Cultures rising and falling

In India, they are contemplating how to raise cultural standards as the legacy of its old 3rd world culture collides with the new India's modern ambitions. The LA Times reports:

The international embarrassment that India suffered in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games — marred by massive cost overruns, a collapsed bridge and widespread corruption allegations — has focused attention on a stubborn cultural condition that if not checked, analysts here say, could undercut India's superpower ambitions.

An attitude referred to in Hindi as "chalta hai," which translates to "it goes" but can mean "don't be bothered," "whatever," "it'll do," or "don't fret (such problems as corruption, delays, shoddy quality)." . . . .

As the hangover sets in, however, some wonder why it took prime ministerial intercession to get toilets cleaned in the athletes village, why Indian planning compared so poorly with neighboring China's hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics and whether a wing-it attitude befits a nation with such talent, potential and prospects.

"It doesn't matter if we're a growing superpower or the stock market's at record levels," said Vinod Mehta, editor in chief of the Outlook media group. "What these Games showed is that we've hit the limit on chalta hai."

While India plots self-improvement, Pres. Obama presides over the continued coarsening of American culture. As a consequence of Obama's exceptionally political State of the Union address last year in which he dishonestly attacked the Supreme Court, Justice Alito has decided to break tradition and not attend next year's SotU speech. This follows two years of increasingly violent from Pres. Obama in which he calls on his supporters to "get in [his critics'] faces," "hit back twice as hard," and even "bring a gun." It would be one thing if his supporters regarded the rhetoric as metaphorical but they don't. Yesterday morning, for example, reporter William Kelly swore "a warrant for CBS reporter Jay Levine's arrest" (hat tip: Instapundit) after Levine threatened to "deck" him for asking tough questions of Obama ally and current Chicago Mayoral candidate Rahm Emmanuel. Video of the assault is here.

2012 cannot come soon enough.