Page 65 - Tehelka-May18

theStack DIRECTION OF HISTORY

HASN’T BEEN CERTAIN
Prime time crime Fascism existed even in the traditional homelands
By Vrushali Telang; Vishwakarma of democracy, contends former US Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright in her book Fascism: A Warning
Within a month of joining City-news, Ritka an intern manages to get
an exclusive TV interview with sophisticated gangster A.T., the recent From one oF the most admired international
crime sensation. During the interview Ritika and A.T leaders comes a timely, considered, and personal
find themselves getting attracted to one another. look at the history and current resurgence of
Soon they share a torrid chemistry and find is difficult fascism today and the virulent threat it poses
to stay away from each other. Does A.T love Ritika, to international freedom, prosperity, and peace.
or is he using her as a pawn for a dangerous plot? At the end of the 1980s, when the Cold War
Did he manipulate circumstances so that only she ended, many, including former secretary of state
could get through to him? Does Ritika love A.T or is Madeleine Albright, believed that democracy had
she playing along in order to get leads for investiga- triumphed politically once and for all.
tive crime stories? Is she out to catapult her career Yet nearly thirty years later, the direction of
from an unknown intern with a local network to being history no longer seems certain. A repressive and
a star reporter with a national news channel? Set destructive force has begun to re-emerge on the
against the backdrop of Mumbai underworld in 1999, Prime Time global stage — sweeping across Europe, parts of
Crime is a story about a relationship that is ruthless, passionate and Asia, and the United States — that to Albright,
manipulative. looks very much like fascism.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Based on her personal
experience growing up in
the fuzzy and the techie Hungary under Hitler and
By Scott Hartley; Penguin the Communist regime that
followed World War II, as
The new book sets out to argue that the liberal arts will rule the well as knowledge gleaned
digital world and its author Hartley, who has worked for Google, from her distinguished
Facebook, Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Centre for Internet diplomatic career and
and Society, and the White House as a Presidential In- insights from colleagues
novation Fellow, presents a ringside view of the digital around the globe, Albright
world, arguing why the rise of tech has to be supple- paints a clear picture of
mented with knowledge of the liberal arts. In doing how fascism flourishes
so, Hartley also reminds readers that liberal arts are and explains why it is once
called so not because they focus on subjects that are again taking hold world-
necessarily liberal, or artistic, but, in his own words, wide, identifying the factors
because each student is required to study a broad set contributing to its rise.
of subjects prior to specialisation in a given field. The Most importantly, she makes clear what could
author reflects upon the fact that, in the end, it has happen if we fail to act against rising fascist forc-
always been overall knowledge and understanding es today and in the near future, including
that has led him to make the right decisions, rather the potential for economic catastrophe, a
than specialisation in a given field. lasting spike in terrorist activity, increased sec-
---------------------------------------------------------- tarian violence, a rash of large-scale humanitar-
ian emergencies, massive human rights viola-
the written world — how literature shaPed history tions, a breakdown in multilateral cooperation,
By Martin Puchner; Granta Books and nearly irreparable self-inflicted damage to
America’s reputation and capacity to lead.
From clay tablets to the printing press. From the pencil to the inter- Albright also offers clear solutions, including
net. From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Harry Potter. This is the true story adjusting to the ubiquity of social media and
of literature — of how great texts and technologies have shaped cul- the changing nature of the workplace, and
tures and civilizations and altered human history. The understanding ordinary citizens’ universal
inventions of paper, the printing press and the world desire for sources of constancy and morality in
wide web are usually considered the major influences their lives.
on the way we share stories. Less well known is the She contends that we must stimulate eco-
influence of Greek generals, Japanese court ladies, nomic growth and narrow the gap between the
Spanish adventurers, Malian singers and American rich and poor, urban and rural, women and men,
astronauts, and yet all of them played a crucial role in and skilled and unskilled; work across borders
shaping and spreading literature as we know it today. to respond to transnational challenges; and ulti-
Through vivid storytelling and across a huge sweep mately recognize that democracy’s unique virtue
of time, The Written World offers a new and enticing is its ability — through reason and open debate
perspective on human history. — to find remedies for its own shortcomings.

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