The Inscrutable Americans ★★★☆☆

I finally read The Inscrutable Americans. Hilarious and thought-provoking in terms of empathizing with the protagonist, Gopal (or rather Goh-Pahl), I enjoyed it thoroughly for two reasons. Firstly, it was my first non-academic book in ages and secondly, it helped me empathize with his videshi experiences. But, as rightly pointed out by one of my newly-found friend, his character was too far-fetched to be rooted in the contemporary FOB (Fresh off Boats) student attitude. This instantly brought to mind an article in Khabar that questioned the "Indian-ness" of each one of us who have spent sufficient time away from India in supposedly pursuit of academic knowledge. I was one of the people interviewed by the Atlanta editor for my views (I got cut out on the edited table...tsk tsk too bad, I know) and during our brief telephonic talk, he mentioned the disparity of family values as a primary differentiating factor.

Now, I don't need Karan Johar's opinion that "it's all about loving your parents" to determine that I really do adore my parents. But at the same, Americans don't necessarily subscribe to Sam Mendes' American Beauty. Do we mean to say that Indians value familial life more than Americans do? Hmmmm....I don't suppose so, excepting the Simpsons and the dysfunctional Osbornes, I do believe that the American ethos too believes in sticking to ones roots, somewhere bounded in orthodoxy.

My American friends are just about as keen as returning home for Thanksgiving as I am about going to India every Diwali (the fact that I can't does not preclude my intent). To cite a commonality, Ryan asking for Trista's dad in the awfully dumb Bachleorette for her hand in marriage was so Shah Rukh Khan-esque. Just coz they call their dad "old man" doesn't mean that they love their dad any less. They do leave their homes at age 16 in search of independence, but that is as culturally acceptable as it is for us Indians to stay with our parents for eternity (guys are "lucky" in that sense...sorry girls, I know it's not fair). I can offer umpteen arguments in favor of the American culture and easily jump the Atlantic fence to equally argue in favor of the Desi Sabhyata. No culture is better than the other. Its just as Pankaj Kapoor tells Javed Jaffery in a Maggi commercial tone...different.