Westwing and us…bring it to Indian prime time!!
February 8th, 2007 | by Ridhima Suri |A very friendly discussion turned out to be a real good quality talk among some friends today. Ahemm, I was one of them too! It all started by how we like Westwing, an American TV series (fiction), which revolves around what goes on in the Oval Office; how policies are made for the most powerful country of the world; and how good people make the world a better place to live by thinking about the minutest of issues. The potrayal of good politicians shown on popular TV is such an enlightening proposition.
The thing is that this serial is very well done and has a heart. Not only is the President shown as a good guy, who wants to make a difference to the education system, the health care system, the roads, the labour laws, the foreign policy but also the whole system is shown to have good people. They deal with foreign policy issues, terrorism and racism not with the sign on a piece of paper but with full discussion day in and and day out, judging every step that they take in the light of near and future repurcussions. The busy mood in the White House, where at any given moment, a lot of people are walking, talking, working is much a contrast to my typical office setting of THE WHITE HOUSE notion.
The thing is every system has its own share of black and white, meaning good and bad. But what is touching is how the goodness is elevated on this TV show. Contrast it to the Indian system of political activity. People keep criticising what the politicians do, how corrupt they are and how the red tapism has slowed the economic growth!!
I remember I was in the fifth standard and the teacher asked me, what I want to be in future. I said, “I want to be a politician”. And the whole class started laughing!!!!! That is the general tendency in India. The educated shy away from the mess in the political arena. I am not advocating that you aspire to become a Prime Minister, Chief Minister but maybe on a slightly low profile position for making a difference. Maybe a Mayor, Education Minister, Minister of External Affairs just to make a difference.
A difference at micro level to start a difference at macro level like they show in Westwing where all the characters working in the President’s Office think and speak aloud!!!! There are no inhibitions, whatsoever. If you think there is an ethical issue to a new industry or that a campaign should have another angle, SPEAK UP!! and do right. Yes, that is the message conveyed mostly…. “do what is right”.
But, alas, who has the time to show the good work. The Pros in Indian television must watch the Westwing Series. So while I wound up saying that I may want to make a difference in the education field, another friend wanted to become CM, and my best friend said she wanted to become the PM……so much for inspiration sitting overseas………Let us bring some Westwing to Indian Prime Time as well!
ps. chk out the post tomorrow for more on Westwing and me….:)
Tags: Interesting, West Wing
2 Responses to “Westwing and us…bring it to Indian prime time!!”
By anitha on Feb 8, 2007 | Reply
politics is the last resort for fadding film stars and Gundas/criminals in India ,naturally corruption, red tapisum is rampant. how many of us would really venture into politics leaving the luxury of western world.
Westwing is TV a serial not a reality.
By vijay on Feb 9, 2007 | Reply
Kudos to a well written and a thought provoking article.
There are so many things which can do done, that can change the day today life of common people. The economy is buoyant. Any constructive project you think of, is an opportunity for the general mass to utilize their time in a constructive way. If we really want a harmonious environment, make the people engaged in some activity or the other. Make them work. But to conceive that idea, we require able statesmen. So who is ready to groom himself/herself to the rank of a selfless statesman ? Its more or less like who will bell the cat ?