Playing # Me Too

Humour

Playing #Me Too

Not a new phenomenon, it is being played for ages under different names all over the world

By Mukesh Sharma

In the last couple of days, #Me Too has become the more popular game than cricket where, evidently, 11 players play the game on ‘ground’, and teeming millions watch it with all enthusiasm and exactitude. It is followed not only on ground but also on talking shops (TV Channels), nurturing newspapers and gung ho street corners, nothing sells like sex in the world.

With the nomenclature coined and phrased by an American social activist, Tarana Burke, the game started as early as 2006, and it got publicity and popularity when an American actress Alyssa Milano joined the game.  

Further, with the intervention of The Times and New York, it became the household name in US. Dozens of wishful women came forward with the accusations of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse against the renowned film producer Harvey Weintein, the open secret, though known to all, surprisingly, was taken by the common people with awe and ouch. The itch of jealousy causes a deriding disease, # whynotme syndrome. Anyway, The Times and New York have won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Public Service 2018, this year.

What is noteworthy, the # Me Too is being played for ages under different names, and the people know it. Like the game of cricket, it is being played in the confines of four boundary walls; it is being played in the serpentine lanes of dump colonies; it is being played in the abandoned parks; it is being played at every imaginable place of comfort and convenience. Apart from innumerable nonentities, there is long list of ‘notorious’ players from all walks of life. They are known for their sixes and centuries in this # Me Too game.

Selectively, it becomes talk of town when the people at very high places are exposed by chance, and are found complicit in the ‘game’. It is the only game where winner and loser are not decided by the pre-set rules of the game or by any umpire. The #Me Too has the right to change the rules even after the game on the basis of her calculated net profit or gains. If it is not as per expectations, # Me Too is free to cry foul. Nobody listens to batsman. The poor fellow is hanged even without hearing. And ever ready media is quick to catch the alleged perpetrator with his pants down, and cook up the story with all the needed spices and sauces. Readers are more interested in scoops than any national issue.

All men love this #Me Too game. They start it right after the development of secondary sexual characteristics qualities. They grow up with continuous practice. Officially, the most of the men end up with just one #Me Too or a few, and the lucky few reach the actual play ground –  the position of power and pelf.

The fortunate players come across many willing #Me Toos. They play them well without any discomforts. The loose ball is sent to boundary wall; the fast ball is played to slip; the bouncer sometimes is ducked. However, the game continues between wooing batsmen and willing #Me Toos.

Over the last few days, the ground rules of the game have been broken by some elite #Me Toos. They want to declare the batsmen out who played the balls and batted years ago, taking advantage of the fact that the PAST can’t be changed or tweaked. However, even their (# Me Toos) whisper and hiss have taken the toll of so-called an Hon’ble Minister very recently. Belief is stronger than reason. Indians go by the perception right or wrong and care damn for the reality. Legal luminaries doubt whether the well thrown balls of #Me Toos would stand the scrutiny of law, against the Principle of Acquiescence after the elapse of so many years of silence, in abeyance with the Limitation Act.

Nobody is interested in Future Indefinite. People are interested in simple Present. The #Me Too game must go on.

       

The Forbidden Fruit

(Humour)

The Forbidden Fruit

Nothing attracts like sex and all Adam’s sons are the natural victims of enticing Eves

By Mukesh Sharma 

T

he Paradise was lost the day Adam and Eve descended in Eden Garden. The story was very well couched in immortal words (blank verse) by a celebrated 17^th century English poet John Milton through his epic poem Paradise Lost’ and its first version was said to be brought out way back in 1667.

Courtsey: gettyimages.in  

Forbidden Fruit  

The poet’s observations are the deep reflections of man’s psyche:

“What hath right to do with sleep?” “Better to reign in hell, than to serve in heaven.” “Solitude sometimes the best society.” “Long is the way and hard, that out of the hell leads up to light.” “ Awake, arise or be for ever fall in.”

-John Milton, Paradise Lost

But to the utter surprise of common man, the ‘paradise’ appears to have been lost once again very recently since the day of John Milton after such a long time when a ‘promising’ actress leveled wild allegations of sexual harassment against the member of her own fraternity that too not in any Court of Law but on a TV channel where the popularity is grown.

Shuttling between USP (Unique Selling Point) and TRP (Television Rating Point), the ever hungry TV channels started vying for the most coveted opportunity to pass themselves off as a custodian of moral values, and of course, the oppressed women folk.

  As usual, the ‘sexy’ news, made even years old entombed ghost, #ME TOO, to wake up from slumber,  take twists and turns in grave, and come out with a grunt - #metoo, #metoo. . . 

The sussy story doesn’t end here. Some self styled puritans - judges, actors, ministers, journos  and so on, also jumped on the bandwagon, perhaps, just to ingratiate themselves. The great proponent of TRUTH, Acharya Rajneesh, popularly known as Osho in one of his discourses quips:

“If you are doing something wrong against the established practice or law, do visit a religious place of your choice regularly. If you are exposed at any point of time, there would be at least sizable number of ignorant fools who would willingly vouchsafe for you, and stand witness for you for being a gentleman.”

Always in full swing, ever ready Rahul Gandhi tweets:

“It is about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity. I am glad the space for those who don’t, is closing. The truth needs to be told to bring about change.”

Replying to Rahul Gandhi’s moral sermon, @Ra-Bries, a twitterite sarcastically tweets:

“Yes sir, I completely agree with you. History is a witness of your claims and commitment of treating world women with dignity. That is why you never let the women reservation bill get through and created all possible hurdles in the Triple Talaque bill. Also do you know who was Sukanya?”

Needless to say, the sex-war is eternal. It is beyond the intervention of Oracles of Law and United Nations. It is purely regulated by the Law of Nature. It is well said:

“Opportunity gives rise to thoughts; thoughts give rise to desires, and desires give rise to action.”

  It takes two to make a ‘marriage’. No moral standard of any religion can restrain this (sex war). It is not just libido but the lust also. In Lady Holland Memoir, by Sydney Smith writes:

“How can a bishop marry? How can I flirt? The most he can say is, ‘I will see you in the vestry after service’.”

Says a devout Muslim with a sheepish grin, “Frankly speaking, all the Hindu want to be Muslim in youth, and all the Muslim, want to be Hindu in old age.”

The lure of Forbidden Fruit is pristine and proverbial. Men would be men, women would be women. Ram and Sita live in the Ramcharita manas of Tulsi Das only. But Ravana  is out. Though his effigy is burnt every year on the eve of Dussehra, he is immortal, imperishable, immutable and indestructible. He is everywhere -  in small villages, big cities, high public offices and allegedly, in the Parliament too.