June 2, 2017

Donald Trump’s Misdirection

“Have you ever heard of Harry Houdini? Well, he wasn’t like today’s magicians who are only interested in television ratings. He was an artist. He could make an elephant disappear in the middle of a theater filled with people, and do you know how he did that?

Misdirection.
What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes.”

Today, I am reminded of this famous quote from the movie, Swordfish. Perhaps Travolta’s best work after Pulp Fiction.

Seems like Donald Trump got his training from Harry Houdini himself. The latest decision to quit Paris Climate Accord seems clearly like a misdirection.

The best part of it is, we all will still fall for it. Under pressure from all corners about variety of legal, illegal and unethical issues, Trump has done what any seasoned politician will do. Change the Subject!

For the last 24 hours, no one seems to care about Russia or hacking or any other issues that have clouded Trump’s presidency over the last 3 months.

What I found particularly fascinating is the role that social media plays in it. There was a time when I thought about the digital audience (the cool microbloggers on Twitter) as a discerning lot. Those who can separate the wheat from the chaff.Continue Reading

by Kapil Gupta

May 29, 2017

3 Years Of The Modi Government: Impressive Words Or Effective Actions

Let me begin by congratulating Narendra Modi and the NDA government for successfully completing 3 years. I am extremely glad that things in India are much better in 3 years than the 3 months of the newly elected US government.

Even the staunchest opposition to Narendra Modi and the current government will agree that his ability to connect with the masses is strong and effective. The working of the government is a miracle at best and a very well run marketing machine at the worst. This is where closer analysis need to be done.

This government so far has much lesser serious scams, though a lot more newsable discussions.

Everything from intolerance to cow-slaughter to caste/religion and other aspects have kept this government on its feet and points to a less than effective control.Continue Reading

by Kapil Gupta

March 13, 2017

Decoding Narendra Modi 2.0

He must be the most unique personality of the post independent India. Nobody has gained as much popularity during this time, much bigger than Anna and AK, perhaps bigger than JP Narayan, perhaps as big as Indira Gandhi. He has become the symbol of non-corrupt, developing Indian, a true statesman. Even his biggest critics can’t take this away from him. The only true statesman of significance I can think of in the last 20 years. Anna may be in the list but was very short-lived & hence insignificant.

But the confounding question is: Who is he and where is he headed? To answer this question, we perhaps need to delve deeper into the human psychology and the past of Narendra Modi.

Let’s start from the beginning. Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician. He comes from a lineage of megalomaniac Indian politicians who have spent their lifetime working their way through the dirty milieu of corrupt and extremely complex Indian politics. He has trampled over bodies, he has broken, bent and misused laws and everything he could muster. He has been part of an amazing crony-capitalism that stands in India. Truth being told, you can’t reach to where he is without going through all this. It’s a part of the process. Let me take it one step further: I am sure he was part of the Godhra riots. I am sure he was one of the core participants back then. Everything that he has been blamed for before 2014, he has done.

by Kapil Gupta

January 23, 2017

No Traffic CP – Let’s Hustle!

The business capital of Delhi, Connaught Place, is all set to become a no-traffic zone from 1st February. While some may dismiss this decision as juvenile, it seems like a very calculated move to attract media and attention. Is there a need to control traffic and its movement in CP – YES. But the solution being proposed it […]

by Kapil Gupta

January 2, 2017

Interest Rate – The Most Anti-Socialist Phenomenon

Rich getting richer while poor suffers – this is considered a key evil in the society. This is what keeps us from providing equality. But what’s the cause?

The constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. But we have done little to achieve a better socialist society. Socialism here means equal opportunity, equal rights and equal ability to be able to live well, NOT equal pay. It is equal pay based on work done irrespective of all other factors.

If looked closely, socialism would essentially mean that rich shouldn’t be able to get richer just by the virtue of being rich and because we as a society provide equality. However, India, as an economy, suffers from an extremely high interest rate problem. A high interest rate means rich can live out of just being able to lend money and earn more. Money attracts money. It also makes it more difficult for businesses to flourish and makes entrepreneurship more difficult.Continue Reading

by Kapil Gupta

December 2, 2016

Decoding Demonetization: The Balanced View

In the last blog I talked about how demonetization looks like a TRUE socialist movement or policy created in independent India. The last 3 weeks has indeed been a rollercoaster ride for all of us. As politicians, activists, common people discussed, debated, criticized and accepted the move, memes, conspiracy theories and obnoxious WhatsApp messages and Facebook statuses spread like wildfire.

Even today the nation stands polarized and the good, bad and ugly about the move has rented our peace of mind.

After much conversation, coffee and analysis, my point of view now has some fineprints*. No, I am not releasing videos revolting against and abusing nor am I stupidly relating it to being anti-islamic (yes, high-end functioning brains have called it so), I am simply making amendments to it. The move is first in the line of some major changes we will see soon but for it to be truly impactful it needs to be followed up with some major reforms.

Before I jump to plausible reforms, let’s first look at demonetization at the base level followed by the effect it will bring around in various aspects.

DEMONETIZATION AT THE BASE LEVEL

by Kapil Gupta

November 14, 2016

Anti-Corruption Crusade – What Does It Mean?

Perhaps the biggest change in India since I have been born has been what we have seen in the last 4 days. It’s not the change that amazes me… It’s the ferocity with which it has happened. For years and decades, cynics like me have been calling for an almost dictatorship like rule in India […]

by Kapil Gupta

November 10, 2016

Lets Blow the Trumpet!

Its been an amazing last 36 hours. The world has changed more in the last 36 hours than it does over decades. 9/11 and 11/9 are 2 dates that the world will remember for a very very long time to come. If you are Indian, its even more special for you. More on that in a separate […]

by Kapil Gupta

April 11, 2016

Why I Hated Delhi Odd-Even Rule!

I wrote this piece right after the first Delhi Odd-Even experiment but never published it since I thought its problem over. But considering this is coming back in April, I wanna publish my thoughts. Let me preface this article: I am not an environment unfriendly person. I do my bit. I may not be an […]

by Kapil Gupta

July 7, 2015

Fake It Till You Make It

As the digital world continues to expand, brands world-wide are left with one daunting task: to integrate digital and traditional medium with no compromise on the success of marketing.

This was more worrisome for marketers and advertisers in the Indian market considering various reasons such as internet penetration, digital education and awareness and digital as the first preference or choice of people to consume the content.

While firms, brands and agencies had a difficult time in figuring out and deriving the rightmix of media pie, it was the white khadi kurta-payjama clad clan that showed us the way.
Yes, I am indeed talking about our politicians.Continue Reading

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DEMONETIZATION AT THE BASE LEVEL