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The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

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Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#13
post #7
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

Nothing has changed. The govt. has gotten better at media manipulation, and/or the media has decided it is easier to get into bed with the govt. Reliance Jio Institute has been declared an "institute of eminence" on par with IISc, and above many IITs. The industrialists hailed demonetisation. Ordinary citizens have few opportunities to enter the stock market, since it is inundated with foreign institutional investors…

> Aggressive stupidity is the way forward.

Probably the most concise and accurate summary of the situation I've read. (Particularly as someone in the UK who's doesn't want to leave!)

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#14
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

You probably shouldn't. I'm in a similar situation and although back home there are all these fancy cafes, relaxed and familiar environments and great people, the significant differences become apparent only in crisis.

When it comes to police, ambulance or just having safe food, safe streets and competent government, there's a sea of difference, although it's easy for me to sit at a Hard Rock Cafe back home and think that this place is amazing.

The situation in Kerala right now illustrates this well.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#15
post #7
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

Nothing has changed. The govt. has gotten better at media manipulation, and/or the media has decided it is easier to get into bed with the govt. Reliance Jio Institute has been declared an "institute of eminence" on par with IISc, and above many IITs. The industrialists hailed demonetisation. Ordinary citizens have few opportunities to enter the stock market, since it is inundated with foreign institutional investors…

Those who don't think the way you do are not "aggressively stupid", they just have other interests. That kind of dismissal doesn't help anybody.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#16
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing has changed. The govt. has gotten better at media manipulation, and/or the media has decided it is easier to get into bed with the govt. Reliance Jio Institute has been declared an "institute of eminence" on par with IISc, and above many IITs. The industrialists hailed demonetisation. Ordinary citizens have few opportunities to enter the stock market, since it is inundated with foreign institutional investors…

Those who don't think the way you do are not "aggressively stupid", they just have other interests. That kind of dismissal doesn't help anybody.

Personally I see it as an existential observation rather than a dismissal.

On the whole, the actions of both the voting public in many countries, let alone the politicians that they vote for, do seem to be displaying an increasingly aggressive level of stupidity. Or possibly, if not stupidity, one could more accurately call it apathy.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#17
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

I don't share the negative sentiments expressed by others in response to your question. I think things have changed significantly for the better. I'll leave you with these two images - you can decide for yourself if anything has changed:

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in... https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/in...

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/new-night-lights-m...

Scroll down to India's map and play with it for a while and then ask yourself whether India has changed for the better.

You may not feel the difference as much as India's villagers and poor.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#18
post #8

And here I thought that "Wild Wild Country" on Netflix was too crazy to be true and something like that would not happen again. (*fixed typos)

To me, the unique aspect of that docu was the "banality of.." perspective.

About from a quirky sexual liberalism, the teachings were standard fare for a religion. The phenomenon was also unremarkable, the the grand scheme of things. The world is full of holy men, holy places, masters and devotees. It always has been. Any religion with a an origin story features a story like this. The old Hebrew/jehovist religion centred around prophet-leaders. Moses was a holy man, along with the other prophets. Jesus was such a holy man. Mohammed. Budha. Zoroaster, probably. The founders of most old catholic orders... You might even include communist "holy men" or other secular/political movements in that overall group.

Basically, we can just take it as a given that holy men with an extremely devoted group of devotees will emerge here and there.

At that point it's up to a St. Peter, or a Ma Anand Sheila to do something with it.

Just before wild wild country begins, America experienced the Jonestown bloodbath. Its definitely a history that repeats.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#19
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

Why do you feel the US is better in this respect? The US has several other obvious advantages compared to India, but equality of wealth distribution and lack of crony capitalism don't seem to be among them.

Re: The Billionaires and The Guru: How an Indian Family Burned Through $2B

#20
post #4

As someone who left India for the US, this article gives me pause as to whether things have actually changed in shining New India or if it's just a facade with air conditioning. More specifically, I'd like to move back at some point and I'm not sure if I ever should.

there's no better time to come back. Do come. Its about what you can create in the world's largest democracy.

Are we the only country with constitutionally guaranteed Right to Privacy ?

come and build. Oh and that goes for everyone else too. We have a lot of American, Brit and Chinese founders building successful startups in India.

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