Saturday, March 20, 2010

IPL ranting

Karl Marx said religion is the opiate of the masses. Now don’t get Marx wrong, he din’t mean to unnecessarily disrespect world religions. What he was trying to say is that religion provides an illusionary fantasy for those who aren’t entirely happy in their present life. Religion provides a balm saying true happiness will be in the next life.

Too bad Marx isn’t alive to see the IPL. The league is proving to be the real drug. City’s facing water cuts, no problem. Food inflation around 18 %, no problem . Summer is coming early, temperatures soaring already, no problem. Just got fired from my job, not happy with my wife, don’t have any money in the bank, no problem, no problem, no problem. WHY?! The IPL is ON doooode!!!!! I bet that withholding the IPL screening will make even the toughest criminal or hardcore terrorist breakdown. I wonder if someone keeps a watch on the nations daily GDP, there would be huge dips during the IPL season. Imagine IPL’s power, even the myopic political parties with their myopic political agendas keep silent during this time. Either the political bosses know that their party workers will ignore their orders to disrupt these matches or that the political bosses themselves are fans. The best part of this IPL deal is you can choose any team that you want. Your team is not decided on where you were born or what your parents or friends support. There is no national team, no consensus based on creed, religion or nationality. You are free to choose your gods, maybe even change them midway if you don’t like their performance. No other religion ever had it this good. This is absolutely unbeatable.

It’s not that I hate the IPL for some reason, it’s just that cricket does not interest me for some reason. Really you ask? And yes, I am an Indian. I just don’t get the allure of 22 grown men in a field with a bat and a ball. Still, I find myself watching the IPL. Yup, its that enticing. But coming back to its power, it’s gotten people of varied nationalities and even religions playing together. There are so many languages on the field, I bet sledging has become ineffective, chances are the other guy won’t understand what you are saying! In the end, one team will win the IPL. Lots of fireworks, speeches and handing over of trophies and monies. After the flood lights are shut and everyone retires home, does it change anything? Nothing really, the world will still be where it was before this whole circus started. Same problems, same troubles. Until then, we are all ‘comfortably numb’ . Except ol’ Karl is turning in his grave somewhere.

4 comments:

  1. I don't know if you meant to demean IPL or cricket in any way by this particular piece, but get a feeling that you have actually ended up glorifying it further...
    What better than something which lets you forget your worries, worldly problems or politics and binds u like no other religion.
    Also, the fact that it interests, someone like YOU, speaks of the fact that in India there is no Religion like CRICKET, although like always, everyone has their own set of GODs in this one too.

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  2. you are absolutely right, the point i am trying to make is that cricket is perhaps even bigger than religion, all religions have their atheists, i fear this game does not tolerate any atheist for long!

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  3. As someone who is a sports fan and more so a cricket fan since i was 7 years old. i think frankly IPL is mickey mouse cricket. But thats what ppl want "entertainment".What i dont like is that it is not taxed while the rest of us puny people compared to ipl franchise owners are taxed for anything and everything that we do. I also think it is becoming a bubble now with the amount that Sahara has paid. But the first 8 franchisees must be very happy and it highlights the 2 most important points "FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE" and "PROFIT ONLY COMES FROM RISK". HAHA

    I am totally hooked to it though and support Mumbai Indians due to Sachin Tendulkar and ofcourse i m born here also because it does not have any stupid bollywood star associated with it. The team i hate the most is KKR due to Shahrukh Khan.

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  4. Again, the reason IPL is not taxed is because the powers that be want to provide this opium at the cheapest possible price and at the same time making it attractive for their class to buy a stake in it. The bourgeois and proletariat are always at odds!

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