Why we slap our politicians
Anger's reaction to murky politics that drives the aam admi to the wall
When Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi hurled a shoe at former US President George W Bush during his farewell visit to Baghdad in 2008, little did he know that he had not just grabbed international headlines but also set a trend what have been cheekily labelled as the 'footwear missile incidents'.
Al-Zeidi's pent-up abhorrence for Bush made quite a dramatic appearance, earning him both applause and ridicule, and also a possible prison term. Following this uproar, a string of world leaders, from China's Wen Jiabao to Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari were subjected to a similar humiliation.
Closer home, even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P Chidambaram, senior BJP leader LK Advani were not spared the disgrace. And with Sharad Pawar as the latest victim of this public fury, the question of why our politicians provoke such boorish behavior in the 'civilised' common man just gets bigger.
"The tolerant Indian, who used to direct his ire at his wife and children earlier, now vents it out on those responsible for his problems," says a Mumbai-based psychiatrist, who did not wish to be named. He pinpoints the rising problem of inflation as the root of this 'aggressive frustration' that has been only been escalating. This agitation is a reaction to the murky politics that drives the common man to the wall. Research has revealed that depression and stress levels are on the rise in urban areas. The pressure to buy that BMW you have been lusting after, or the 1-BHK flat you have promised your parents you'd buy, or simply the desire for an opulent lifestyle, could lead to a strenuous daily life filled with anxiety. At such a time, when scams are unearthed on such a regular basis, the thought of the people in power siphoning the tax-payer's money drives one into a frenzy.
Psycho-therapist Dr Anjali Chhabria sees it as an act of defiance and dissent against the growing economic burdens of the people. "Besides the obvious resentment against politicians who are seemingly fooling the public, another factor that triggers such uncivil conduct is, thanks to movies that show ordinary citizens taking the law and order in their hands, everybody wants to ape them and be a hero." Other theories, slightly cynical, point to the innately human hunger for free publicity and a 15-second claim to fame.
Offering a sociological perspective to the issue, Dr RN Sharma, a professor at the Tata Insitute of Social Sciences, says, "It's an obvious expression of antagonism against the decaying moral standards in politics. The hope of a 'shining India' has remained just that, a hope." The failure of conventional methods of revolting and the loss of faith in the government has prompted people to resort to unconstitutional approaches.
In sharp contrast to Dr Sharma's views, another sociologist, Dr S Parasuraman, says, "You cannot regard one man's attack on Pawar as the society's response to injustice. There may be anger, but it is not an indication of the people's moods, and definitely not a trend we need to be wary of."
Highlighting the significance of rebelling in a lawful manner, Prof Pratiba Naithani, department of Political Science at St Xavier's College, says, "I'm not defending his actions, but Pawar was not a Gaddafi or a Hosni Mubarak. He was an elected leader. By slapping a political representative, you are only causing law and order problems."
Filing a PIL is another way of expressing your angst, which is within the legal framework.
Anger's reaction to murky politics that drives the aam admi to the wall
When Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi hurled a shoe at former US President George W Bush during his farewell visit to Baghdad in 2008, little did he know that he had not just grabbed international headlines but also set a trend what have been cheekily labelled as the 'footwear missile incidents'.
Al-Zeidi's pent-up abhorrence for Bush made quite a dramatic appearance, earning him both applause and ridicule, and also a possible prison term. Following this uproar, a string of world leaders, from China's Wen Jiabao to Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari were subjected to a similar humiliation.
Closer home, even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister P Chidambaram, senior BJP leader LK Advani were not spared the disgrace. And with Sharad Pawar as the latest victim of this public fury, the question of why our politicians provoke such boorish behavior in the 'civilised' common man just gets bigger.
"The tolerant Indian, who used to direct his ire at his wife and children earlier, now vents it out on those responsible for his problems," says a Mumbai-based psychiatrist, who did not wish to be named. He pinpoints the rising problem of inflation as the root of this 'aggressive frustration' that has been only been escalating. This agitation is a reaction to the murky politics that drives the common man to the wall. Research has revealed that depression and stress levels are on the rise in urban areas. The pressure to buy that BMW you have been lusting after, or the 1-BHK flat you have promised your parents you'd buy, or simply the desire for an opulent lifestyle, could lead to a strenuous daily life filled with anxiety. At such a time, when scams are unearthed on such a regular basis, the thought of the people in power siphoning the tax-payer's money drives one into a frenzy.
Psycho-therapist Dr Anjali Chhabria sees it as an act of defiance and dissent against the growing economic burdens of the people. "Besides the obvious resentment against politicians who are seemingly fooling the public, another factor that triggers such uncivil conduct is, thanks to movies that show ordinary citizens taking the law and order in their hands, everybody wants to ape them and be a hero." Other theories, slightly cynical, point to the innately human hunger for free publicity and a 15-second claim to fame.
Offering a sociological perspective to the issue, Dr RN Sharma, a professor at the Tata Insitute of Social Sciences, says, "It's an obvious expression of antagonism against the decaying moral standards in politics. The hope of a 'shining India' has remained just that, a hope." The failure of conventional methods of revolting and the loss of faith in the government has prompted people to resort to unconstitutional approaches.
In sharp contrast to Dr Sharma's views, another sociologist, Dr S Parasuraman, says, "You cannot regard one man's attack on Pawar as the society's response to injustice. There may be anger, but it is not an indication of the people's moods, and definitely not a trend we need to be wary of."
Highlighting the significance of rebelling in a lawful manner, Prof Pratiba Naithani, department of Political Science at St Xavier's College, says, "I'm not defending his actions, but Pawar was not a Gaddafi or a Hosni Mubarak. He was an elected leader. By slapping a political representative, you are only causing law and order problems."
Filing a PIL is another way of expressing your angst, which is within the legal framework.
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