A Symptom of Society's Distorted Priorities

In a society as vibrant and diverse as India, where the cacophony of voices and opinions is both celebrated and scrutinized, the recent controversy surrounds 'India's Got Latent' Show Featuring Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia. 

In early February 2025, the Indian YouTube comedy show 'India's Got Latent,' hosted by comedian Samay Raina, became embroiled in controversy following remarks made by guest judge Ranveer Allahbadia, known online as BeerBiceps.

On February 10, 2025, during a bonus episode of 'India's Got Latent,' Ranveer Allahbadia posed a question to a contestant:

"Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once to make it stop forever?"

This question was widely criticized for its explicit and inappropriate nature, leading to significant backlash on social media platforms. This situation  has sparked an intense and, perhaps, disproportionate reaction. What began as a seemingly harmless jest, which veered into the realm of vulgarity, has become the subject of widespread outrage. 

However, this particular outburst, while certainly deserving of criticism, is reflective of a much larger, and far more concerning, tendency within the Indian social consciousness: a tendency to focus on the trivial, while systematically disregarding the more pressing, and undeniably more harmful, issues that plague our society. It is nothing but a reflection of our society's biggest flaws. 

In this instance, the joke made by Raina and Allahabadia was undeniably vulgar. There is no question that such language, especially when made public, should be scrutinized, as it certainly crosses boundaries of decency. The moral argument is clear: vulgarity, when expressed without restraint, does have the potential to erode societal sensibilities. And yet, the outrage that has followed has been disproportionate, much like the way we seem to respond to everything in our fast-paced, media-driven world—immediately, emphatically, and with little reflection on the underlying causes of the fury.

What is most striking, however, is the apparent inconsistency in the way we, as a society, respond to vulgarity and harmful language in different contexts. Every day, we are bombarded with language that is far more aggressive, hostile, and offensive, and yet it often passes unnoticed. Whether it is the harsh, discriminatory rhetoric that permeates political discourse or the vitriol that floods social media platforms, we are regularly subjected to language that is far more damaging and insidious than a momentary lapse by a comedian. Yet, we remain largely indifferent to these daily assaults on civility, choosing instead to focus on a fleeting incident that, in the grand scheme of things, is just a reflection of the society's obsession with sex mainly in its vulgar form. 

This selective outrage, where trivial matters are amplified while critical issues go unaddressed, is not only a failure of perspective but a reflection of a deeper malaise in our public discourse. We, as a nation, have become so attuned to sensationalism that we elevate moments of scandal and controversy, while neglecting the larger, systemic problems that threaten the very fabric of our society. The Raina-Allahabadia episode may be morally indefensible, but it pales in comparison to the everyday injustices that continue to plague our nation: the rampant corruption that hinders progress, the erosion of freedoms under the guise of nationalism, and the grinding poverty that millions of Indians continue to endure.

Let us be clear: there is no defense for such vulgarity. A certain level of propriety should undoubtedly be maintained, especially when one is in the public eye. The incident in question may well serve as a reminder of the responsibility that public figures—particularly those in entertainment—bear in shaping the cultural discourse. There is merit in the call for backlash against such behavior, but it is essential that this backlash is not allowed to overshadow, or dilute, the far more profound issues that demand our collective attention.

In an age where social media enables instantaneous communication, we must be wary of how easily we become entangled in manufactured outrages. The public’s reaction to Raina and Allahabadia’s joke is symptomatic of a culture where scandal is magnified to the point of obsession, while the real crises that affect the lives of ordinary citizens are relegated to the periphery. When did we become a society that reacts more vehemently to a vulgar joke than to the abuses of power, systemic corruption, or the deepening inequality that afflicts our nation?

The vulgarity in question should not be dismissed—such language has no place in public discourse, and those responsible for perpetuating it should face appropriate consequences. However, the outrage should not come at the expense of other, more significant matters. We must not allow ourselves to become so absorbed by the trivial that we neglect the very real challenges that lie ahead. The true test of a society’s moral compass lies not in how it reacts to a single, fleeting incident, but in how it addresses the systemic issues that shape its future.

In conclusion, while the vulgar joke made by Raina and Allahabadia may have indeed been morally wrong and deserving of backlash, it should not overshadow the much larger concerns that demand our attention. Let us direct our collective outrage towards the larger, more pervasive issues—inequality, corruption, social injustice—that continue to undermine the progress and well-being of our nation. It is only by doing so that we can hope to build a society that is not only morally upright but also truly just and progressive.

- Ritika Ghosh (XI)