I was once posed a question by my grandfather, the answer to which I don’t have even today – “Who is worthy of more respect, a beggar or a prostitute?”.

On a fundamental human level, both are equally worthy of being treated with consideration, empathy and courtesy.

It’s only when the other party starts behaving maliciously (towards you or someone else) that one has to consider taking a more assertive stance, but even then it’s not a good idea to start crossing the line in one’s own behaviour and become malicious, vindictive or insensitive towards them — as a moral principle (again, basic human courtesy) and also in order to prevent any corrosive impact on oneself of one’s negative actions, not out of fear of how the other party may react.

So there’s one possible answer, anyway

Oh Anna since it’s being mentioned again, I told your crab-Asian-authors story to Gautam Malkani – the Londonstani chap – and then weeks later he said he liked it so much he’s going to use it in his next piece for the Financial Times. Neither of us will be credited.

I hear that ANNA has a great new novel coming out in the fall — it’s called “Californiastani,” look out for it.

Why pick the lowest denominator to compare?

I didnt. You brought in the playmates example.

You say money is not a shallow barometer for judging success in many societies

You mentioned that many playboy models became successful bussiness women, I asked do you respect them even though they have money? I am not talking about Bill Gates or Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

Playboy models being unpretentious. You say, Aren’t you now just contradicting yourself?

I said the playboy models are not pretentious, in the sense that they are selling flesh for money and they thats their deal with the world. Whereas some women (in the name of ambition) can sell their sexuality for say getting their work done, to get jobs etc and finally pose to the outside world fully covered. The first thing a girl from India(who was waiting for her turn) asked me after my interview oncampus was “Is he young”?

Thinking aloud,that is exactly what Hugh Hefner was in the past and is now.

Plus it is against my principles to admire the beauty of photoshop.

Well…faking it is an important factor. That’s acting DD you know what you have to do to land that role. And don’t start with the whole ‘morals’ thing, that’s snobbery.

Beige seige, Playboy HAD wonderful articles. Now it’s lame.

no thankyou, i dont want to be scarred for life.

Pleezzee, don’t hate on Playboy. It has wonderful articles

Is it sad that in the 22 yrs of my life i have never read, owned or looked at a playboy mag?? ok dont answer that

TopCat and JOAT – Regarding pimps and hookers, I was once posed a question by my grandfather, the answer to which I don’t have even today – “Who is worthy of more respect, a beggar or a prostitute?”. I don’t think it is obvious that for whatever reason, pimps and hookers are somehow deserving of such a low opinion. Take any definition of prostitute, replace body with mind and sex with work and you have pretty much everyone in the world covered.

DD – I don’t think acting abilities are an important factor when it comes to casting in Bollywood

um, me.