This
is about three advertisements I have watched in recent times that made an
impact on me. I consider them in the class of toned down iconoclastic; hence,
liberal. Further, what I mean by liberal in this context is arguing for change
from the status quo for deep reasons.
The
first set of advertisements is from the retailer Big Bazaar. In one of the commercials we see an old lady asking
repeatedly for shorter and shorter shorts; the punch line, as implied, is the pair
of shorts is not for herself but for her granddaughter! So, here we hear the
message, if one is tuned to the right frequency, that the oldies, the putative traditionalists
are voting for change and everyone should too.
In
another commercial, we see a young lady with head uncovered and bouncing long
tresses, clad in a pair of jeans and tops and behaving as a normal young adult
in the temple and praying to god. Her behavior is frowned upon by a
traditionalist visitor to the temple who is all too severely covered up, but
not by the priest. Chalk that up for liberalism, for tolerance, for redefining
sacredness by eschewing outward manifestations.
The
other company is Havells, a home
appliance maker. The guy frowns that his wife had not made chutney to go with
the idlis on his plate. The response from the wife? She brings the blender to
the dining table and asks the husband to get going and make his favorite
chutney for himself. In this series, another wife asks her man to iron his shirt
himself. One may see this as an almost militant message of feminism. But, I see
it through the prism of arguing for or promoting changes in social norms, as
befitting the times.
The
above in my book go under the rubric of being liberal. Just to balance this post,
I offer another advertisement, ostensibly an effort at showing off Corporate
Social Responsibility, which, in a particular way of looking at it, is
illiberal.
In
this advertisement a visa counselor points out to a seeker that he will skip
voting in the ongoing elections as per his flight schedule. The applicant
dismisses it casually saying that his vote will not make any difference to the
outcome. To this, the official responds that shirking of responsibility may not
be too welcome in the land he is going to. That is, if the applicant comes back
after voting his case would be considered favorably.
I
said, “OUCH!” If it were up to me, unless one is ready to live under the people
who are elected, the country does not need his vote, his vote contributing or
not. This is illiberalism, someone else making a choice for me while he himself
evades the consequences of his choice. The visa counselor had no business
interfering in the decision of the citizen in this matter. That too is
illiberalism.
Hopefully,
the three instances I have given in this post fix me to my idea of liberalism –
change for the sake of improving the liberties of the people.
Raghuram
Ekambaram
6 comments:
Raghu, any advocacy to sell one's point of view on another with a veiled or explicit 'threat' of adverse consequence of latter not agreeing to that point of view is illiberal, according to me.:).
Thanks for coming in so early Aditi. Reading between your lines, I sense that you take exception to my tagging the two sets of advertisements (Big Bazaar and Havells) as liberal. There was no threat from the wife. She suggests, in strong terms I agree, that the husband make chutney if he so wished. In the other instances too, no force is implied in the commercials. It is people going about exercising their options.
May be this did not come out forcefully in my post. But then, ... I am a liberal, of course :)
RE
liberal or illiberal one might see that as libertarianism, that is, if the husband wants chutney it is his responsibility to make it or make sure it is in the pantry.
I see Aditi's comment as perhaps fitting all the ads. Those with implied threats of dire consequences might be considered illiberal. Very broad brush I'd say.
Thanks for the comment, anon ... The tone of the ads, obviously I could not bring out in my post. It was more like, "in what century are you living!". I also agree wit Aditi, but I had tried reading between her lines. And, libertarianism is a different kettle of fish, IMHO.
RE
Raghu,
The Big Bazaar Ad is just meant to be a teaser and waking up the customer to the deal by getting an elderly lady searching for an ultra short. The recall factor of the product and brand has increased greatly. As far as the Visa Ad is concerned this is to inspire the voter nothing illiberal.
Balu,
Every ad, by definition, is to sell something. But, I tended to ask the question, what beyond the obvious is the ad promoting. That is where I caught the distinction between liberal and illiberal ads, the hidden message.
My point is, if a person is going abroad, for a longish stay as implied by the counselor (otherwise why should she mention how the country he is going to will look upon his shirking his civic responsibility) he has no right to impose his choice on the people who will live under that choice.
RE
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