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A Dust Over India

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Re: A Dust Over India

#241

Post by statictype »

photon137 wrote: post #43
darien wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has been explained to me that it is common for many indians to justify another person’s plight by believing that a condition of suffering is that person’s ‘karmic destiny.’ Therefore it would be ‘bad karma’ to help such a person.

Well, that perception, if it has been presented to you, is false. In fact, in India, whenever someone is discouraged to help someone out, the most popular argument is "Why bother? It's not your problem!" or "It'll be more trouble than it's worth" - just like anywhere else in the world.

Anecdotally, about ten years ago, when walking down a street once, a poor girl started following me around. I reached into my pocket and gave her a handful of whatever loose change I had lying around in there. She continued to badger me for the next 10min, even while I tried crossing the street multiple times to get her off my trail.

I once got stopped by a couple that gave me a story about being left away from home and no means to get back etc... I gave them Rs.50 and they kind of stared at me with bewilderment like "that's all you're giving me"

(And keep in mind that I'm not a white guy standing out in the crowd - I look just like every other Indian on the street :) )

Small things like this make me slightly more reluctant to give money to people on the street. I prefer to donate via charities that I help out with instead.

Re: A Dust Over India

#242

Post by schiptsov »

look at this post carefully - this is an example of the mix of a limited intelligence, fixed perspective along with narcissism and ambitions.

Call it The (very) Common Man.

Re: A Dust Over India

#243

Post by kamaal »

jagira wrote: post #215
crag wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Also, just to point out, don't base your comparisons on a blog post." As opposed to what you are basing you opinions on; "My sister lives in Troy. When she was new to Detroit, she choose a wrong route while driving to downtown Detroit. While passing through a certain area (don't remember the name, will call her and ask) some gangsters tried to stop her car and rob her. Luckily she escaped." Down vote me all you've w…

a) You still don't get it. I am not trying to pick any place. Maybe Detroit has improved. Good for you, my sister, the USA and this world. But you may still warn your tourist friend of certain places in other American cities , right? An uninformed tourist will be shocked if he/she visit such places just like India. b) I didn't down vote any of your post. Hence, these replies.

In all fairness, what you call the poorest in US would actually qualify to be pretty rich people here in India.

Re: A Dust Over India

#244

Post by aggronn »

kamaal wrote: post #235
aggronn wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your assessment of my question isn't fair. Serving companies interests vs serving public interests isn't a dichotomy, and very rarely is a regulatory decision as clean cut as 'this is obviously bad and a net loss for the society, but we're going to let them set do it anyways'. Believing that to be the case is far more disingenuous. Regardless, moving between industry and regulatory bodies isn't necessarily done in a…

>>Serving companies interests vs serving public interests isn't a dichotomy It actually is, many times. Especially when companies are ready to pay up any amount of bribe to get their job done. To give you an example. A manufacturer can sell, low quality transformers to electric board. This is goes against public interests. But at the same the manufacturer can argue he creating jobs by running a company, so he can che…

I'm specifically not referring to bribes. That is undoubtedly corruption.

>A manufacturer can sell, low quality transformers to electric board. This is goes against public interests.

You're going to have to give more details than this in order to make that statement. Are they in a competitive market? Is someone picking winners? What effect does this have on prices? Moreover, is he creating jobs? How is that cheating?

Re: A Dust Over India

#245

Post by irahul »

RealGeek wrote: post #130
irahul wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Come on, that picture is more exception than the norm. The norm isn't too far from the exception. I spent 4 years in Chennai, and this was a common sight. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-4o_J8R8OVg/TIy3nfGUzdI/AAAAAAAAAo... Though I have never seen the bent buses in Bangalore yet in the 5 years I have been here. That is not to say public buses are pleasant here - you still deal with being densely packed with other commu…

I see that picture ever day in New Delhi (capital of India)

I was in Delhi a long time back(9 years), and when I came to Chennai, the Delhi buses started to look pleasant in comparison. The only buses which ran on the route my college was on were skewed to the side owing to the hanging passengers. In Bangalore, at least the damn door closes and no one is falling to his death.

When I was in Delhi, I was a broke student and took buses most of the times. Some routes were quite pleasant. Some were outright hell. The one that runs between south Delhi and Najafgarh is packed(especially after 8 in the evening), and people are knowingly and unknowingly thrusting their crotches into each other.

