Perceptive and insightful interview and one would agree largely with the views about Indians. However, I would say that the boasting and overstating of expectations is largely State propoganda has been the hallmark of Indian politicians in the last decade or so. On the contrary, regular citizens tend to be, generally, under-confident and timid in their dealings, especially with Goverment bodies. A hangover from our colonial past but a result of the govt retaining and, probably, enhancing controls on society. I wish there was a mechanism by which governments were measured and scored against the promises and performances, rather than it being left to elections which are, unfortunately, fought largely on date and communal lines.
Great interview. I can totally empathize with many aspects of the Chinese view, particularly the perception that Indians appear boastful and unrealistic. We are both. But I think the interview could have gone deeper to explore the ‘whys’. There lies the rub: the perceived ‘order’ of a centralised, all-controlling state vs the messiness of a democratic, federal system. Moving each calls for different tactics, which could have been debated.
Perceptive and insightful interview and one would agree largely with the views about Indians. However, I would say that the boasting and overstating of expectations is largely State propoganda has been the hallmark of Indian politicians in the last decade or so. On the contrary, regular citizens tend to be, generally, under-confident and timid in their dealings, especially with Goverment bodies. A hangover from our colonial past but a result of the govt retaining and, probably, enhancing controls on society. I wish there was a mechanism by which governments were measured and scored against the promises and performances, rather than it being left to elections which are, unfortunately, fought largely on date and communal lines.
Great interview. I can totally empathize with many aspects of the Chinese view, particularly the perception that Indians appear boastful and unrealistic. We are both. But I think the interview could have gone deeper to explore the ‘whys’. There lies the rub: the perceived ‘order’ of a centralised, all-controlling state vs the messiness of a democratic, federal system. Moving each calls for different tactics, which could have been debated.