Politicians are from Mars and Voters are from Venus

 

This is like a cat and mouse game played every five years for electing the central government in India- the largest democracy in the world. According to my understanding voters are the mice in millions and cats are the politicians- herds of cats as ‘political parties’- well organized and a well-oiled machine to hunt the mice!

 

There is also a differential psychological behaviour between the two entities- the hunter and the hunted.

 

In 1992, John Gray published his book ‘Men are from Mars and women are from Venus’. He demonstrated, through this seminal work that men and women are indeed born different- they are two different species. Such a simple and obvious fact required a 286- page book to reveal. It also proves another point that it is very difficult for humans to convince humans.

 

 

I feel, men and women have same blood, bones and flesh but are poles apart in attitude, preferences, resilience and smartness. Man can donate his blood to woman and vice versa - yet they are so different in almost everything.

 

The book by Grey describes that most common relationship problems between men and women are a result of fundamental psychological differences between the sexes, which the author typifies by means of its metaphor: that men and women are from different planets—men from Mars and women from Venus—and that each sex is adapted to its own planet's customs and way of life, but not to those of the other. One example is men's complaint that if they offer solutions to problems that women bring up in conversation, the women are not necessarily interested in solving those problems, but mainly want to talk about them. The book asserts each sex can be understood in terms of distinct ways they respond to stress and stressful situations.

 

Gray describes in detail, how men and women each monitor the amount of give and take in relationships. If the balance shifts, one person feeling they have given more than they have received, resentment can develop. This is a time when only communication can help to bring the relationship back into balance.

Similar is the stark difference between politicians and public- as if they are from different planets

 

They have the same flesh and blood but differ so much in their wants, emotions and behaviours. You can give your blood to a politician and also receive from him. Yet Politicians are supposed to be shrewd, calculative, greedy and power hungry- some of it is a reality most a perception. Public is supposed to be smart- yes- supposed to be. (Public saab janti hai). Many a times public is taken for a ride and that to a long one, five years- tall promises made but most not delivered. Typical husband wife, man and woman relationship- public always cribs politicians always come with straight face to promise yet again. They never apologise!

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Politicians plan for years to make their kills- in fact a constant 24 by 7, 365 days a year; but public is not smart and does not have five years luxury to think through, they struggle with Roti, kapada, makan and politicians have been loving it for decades. Politicians are professionals in the game- seasoned and sorted. Public goes by gross perception and that is what politicians bank on.

 

 

Cat has nine lives is an old saying. Therefore, catty politicians keep sharpening their teeth and nails and keep their paw pads soft for stealth walk. Cats are also efficient pouncers and rats run for cover. Politicians, make a perfect pouncing plan to get the mouse but mouse also plays his tricks and is hard to get. Politicians have a thick skin- but cats have a soft coat which, the politicians manage to grow over a period of time. They dress up like a common rat to look like them- dhoti kurta or Pajama Kurta. That is an art of a different kind.

 

Political leaders live much more, longer than the public. Look at Joe Biden at 82—still putting up a fight against another matured fat cat Trump at 76, who also doesn’t get tired. Cats are agile and energetic.

 

 

 

Who moved my cheese a book by Spencer Johnson is a motivational parable that explores change management and adapting to new circumstances. He uses cheese as a metaphor for ‘success’.

 

Two mice, Sniff and Scurry in the story do not apply their brain too much and keep running up and down a maze- like voters run to fend for food and money during their day-to-day life. This sends a larger message that, just focus on your daily needs in a brainless way. Politicians, are also in the same maze but are smart enough to find a big stash of cheese which they keep eating every day. They prepare their kill by wearing them out, like a cat does to her prey, in this case the rats.

 

If I use cheese as a metaphor for what public wants (basic needs) and politicians take away their cheese (their legitimate entitlement) smartly and stash it in their dungeons to enjoy shamelessly for next five years and come back and ask for votes, then public will ask after five years- who moved my cheese? Politicians have smarter brains as Hem and Haw (as in the book) and have memorised every path and know every nook and corner of the maze- in this case rules and regulations of governance and diverting trucks full of cheese to their homes. Even after looting the public for five years, they fool them yet again for another five years. And yet again politicians gobble up the public money till the next elections. With a promise ‘phir milengey’.

 

 

Election time is a different time for cats and rats and media who love reporting the kill. They love the fight. This way or that, every rat will get caught. The only choice is to get caught by the right cat?

 

Election 2024, the King cat with a group of his supporters- cats of different breeds but same clan who had given enough cheese to all the rats in the last ten years- big and small is out to hunt. This time the rival gang has ganged up with a different strategy as many lost their teeth in the waiting and claws bitten off due to frustration and tension and hunger (no cheese for ten years)- cats from different clans all got together to look like one big cat- a spotted leopard. This formidable animal can assure the rats that a leopard is a friend of rats and doesn’t eat rats.

But rats are smarter- they know who will give them cheese and who will move their cheese.