard time back then that I just could'nt help but catch the easiest way out and writing,anchoring these were the things i loved and still do but obviously it was just a phase because i eventually went on to pursue engineering(and would become one in a few months,hopefully!) although sometimes I just sit back and think of how my life would have been if I had actually let that idea grow.Today was one such day.

I was watching news with my family at dinner and there were two things being discussed in most channels,the ban on 500 and 1000 rupee notes and the US election.It was disgusting to watch all the jabber and arguments and high-pitched shouting.This level of journalism seriously makes me sad.It is times like these that makes me think of how happy I should be that I am not a part of a media that has stooped this low.I mean almost every news channel has lost all sense.I used to think media reports the current affairs of the world.That it is called the media because it is a medium of conveying news.But what I see these days is just a bunch of people (who call themselves journalists) stating opinions,more like forcing opinions.I am not against opinions being stated.I am all for democracy and everything but is it not the job of a journalist to state 'facts'?Like if you see a queue outside some bank say that there is a queue.Like if you see protesters protesting against the president elect of the US say just that.Don't draw conclusions!Don't these people realize that they have the power to influence a whole nation?Actually i think they do!I used to think paid media was an unusual thing that happens rarely but now almost every channel appears to be sold out.Atleast to me.The media according to my understanding is supposed to be neutral, reporting various events happening across the globe.The good,the bad,the important,the not-so-important,the known,the unknown.It is up to the people on how they view the news and plus you do have discussions and debates where opinions can be stated!But then even the discussions and debates appear like a competition testing panelists' patience and ability to shout out loud.It is just that media has just become so biased and money minded that faking and making up news has become an everyday routine and I just could 'nt take it any longer.

To be honest it is these very times that also make me think of how i should have taken up journalism.I don't know if i would have made a good journalist,but I definitely would not have been sold out.I probably would not have made a huge difference to the current scenario but atleast it would have been a start.I think this field needs youth now enough of these old biased people.Youth that could change the old ways.Youth that has already begun to change the old ways.I know it would happen soon and when it does I would come back right here to speak about how happy it makes me. :)

Our funny obsession with accents

I was dawdling on the internet like always and I came across this link to an article.Once.Once again.Again and again.So i opened it just to see what all the fuss was about.Turns out Priyanka Chopra,the global star and Tanmay Bhatt,the AIB guy had a friendly exchange of tweets on some joke,cracked by the latter on the former obviously,which pissed some of priyanka's fans although the said lady was completely okay with it.What was the joke about? Her accent.So that got me thinking, what is it with us and english accents?
    I mean seriously it is everywhere.At every corner of every city these days, you'll find a set of people trying to speak english in a british or an american accent and then there is another set of people mocking them for trying.There are some who do manage to pull it off,some who have actually been abroad,at least for a few years,and can't help but speak that way but there are people who are always there to tease them for it.Sometimes people also get teased for having an accent other than british or american or Indian and so the accent gets termed as fake in general.Honestly it has always puzzled me.
    That character, Raj koothrapalli,from the big bang theory,has an indian accent.Sure, he overdoes it sometimes but frankly it is not far from a normal indian one but we mock it anyways.Priyanka Chopra in quantico does an american accent and we made fun of that too.I know neither of those accents were perfect but i don't see what is wrong in trying! It is not just us "indians" being obsessed with accents but that's a whole other issue and this is me talking about us.Why does it have to get personal? If someone can pull off an accent of a different kind good for them.People argue as to why others feel the need to imitate the western countries.I say come on it is just an accent!We have been imitating others ever since we were born!That's how we learn and grow.The same theory can be applied here too.Now I know this is a little far-fetched but i think Darwin's theory is also applicable here.Kinda.I mean adaptation,survival of the fittest.If some one feels he or she can do better with an accent let them.We actually get defensive of our accent which is funny because it is not like English was originated in India or anything.If you come to think of it,it was brought in by the British right?Its not like its a desi language that is getting westernized or something.It is a videshi language that got a desi touch.There is no cultural or traditional loss of any kind in adapting other accents.What have we got to lose?I am not asking everyone to imitate other accents but don't make fun of those who do.They are only trying to groom themselves which is wrong in no way.It is a actually a shame that,us, a generation that considers itself broad-minded and outspoken can act so idiotic at  times.There is a huge difference between stating an opinion and being outrageously stupid. I think people should accept english being spoken in any accent in india or abroad,by indians or by foreigners as long as the language is understood.Those who get teased should not get affected by it at all because Mockery is the result of a poverty of wit after all.
Oh and I almost forgot :D -