musings

I loved the movie so much that I read the book. I enjoyed the book, but do not feel the story as a whole will rank in my mind as one of the most spectacular.

Instead, as I find is often the case, specific moments in the novel or the way a thought is portrayed, perhaps some witty remark in the narrative, subtle irony or dramatic speech, serve to make the rest of the book bearable. Maybe I’m strange in this way: I may only recall the gist of a tale but the emotions felt at particular moments are more easily revived.

For this reason, I made sure I noted statements I found striking while reading this book; to anyone else, they will likely be meaningless. My hope is to capture the book in a few excerpts that have affected me. So here are some memorable quotes from E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India.

“Aziz was exquisitely dressed, from tie-pin to spats, but he had forgotten his back-collar stud, and there you have the Indian all over; inattention to detail, the fundamental slackness that reveals the race.” Ch. 8

Her hand touched his, owing to a jolt, and one of the thrills so frequent in the animal kingdom passed between them, and announced that their difficulties were only a lovers’ quarrel. Ch. 8

Nothing enrages Anglo-India more than the lantern of reason if it is exhibited for one moment after its extinction is decreed. Ch. 17

“You remember the one I had a knock with on your maidan last month. Well, he was all right. Any native who plays polo is all right. What you’ve got to stamp on is these educated classes, and, mind, I do know what I’m talking about this time.” Ch. 20

“I am waiting for the verdict of the courts. If he is guilty I resign from my service, and leave India. I resign from the Club now.” Ch. 20

When that strange race nears the dust and is condemned as untouchable, then nature remembers the physical perfection that she accomplished elsewhere, and throws out a god — not many, but one here and there, to prove to society how little its categories impress her. Ch. 24

Ronny’s religion was of the sterilized Public School brand, which never goes bad, even in the tropics. Wherever he entered, mosque, cave or temple, he retained the spiritual outlook of the fifth form, and condemned as ‘weakening’ any attempt to understand them. Ch. 28

This week I have come across two interesting articles which have made me think about the important roles of family and education. The first is an Economist story, Dividing and multiplying, and the second a BBC News article, End anti-marriage bias say Tories. They consider Labour and Conservative responses respectively on tackling some of the issues that most concern British people today.

The Economist article describes the changing role of schools and its manifestation in new PM Gordan Brown’s splitting the education department into two. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has taken over some responsibilities from the Home Office such as youth justice and the “Respect agenda” (cracking down on anti-social behaviour). This move clearly indicates the importance Labour places on education as the solution to all evils. As the Economist says,

They [schools] are increasingly seen as the solution to everything grown-ups think is wrong with the world. Teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases? Open sexual health clinics in schools. Anti-social behaviour and poor parenting? Get police to patrol the corridors and bring in social workers. Schools are even supposed to be able to fix more general ills. Low social mobility and segregation by race and class? Allocate school places by lottery, and twin schools with contrasting student bodies.

The Tory viewpoint, as laid out in the BBC News article, is that many of the responsibilities that have been recently allocated to DCSF should rest with families. This is a less ‘direct’ solution in that it associates ‘good upbringing’ with stable family structures, thus enabling government to focus on promoting such structures and providing incentives for them to flourish:

The policy group set up by Mr Cameron and led by Mr Duncan Smith called for the “biggest shake-up of the welfare system” since the 1940s. It says “social breakdown” is costing the UK £102bn a year.
…
The report says the current tax system “does not recognise the benefits of marriage” and “disincentivises adults from openly living together and encourages fraud”. In a speech responding to the report, Mr Cameron said: “If we get the family right, we can fix our broken society.
…
The report - called Breakthrough Britain - says lone parents on benefits should be expected to work part-time when their youngest child reaches five, and full-time when the child turns 11. It proposes courses for mothers and fathers to help with their children’s development and “relationship classes”.

So who is right? Should responsibility lie with schools or parents? Or should it be shared? Perhaps there is an overlap between their functions in bringing up children?

Based on my experiences, I opine that parents should ideally be the ultimate guides. By bringing children into existence, parents should not see their duty as merely feeding them and throwing them away at 18. I am certain most parents are more caring, and that many of these may be lone parents. On average, though, I believe stable family structures, which include two parents, are most conducive to bringing up children well. The breakdown of strong, loving family environments is the reason why an emphasis is often placed on the role of education.

