“But do you know what: I am convinced that we underground folk ought to be kept on a curb. Though we may sit forty years underground without speaking, when we do come out into the
light of day and break out we talk and talk and talk...”
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground
In this confessional book published in 1864, the Russian author brutally examines human existence and society from the point of view of a person who has gone underground because he felt isolated.
Many independent reporters and alternative media are exploring questions of dignity, degradation and the need for self-expression in a fractured media landscape, which is not receptive to stories that are diverse and uncomfortable. One such area is the under-representation of Dalit, Adivasi and Other Backward Castes (OBC) by the mainstream media. This includes women and other minorities such as Muslims.
Empowered with access to the internet and burgeoning social media platforms, the rise of new platforms run by Dalit youth and others indicate the emergence of a distinct space where stories about marginalisation and caste atrocities are being told. Outlook turns its gaze on such outlets and their reportage during the elections and how they are, in fact, notes from the underground.
(This appeared in the print edition as "Other Voices")
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