Thursday, February 12, 2009

The color is Pink!!

After reading about the pink chaddi campaign just out of curiosity I did a google on pink and what it means.

Some of the results were eye opener for me.

Till around 1930 pink was used to be associated with boys and blue was with girls. Somewhere around that time it was reversed.

The NAZIs in their concentration camps used a pink triangle to identify homosexuals.

Wiki says that “Pinko is a derogatory term for a person regarded as sympathetic to Communism, though not necessarily a Communist Party member.’

Again a link in wiki on political colours is interesting read

Reading through the wiki on political colours there are some interesting observations

Pink was supposed to be a mixture of Red and white.

Red is traditional colour of socialism and even communism; see Red flag.”

White has been linked to pacifism (as in the surrender flag)”.
“…. Historically, it was associated with support for absolutist monarchists …”

At another place a website selling gems advices that
“pink is the color of universal love. Pink is a quiet color. Lovers of beauty favor pink. A pink carnation means "I will never forget you".”
Put some pink in your life when you want:
calm feelings
to neutralize disorder
relaxation
acceptance, contentment

also “Pink is the sweet side of red.” “While red stirs up passion and action, studies have shown that large amounts of pink can create physical weakness in people.” Although I doubt authenticity of any such studies.

In the current situation Pink is very very important for lot of people.

For Mutalik it means far bigger fame and name than he thought would come to his way when Mangalore happened (he must be blessing the chaddi campaigners).

For chaddi campaigners a nice way to sway (or divide) opinion in urban class and put majority of people in a classic dilemma .. people who does not sympathize with Mutalik but are also not keen to go to their nearest pub (to assert their right or expression to freedom).

Many others who do not like the way this whole issue is portrayed as fight for woman rights vs oppressive society as probably it’s a simple law-n-order issue which is blown out of proportion for various vested interests.

Many Indian villagers (specially women) would be bemused (if they ever hear this whole thing) as they are still not in a stage to associate any of the main characters associated with this
Pubs: hardly have any … they have different maniac in the name of ‘desi’
Ram sene : probably they would be happy that now their ‘addicted’ family members or husbands might stop visiting nearest ‘adda’
Pink: they are still trying to meet their demands of basic clothing to be worried with different colours and its combination.

News channels .. surely this whole thing makes a great news and also makes easier discussion point rather than discussing heavy duty stuff like terror or current economic situations .. which requires qualified(and informative) debate.

The Govt: as the media and opinion makers(10000+ who have joined the campain and those who have not joined by have a (for or against) opinion do play a wider role of shaping opinions) are pre-occupied by this seemingly 'big debate' so the Govt can breath easy as this has taken the attention away from their response(or lack of it) on Mumbai 26/11. Surely they can take it easy till the next blast happens and it again comes back to centre stage.

Cong: they can again raise the issue as how bad those people are and if they come to power they will ban pubs (thus a ban on your expression of freedom). remember its an election year.

For me Pink still signifies ‘pink slips’ which I am very much afraid off !!

Disclaimers: some of the google searches may or may not appear in your search (if you really do them).

5 comments:

  1. Completely with you on the issue. I think that we have much graver issues facing our country. Muthalik and gang are criminals and need judicial punishment, that is the only option.

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  2. Great post UI. I never knew that it was the guys who were pink earlier! I am in a minority in these spaces, I know, but this chaddi campaign is a disgrace.

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  3. no pink slips for their workers anytime soon atleast. ;p

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  4. u forgot the lingerie companies. they'd be raking in cash too. :)

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  5. You are right Roops .. Now my cynical mind thinks that it might be a marketing campaign by lingerie companies !!

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