Hafta letters: Ideas for opinion pieces, the problem with looking for trends

I'll be anonymous. Thanks for having the student subscription and thanks to the kind person who sponsored it for me. Hope to pass it on someday.

Anonymous

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Trying to look at trends in elected governments is probably the most bullshit job anyone could do, especially at an intercontinental, worldwide level. Denmark was one of the first to elect a right-wing, anti-immigrant government in Europe (the Quran-burning idiot, Rasmus Paludan, comes from there) and the Danes got singed a bit by the right-of-centre government. And hence, there is inertia against turning right there as of now.

On the other hands, things have turned right in Sweden, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, to name a few, over the last few years for wholly local reasons. Also, unlike India, voters seem to have cared about Bolsonaro's inability to deal with the pandemic effectively (as per European media).

Looking for worldwide political trends here seems to be a classic case of cherry-picking and confirmation bias, and consistent with the trends in Indian media.

Right of Sinkhole

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I've been in India and a subscriber for the last two years and have sent NL articles to many friends! I listen to Hafta almost religiously every weekend while completing chores/travelling and I love the ethos and strong message of subscriber-led journalism. I particularly enjoy Abhinandan's chairing of the panel and his dynamism and admire his conviction and the openness of his views.

I'm now leaving Delhi :( But do so with better informed experiences (thank to you) and fond memories of this 'continent pretending to be a country'.

One question and two recommendations.

Q: What do you think is required for India to move in a direction that will see better development and less polarisation?

R1: Borgen, Danish political drama

R2: Empire, incredible history podcast series about the East India Company with William Dalrymple and Anita Anand

Over and out,

AM

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Hi, recently resubscribed. Wanted the panel's opinion on why the world is dependent on only dollar for trade. The recent US Fed hike in interest rate has caused much disruption in the world. Wouldn't it be better to have at least three or four currencies which can be used internationally?

Nikhil Kalale

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Hi NL team,

First of all, moving into second year of subscription, can't say how happy I am to be part of this amazing journalism. And for the record, guys, I can't very well rant in Bangla.

I listen to most of your podcasts and read a lot of your stories. You are doing an amazing job in reporting on things that conventional (mostly visual) media ignores. I would like to see more of those features and reports from field. I recently discovered Reporters Without Borders, and I feel it is a unique in bringing in stories that actually matters to common man.

Keep up the good work and try to make more longform stories. Bring opinion pieces as well from the many of your guest panellists (the likes of Aakar Patel, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, etc) who I feel are always outstanding. Improve the format of the morning election show by collaborating with local independent journalists and bring more stories that matter – do not convert it into another chat show.

Thanks for hearing me out.

Korak

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Quick note: I believe Abhinandan compared Obama, who probably was an atheist, singing Amazing Grace as appealing to the Christian nation, very similar to what the loonies on the right do during the primaries. If you didn't equate that, please don't read rest of this email. 

Obama sang Amazing Grace at a eulogy after a mass shooting at a Black church. This song was written by someone engaged in the slave trade who later became an abolitionist. It is one of the important songs of the Black gospel. I don't think it should be equated with people taking extremist stands to pander to the loony wing. He has however taken other "Christian" positions, but singing that song is not one of them.

Thank you for indulging me.

Anonymous