1YAT: Go Start a Blog or Something

One year ago today I wrote Go Start a Blog or Something

I love reading India Uncut each day. Amit Varma, the great blogger of India is so entertaining. I have to say, however, it is not a good idea to read India Uncut before meals because some posts might turn your stomach. But most of his post are just interesting.

There was one post he made about traditional sari embroiderers losing their jobs due to cheap embroidery machines imported from China that I found interesting. At the end of post he said:


And if you're a hand embroiderer, well, no one owes you a living. Go start a blog or something.


I have to admit that I loved that last line in part because it sounded so cold. I wrote to him: "I have to say that if Marie Antoinette were alive today, she couldn't have said it better herself." A little context is needed here. I had earlier written to him to ask about whether he thought anybody blogging today was thinking perhaps that it would lead to fortune someday (because nobody could make a living doing a blog today).

Of course, it would be silly for India to protect the jobs of sari embroiderers. They are going to be the principle beneficiaries of the new opportunities created by the new global economy. They need to leave traditional jobs to take advantage of the new jobs be created. Some have already taken the carrot, and the rest will get the stick, but change is inevitable. And we should not, for a moment, lament the loss of the old way of life. Without change, we would still be living in caves.

Anyway, Amit took my comment as a criticism and he wrote a long rebuttal, (and he linked to me, thanks Amit). As for the sari embroiderers, I am certain that they will find much better ways of making a living than starting blogs. Of course, some of them might get rich starting a web-based business, it could happen.