Dregs of Yore

How can you tell if you're in an echo chamber? Not all echo chambers are easy to recognise, especially from within. Often, echo chambers form and persist in opposition to another. Take, for example, the red-pill community, which exists largely as a reaction to third-wave feminist ideologies (an echo chamber many are more familiar with). A person who blindly adheres to a stereotype might be in an echo chamber, but so is someone who restructures their entire life in a mission to disprove that stereotype. This is why many outspoken atheists are accused of practising another form of religion—not because questioning the existence of God is a form of religion, but because they pursue it with a kind of religious fervour, rather than with the open scepticism that seeks truth without the need to assert intellectual superiority over the "herd." Echo chambers are often centred on moralities, and they emerge when people try to fit ideas, especially those they disagree with, into a fe...

Co-authored by  Ankit and Sadhika on Septemper 21, 2024 The debate surrounding unpaid domestic labour, particularly in the context of women's contributions to household work and child-rearing, has taken on a new dimension in recent years. Feminist theorists, most notably in the 1970s, argued that unpaid domestic labour, largely performed by women, was an unseen, unvalued contribution to society. The argument behind this perspective is that by monetising domestic labour, we can uplift women’s social status, assign proper value to their work, and reduce gender inequality. A prominent Indian politician, Shashi Tharoor, also resonates with this view by emphasising that unpaid domestic labour should be recognised as a critical economic contribution, yet remains unacknowledged in conventional economic metrics like the GDP. What makes this stance surprising is that it comes from a figure of his stature—a former Under-Secretary-General at the UN and a respected author on Indian histo...

In those restless days of my early twenties, I had my share of heated arguments with my father, as most young people are bound to do when the world still feels black and white. It was always over what I was so sure was the right thing—how a child should be raised, how love ought to be shown, how a family should stand together. I’d like to think I was driven by the pursuit of truth—and maybe in a broader sense, that’s what we’re all chasing in our fiercest debates—but if I’m honest, I was really trying to assert my own ideals, to prove to myself that my way of thinking was the right way. Regrettably, I must admit that there were times when I pushed him a bit too far. Sometimes, when the talk turned to how he ought to be as a father (and I wince now to remember how ungrateful I was to even suggest such things), and he found he couldn’t get through to me, he’d simply say, with a kind of quiet resignation, “I am a poet too.” At the time, those words meant little to me. If anything, I felt ...

One of the greatest triumphs of Hinduism is its accessibility and flexibility, allowing followers to succeed on their own terms. Unlike many structured religions that outline a strict path to spirituality, Hinduism offers multiple avenues—whether through karma (action), bhakti (devotion), jnana (knowledge), or dharma (righteousness). You can be a devout temple-goer, celebrate festivals with fervour, or quietly meditate in the sanctity of your own home. You can immerse yourself in scriptures like the Vedas and Upanishads or simply live by ethical principles. The beauty of Hinduism lies in the fact that whether or not you've mastered these doctrines, you still belong to the fold. It does not cast judgement on who is a "good" or "bad" Hindu, making it easy to win when the rules themselves are few and simple. At its core, Hinduism has a few non-negotiables that bind its followers, regardless of the path they walk. Ahimsa (non-violence) is paramount—respecting a...

Just the other day, a friend who had recently moved back to India from abroad hit me with the question: “Why are there so many cows on the streets?!” Now, for someone like me, who grew up in the chaotic charm of Indian roads, this question felt like asking why fish swim in water. But I realised it needed a deeper, more heartfelt answer. So, here's my attempt to break it down for anyone like my friend wondering about such pointless matters. In most villages and towns, cows are free-grazing animals. They’re not confined to stables but are allowed to roam and forage for food, particularly in areas where greenery is sparse. As cities have expanded and encroached on grazing lands, cows now often end up roaming the streets in search of food, especially where they know people might feed them. Farmers, knowing their non-milking or aging cows are safe from harm in urban areas, let them loose, trusting that the streets will provide. It’s Personal In India, cows aren’t just livestock; they’re...