There are only two kinds of people who’ll understand what Sudha is saying and why it clearly shows her caste privilege and her active (not latent) casteism:
- Now liberated Brahmins who know exactly what she meant by what she said, having lived that life (and heard all those statements right in their homes but without the veneer of civility or need to disguise the meaning that is required when speaking in public) and managed to escape it, after which it becomes easier to look at their own past impassively and objectively to understand just what it was about.
- Dalits
If you aren’t either one of these, you’d not be able to see it. I don’t mean that as a bad thing. Indeed, you are lucky you aren’t and were never exposed to this shit in the first place and are confused at what seems to you as an overreaction to an apparent eccentricity of an old granny.
So, write and comment all you want about being confused as to why such a simple statement is being given such colour. Wonder aloud how harmless the act of carrying one’s own utensils/cutlery/food to an unknown land seems. Narrate the eccentricities of your own mum, or aunt, or friend’s sister, or whoever from your childhood. Even opine on Sudha’s particular silly habit or what others think about it. No problem. It all makes for interesting content and gives the algorithm something to do.
But don’t be under the impression that you understood what she said, even less of what she meant. And more so, of what it says about her.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
P.S.: Sudha’s PR agency must be sending her flowers as their staff gather around in the office common area to cut a cake to celebrate their success, slapping each other’s backs as they tell each other how they are rockstars. This was exactly what they wanted! Long live social media.
P.P.S.: And yes, before someone brings up that point, I think Halal certification is laughable. Ditto Kosher. And that any civilised government should make laws to stun live animals before being slaughtered (the animals, not the civilised governments) without regard to whose imaginary friend it may offend. As for getting some random certification based on unscientific beliefs and books written by tribal nomads millennia ago, it’s up to the maker of the food if they want to spend that effort. I only care if it has a valid FSSAI certification. Baki kuchh bhi chhapo apne packet pe (Swastik, Halal, Kosher, New, Improved, Lavda, Lasun) agar aapko lagtaa hai some chutiyaas who believe in that shit will buy more of your product because of it. To me, it’s all marketing. I don’t care for it as long as it complies with the laws of this land which I call my home. The point is, don’t come at me with any other shit you may have in your shit-filled mind. I’ll throw it right back at you.
