'Bubble' of Democracy!

We are living in stormy times, where turbulence shakes the world at every level—global, national, and regional. As man-made wars rage on and human-caused climate disasters scorch the earth, the ideologies and institutions that once stood as pillars of hope in the twentieth century are now crumbling, weighed down by nepotism, personality cults, and sycophancy. At the heart of this growing disorder is the tragic reduction of democracy to a mere word—an empty badge of pride, worn without true understanding of its essence or the profound responsibility it demands. Democracy, now too often reduced to the ritual of elections, allows politicians to claim the "will of the majority." But in this age of coalition politics and the manipulation of voter preferences through digital narratives, we find ourselves trapped in a fragile bubble of democracy—one that could burst at any moment.

One of the greatest threats to democracy lies in the infiltration of celebrity culture and fandom into politics. When politicians become more like celebrities, aided by image consultants and public relations experts, they start expecting blind admiration from voters, as though they are fans, not citizens. Political parties are evolving into a kind of religion, demanding uncritical loyalty to both strengths and flaws, good and bad. Any dissenting voice, no matter how valid, is treated as an existential threat to the political system.

No human being is always right or always wrong. The same holds true for political organizations, which are, after all, groups of (im)perfect people. They, too, can never be right or wrong all the time. Divergent voices and spirited debates are the lifeblood of resilient institutions, enabling them to navigate even the stormiest of times.

It was in 2020 that Justice Chandrachud made a powerful observation that bridge the 'imaginary' discontinuity between democracy and debate. He stated, "Dissent is the safety-valve of democracy." Dissent creates room for self-correction within any system. The ability to acknowledge mistakes and make amends is a mark of true moral strength and integrity.

In a world where dissent and democracy are seen as opposing forces, and the crucial safety valves of democracy—dissent, debate, self-correction, and adaptation—have been rendered ineffective, we stand on the brink of democracy's irreversible collapse. The democratic bubble is already riddled with cracks, and it’s only a matter of time before it bursts.