Guest guest Posted June 14, 2001 Report Share Posted June 14, 2001 Odd how the phrase "for the record" keeps creeping into our postings now and again. Prof. Witzel promises us he is keeping a record of this so future historians can look upon us with awe. Vishal Agarwal makes incendiary remarks "for the record." Why do we give a damn about the record? Because important ideas are in issue and their outcome will affect careers, reputations, knowledge, cultures, nations, futures. We know we are at a turning point in Indian history. Indologists, long a rather insular group, it would seem, have suddenly to their amazement been assaulted by an unruly mob of Indians who, it seems, want to blame -them- for everything wrong in Indian society, and who furthermore take all these things a great deal too seriously. These Indians, who seem to see Indologists as some sort of Council of Nazi Hottentots using holy relics for heathenish voodoo and bloody deeds, a la Harrison Ford, do indeed, on more serious grounds also, regard Indologists, as a representative class, as having some responsibility for their present crisis, in much the same way as present-day Germans, Japanese, Americans, Catholics, etc., etc., are held responsible by their fathers' misdeeds. They charge the profession of Indology with having actively aided in the creation of India's fractured self-image, contributing to Europe's colonialistic self-image, and hence a cause of their problems today. They demand apologies, reparations, and answers. The Europeans respond by saying, not unreasonably, "Go away, it's nothing to do with us, look to your own linen." Tempers rise, and by now any number of Martin Luthers have proclaimed, "Here I stand; I can do none other so help me God." The bands are playing, the bonfires burning. It has been quite amazing on all sides. I would not have believed that Indology's finest would, in a snit, retreat into a 'secret' language to keep out the riff-raff. I haven't seen anything quite like it since I was a kid and we were building 'secret' clubhouses in the backyard, to keep out girls and small kids, mostly. Gentlemen, these are your public! What an example you set! My mother always said it was impolite to talk in front of other people in a language they did not understand. You can do better than this, I certainly hope. Pull up your socks, man!, as the colonel would say. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at a proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up," as a missionary once said, putting the ethic in practical terms. I hope the monsoons come soon. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2001 Report Share Posted June 14, 2001 INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: > Indologists, long a rather insular group, it would seem, have suddenly to > their amazement been assaulted by an unruly mob of Indians who, it seems, > want to blame -them- for everything wrong in Indian society, and who > furthermore take all these things a great deal too seriously. That is a gross distortion, not unlike the flaming by Dr. George Thompson which started the entire fracas in the first place. He does not have (and you too) any business calling names without any povocation. Nevertheless, thanks for offering to moderate Indology-A and hope that a more balanced treatment will be offered to everyone. Vishal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2001 Report Share Posted June 14, 2001 Oh of course. That was not meant as a personal perception, but only as a dramatic description of what it must be like to a hypothetical Indologist or to a hypothetical Indian. Should have known better. Relax. Don't shoot. Friend. Relax. To carry all this "pseudo-"psychologizing a step further, some people on this list ought to consult their doctors about anti-depressant pills, which do wonders. Things that used to irritate me and provoke an instant response now roll more easily off my back without impairing my focus or ability to concentrate. It is amazing how much better other people behave since I started taking them! If I moderate to get the A-thing going, I will expect good behavior from you as well as everyone. But I think Vidyasankar's advice is good, much what I was thinking. ;-) Why should I be more desirous of establishing a working relationship than the parties to the dispute? It's a bit like the Israelis and the Palestinians. If the parties can't see their way to a working relationship, how an outsider help. Why should I bother, if the leading Indologists won't? If you won't? My interest here is quite a bit more remote than that of most on this list. I can communicate with you on the IC list. I don't want the hassle. Nobody does. Because it's a hassle. How are you going to contribute to the brave new world of Indology-A? David - <VAgarwalV <INDOLOGY> Thursday, June 14, 2001 12:25 PM [Y-Indology] Re: for the record > INDOLOGY, "David Salmon" <dsalmon@s...> wrote: > > > Indologists, long a rather insular group, it would seem, have > suddenly to > > their amazement been assaulted by an unruly mob of Indians who, it > seems, > > want to blame -them- for everything wrong in Indian society, and who > > furthermore take all these things a great deal too seriously. > > That is a gross distortion, not unlike the flaming by Dr. George > Thompson which started the entire fracas in the first place. He does > not have (and you too) any business calling names without any > povocation. > Nevertheless, thanks for offering to moderate Indology-A and hope that > a more balanced treatment will be offered to everyone. > > Vishal > > > > > Sponsor > > Click for Details > > > > indology > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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