I had heard of the term 'Rashomon effect' and the movie 'Rashomon' several times in the past, but it was only yesterday that after a student suggested that I watch this, did I try to search for it online.
It wasn't there on any of the popular on-demand-video platforms (e.g. Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Airtel Xstream), but I was able to find it on YouTube.
After watching the movie last night, I was able to understand why a 70 years old Japanese movie is so highly rated even today. The term 'Rashomon effect' refers to a situation in which the 'eye witnesses' give different, and often conflicting descriptions or interpretations of the same event. For an onlooker, there is no single 'truth' but different 'truths' that come out of those descriptions.
Witnessing the events unfolding in Jammu & Kashmir after 5th August 2019, I find uncanny similarities with Rashomon effect and the movie Rashomon. Inspired by the movie Rashomon, the idea behind this blog is to draw similarities between Rashomon effect and the recent events. The point of this blog is not to share my thoughts on which description or interpretation do I agree with or which I do consider true/correct.
Sitting here in Jamshedpur, I have tried to devour as much news as possible from diverse news sources: print newspapers, websites of newspapers, TV channels, blogs, and user generated forums like YouTube, Twitter. In doing so, I have tried to diversify the geographic base of those news sources and have therefore accessed
not just India based news sources (Zee News, NDTV, CNN-IBN, Economic Times, The Hindu, The Telegraph, Hindustan Times, Prabhat Khabar, The Wire, The Print),
but also Pakistan based news sources (Geo News, Ary News, Dunya News, Dawn, 24 News HD, Samaa TV, Hassan Nisar, Najam Sethi),
and foreign based news sources (The Guardian, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, BBC).
I have also gone through some official Acts and documents such as the Instrument of Accession, Government of India Act 1935, Indian Independence Act 1947, and J&K Constitution Act 1934.
Doing so has helped me learn about many historical incidents which I was unaware of, and enhance my understanding of the past and what is unfolding currently. However what has been the most valuable learning for me is the understanding of the different narratives, how different (and mostly competing and contradictory) narratives have been framed in the past and how those competing narratives are being framed even today.
If one were to largely limit their news consumption to India based news sources, one would get an impression that though there are numerous restriction to civil liberties in Jammu & Kashmir, the state has been largely incident free and peaceful. Further, many will perceive this to be a step that has bamboozled Pakistan and left it with limited options. Some news outlets report about the "excessives of the Indian state/government" and how the Indian state/government is not allowing information to flow from the state.
If, on the other hand, one were to largely limit their news consumption to Pakistan based news sources, one would get an impression that "curfew" has been imposed in J&K and that "fascist Indian state is committing or planning to commit a genocide in the state". One will also read about "rapes and murders being committed by the Indian Army and the Indian state".
When it comes to the foreign based news sources, though there is relatively more diversity in terms of tone and depiction, the general narrative has been that by restricting civil liberties, "Indian state is committing human rights abuse" and that it is a "humanitarian crisis of great magnitude". One will also read about how the "Hindu nationalist government of PM Modi is committing abuses in India's only Muslim majority state of J&K".
One media refers to a person as a terrorist, the other refers to it as an innocent civilian, and the third refers to it as militant. Same person, different descriptions.
One sees J&K as an Indian state, the other sees it as "Makbuza" (occupied) Kashmir, and the third sees it as "Indian's only Muslim majority state". Same region, different descriptions.
One sees the Indian government as Indian government, the other sees it as "Fascist Hindu government", and the third sees it as "Hindu majoritarian government". Same government, different descriptions.
Words evoke emotions and emotions shape our thoughts. The word terrorist evoke completely different emotions from an innocent civilian and militant. It is therefore no surprise that people consuming their news from these broadly three news sources will infer different meanings and their thoughts will be different, and very often contrast to each other.
While which news source do we access is influenced by various factors (e.g. available time, news access, cost of access etc.), quite often it is our existing beliefs and thoughts about the situation and/or the government/Prime Ministers etc that define which news source do we end up consuming the news from.
We see what we want to see.
There is one truth for those watching Indian based news sources, there is another truth for those limiting to Pakistan based news sources, and then there are different truths for those consuming foreign based news sources.
After all, isn't it what the Rashomon Effect is?
It wasn't there on any of the popular on-demand-video platforms (e.g. Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Airtel Xstream), but I was able to find it on YouTube.
