PM Modi's image as 'Yug Purusha'

This is’ image-time’. The image-time means we are leaving in the time of images. The images come to us through various kinds of orality, learned perceptions, electronic -- print media and through various social media sites. We consume images, recreate and distribute them among others. The youths in India consume images more than older generations because they spend more time in the media space.

- BADRI NARAYAN

There are two types of images --those who have shorter life and images with longer life. The images who have long life may transform in symbol after sometimes going through with constant additions, deletions and modifications. The symbols evolved from mixing and remixing of various kinds of images of a leader, social icons and political personalities may sustain even then person is not alive. We can see how images of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Ram Manohar Lohia, Indira Gandhi are still alive in the memories of common people, especially youths even though they have not experienced these leaders, their times and regimes directly. But there are less chance of drastic shift in the positive or negative direction, in the images or symbols of leaders who are not alive. Because political actions of the leaders produce image resources, on which any big shift in the images take place, But the leader who is alive may have opportunity to acquire a big sweep in his or her own image making through his political actions.

To understand the image consumption of youths in district towns of Uttar Pradesh, we conducted interviews among the youths of middle class who are either studying in collages or preparing the various competitive exams. We interviewed youths from various castes living in these district towns. What we observed that many of these youths in their struggling time for employment derive hopes for their future from images and political symbols. The future is major concern in their minds. It appears as most popular phrase during discussion. These concerns of future begin from their worries and hopes for individual future but also extend to the future of society and nation.