Guest guest Posted June 11, 2001 Report Share Posted June 11, 2001 George Thompson wrote: > Dear List, > > I have learned from sad experience that discussing almost anything on this > list is like walking into a deep dark swamp. I no longer go there. > > The suggestion that I have a religious bias against Hindus is absurd. > > Best wishes, > > George Thompson >>> Dr. Thompson, please do not let the noise level prevent you from speaking. Those who see religious bigotry in your postings obviously are looking through filters of their own. If you refrain from speaking, that filtered view of things becomes the norm. Worse, if you let an attack dissuade you from speaking, others who are more shy or have more to lose may likewise keep their silence. It is through these interactions that the "rules" or customs of public debate in this forum are being established. It is necessary that those who believe in free speech not let themselves be silenced, or the loudest and most aggressive will rule. Those of us who have the liberty to be unafraid should never give up on public debate, but should answer unreason with reason with relentless courtesy. It is your own freedom of speech and perspective you are defending. On the whole, this new open-to-all "no rules" forum has been working, I think. The recent spate of intemperance is correcting itself, as others have previously, by responses challenging or informing the factual premises of the writers' opinions and/or the manner in which their ideas were expressed. Dr. Thompson, your response is part of the checks and balances that keeps discussion flowing freely. That said, I do think the academics having been getting the short end of the stick on this list lately in that political topics seriously outnumber academic topics, which are languishing. Why? Maybe because political issues are naturally more inflammatory than academic issues, as a wildly hypothetical general rule. People speak up more often and more loudly about the issues that hit nearest home, which usually means the issue is also political. Also, I would guess those who have no taste for being flamed have to steer clear of too many academic subjects lest they draw fire. Like war, Indology may be too important these days to be left to Indologists, but those of us who are observing do need to give them more room to do their work, I think. I propose that the forum divide its discussions between two chambers, Indology-A and Indology-B. Everyone would be a member of both, able to read both, but only academics of suitable provenance would be permitted to post in the academic chamber, let us say Indology-A. It would also be limited to classical Indology, i.e., no politics or current events, unless posted by a person with posting privileges. Everyone else would continue to eavesdrop and to be able to comment publicly in Indology-B on anything posted in Indology-A, as well as to discuss other matters of interest. Hopefully, the academic community would continue to represent itself in both chambers. Some like to read their mail and chat over a cup of tea or coffee in the morning without rude interruptions. Others enjoy a vigorous common room or after-dinner debate. The mistake is trying to do both simultaneously. Let's post purely academic messages in Indology-A (morning coffee in the office), and restrict other matters to Indology-B (faculty lounge or common room). If this idea receives favor, I trust the powers-that-be will reserve the additional forum names. imho, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2001 Report Share Posted June 13, 2001 I have a small suggestion to add: Perhaps, Indology-A and Indology-B is a good idea. Anyone can post in A and/or B, But in Indology-A, professional Indologists write mostly. In Indology-A list, the Indology-on-the-net Founder, Dr. D. Wujastyk or a committee of Sanskritists (say, profs. Witzel, Aklujkar, Deshpande, ...) can terminate some one's posting priveleges if they so decide. Regards, N. Ganesan INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: [...] > On the whole, this new open-to-all "no rules" forum has been working, I > think. The recent spate of intemperance is correcting itself, as others > have previously, by responses challenging or informing the factual premises > of the writers' opinions and/or the manner in which their ideas were > expressed. Dr. Thompson, your response is part of the checks and balances > that keeps discussion flowing freely. > > That said, I do think the academics having been getting the short end of the > stick on this list lately in that political topics seriously outnumber > academic topics, which are languishing. > > Why? Maybe because political issues are naturally more inflammatory than > academic issues, as a wildly hypothetical general rule. People speak up > more often and more loudly about the issues that hit nearest home, which > usually means the issue is also political. Also, I would guess those who > have no taste for being flamed have to steer clear of too many academic > subjects lest they draw fire. Like war, Indology may be too important > these days to be left to Indologists, but those of us who are observing > do need to give them more room to do their work, I think. > > I propose that the forum divide its discussions between two chambers, > Indology-A and Indology-B. > > Everyone would be a member of both, able to read both, but only academics of > suitable provenance