One of the strangest things about human beings is that we can detect the smell of burnt toast from three rooms away, but cannot detect an obvious lie sitting right in front of us wearing a suit and tie. “Use discernment!” people say, and immediately somebody imagines a suspicious old…
Prayer and Its Aftereffects…!
There is something about prayer we do not fully understand when we begin praying seriously. We imagine prayer is placing an order before God, and then waiting for delivery. Preferably same day delivery. With tracking number. And if possible, gift wrapped. But prayer does not work that way. The Bible…
Don’t Mess with Cockroaches..!
There was a time when the ruling politicians frightened people with enemies across the border. Then they frightened us with enemies next door. Then with enemies from another religion. Then with enemies from another caste. After that they looked around desperately and probably even suspected the neighbour’s Labrador retriever of…
Thinking, Writing and Speaking..!
Very often people come to me and say, “Bob, I can write very well!” I nod respectfully, because one must encourage confidence in people. Then I ask to see what they have written. Most times, what I see is not writing. It is typing with excellent grammar. Now don’t get…
We, A Gullible People..!
We are a gullible people, aren’t we? Not because we are unintelligent. Far from it. Indians can run global companies, head international banks, become scientists, doctors, engineers and professors all over the world. But strangely, when it comes to politics and public life, we often become willing victims of bluff….
A Teleprompter That Answers Questions…!
There was a time when leaders loved press conferences. They stood proudly behind microphones, smiled confidently at reporters and answered questions with the enthusiasm of students who had actually studied for the exam. Today, press conferences have become like surprise dental appointments. Nobody wants to attend them. Which brings me…
Are You A Wright Senior?
I have noticed something very strange about senior level leaders. The higher they rise in office, the lower their willingness to learn becomes. A young trainee attends every seminar eagerly with notebook in hand. A middle manager attends because attendance is compulsory. A senior executive attends only if there is…
Come Join Us..!
Quite often at parties, just when people are balancing plates of kebabs, laughing loudly, and trying not to spill soft drinks on expensive sarees, somebody suddenly shouts across the room, “Bob, will you say a prayer?” Immediately there is silence. The music volume drops. People straighten themselves as if God…
How We Love to Exclude..!
How we love excluding people. Everywhere I go I see signs that politely, firmly, and sometimes proudly keep people out. “For Members Only.” “Residents Only.” “Parking for Office Bearers.” “Private Function.” And the more exclusive the place, the bigger the smile on the face of the person who belongs inside….
Umpires and Election Commissioners..!
Imagine a cricket match where only one team is allowed to choose the umpire. The other team can complain. They can object. But finally the decision rests with that one team. Would we call that cricket? Not for one second. Television commentators would explode with outrage. Former cricketers would hold…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.