[Reader-list] writing on a list

[Monica Narula]

Dear Readers,

We have received complaints from several people on the list about what seems 
to be a tendency on Pratap Pandey's part to pick on individuals for personal 
attack. This has happenned not just in his last posting, but also, on 
occasion, previously.

We all live in difficult and disturbing times, We are all distressed by the 
events of the past few months in Gujarat, and the continuing climate of 
tension on the India Pakistan border, and the anger, sorrow and foreboding 
that has been expressed by members of the list is symptomatic of that.

It is unfortunate that this is becoming an occasion for some of us to hang 
out our personal peeves and impose on to the list at large. It is important 
to be categorical in pointing out differences in a discussion, but 
personalised dismissal, often expressed in a sexist language, only shuts 
discussion down. Pandey might think that his postings are provocations to 
kick start a dialogue but his tenor, as evinced in his last posting, 
actually, is effectively sabotaging dialogue. In effect, we have spent 
more time and energy discussing lexical excesses,than the issues and very 
important questions that the thread of discussions on Gujarat and the 
emerging climate of militarism represents, which is lurking in the background 
of this most recent spat.

What seems to have retreated to the background of this list, is the emerging 
climate of intolerance both in India as well as elsewhere, that the list was 
begining to reflect upon. Pandey needs to reflect on whether his intent is to 
have us discuss him, or have us discuss issues larger than macho word play. 
And whether his specific form of address does not actually reflect another 
kind of intolerance.

I think that it would be best to take the level of discussion on to a deeper 
level which can be accomodative and welcoming to satire or provocative 
writing when necessary, without having to become an arena for the casting of 
aspersions on fellow list members.

We have kept this list un-moderated, and  this means that we all have a 
responsibility to ensure that disagreement  does not become disagreeable. It 
is the responsibility of each one of us to keep the  critical integrity of 
the list alive. To create a commons, each of us must be responsible to it.

I would also urge the many silent voices to speak up, perhaps there are  
other perspectives, even news or ideas of other things that are not getting  
heard in the din of the debris of the slanging match of last week. The list 
deserves it from all of us.

Thank you for all your attention

Monica Narula
List Administrator --


-- 
Monica Narula
Sarai: The New Media Initiative
Centre for the Sudy of Developing Societies
29, Rajpur Road, New Delhi 110 054
India