Who's on the monkey's side? We are!

A story. A monkey has landed in a village and some people are chasing the simian for bringing havoc to their tiled roofs. The monkey gets on a tree. People surround the tree and start pelting stones. And then the quintessential Indian arrives at the scene and says, "What's the problem?" A villager says, "This monkey has ruined my house." And the rest say, "And we want to teach him a lesson so that he never comes this side." The Quintessential Indian: "Who's on the monkey's side?" His question is greeted with a silence. "No one? Then I am." says the lone ranger.

We have it in us. We always side with the victim, the one we perceive to be the victim at any given time. I remember a large number of Indian being on Saddam Hussein's side because he looked like a victim. Many of us hate the United States because it's military power seldom allows it to look like a victim. Even after 9/11.

And that trait influences our voting too. M.J. Akbar argues it beautifully in his Byline this week. Click here to read the Byline titled Victimorious.