After watching the movie last night, I was able to understand why a 70 years old Japanese movie is so highly rated even today. The term 'Rashomon effect' refers to a situation in which the 'eye witnesses' give different, and often conflicting descriptions or interpretations of the same event. For an onlooker, there is no single 'truth' but different 'truths' that come out of those descriptions.
Witnessing the events unfolding in Jammu & Kashmir after 5th August 2019, I find uncanny similarities with Rashomon effect and the movie Rashomon. Inspired by the movie Rashomon, the idea behind this blog is to draw similarities between Rashomon effect and the recent events. The point of this blog is not to share my thoughts on which description or interpretation do I agree with or which I do consider true/correct.
Sitting here in Jamshedpur, I have tried to devour as much news as possible from diverse news sources: print newspapers, websites of newspapers, TV channels, blogs, and user generated forums like YouTube, Twitter. In doing so, I have tried to diversify the geographic base of those news sources and have therefore accessed
not just India based news sources (Zee News, NDTV, CNN-IBN, Economic Times, The Hindu, The Telegraph, Hindustan Times, Prabhat Khabar, The Wire, The Print),
but also Pakistan based news sources (Geo News, Ary News, Dunya News, Dawn, 24 News HD, Samaa TV, Hassan Nisar, Najam Sethi),
and foreign based news sources (The Guardian, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, BBC).
I have also gone through some official Acts and documents such as the Instrument of Accession, Government of India Act 1935, Indian Independence Act 1947, and J&K Constitution Act 1934.
Doing so has helped me learn about many historical incidents which I was unaware of, and enhance my understanding of the past and what is unfolding currently. However what has been the most valuable learning for me is the understanding of the different narratives, how different (and mostly competing and contradictory) narratives have been framed in the past and how those competing narratives are being framed even today.
If one were to largely limit their news consumption to India based news sources, one would get an impression that though there are numerous restriction to civil liberties in Jammu & Kashmir, the state has been largely incident free and peaceful. Further, many will perceive this to be a step that has bamboozled Pakistan and left it with limited options. Some news outlets report about the "excessives of the Indian state/government" and how the Indian state/government is not allowing information to flow from the state.
If, on the other hand, one were to largely limit their news consumption to Pakistan based news sources, one would get an impression that "curfew" has been imposed in J&K and that "fascist Indian state is committing or planning to commit a genocide in the state". One will also read about "rapes and murders being committed by the Indian Army and the Indian state".
When it comes to the foreign based news sources, though there is relatively more diversity in terms of tone and depiction, the general narrative has been that by restricting civil liberties, "Indian state is committing human rights abuse" and that it is a "humanitarian crisis of great magnitude". One will also read about how the "Hindu nationalist government of PM Modi is committing abuses in India's only Muslim majority state of J&K".
One media refers to a person as a terrorist, the other refers to it as an innocent civilian, and the third refers to it as militant. Same person, different descriptions.
One sees J&K as an Indian state, the other sees it as "Makbuza" (occupied) Kashmir, and the third sees it as "Indian's only Muslim majority state". Same region, different descriptions.
One sees the Indian government as Indian government, the other sees it as "Fascist Hindu government", and the third sees it as "Hindu majoritarian government". Same government, different descriptions.
Words evoke emotions and emotions shape our thoughts. The word terrorist evoke completely different emotions from an innocent civilian and militant. It is therefore no surprise that people consuming their news from these broadly three news sources will infer different meanings and their thoughts will be different, and very often contrast to each other.
While which news source do we access is influenced by various factors (e.g. available time, news access, cost of access etc.), quite often it is our existing beliefs and thoughts about the situation and/or the government/Prime Ministers etc that define which news source do we end up consuming the news from.
We see what we want to see.
There is one truth for those watching Indian based news sources, there is another truth for those limiting to Pakistan based news sources, and then there are different truths for those consuming foreign based news sources.
After all, isn't it what the Rashomon Effect is?
Rashomon Effect or Kurosawa Effect..
ReplyDeleteDifferent interpretation of the same incident without consciously lying.
The incident of Annexation of J&K has been lauded by Indian Median and seems to be a milestone of ending/nullifying militancy in the state.
This in my point of view shall not be perceived as the dominance of any majority religion over other rather a quest to establish peace and prosperity.
Jai Hind!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood one Kalyan!
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