[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f6WyHY1S0kjLLcO03XLTw5bTV6-EjMhophhkKXHOw0nc":3,"$fWKvQQZgRqa74LSz8D5yjagcDw1Vibvz6uSdoYTO8xwQ":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},54883,"Suketu Mehta","S",22,null,"suketu-mehta",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":89},[14,22,29,35,42,48,54,60,66,78],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},3453859,"Europeans extracted an estimated 222,505,049 hours of forced labour from African slaves between 1619 and 1865. Valued at the US minimum wage, with a modest rate of interest, that’s worth $97 trillion – more than the entire global GDP.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":28},3453853,"Democracies have a weakness: If a bad law has enough money or people behind it, it stays on the books.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nSuketu Mehta, the author of this quote, is an Indian-American writer and journalist known for his work on immigration, identity, and democracy. The quote is likely from his book \"Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found,\" which explores the complexities of urban life in Mumbai. Mehta's experiences as an immigrant and his observations of the Indian democracy inform his critique of the system.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a paradox at the heart of democratic systems: while democracy is meant to protect the rights of the people, it can be subverted by the influence of money and power. Mehta's statement highlights how even a bad law can persist if it has sufficient backing, undermining the principles of equality and justice that democracy is supposed to uphold.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this insight in a modern context, professionals and creatives can recognize the potential for undemocratic forces to influence decision-making. By being aware of these power dynamics, they can proactively seek out diverse perspectives, build coalitions, and advocate for policies that promote equity and justice, even in the face of entrenched opposition.",{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},3453846,"A hit man’s character is defined above all by narcissism, that complex mix of egotism and self-hatred.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":41},3453840,"This is the biggest difference between the world’s two largest democracies: In India, the poor vote.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nSuketu Mehta, an Indian-American author, first expressed this sentiment in his book \"Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found\" (2004). Mehta's work explores the complexities of Indian society, and this quote highlights a key difference between India and the United States. At the time, Mehta was reflecting on the unique cultural and political dynamics of India, where voting patterns often defy traditional notions of economic determinism.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox: the poor in India, unlike in many Western democracies, are not necessarily disenfranchised or disconnected from the political process. Instead, Mehta suggests that India's democratic system allows for a more inclusive representation of its citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status. This insight challenges the conventional wisdom that economic disadvantage automatically leads to political disengagement.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's world, professionals and creatives can apply this mindset by recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and experiences. By actively seeking out and amplifying the voices of marginalized groups, individuals can foster a more inclusive and equitable environment, ultimately leading to more innovative and effective solutions.",{"id":43,"quote_text":44,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":45,"source":46,"quote_tag":47,"commentary":9},3453831,"Anybody in the world can come to India and find home.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":51,"source":52,"quote_tag":53,"commentary":9},3453825,"You can go home again, and you can also leave again. Once more, with confidence, into the world.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":57,"source":58,"quote_tag":59,"commentary":9},3453799,"Before you ask other people to respect the borders of the West, ask yourself if the West has ever respected anybody else’s border.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":9},3453788,"All told, in the colonial period, Europeans increased their share of global GDP from 20 to 60 per cent, Hickel points out. ‘Europe didn’t develop the colonies. The colonies developed Europe.’ The Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle sums it up: ‘We fear the arrival of immigrants that we have drawn here with the wealth we stole from them.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":69,"has_image":18,"author":70,"source":71,"quote_tag":72,"commentary":9},2103283,"A city like Bombay, like New York, that is a recent creation on the planet and does not have a substantial indigenous population, is full of restless people. Those who have come here have not been at ease somewhere else. And unlike others who may have been equally uncomfortable wherever they came from, these people got up and moved. As I have discovered, having once moved, it is difficult to stop moving.",4,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[73],{"id":74,"tag":75},5089182,{"id":76,"tag_name":77},19262,"new-york",{"id":79,"quote_text":80,"author_id":5,"source_id":69,"has_image":18,"author":81,"source":82,"quote_tag":83,"commentary":9},2103257,"Each person’s life is dominated by a central event, which shapes and distorts everything that comes after it and, in retrospect, everything that came before.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[84],{"id":85,"tag":86},5089161,{"id":87,"tag_name":88},1171,"events",{"currentPage":90,"totalPages":91,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":92},1,3,10]