…

People may be sensitive or insensitive. Remarks may be sensitive or insensitive. But when people start getting ‘outraged’ over a figure of speech, this ‘sensitivity’ thing becomes rather absurd.

It wasn’t too long ago when a major section of the Indian population laughed out loud while watching a sequence from the film 3 idiots (the sequence, later referred to as - Balatkaar Speech). This was somewhere in December 2009 (hasn’t been THAT long).

I am sure even at that point; there might have been some who believed this sequence was insensitive. Thankfully though, there wasn’t an ‘OUTRAGE’. There weren’t protests. There weren’t any summons to the script-writer by the NCW. Sigh… a time when there still was at least SOME semblance of common sense.

Try pulling off something like that TODAY!

People no longer seem to be able to distinguish between figures of speech, jokes or statements intended to be hurtful/insensitive/disrespectful.

It is expected of role models (rolls eyes) / public figures / senior officials to be careful/sensible and avoid the use of potentially offensive (politically incorrect) words/phrases. Fair enough. BUT is it too much to expect the general public to be sensible as well?!

For fuck sake… Dikhaawon pe mat jaao. Apni akal ladaao.