Civil Services Mains 2020 Results: In or Out ? Way ahead, gratitude and Pain
The Civils Mains result has been declared. This thread is for sharing your grief , joy , mixed feelings - absolutely anything and everything.
last year people like@goldberry and others (forgot ids, someone plz tag them) gave genuine insider info regarding postponements. If someone has any info regarding it/ internal discussions in upsc, please share.
A genuine doubt !
Many Australian Cricketers have pulled out of the IPL. Even Ashwin has gone home to be with family. And we have statements like these from cricketers like Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa :
“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?"
"Someone who has a family member on death bed doesn’t care about cricket."
Now if this were an ethics case study...or an interview question...How do you defend this ? Or for that matter, How do you attack this ? Is it really right for the IPL to take place amidst such gloom and doom ? Or are they just "doing their jobs?" I mean I have too many questions. I even had an argument with my brother who gave some meaningless arguments.
But you guys are different. How to form an opinion on this ?
A genuine doubt !
Many Australian Cricketers have pulled out of the IPL. Even Ashwin has gone home to be with family. And we have statements like these from cricketers like Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa :
“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?"
"Someone who has a family member on death bed doesn’t care about cricket."
Now if this were an ethics case study...or an interview question...How do you defend this ? Or for that matter, How do you attack this ? Is it really right for the IPL to take place amidst such gloom and doom ? Or are they just "doing their jobs?" I mean I have too many questions. I even had an argument with my brother (a die hard cricket fanatic) who I must say has graduated with flying colors from the "Whatsapp university."
But you guys are different. How to form an opinion on this ?
Was asked same question yesterday by akanksha satyawali maam on daf discussion at forum ias daf program.
I said that it helps in overcoming depression and loneliness at such times when many people are in isolation and quarantine.Thus helping in mental health.
But also said,at the same time crickters and franchiees should donate part of income towards such endeavours.Did by pat cummins who donated 38 lakh and rajasthan royals who gave 7.5 crore.
Baaki to kuch state govts ne ads mein 3 months mein 150 crore kharcha kiya tha tabhi bhi same point raise ho sakta hai.
Sabko pata hai yeh galat hai par balanced answer to yahi hai.Ek side of story nahi bol sakte.Sabko pata hai gareeb aadmi hi marta hai,kuch super rich to private jets se london chale gaye.
Par yeh bol to nahi sakte.
Isliye balanced answer to yahi hai
Stephan,
A genuine doubt !
Many Australian Cricketers have pulled out of the IPL. Even Ashwin has gone home to be with family. And we have statements like these from cricketers like Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa :
“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?"
"Someone who has a family member on death bed doesn’t care about cricket."
Now if this were an ethics case study...or an interview question...How do you defend this ? Or for that matter, How do you attack this ? Is it really right for the IPL to take place amidst such gloom and doom ? Or are they just "doing their jobs?" I mean I have too many questions. I even had an argument with my brother who gave some meaningless arguments.
But you guys are different. How to form an opinion on this ?
BCCI stand- how does cancellation of ipl help corona crisis??.....
we can have debate on above point...
but apart from entertainment...This years ipl is important from India's perspective... because we have a T20 world cup this year and the team that will play will be majorly decided on the basis of ipl performance.
also after ipl as far as i know we don't have any t20i with any other country....we would be busy with world test championship and then a tour with england....hence ipl will decide who will play in t20 worldcup....which will be played in India....( of course if the corona situation is not worse then)....hence ipl is necessary apart from mental positivity part...
also should the worldcup be postponed like Olympics again??.... that is another debate...
so playing ipl can be considered as duty...maybe???.. correct me if i am wrong...
A genuine doubt !
Many Australian Cricketers have pulled out of the IPL. Even Ashwin has gone home to be with family. And we have statements like these from cricketers like Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa :
“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?"
"Someone who has a family member on death bed doesn’t care about cricket."
Now if this were an ethics case study...or an interview question...How do you defend this ? Or for that matter, How do you attack this ? Is it really right for the IPL to take place amidst such gloom and doom ? Or are they just "doing their jobs?" I mean I have too many questions. I even had an argument with my brother who gave some meaningless arguments.
But you guys are different. How to form an opinion on this ?
BCCI stand- how does cancellation of ipl help corona crisis??.....
we can have debate on above point...
but apart from entertainment...This years ipl is important from India's perspective... because we have a T20 world cup this year and the team that will play will be majorly decided on the basis of ipl performance.
also after ipl as far as i know we don't have any t20i with any other country....we would be busy with world test championship and then a tour with england....hence ipl will decide who will play in t20 worldcup....which will be played in India....( of course if the corona situation is not worse then)....hence ipl is necessary apart from mental positivity part...
also should the worldcup be postponed like Olympics again??.... that is another debate...
so playing ipl can be considered as duty...maybe???.. correct me if i am wrong...
