Thousand years of hype

Thousand years of hype

DECEMBER 12: Song of the millennium, actor of the millennium, film of the millennium, and the list and the countdown go on and on. As if the millennium is a time to sit and draw lists. No doubt, it is a time to sit down and remember all those who have contributed positively to our lives and those, like Adolf Hitler, who contributed in a different fashion.

But the question is, the levity. The hype surrounding the entire thing. Almost as if it is going to be one big party and that is all. Well, party time it definitely is, but not just that. That could be the welcome to a lot of grim decisions to be taken in the near future.

I feel, if anything, the millennium calls for introspection. A debate on a lot of issues which threaten our very existence. Which affect our lives and those of the people around us. About providing shelter to the mi-llions of homeless around the world, about the continuing atrocities on women... the recent sati episode is en-ough of a reminder. To very honestly evaluate how far we havecome. And then how many have come this far. Abortion, the death penalty, unemployment, growing violence, the neverending wars, we have quite a lot to think of, but only if we want to.

Ask the man on the street what the millennium means to him. Ask a child begging in the streets about the millennium. That is another side of the future. A painful confession. So we have decided to step aside and focus on things we can digest. Like sitting in a comfortable chair and counting on our fingers.

It is important to remember history. It makes a lot of sense to recall people who were the original thinkers, who showed us a better way of living. And also those who time and again showed us our darker sides. But why, even today the present is a mess? Why after all the inventions and achievements have we failed to provide the basics to a large majority. The millennium, as is being made out, is about The Gre-ats only. Well, it belongs equally to the kid who serves me tea at the dhaba. Just that he really has no idea whatthe millennium means.

And what there is to celebrate is even harder to explain. Like to my own self. What exactly is the occasion? The turn of the clock would definitely be significant because it would mean the birth of a new era. Perhaps, a second chance at many of the opportunities missed. And maybe, our last chance to save ourselves and the world, from ourselves!

I would love to be on the dance floor when the clock teasingly makes the turn from '99 to '00. In the midst of music and love, stamping my way into the future. But I hope to be in my work clothes the next day.

It was Phil Collins the other day with `Another Day in Paradise' who reminded me what I sometimes feel I come very close to forgetting. An ability to change my world and that of those around me. An equally powerful ability to ignore pettiness. For the world can do with change. With a little more compassion. And thought. Not that that would erode my joy, but just add to my understanding.

But coming back to the levity and frivolitythat at times scares. And the slightly nonsensical hype over an Indian being the `Actor of the Millennium' or an Indian being voted as the `Woman of the Millennium.' Put it to the one billion-plus that we have become. And then forget about it. No doubt the occasion is grand. And it definitely calls for loud thumpings to usher in the future. But we will have remember our responsibilities. Our commitment towards building a better world. And not just in advertisements and songs. We will demand the very best from ourselves and from those around us and then hope for something better. Build a better world? Perhaps. Or build a better people? Perhaps. It would be our choices, for as long as we live. I only hope we make the right ones.