[Reader-list] On a sublime form of propaganda: ‘UIDAI is just the back-end’

[A.K. Malik]

HI Taha,
           Yesterday the fellow for Census also took data for Aadhar project from my residence. The data items were: Name, father's name,mother's name, date of birth & place of birth.This is for your info pl.
With warm regards,

(A.K.MALIK)


--- On Tue, 5/25/10, Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com> wrote:

> From: Taha Mehmood <2tahamehmood at googlemail.com>
> Subject: [Reader-list] On a sublime form of propaganda: ‘UIDAI is just the back-end’
> To: "Sarai Reader-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 1:04 PM
> Dear All
> 
> Consider this: In a cognitive propaganda model, language is
> used
> extensively to induce what is known as cognitive
> distortions. Such
> distortions are then utilized to justify an action. A good
> example for
> this would be: The underprivileged of India are
> ‘suffering’ we give
> them a number and everything would be alright after wards
> etc.
> 
> The sublime technique of filtering is part of Cognitive
> Propaganda.
> Now as we all know, ‘filtering’ is over-focusing on one
> aspect of
> something to the exclusion of everything else.
> 
> Now consider this:
> 
> After attending a cabinet committee meeting on UIDAI alias
> Aadhar
> alias MNIC, Mr. Nilekani spoke to the press. In this
> respect, I wish
> to
> draw your attention to the following statement given by Mr.
> Nilekani
> about UIDAI.
> 
> “We are just a number issuing and data collecting
> authority…UIDAI is
> just the back-end,” said Mr. Nilekani.
> 
> http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article433961.ece
> 
> I find the portrayal of UID by its boss Mr. Nilekani, as a
> ‘number
> issuing authority’ very very interesting. My interest was
> drawn to a
> particular word -JUST-
> 
> Remember 1,50,000 Crores are riding behind this word very
> innocuous
> word  -just-. 1,50,000 crores of public money which is
> going to be
> transferred in the name of creating an archive of
> hearsays’.
> 
> My respect for Mr. Nilekani has grown manifold, because he
> seems to be
> using a very sophisticated cognitive propaganda model to
> complete his
> brief i.e. to transfer 1,50,000 crores of public money, in
> the name of
> a  necessary exercise, to a particular industry, in
> the name of a
> technological ideal.
> 
> Every time Mr. Nilekani comes to face the news camera or
> talks to
> press reporters. These days he does it every day. He will
> focus on ‘number issuing authority’ aspect of UID in a
> very carefully
> crafted manner.
> 
> What about Natgrid Sir?
> 
> What about total costs of the project, SIr?
> 
> He will not answer any question related to the total cost
> of project.
> I mean. Man! does he wants us to believe that this is how
> he has run
> his business all these years, without having an idea of the
> cost of
> investment, or returns on investment or without having an
> idea of how
> he will be spending in the course of say next five years?
> 
> Why does anyone not talk about this loot of public money in
> the name
> of underprivileged of India?
> 
> Reminds me of a conversation I have had with a friend once.
> He was
> telling me about the atom bomb. When atom bomb was made, US
> gov, hired
> some linguists and propagandists i.e. communication experts
> to sell
> the idea of bomb to the US public. They had to sell to the
> general
> public, that it is morally okay for US army to slaughter a
> huge number
> of innocent people who had nothing to do with the war.
> 
> Linguists zeroed in on one word. -ONLY- . The propaganda
> machine
> worked like mad to sell this idea. Only a couple of
> thousands will be
> affected. Only few hundred thousands will have to pay the
> immediate
> price and so on to create an impression that ‘only’ a
> ‘few’ people
> will be affected.
> 
> ONLY is a deeply ambiguous word which means a variety of
> things but
> while used an adjective it means, being the single one or
> the
> relatively few of the kind.
> 
> ONLY shares a close association with JUST which is also a
> deeply
> ambiguous word and when used as an adverb means, only or
> merely.
> 
> I wonder if, Mr. Nilekani is deliberately resorting to the
> use of
> these words to create some sort  carefully calibrated
> cognitive
> dissonance? A type of dissonance which first justifies the
> use of UID
> as an aid to the underprivileged while distorting UID’s
> potential as
> an agency which could deeply harm the privacy of
> individuals. At the
> same time, I wonder whether, cognitive dissonance is used
> deliberately
> to take attention off from an open loot of the public
> money, this
> naked subsidizing to revive a middle class sector, to
> revive a myth of
> India as IT Superpower?
> 
> Warm regards
> 
> Taha
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the
> city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net
> with subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list 
> List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>