MANY claim that we are entering an era which marks the end of ideologies and the death of “isms”. Communism dissolved with the Soviet Union. Capitalism is seen as cruel. Idealism has been trumped by cynicism, but the latter too is frowned upon; after all, who likes naysayers and pessimists? Whether or not one agrees with this thesis, there is certainly one “ism” that now rules the roost: individualism.
Seniors will recall the arrival of the first television set in their neighbourhood. Everyone crowded into that privileged home to watch special events — often “live” — on television: cricket Tests (no ODIs or T20s then!) or the Asian Games (hosted in India just when colour TV first came to the country). Crowd-viewing extended also to the once-a-week movie on Doordarshan and, later, to the weekly super-hit Mahabharata or Ramayana episodes. It was taken for granted that entry was on a walk-in basis, with the hapless household expected to not only provide chairs to all, but also tea!
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