Aapke naam ke aage blue tick kyun hai?Forest qualified isliye?
@Sherkhan1428 This case study dilemma is also similar to the argument by a few NIMHANS doctors in their letter to the Press/Media- stating mental health issues due to reporting of the doom that COVID has caused. It may pose questions on Journalistic ethics of reporting what the truth on ground is and projecting something milder for the sake of 'mental health'. Both sides had compelling reasons. Being an avid Twitter user, I too faced this IPL dilemma. I think there can be no one solution to these cases.
@Sherkhan1428 This case study dilemma is also similar to the argument by a few NIMHANS doctors in their letter to the Press/Media- stating mental health issues due to reporting of the doom that COVID has caused. It may pose questions on Journalistic ethics of reporting what the truth on ground is and projecting something milder for the sake of 'mental health'. Both sides had compelling reasons. Being an avid Twitter user, I too faced this IPL dilemma. I think there can be no one solution to these cases.
I think the comparison isn't a happy one. In the case of journalists, I think it's an open and shut case of how reporting from burial grounds and the like is definitely a case of the greater good.
Here's why:
1. It helps people understand the gravity of the issue. Even the most negligent citizen who isn't abreast with the newspaper, but is a regular social media user understands how the situation is extremely bad right now. It can save lives.
2. The press is the fourth estate. It holds a mirror to society which hero-worships its leaders despite their follies.
3. I read somewhere that if no one had taken photos of the devastation caused due to the Hiroshima bombings, we wouldn't know about it today. This is a lesson for the future. It is an example of "how not to govern."
4. It helps people understand the extent of their own privilege on account of their social, economic and political capital.
5. Finally, and most importantly, to report like a government mouthpiece projecting positivity, like DD news has been for example, is the easier thing to do. The press would stand to benefit from government support on account of their favourable reporting. The raw reporting from the ground is an expression of the sentiment of the general public who are most affected by the way this has been handled. Their stories deserve to be told, above all else. Their dissent, anger and resentment is an expression of our freedom and our democracy.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]."- MK Gandhi
We need positivity, but to ask that it must come at the cost of reporting of the sad truth is to ask for injustice. It is selfish and inhumane. I believe the solution is non-partisan reporting, where news houses don't push an agenda. We need positivity, and those who want it must be able to get it as well from news outlets. For eg, like the story of Kerala or Odisha. However, it must never be at the cost of the devastating stories we see now.
A genuine doubt !
Many Australian Cricketers have pulled out of the IPL. Even Ashwin has gone home to be with family. And we have statements like these from cricketers like Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa :
“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?"
"Someone who has a family member on death bed doesn’t care about cricket."
Now if this were an ethics case study...or an interview question...How do you defend this ? Or for that matter, How do you attack this ? Is it really right for the IPL to take place amidst such gloom and doom ? Or are they just "doing their jobs?" I mean I have too many questions. I even had an argument with my brother who gave some meaningless arguments.
But you guys are different. How to form an opinion on this ?
I believe the moral dilemma arises from the fact that the IPL has always been celebrated with pomp as a celebration of cricket, and a celebration of India. It is touted as belonging to every Indian. However, when is untold tragedy is upon us all, how can we have any celebration? We don't celebrate anything for a year at least when a family member passes away. How, then, can we celebrate something as trivial as cricket, when our brothers and sisters are going through heartwrenching tragedy?
It also arises from the fact that for the more privileged among us, the IPL offers some respite. Those who are privileged enough to access the internet or the television appreciate that the IPL allows us a needed distraction every evening. But, it stops there. Is this mental respite more important than grieving with the rest of our nation?
Irrespective of the amount of money brought in towards relief efforts through the IPL, utlimately, it remains an event that widens the income disparity in the country. It is a commercial activity held at the behest of those who are least affected by the pandemic, for personal profit. Whatever money that is brought in is mostly through their charity. This charity is only a tiny fraction of the profit actually made. To say that out relief efforts are contingent on this charity which is in turn contingent on the top 0.01% making windfall gains is to abuse the self-respect of the people of India.
The Home Minister's son is the secretary to the BCCI. Moral dilemma max.
From a personal point of view, by watching the IPL, are you being complicit in enabling this culture of looking away?
The case for continuing with the IPL is thus:
1. If the IPL is stopped, what else is available for the average Indian to switch off from the reality around him?
2. What of the revenue that can be brought in to support relief efforts? Eg: Pat Cummins, RR. Charity is not a swear word.
3. What about the sunk costs of the BCCI, and of the arrangements already in place?
4. What of the livelihoods of those whose lives depend on the smooth conduct of the event, such as the groundsmen for example?
5. What of India's plans for the WT20?
6. Stopping the IPL wouldn't benefit anyone financially or otherwise at the end of the day. Continuing with it can add some value somewhere.
