India is number one in knowing the least

Finally, India bests China comprehensively in something: an Ipsos Mori poll of citizens of 40 countries finds Indians to be the most ignorant about their own collective selves. China comes in at number two.

To be fair, India did not have much to climb since last year: it had already been placed number two, behind Mexico, which has now slid all the way down to Number 10. Perhaps, Mexicans have Donald Trump to thank for making them do a fair bit of soul-searching. Wanton accusations of being rapists, criminals and job stealers can make anyone choke over his burrito, forget his machismo for the moment, down a tequila and look deep down into his body politic.

Indians have not got such inspiration, yet. What if Pakistani TV anchors take after their Indian counterparts and dish out wholesome invective that prods Indians to choke on their roti/idli, forget murderous pursuit of honour for the moment, down a peg of whatever is locally prohibited and look deep into the flowing beard of the godman next door? Hope is not dead yet.

We can also hope that the Chinese would, by the time Ipsos conducts next year’s survey, be so obsessed with Taiwan and Trump as to knock India out of the ring in a match of unawareness about the collective self. Hope springs eternal, as does ignorance. And the fickleness of America’s president-elect.