August 15th, 2013.
With all the pseudo-patriotic "Statuses" floating around Facebook proudly proclaiming themselves as Indians and India being the best country in the world despite it's obvious major problems including rampant corruption, rape, infanticides, sectarian politics and too much cricket, I decided to add one more to the list- Having this conversation with her impulsive self.
"Hey, Happy Independence day", I said. Very normally.
"Happy Independence day to you too! India is the best country in the world!" She exclaimed.
"Is that supposed to be patriotism?"
"Yes! I'm proud to be an Indian!"
I didn't want to quote George Bernard Shaw and George Carlin on national and ethnic pride but I decided to avoid it lest I suffer burn injuries. Instead, I decided to play along.
"Then why do you reside in the US?"
"Because US is the go-to place and the money is good!"
"Are you saying you'd give up your principles for money?" Might say a lot about her if she had said yes.
"No No! Because my job sent me there."
"Why would you leave the best country in the world because your job sends you somewhere else?"
"Because my job is important to me! That's why!"
"So you'd put your self-interest before your country. Then why would you call yourself patriotic?"
"I'M PATRIOTIC BECAUSE I THINK I AM. Now you can bugger off!" Ah the cogito.
An Indian living in the US using a British slang... Hmm.. I'm guessing she was just being polite with the word bugger.
"So it's just a feeling. You don't know why you love your country though?"
You played the bugger card too soon milady
At this point, I had already put on my shoes to ready myself when she chases me like a reaper. Her kind-hearted self decided to give up instead.
Dedicated to all the skin-deep patriots "proud" Indians.
With all the pseudo-patriotic "Statuses" floating around Facebook proudly proclaiming themselves as Indians and India being the best country in the world despite it's obvious major problems including rampant corruption, rape, infanticides, sectarian politics and too much cricket, I decided to add one more to the list- Having this conversation with her impulsive self.
"Hey, Happy Independence day", I said. Very normally.
"Happy Independence day to you too! India is the best country in the world!" She exclaimed.
"Is that supposed to be patriotism?"
"Yes! I'm proud to be an Indian!"
I didn't want to quote George Bernard Shaw and George Carlin on national and ethnic pride but I decided to avoid it lest I suffer burn injuries. Instead, I decided to play along.
"Then why do you reside in the US?"
"Because US is the go-to place and the money is good!"
"Are you saying you'd give up your principles for money?" Might say a lot about her if she had said yes.
"No No! Because my job sent me there."
"Why would you leave the best country in the world because your job sends you somewhere else?"
"Because my job is important to me! That's why!"
"So you'd put your self-interest before your country. Then why would you call yourself patriotic?"
"I'M PATRIOTIC BECAUSE I THINK I AM. Now you can bugger off!" Ah the cogito.
An Indian living in the US using a British slang... Hmm.. I'm guessing she was just being polite with the word bugger.
"So it's just a feeling. You don't know why you love your country though?"
You played the bugger card too soon milady
At this point, I had already put on my shoes to ready myself when she chases me like a reaper. Her kind-hearted self decided to give up instead.
Dedicated to all the skin-deep patriots "proud" Indians.
