Behind Every Ism There is Terrorism

On Saturday, 27th September 2008, a low intensity bomb blast rocked a flower market at Mehrauli. The blast occurred exactly two weeks after Delhi was splintered by five serial blasts in which 24 people were killed and more than 100 were injured, if media reports had to be believed.

This blast also took the life of a kid named Santosh on the spot, and later on two other’s who succumbed to their respective injuries at hospitals.

I read the news on a portal while I was chatting online with a friend who stays at Gurgaon. Since Mehrauli happens to be en route to Gurgaon, just out of curiosity I asked her whether everything was fine at her end. Pat came her reply that she was okay but her in-laws experienced a close shave. Knowing that, I got more curious. So I asked whether her in-laws were present in the market at the time of blast or they live nearby the blast spot. She replied immediately that her in-laws stay 12-Km away from that Mehrauli market.

Her answer totally outwitted me, honestly. I failed to answer back. Because, how could people at 12-Km away be designated with a close shave tag, I don’t know. I was amazed!

Nevertheless, the abovementioned chat experience helped me understand that nowadays a terrorist blast is not just a blast. Instead, it has greater implications which offer ripple effects in society that can be categorised or classified as different ‘isms’ which are earnestly followed by people from different walks.

Just like my friend did, as the blast i.e. terrorism excited her amplifying her in-laws proximity to the incident with an aim to earn undue importance on them, and consequently on herself.

And, this can be defined as Fad-ism.

Similarly, when a blast occurs it ensures at least next 7-days’ news bytes or clippings for media. Terrorists want FREE mileage and hype in media and media obediently obliges. Because, people at large are ever ready to pop in any and every blast news which promises steady growth in readership or viewership. That entails better revenues for media mostly through advertisements which are directly variable to readership or viwership.

And, this can be defined as Profit-ism.

Besides, terrorism has long been empowering the politicians and the leaders like Shivraj Patel, Amar Singh, Raj Thackeray, etc. who do enjoy their constant and continuous presence in limelight. Obviously, for nothing or doing only the silly things such as giving a broken-record statement about investigation after every blast, or accusing the moral of mortality of a cop in a shootout and then sending money to the cop’s bereaved family for getting it returned, or creating riots among common men on account of Renaissance, and the list goes on…

And, this can be defined as Power-ism.

In the same way, terrorism helps unemployed students of the technical colleges and institutes, which have mushroomed all over India to churn out engineers and techies like the tadpoles in every monsoon, find an employment at last at any of the terrorist outfits to use their technical acumen manufacturing bombs and other lethal weapons.

And this can be defined as Employment-ism.

Equally, terrorism comes productive and handy for the people who are in intelligence department. It provides occasions and events almost on a regular basis to those who are paid in heft for their so called grey matters to think how to nullify a terror attack and then rethink where they have gone wrong on their intelligence, once a blast is over.

And this can be defined as Grey-ism.

Also, the tinsel town and its movies are grossly influenced by terrorism. The recent being is Mumbai Meri Jaan that shows it all on celluloid. Accordingly, Brand owners or marketers can yield from terrorism. In case they are able to think of penetrating media space with their fitting and smart crisis communications, immediately after a blast.

For example: An ad with a punch line “Now switch to the coolest blast” of Carrier Aircon might be the order of the hour post-blast.

And this can be defined as Brand-ism.

As a matter of fact, almost all get to gain from many such isms as per one’s personal, professional or community needs, following terrorism.

And for that matter, in totality, this can be defined as Behind Every Ism there is Terrorism.

After all, this write up of mine on terrorism is nothing but my Blog-ism.