I think if you had to take a stand, these would be the things to consider. To each his own, I guess. I don't think there is one correct way to look at it.
@Patootie Totally agree with given arguments. Even I was sailing in the same boat. But the said letter definitely did make me think about a certain responsibility that even the Press have while carrying out the noble task in a pandemic. Let me elucidate:1. The letter talks about how in the age of social media, IT and all the more- a pandemic, the Press serve as our eyes and ears as we are shut inside our homes. It becomes like this peephole through which we form perceptions about the prevailing disaster. This has a tendency to disturb one's mental peace to the extent that it has now become a hidden mental health epidemic.2. It also cannot be overlooked that a lot of hoarding and panic buying is in turn hampering our chances of beating this pandemic.3. I think hysteria and panic inducing coverage should be minimised. But then again. It is not so simple.4. Also, increasing cases of suicide among COVID positive people is another huge concern. I mean it is a sad state of affairs when one does not even consider the option of fighting the disease and chooses death instead.As I mentioned, I think the greater good definitely lies in reporting facts from the ground. But I would again add respectfully that all isn't rosy even in this side of the picture.Journalism and reporting have been going on since ages but how an individual perceives the world in this age- mostly away from extended family, constant chatter of social media, amidst a pandemic has changed by leaps and bounds. I think there is more we can do to ensure some kind of sensitivity while reporting- like we expect while reporting suicide cases.It isn't an open and shut case at least for me. It has surely left me thinking and I did not take a stand for the greater good because I thought we were discussing the dilemma, rather than answering a UPSC ethics question.
I wasn’t answering a UPSC ethics question either. It’s literally where I stand on the issue. An ethics examiner would have possibly wanted a more balanced (centrist) view which does not point fingers at anyone. However, I have also accepted that I have no clue what UPSC wants, so I’m glad you thought it was an ethics answer. :P
I see your point. I agree with the sentiment that the press has a responsibility to ensure good mental health of those who follow their content. But it is their job to do what they are doing right now, and it is not their job to paint a rosy picture when things are anything but. This has always been the case.
Since you also agree that the greater good lies in reporting facts from the ground level, what do you think should be done? I see that there are trigger warnings in a lot of the posts on social media at least so that people who want to avoid the news can avoid it. What else can be done?
You say that hysteria and panic inducing coverage should be minimised, while also agreeing that it is not so simple. Digging deeper, I agree with the sentiment, but who would be the arbiter of what constitutes such coverage? I mean, if it’s the state who is the arbiter, we are talking about prior restraint on the press. Wouldn’t imposing a prior restraint have a chilling effect, which in turn has the same impact of muzzling dissent? Would the restrictions be reasonable or proportionate under A.19? Isn’t there a larger public interest in having this information published? Self-regulation is the only way to go, but the standards of what the people should know are justifiably different between different news houses.
I agree that the press should be more responsible in its reporting, as a general statement. In this case, I think the responsible thing to do is to report from burial grounds and show the true state of affairs. The State’s responsibility is the State’s and it cannot be allowed to pass the buck. The situation on the ground is true, and that is why it is causing panic. There is adequate cause for panic for someone who is affected by this damned virus. It is the State’s duty to restore trust and improve the situation on the ground. If the authorities do that, they will automatically get good press. The LDF government in Kerala is a prime example of this.
I think a conversation about whether the press should report such true stories from the ground level diverts from the real issue. The best way to prevent panic buying, improve mental health etc is for the government to lead by example. Preventing the truth from being reported is hardly a solution. In fact, the pressure built by such posts forces the government to do more to save face.
Just putting in my point across:
A world with a free press which shows things as they are on the ground is much better than a world with controlled press. The role of press as the fourth organ of the state comes to the fore in times of crisis like these. We have to accept that with the way things stand today, the state wants to shirk responsibility from the deaths, the chaos caused by the pandemic. The only way we can hold our leaders accountable today, or later, is if the press does its job.
However, it is important to keep in mind the ramifications of showing things exactly as they are. Just like how in riots, terror attacks and wars we see the press self censor itself, here also we have to let the the editors, regulatory bodies like NBSA/PCI do their job. I agree that this is not a perfect solution, the press has done harm in reporting events like 26/11, but for India's institutions to evolve we have to let them grow. Imposing external regulation or prohibition specially when the state itself has a conflict of interest does not seem to be in line with how a free press should function.
In a time when we have seen most of the institutions crumble around us, media (specially newspapers, vernacular languages) has stood upright and done its job. The comparative that we need to draw is between that of ill effects on the mental health of a few vs loss of lives of many. This is war, unfortunately we will see some people lose the battles but the country needs to win however late it may be.
I find the idea of a Truth & Reconciliation Commission, to uphold accountability of the key stakeholders, very interesting. Although our democracy perhaps isn't mature enough yet, what do you think needs to be done in the long term to ensure we perform better the next time nation faces a crisis?
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