Yet I cringe when I read that teachers will not have authority to act against pupils outside school. Surely teachers must be able, and indeed encouraged, to scold pupils for anti-social behaviour on their journeys to and from school? I always felt this was common sense, until I discovered otherwise. It shows how limited and impersonal the profession of teaching in the public sector has become. So teachers should also be aware of the influence they have on their pupils aside from the transmittal of knowledge.

In summary, then, I believe parents and teachers both have strong influences on children. While ultimate responsibility for children’s welfare should lie with their parents, teachers should not shy away from the rewarding duty of instilling good values in their pupils. Ensuring parents and teachers are in the best position to fulfil these roles is key.

Update (11/07/07): Tax breaks for married couples back on the political agenda.

Well, it’s been about six months since I last posted here. So I thought I’d just update people on what I’m doing, where I am in life, and let people know that I’m still alive! To be honest, not much has happened. The “highlights” of the last six months from my perspective, in no particular order, have been:

• Getting a job - I’m a practical person. I don’t have many pleasures or pains, I just like to get on with it. So knowing that I have a role to play in society, and a career to focus on, is quite important to me. An internship was a good start, and I’ve fortunately been able to land a job. I’ll be joining a trading desk at an investment bank in the Canary Wharf area. I’m looking forward to meeting people this September during training and at the bank itself.
• Meeting old friends - When I first left London for university, I almost completely lost touch with my school friends for a couple of years. So I’m glad that, in my final year, I’ve been able to meet up with some of them, catch up, and see that life is treating them well. I really enjoyed new year’s eve with school friends and going to some of their 21st birthday parties.
• Degree pressure - I may have a job, but the pressure of a mathematics degree fails to yield. Maths is one of those subjects on which you can spend hours, days, weeks without getting anywhere. And suddenly, hopefully, with any luck, you might grasp an idea which makes it all worthwhile. This year counts for 60% of my degree, and although I have minimised the amount of maths I am undertaking I do hope I get somewhere with the maths in my maths degree.
• Societies - Last year I spent some time working for societies, through which I have met some great people. This year I’ve taken an opportunity to enjoy what these societies have to offer, largely through One World Week (oneworldweek.net), which includes a fashion show, some good nights, a food festival, and some interesting talks. However, I’ve also had the pleasure of contributing to the National Hindu Students Forum (nhsf.org.uk) as Knowledge Development Officer, and in addition helping out in a national sports event they organise. Hopefully, these opportunities won’t end completely when (if and when!) I graduate.

So that’s about it. There’s nothing earth-shattering about what I’ve been doing, and nothing on its own worth an entry on this blog. This is a pretty bland description of what’s happened - I find that enjoyment comes more in moments, those moments you remember, than in occasions in their entirety. I won’t remember everything I’ve done in the last few months, but there is a strange contentedness in knowing that they have been in some way productive, or useful, or progressive.

The email has done the rounds at just about every bank in the City and, thanks to the global nature of the business, has undoubtedly spread across the world. Here’s the email with names omitted:

21st Birthday Party at The Ritz Hotel London
Friday, 18th of August
9pm Champagne Reception
10pm Photo Shoots
10.30pm Blowing Candles
Mid-night Pangaea, Mayfair

I have arranged the Ritz to host a Champagne Reception with a selection of Ritz Champagne for all my guests, this will be on me so please come and indulge.

A specially made birthday cake has also been ordered and the Ritz waiters will kindly serve you each a generous slice with Ritz cutleries, etc….also on me.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRY:
*When you arrive, take the Hotel entry on the opposite side of the Green Park tube station (Please refer to your arrival time at the end of this email)
*When asked “how can I help you Sir/Madam ?”, you reply “I am here for ****’s Birthday Party at the Rivoli Bar”
*You will be escorted to the lounge area next to the Rivoli bar, where you will hopefully see a gorgeous group of ladies.
If you experience any issues getting in or getting to the Ritz, please call my mobile on **** *** *** and my PA Ms *** will kindly deal with your queries between 8.30pm� to 10pm.

