4 ms·

Its silly and I'm unsure how many people pay attention to it in urban areas. I don't think a whole lot. Fwiw - India's prime minister belongs to what is traditi

Its silly and I'm unsure how many people pay attention to it in urban areas. I don't think a whole lot. Fwiw - India's prime minister belongs to what is traditionally lower caste, the president is lower caste and the vice-president is a muslim. The home minister is Jain (not Hindu). The caste system will die as India urbanizes and good riddance to it. Apparently the economist thinks it's relevant because they have nothing else to talk about.

ashayh 5y ago
Yup and India had a female PM therefore there is no misogyny in India, and the US had a black President therefore there is no racism in the US.
aldebran 5y ago
Not true. Respectfully I say the following - You may come from an upper caste and so a place of privilege where you weren’t subjected to unfair actions. I’m not upper caste and I’ve experienced it all. My skin, eye color and mannerisms defy the backward caste stereotype. People assume I’m a Brahmin. When they discover I’m not things change. How did they discover this? My colleges thought it was a great idea to post the caste next to exam seat numbers. Yeah… this was in a metro, not a small town. Here in the US, some narrow minded people straight up ask about caste. Some are “smarter” and ask about how you celebrate specific festivals as a way of inferring your caste. It’s deeply systemic in India much like the systemic racism in the US. Only a privileged person can say it’s gone since no one treats anyone as untouchable anymore. There are many more subtle ways. People don’t get jobs because of their last names. Promotions will be denied or you might be the first to be laid off. Nepotism is rife. My wife is upper caste and her life experience in India is diametrically opposite of mine. She acknowledges my experience but still doesn’t fully comprehend it. Heck my in law still cling to stereotypes and how I’m one of the good ones (cue similarity to racism in America) If you really look carefully you’ll start to notice it everywhere.
- gautamdivgi 5y ago
  This may not mean much, but I am truly sorry for all the misery you have had to endure. My hope was that caste should die when we immigrate. But that was too optimistic. The light on the horizon is that it will die with the second generation Indian-Americans.
  - aldebran 5y ago
    I appreciate it :-) We share the same hope!
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
selimthegrim 5y ago
Was a Muslim. Ansari demitted office a while back implicitly criticizing BJP in his speech.

ashayh 5y ago

Yup and India had a female PM therefore there is no misogyny in India, and the US had a black President therefore there is no racism in the US.

aldebran 5y ago

Not true. Respectfully I say the following - You may come from an upper caste and so a place of privilege where you weren’t subjected to unfair actions. I’m not upper caste and I’ve experienced it all. My skin, eye color and mannerisms defy the backward caste stereotype. People assume I’m a Brahmin. When they discover I’m not things change. How did they discover this? My colleges thought it was a great idea to post the caste next to exam seat numbers. Yeah… this was in a metro, not a small town. Here in the US, some narrow minded people straight up ask about caste. Some are “smarter” and ask about how you celebrate specific festivals as a way of inferring your caste. It’s deeply systemic in India much like the systemic racism in the US. Only a privileged person can say it’s gone since no one treats anyone as untouchable anymore. There are many more subtle ways. People don’t get jobs because of their last names. Promotions will be denied or you might be the first to be laid off. Nepotism is rife. My wife is upper caste and her life experience in India is diametrically opposite of mine. She acknowledges my experience but still doesn’t fully comprehend it. Heck my in law still cling to stereotypes and how I’m one of the good ones (cue similarity to racism in America) If you really look carefully you’ll start to notice it everywhere.

gautamdivgi 5y ago
This may not mean much, but I am truly sorry for all the misery you have had to endure. My hope was that caste should die when we immigrate. But that was too optimistic. The light on the horizon is that it will die with the second generation Indian-Americans.
- aldebran 5y ago
  I appreciate it :-) We share the same hope!

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

selimthegrim 5y ago

Was a Muslim. Ansari demitted office a while back implicitly criticizing BJP in his speech.