would be permitted to post in the academic chamber, let > us say Indology-A. It would also be limited to classical Indology, i.e., > no politics or current events, unless posted by a person with posting > privileges. Everyone else would continue to eavesdrop and to be able to > comment publicly in Indology-B on anything posted in Indology-A, as well as > to discuss other matters of interest. Hopefully, the academic community > would continue to represent itself in both chambers. > > Some like to read their mail and chat over a cup of tea or coffee in the > morning without rude interruptions. Others enjoy a vigorous common room or > after-dinner debate. The mistake is trying to do both simultaneously. > Let's post purely academic messages in Indology-A (morning coffee in the > office), and restrict other matters to Indology-B (faculty lounge or common > room). > > If this idea receives favor, I trust the powers-that-be will reserve the > additional forum names. > > imho, > > David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2001 Report Share Posted June 13, 2001 I have reserved the names Y-Indology-A and Y-Indology-B and will turn them over to anyone the list designates. The A list is currently set to require a moderator, but that can be changed. Does the list want this? If so, on what basis? David naga_ganesan wrote: > >> > I have a small suggestion to add: > Perhaps, Indology-A and Indology-B is a good idea. > Anyone can post in A and/or B, But in Indology-A, > professional Indologists write mostly. > > In Indology-A list, the Indology-on-the-net > Founder, Dr. D. Wujastyk or a committee of Sanskritists > (say, profs. Witzel, Aklujkar, Deshpande, ...) can terminate > some one's posting priveleges if they so decide. > > Regards, > N. Ganesan > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2001 Report Share Posted June 13, 2001 INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: > I have reserved the names Y-Indology-A and Y-Indology-B and will turn them> over to anyone the list designates. The A list is currently set to require> a moderator, but that can be changed. > > Does the list want this? If so, on what basis? David, no need to reserve. You have already activated the list. It takes just a minute for anyone to start an egroup; choose complex names with too many hyphens. One more suggestion; also reserve, Indology D to provide for automatic translations in all languages of Bha_rata for the poor Bha_rati_yas who have been denied the knowledge of German, thanks to Macaulay's education system. I doubt if babelfish.altavist.com translates into Kannad.a or Telugu or Hindi or Nepali or Pus.t.o or Sinhala or Mun.d.a or Kon:kan.i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2001 Report Share Posted June 13, 2001 Who denied me -my- knowledge of German? Who denied -you- your knowledge of German? Are you going to go on letting Macaulay keep you from studying German for the rest of your life? I prefer Dr. Ganesan's structure. Dr. Mueller prefers invitation only. Will the Indologists kindly organize themselves in order to superintend the academic side? Is there an Indologist volunteer, any volunteer? Preferably a group of five representing the spectrum. Nominees?? The AB groups are not being monitored and have no members. I will close them in a month if the group doesn't want them. Do you not like hyphens? Any practical suggestions? David - "S.Kalyanaraman" <kalyan97 <INDOLOGY> Wednesday, June 13, 2001 10:14 AM [Y-Indology] Re: an appeal, and a proposal > INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: > > I have reserved the names Y-Indology-A and Y-Indology-B and will > turn them> over to anyone the list designates. The A list is > currently set to require> a moderator, but that can be changed. > > > > Does the list want this? If so, on what basis? > > David, no need to reserve. You have already activated the list. It > takes just a minute for anyone to start an egroup; choose complex > names with too many hyphens. > > One more suggestion; also reserve, Indology D to provide for automatic > translations in all languages of Bha_rata for the poor Bha_rati_yas > who have been denied the knowledge of German, thanks to Macaulay's > education system. I doubt if babelfish.altavist.com translates into > Kannad.a or Telugu or Hindi or Nepali or Pus.t.o or Sinhala or Mun.d.a > or Kon:kan.i > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2001 Report Share Posted June 13, 2001 INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: > Who denied me -my- knowledge of German? Who denied -you- your knowledge of> German? Are you going to go on letting Macaulay keep you from studying> German for the rest of your life? > > I prefer Dr. Ganesan's structure. Dr. Mueller prefers invitation only.> Will the Indologists kindly organize themselves in order to superintend the> academic side? Is there an Indologist volunteer, any volunteer? Preferably> a group of five representing the spectrum. Nominees??> > The AB groups are not being monitored and have no members. I will close> them in a month if the group doesn't want them. Do you not like hyphens?> Any practical suggestions? Good luck, David with your German and the new AB groups. More power to you! [i will spare you my Telugu, until a babelfish auto-translator becomes available for this beautiful language]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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