STRICT DRESS CODE:
Gentlemen: Jacket, shirt, and please also bring a tie (no jeans, trainers, flip-flops, polo-shirts)
Ladies: skirt/top, cocktail dress (no denim, mini-skirts, flip-flops, bad tastes)
Advise 1: It goes without saying that the more upper-class you dress, the less likely you shall be denied entry.
Advise 2: Photos will be taken between 10pm and 10.30pm, and these will be distributed when processed, therefore you may want to be well-groomed! (wink)

Finally…
I will be accepting cards and small gifts between 9pm and 11pm… (wink wink) hehehe

I very much look forward to seeing you all at the Ritz this Friday.

ARRIVAL TIMES (Please stick to these as best you can, thank you)
9pm: (list of 9 names)
9.15pm: (list of 9 names)
9.30pm: (list of 11 names)
9.45pm: (list of 4 names)
10pm: (list of 6 names)

The FT, The Times, The Daily Mail, Oxford Gossip and Here is the City had a field day.

And there’s more…a reply claiming to originate from a senior banker at Citigroup:

Dear Lucy,

Apologies for emailing on a private email address but I am currently on holiday in Barbados and refusing to access my Citigroup emails. However, I have had your email forwarded to me by one of my senior colleagues
about your party this Friday. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it as:

1. I always wear jeans and a t-shirt on the weekend (no exceptions) 2. The ritz is SO last season. 3. I would rather not have to waste time buying you a card and present, which you probably wouldn’t need anyway 4. Your PA has advised me that most people won’t be turning up so I won’t miss much 5. Like most people, I’m not very good at sticking to arrival times and would probably miss my slot.

On a serious note, based on your email, I am quite dumbfounded with how you managed to get a job here with us this summer and i will be having some SERIOUS words with the person who interviewed you. The fact that you have obviously spent a lot of our ‘Work Time’, planning your birthday party and not doing the work we have given you is a clear indication that you are not taking this internship seriously and are not dedicated to the firm. I do not think we will be in a position to offer you a full time graduate placement following the internship.

Kind regards,

David Townsend
Executive Director,
Global FI Trading Floor

Writing on Ball row plunges Test into chaos

Day four of the fourth Test between England and Pakistan was sensationally abandoned after a ball-tampering row.

England were awarded five penalty runs and allowed to choose a replacement ball after the umpires ruled Pakistan were guilty of doctoring the original.

The tourists initially refused to come back out after tea in protest but finally decided to return after talks.

The umpires then threw the match into total confusion by staying in the pavilion, with England on 298-4.

It’s a sad day for cricket. From what I have heard so far, through the BBC, Sky and Cricinfo, I firmly believe the umpires are at fault. They are at fault on two points. Firstly, they should have explained why Pakistan were being penalised and provided evidence. Darrell Hair, the Australian umpire who has had issues with Pakistan in the past, by simply tapping his shoulder and accusing the Pakistani team of ball tampering, virtually cuts off all communication between team and umpires.

The second mistake by the umpires was their obstinate refusal to communicate with the Pakistani camp and return to the pitch. Indeed, they felt that Pakistan had forfeited the match by not coming out after tea. Rules are rules, it is true. However, what umpires must also have in sight is what is good for the game.

Letting down those who had bought tickets for the game, fans around the world, hanging a dark cloud over the game, and severing channels of communication with the “offending” team are all damaging to cricket as a sport. The umpires could quite easily have had a word with the Pakistani team, both on the pitch with Inzamam regarding their accusation of ball tampering and in their dressing room by listening to why the players had refused to play for a while after tea. Neither of these actions were enacted, and what results is mayhem.

Writing on Review of the Evidence Base on Faith Communities

A review of the evidence base relating to the demographic, socio-economic and cultural characteristics of ‘emerging’ faith communities, specifically the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh populations together with the likely future trends within them.

I found this via an entry on deprived minorities at Pickled Politics, and it looks to be an interesting read. I shall endeavour to comment on it once I find the time to read the whole document, probably after my summer exams.

