The 'Common man', the 'Election mela', and the 'Development Dream'- The power of PR

The recent election campaign has once again brought to fore the importance that rhetoric plays over reason in winning elections. Despite there being enough reason, the instrument of rhetoric was successfully used to construct a vague, yet beautiful dream to win over the Common man’s mind (read: ‘his vote’).

We enter a phase where our democracy will observe an increased centralization of power. The chief manipulator shall maneuver every move of his with such meticulousness that the ‘Common man’ shall remain amused in hopes of the fulfillment of that promised dream of development. The dream shall be kept alive in the minds of the masses all through. Every small change in growth shall be portrayed disproportionately as being a progress made in the achievement of the development dream. Big capital shall continually work towards buying and controlling all sources of information media to quell any sort of discontentment that may arise in the minds of the masses. Economic growth shall continue to be considered as the sole indicator of development leaving education and health far behind.

One can only pray that in the eventuality of a failure to deliver his promises, the rhetorician shall restrain himself from widening the rift between the believers of the two major religions in our country. The possibility of this cannot, and should not be disregarded.

Finally, no matter how the 'informed' might wish to look at it, this year’s election campaign stands testimony to the utter failure of the incumbent government to come up with a capable leader to fight the fierce wave that was unleashed upon it by the opposition. Even his fiercest detractors cannot but acknowledge his brilliance as a tactician.

The need and importance of a strong Public Relations Committee has certainly been realized this elections and PR shall henceforth be utilized well by the power hungry in their fight to fool the masses with the ‘Development Dream’. Elections in the future shall continue to take place in the ambit of a corporate backed media and shall come to become a two month long 'Election mela' (festival), held once every five years in the world’s largest democracy. The crowds they attract shall far exceed those set by any Kumbh-mela ever.

Kudos to fraternity! God bless the brotherhood between the urban elites and the rural poor.

Jai Hind!

err, sorry..

Jai Ho!