Standard Mediocrity

The other day someone told me that they really enjoy being in India because everything is unique and there is no such thing as standard. Like in the United States there is the standard house, with the standard Ikea furniture, and the standard happy family. In India, there is apparently no such thing.

I agreed, to only be stood corrected later, by my observation.

I went to Mainland China for lunch today, and later to an upholstery store as I have been looking to get some new drapes and covers for my sofa. Both establishments were expensive, in fact un-affordable for the average Indian middle class family (if there is such a thing). Both sold products that were at best - mediocre. This is where standardization applies in India.

Now there is a whole gamut of chains of stores and restaurants that produce expensive garbage by the bulk. Shoppers Stop, Westside, Mainland Chinas, Spencers Supermarkets, D decor, Soles, Esprit etc.

It might be the chicken and egg situation here. Whether the establishments are responsible for the ill fitting clothes people wear, or whether they cater to people who like ill fitting clothes. And I extend that to synthetic, slimy to touch, tacky to look at upholstery and shoes as if women were born to torture their knees and spine. There seems to be little effort and research put in.

Yet they manage to charge high prices, as they market themselves as high end brands, where only the Elite shop.

I went to this concert yesterday done by this fabulous middle eastern/french group called Akim el Sikameya. The sad part was that they were opened by this Indian band called Rythm and Raga. Rythm and Raga, in their attempt to sound like an American jazz band, had absolutely dischordant and disconnected music, and the musicians put together something that sounded like a cacophony of too many tv channels on at once. The main singer looked like a baby elephant in a petticoat and was singing classical music, of which I know little about yet it sounded like shrill metal when she tried to hit the high notes. I cannot comment on art, as people have the liberty to present what they like, yet this seemed to be grossly taking advantage of poetic liberty to produce work that was substandard, inadequate and inappropriate. Yet people seemed to enjoy it. Then came on the Andalusian band and made real music. Took you on a real journey with simple acoustic instruments and voice that transformed the space. Then came on baby elephant again, and nodded her head a few times, sang sa re ga ma pa dha ni sa,( out of pitch ), as if it was the zenith of all our creative effort, and the crowd went berserk (with pride?).

If they had used just 1 instrument and voice, and put in a little bit of effort to have it in harmony, and stay within their range, they wouldve probably been able to create resonating music. But its this love for fusion, for putting together elements without research, and blindly aping the west, trying to ape somebody else's cash cow, that produces such utter trash.

I don't know if the upper middle class/ rich / bourgeoisie Indian audience/ consumer pretends to enjoy the consumption of this junk, to have the illusion of having a good time, or whether they actually enjoy it.

What is surprising is that, the fabulous India cotton you get, plain white bedsheets, plain white t shirts, have to now be bought from international brands, who charge you European prices for what is made in India.

I see many people crave plain white kurtas without any added frills and ribbons, plain white tee shirts, plain white bedspreads, khadi or linen curtains. These are all made in India, and yet unavailable.

To buy them one needs to go to a Mango or a Good Earth, where they really charge u the earth for mangoes.

I wonder how the urban Indian (we) grew to accept everything mediocre thrown our way, and how we grew to standardize mediocrity and charge high prices for it. Is it an attitude that will change at grassroots level? Where putting in more careful effort into one's work becomes stardard practice? Where education is more practical and less theory? Where there are binary laws applicable to work that is complete and half done= not done?

I wonder how we grew accustomed to such fallacy, paying such high prices for such garbage. Was it lack of availability of better options, or is it covering up our own personal inadequacies?

How we grew to enjoying fusion garbage, and overlooking what is truly Indian , simple, earthy and elegant.