Update (07/08/06): Due to a busy vacation (I’m interning on a trading floor) and a growing reading list I probably won’t get round to writing up my views on this document, but do go ahead and have a look if it’s something that interests you.

It’s true: Trashing Tendulkar isn’t cricket. Many sportslovers have lost the capacity to look at the larger picture and understand events in a historical perspective, writes Nirmal Shekar

Tendulkar’s mastery, which goes far beyond statistics, should not suffer this outrageous reaction by ’supporters’ who cannot appreciate his contribution to Indian cricket. Tendulkar, like Lara, and just about every major cricketer, is prone to these lean spells often sandwiched between very high scores.

However, I think an interesting (and useful) statistic would be the standard deviation of Tendulkar’s scores for both ODI’s and tests. This, I feel, may show that although he may have a superb average and high runrate, he lacks the consistency that some other batsmen enjoy. Of course, few careers are comparable to Tendulkar and statistics are often not the most accurate description of a cricketer’s ability, but a high variance in Tendulkar’s scores may suggest that it is consistency that is required for Tendulkar to retain his standing as one of the greatest cricketers in the game today. Regardless, there is no defence for those who booed Tendulkar on his way back to the pavilion at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The BBC published an interesting article, What do you want, a medal?, which raises the question as to what work ought to be recognized by society. There are many responses from the public below the article, but the one that most closely reflects my views goes as follows:

The system should be simple. Only give the medals to those who undertake activities outside of their remunerated roles. So civil servants who do work for charities in addition to their day job would still be entitled or those who have worked hard to promote a social cause whilst working in another job should all be recognised. The only exception to the doing your job rule should be for people who work hard in a charitable role for which they are paid. These people often forgo large salaries to undertake work that they believe is important.
Jim, UK

Some may argue that anyone who achieves excellence in their job should also be recognized. With the exception of military honours, such as the George Cross and Victoria Cross, I believe this would devalue the Order of the British Empire to the extent that it would become worthless, since there are an uncountable number who achieve excellence in their jobs.

So I feel that national sporting “heroes” do not deserve being honoured, while Jamie Oliver, who has exerted much effort for the social cause of improving the nutritional quality of school meals, certainly does. On the other hand, giving an MBE to postman William Boyd, a postman who collected old bottles and cans for recycling to raise cash for local hospitals, is going slightly overboard and a bit too politically correct, as there are thousands of people who undertake voluntary work without publicity or recognition.

On a related topic, I have little respect for people who use their rejection of honours bestowed by the Queen, for whatever reason, to publicise their cause or themselves. A BBC article states: “Most public figures do keep their rejection of honours a private matter.” This statement is further supported by another article: Leak reveals honours snubs. By all means people who reject honours should explain to the Queen why they have done so, like Rabindranath Tagore or John Lennon, the latter of which wrote:

Your Majesty, I am returning this in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts. With love. John Lennon of Bag.

The issue regarding the “political” message of receiving an MBE, OBE or CBE is, for me personally, a non-issue. If someone does consider it to be an issue, they should not use the media to publicize their rejection of an honour to boost their image, as some do. Egoism does not deserve to be honoured.

The University of Warwick Hindu Society and Young Jains Warwick are holding their own Diwali ball on Friday 4th November, 7.30 till late. The dinner & dance will be held in the Panorama Suite, Rootes Social Building, and tickets cost £18 (members) or £20 (non-members). Members of Hindu Societies at other universities will be able to obtain tickets for £18. There will be a 3-course meal, cultural performances and music to dance the night away. Dress code is traditional or smart. Tickets are on sale now: visit our stall in the Piazza almost any time this week; please come along since Diya promises to be an amazing night. To take advantage of the members’ discount, you must join Warwick HinduSoc or Young Jains Warwick. Please contact me or email Warwick HinduSoc if you have any queries regarding this event or are interested in going.

I apologize to my regular readers* for the recent problems in accessing my weblog. This was due to a server crash and problems configuring a backup of the blog on a new server. My blog, formerly known as JustJigar and currently nameless, is now undergoing reconstruction. You may find that some links don’t work, many links that were previously available are nowhere to be seen, etc. This will be corrected as soon as possible, so please be patient. Thank you for visiting my blog.

*All two of them.