Re: A Dust Over India

#246

Post by donpark »

Ironic that a follower of Buddha's path saw and felt exactly what Buddha saw and felt thousands of years ago yet failed to recognize it.

More ironic is how Buddha's lifeboat for the poor and hungry turned out to be intellectual's tool for enlightenment.

Re: A Dust Over India

#247

Post by aggronn »

dredmorbius wrote: post #233
aggronn wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your assessment of my question isn't fair. Serving companies interests vs serving public interests isn't a dichotomy, and very rarely is a regulatory decision as clean cut as 'this is obviously bad and a net loss for the society, but we're going to let them set do it anyways'. Believing that to be the case is far more disingenuous. Regardless, moving between industry and regulatory bodies isn't necessarily done in a…

No, it's accurate. What part of "when a state regulatory agency, created to act in the public interest, instead advances the commercial or special interests that dominate the industry or sector it is charged with regulating" don't you understand? That is the definition of "regulatory capture". Note that regulatory capture is not "balancing the public interest with commercial realities" or similar such wording. If you…

It might suffice to say that 'regulatory capture' is used more broadly in economic literature than what the wikipedia article you're referencing leads on. Maybe not. We disagree fundamentally on the 'appearance of impropriety' comment here. I don't consider the reason for changing jobs to be so cut and dry. I don't see this moving onto a productive discussion.

Re: A Dust Over India

#248

Post by kamaal »

aggronn wrote: post #244
kamaal wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>Serving companies interests vs serving public interests isn't a dichotomy It actually is, many times. Especially when companies are ready to pay up any amount of bribe to get their job done. To give you an example. A manufacturer can sell, low quality transformers to electric board. This is goes against public interests. But at the same the manufacturer can argue he creating jobs by running a company, so he can che…

I'm specifically not referring to bribes. That is undoubtedly corruption. >A manufacturer can sell, low quality transformers to electric board. This is goes against public interests. You're going to have to give more details than this in order to make that statement. Are they in a competitive market? Is someone picking winners? What effect does this have on prices? Moreover, is he creating jobs? How is that cheating?

In India its pretty common to have this scenario. We call it the 'License Raj System'- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licence_Raj

Licenses for supplies, manufacturing, export, services etc. Heck nearly everything is controlled by licenses. Which are in turn issued by the government. The Net result is heavy bribes are paid to get licenses. And then bribes are paid to regulators to by pass violations.

You might think lobbying and campaign funds are too much of corruption in US. Come to India, you have to pay bribe for everything and anything.

To give you a specific scenario. Lets say you bid for a contract to build roads. Lets say you tar roads. Firstly this can be won only through if you are licensed contractors(You have to pay bribe to get one). Then tenders are allocated for the road construction, you have to pay commissions to get selected.

Now after heavily bribing your way through all this. The only way you can make profit is by sacrificing quality. Therefore you now use low quality material. If saw you are asked to tar the road 8 inches, you do only 3 inches. You don't tar lanes. The quality of tar you use doesn't last one rainy season.

Regulatory authorities are severely bribed to over look all this.

This is the regular story in India, In nearly ever walk of life. This happens from birth to death. People even bribe for birth and death certificates, voter identification cards, passports. You name it, and there is corruption associated with it.

Re: A Dust Over India

#249

Post by turar »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #173
turar wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Because India is close to the equator, the environment has a greater carrying capacity than the kinds of first-world, northern nations that the author is used to." By that logic, Russia would have been the most advanced nation in the world a long time ago, yet it's historically been lagging Europe (and later USA) in development. Many in Russia actually use a totally opposite logic: because the environment in Russia…

So I don't think it's as simple as that. My take on it: in the US, the climate makes it possible to rise far above the subsistence level, but only with some effort and/or ingenuity. Motivated people have historically been rewarded with better lives, and that truth has influenced our entire culture. In equatorial island countries, it's too easy. What, you think you can spend your whole life relaxing on the beach sippi…

I think climate may play some role, but it's nowhere near as important as the OP stated. You've got Canada vs Russia, Singapore vs Madagascar, South Korea vs North Korea, Australia vs Papua New Guinea, etc. Basically, there are lots of other factors.

Re: A Dust Over India

#250

Post by evan_ »

grandalf wrote: post #192
CamperBob2 wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now that is a serious exaggeration, and an unproductive one as well.

What percent of your lifetime income / net worth would you give up to avoid a 6 month term in a maximum security penitentiary?

A smaller percent than if it were the actual Gulag?
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