A six-year-old boy curiously named Curious asks his father the meaning of politics.
The wise man comes up with a teaser. “Let me put the whole thing called ‘politics’ in proper context, my boy. I am the sole breadwinner of the family. So, call me Capitalism. Your mom is the sole administrator of the money I bring in. Call her the Government. We both take care of your needs. Call yourself the People. The maid is the Working Class. And call your one-year-old brother the Future. Mull it over tonight and tell me what you make of it at the breakfast table tomorrow.”
Perplexed, Curious retires for the day but is unable to sleep as his little brother is crying with no one to look after him. He finds out that his little brother’s diaper is wet. He goes to his parents’ room to find his mother sleeping like a log and his father missing. Then he goes to the maid’s room which is locked. Instead of disturbing the entire household by knocking the door, he decides to peer inside through the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the maid. He gets back to his room, changes his little brother’s diaper himself and goes to sleep.
Next morning, the father asks the boy if he had finally understood what politics means.
The boy replies: “It’s simple. While Capitalism is screwing the Working Class, the Government is sound asleep, the Future is in deep shit and the People are left to fend for themselves.”
Nothing sums up this state of affairs in Indian politics more precisely than this old joke.
The wise man comes up with a teaser. “Let me put the whole thing called ‘politics’ in proper context, my boy. I am the sole breadwinner of the family. So, call me Capitalism. Your mom is the sole administrator of the money I bring in. Call her the Government. We both take care of your needs. Call yourself the People. The maid is the Working Class. And call your one-year-old brother the Future. Mull it over tonight and tell me what you make of it at the breakfast table tomorrow.”
Perplexed, Curious retires for the day but is unable to sleep as his little brother is crying with no one to look after him. He finds out that his little brother’s diaper is wet. He goes to his parents’ room to find his mother sleeping like a log and his father missing. Then he goes to the maid’s room which is locked. Instead of disturbing the entire household by knocking the door, he decides to peer inside through the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the maid. He gets back to his room, changes his little brother’s diaper himself and goes to sleep.
Next morning, the father asks the boy if he had finally understood what politics means.
The boy replies: “It’s simple. While Capitalism is screwing the Working Class, the Government is sound asleep, the Future is in deep shit and the People are left to fend for themselves.”
Nothing sums up this state of affairs in Indian politics more precisely than this old joke.