I am as miffed as the next desi at India being blamed for the global food crisis. The punditry is right in asking "Why do Americans think they deserve to eat more than Indians?" That would be like asking why does aristocracy get offended by the ostentatious nouveau riche.
Unfortunately the bar for "flashiness" in this case is dangerously low - the Indians have had their hand slapped by Big Brother for going ahead and eating a full meal. We have apparently made news by eating food produced in our own country, purchased with our own currency. The implication is somehow that we should have been mindful of our lowly station in the world and known better than to "start demanding better nutrition and better food".
After the more deserving people have had the best portions and the bulk of it, us desis should be grateful to scrape and survive on the left-overs. Instead, flush with money from a booming economy we have gone and flouted long established tradition and rules of engagement. How dare we improve our diets to the point that there is pressure to keep food inside India ?
No wonder Condi Rice feels the need to look at that element of the problem. She might as well have issued an edict for all desis to go on a crash diet effective immediately to ease up some of that "pressure" so food could start flowing West to end up half-eaten in trash bins and dumpsters. What else is she to do with these upstart Indians who insist on eating their meals ?
Unfortunately the bar for "flashiness" in this case is dangerously low - the Indians have had their hand slapped by Big Brother for going ahead and eating a full meal. We have apparently made news by eating food produced in our own country, purchased with our own currency. The implication is somehow that we should have been mindful of our lowly station in the world and known better than to "start demanding better nutrition and better food".
After the more deserving people have had the best portions and the bulk of it, us desis should be grateful to scrape and survive on the left-overs. Instead, flush with money from a booming economy we have gone and flouted long established tradition and rules of engagement. How dare we improve our diets to the point that there is pressure to keep food inside India ?
No wonder Condi Rice feels the need to look at that element of the problem. She might as well have issued an edict for all desis to go on a crash diet effective immediately to ease up some of that "pressure" so food could start flowing West to end up half-eaten in trash bins and dumpsters. What else is she to do with these upstart Indians who insist on eating their meals ?
Comments
Of course this is unpopular advice!