Perception

Street vendour in Karachi, selling what he called the newest gadget from China: inflatable cellophane balls.

(Some of the images of this entry don't really match with the words - or maybe they do, in some strange way as they have to do with belief and façade - but after the black and white of the previous entry, I'd like to give some colour to the places that I recently visited.)

Tomorrow I'll start cycling again, which will be the end of a one and a half month visit to Hyderabad. I have enjoyed being here, even though some things turned out to be different than I expected them to be. From this I learnt, and like so often Johan Cruijff's wisdom (the renowned Dutch soccer player) proved valid: "every disadvantage has its advantage." The school work came to an abrupt end, which made room for the NGO work, and the disappearance of my bike led to a phenomenal recovery process that opened many doors.


(Picture: mega store vs. Sputnik, different dimensions in Karachi.)


(Picture: street scene close to the Taj Complex bus station.)

During my stay at the organisation I had access to cable television and internet, which enabled me to read up to many news stories that I had missed out on during my travel. I also followed some of 'the breaking news' of the last couple of weeks. The main headlines: "The UK wakes up to a 'hung parliament'", "Ash Cloud Chaos", "Greece = bankrupt", "The euro at an all time low", "Unprecedented natural disaster in the Mexican Gulf."


(Picture: waking up at Dr. Daud Pota Rd.)

Apart from the last - the oil spill off the coast of the southern states of the US - of which the actual size remains hidden underneath the sea level and understating headlines, all these topics were grossly exeggerated.
The UK elections: yes indeed, the UK hasn't seen a coalition since many years, but 'political and financial instability' that was to be expected if one of the two (Tories, Labour) wouldn't get an absolute majority has not happened. In fact, William Hague, the newly appointed minister of foreign affairs hurried off to Washington to state that US-UK cooperation will remain as it is, and George Osborne, minister of finance (or chancellor of the exchequer) has torpedoed proposals to regulate speculative 'hedge funds', which caused much of today's economic misery. That's what I call business as usual.
It proves that a coalition is possible, even in the UK, and might even be desirable as more voters feel represented by such a government. It is estimated that some 60 percent of the voters like to see a change in the electoral system: away from 'first-passed-the-post' that makes only those votes count that are cast at the winner, and towards (partial) proportional representation that makes a larger share of the votes count. This would make the likelihood of coalition governments - like many 'continental' European countries have - bigger. This is what the liberal democrats want for obvious reasons (they would gain seats and influence), and what the conservatives don't want, for equally obvious reasons (they would loose seats and influence). There will be a referendum about this some time during this term, and if the liberal democrats are smart, they push for this hard. The longer they wait, the bigger the chance that the conservatives steer at a collapse of this government, for 'fresh, old-school' elections.


(Picture: Oath Commissioner'e office, public notary, in Saddar.)

Then the ash cloud; sweet vengeance of Iceland after its financial meltdown and the bickering over the huge debt to the UK and The Netherlands (among others I reckon). "We your hostage? Than you also grounded!" Airline companies moan because they see some of their profits 'go up in smoke', passengers moan because they have to wait, or because they are rescheduled to other airports. All very bad, but when do people start to think of better and more sustainable ways of transport? (This is Koen moaning, with his 'Greenpeace ideas' as one Russian friend once summarised an hour long tirade.)


(Picture: mother and daughter at the Mazar-e-Quaid.)

Greece and the Eurozone, linked by one expensive currency that has lost some of its value. 6 percent compared to the US dollar I think, the lowest exchange rate in four years. Not a terrible long time, but described as 'an all time low'. The Eurozone would be under stress. In fact, much of the Eurozone's economical recovery is export driven, and a decrease in value of the euro will make European products cheaper. So more export. It might be exactly what is needed.
However, speculators - media and investors alike - spin this drop in price into a different direction. 'Akropolis Now!', I saw on The Economist's cover online (not sure if this was serious, or something photoshopped), with Councellor Merkel as Captain Willard. Everyone knew that Greece's balance sheet wasn't what you call honey and pie, but for a long time this wasn't too big a problem. By now it is clear how the Greek government thinks to pay off the debt, and like so often it's the common people that bear the brunt. On Facebook a group was formed: "Can't pay, won't pay - Solidarity with the people of Greece", and I repeat these words here.
Now the pressure is mounting on Spain and Portugal, and one can only hope that it doesn't take the same shape as it did in Greece.


(Picture: market vendour at Denso Hall, Karachi.)

Which brings me to an interesting story I read this morning. It discussed the work of George Soros, the investor gone philosopher, who once, almost single-handedly, forced the British pound to devaluate. Victory of capital over nation state; of perception over reality. Or that's what he made of it himself. According to Soros the financial markets aren't determined by rationality and facts, but by a gut feeling and masses. It's not what is, but what is perceived that counts. Perception brings movement to the mass. The same theory he projects on politics: on the flimsiest of pretexts Bush and Blair managed to get their nations ready for war.
Perception not only makes people act in a certain way, it also reinforces itself. The perception bends the facts, and because of it, people are reassured that their take on the matter is the right one.


(Picture: tomb at Makli Hill, near Thatta.)

Back to my little world. When the bike was stolen, the story was inflated within no-time. Initially some journalists had made an effort to get the facts on paper, but soon after copy-paste and perception (what I was perceived to think, or do) had made it into something else.


(Picture: Friday prayer at the Shah Jahan mosque in Thatta.)

My work for the 'Civil Society Support Program' comes to an end. It presented itself to me as an organisation that aims to create a critical mass. So-called 'voice of the new generation' groups consisting of young people discuss a wide range of subjects in workshops and research them through fieldwork.
We might indeed be like herd animals, an influencable mass when we invest, move, vote and buy. But if that's the case, let it be a critical mass, in which people engage in dialogue and keep each other on their toes.

More than ever I welcome reactions.


(Pictures: praying at the Shah Jahan mosque.)