Ersatz world

Joy! Here is a tiny tot experiencing the wonder of the farm. He (she?) is milking a cow.

Well.... that's one way of looking at it.

The trusty Beeb website offered up this image from the just about to be opened World Expo (or whatever it is called) in Shanghai. The blurb tells us that "children milk a fake cow at the world expo in Shanghai, China."

Yesterday's paper tells me that Shanghai has spend more on this 'fair' than Beijing did for the Olympics. Since Mumbai has been stricken with a deep case of Shanghai-envy for some time now - perhaps we will need to take note.

What strikes me about the pictures of the two tots and their synthetic teats was just the sheer plasticity of it all.

Two kids on a green carpet to mimic grass - with the faux holstein cattle whittled down to their size - clad in what looks to be some kind of antiseptic mask and hair net outfit to make sure hygiene is maintained.

Hanging down from the nether parts of these cattle look to be some kind of latex teats which when squeezed apparently give out 'milk.'

These happy farmers have been squeezing fake milk out of fake cows.

What next?

Miniature faux cow-dung patties being moulded by kids and stuck on walls to dry - in day-glo colours? Plastic veterinarian experiences where kids can help give shots to cattle without being kicked? Village water wells where kids can draw up water and splish splash while wearing wet-suits and masks to avoid getting sick for some reason?

Walt Disney started all of this when he brought that cuteified rodent to southern California (and then Northern Florida and then all around the world it seems - we have been spared in India so far... at least from a physical Disneyland that is).

The premise was to bring many experiences together in a safe, family-friendly, controlled environment. Machines were made to mimic the wonders of the south seas, pirates, dinosaurs, past presidents, ghosts, the future - and all to be had while whirling by on some kind of a ride - to join the world outside after your 10 minutes of immersion in 'another world.'

While Disney claimed that it was to 'stretch the imagination' - in reality it was the opposite. The rides are all about presenting something to be consumed. This is TV in 3D - but without glasses. 'Fake-real'. To be ogled at in safety. And then to whet our appetite for... some more synthetic approximations in their sterile and 'fun' packaging.

How far we are in our so-called progress?

The interesting thing is that we really do not have much that is actually 'new.' Most of what we have are imitations of what we see in nature in the first place. Or what we see in human history. For all the claims of 'progress' - much of it is a repackaging and taming - rather than something novel.

So why does a picture of cute kids milking fake cows raise my hackles?

Partly because there are real cows to look after - and real farms to experience.

A good 15 years ago I had the privilege of living with an amazing farmer called Anand Singh. Anand and his family hosted me in their house (I lived in a modified cattle room) which was perched on the side of hill at 2.5oo m in the Kumaon Himalaya. Having grown up in entirely urban Bombay - it was a thrill to see and eat potatoes grown on the terraces, to be part of the cycle of work (so much!) that the rain-fed fields and orchards demand - and experience the rhythms and dignity of working with the land.

Our bodies are meant for the outdoors. It is no surprise that we see more and more 'life-style' diseases - strike at younger and younger ages. If you want to be rich in India - be a heart-doctor - there is an almost endless supply of young managers whose tickers are getting tocked!

While a basic set of sanitary practices helps alot in the pathogen prone environment we live it - total sterility leads to an odd set of problems too - the increasing numbers of auto-immune disease and severe allergic reactions to various sources. It seems that if our bodies are not 'fighting' with different agents using our immunity - that we end up 'fighting' ourselves.

So, do we write a prescription of: "off with those masks kids! Get out of the mall (or World Expo) and work on the farm!"??? For many of us - living in our concrete jungle - the very thought of being able to go somewhere and do something else is just a cherished dream. Urbanisation gives many benefits and creature comforts - but the price to pay is an almost relentless stream of work and production. In the mean time - for many its "switch on the TV and drown out the world."

One of the best ways to start is just to take a walk. You, your legs, moving forward into greenery (if possible). All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small... Go ahead! Its good for you!