[Reader-list] Lists and assaults

[Taraprakash]

Thinking about the suffering, is something I never found on this list. 
Politics on the suffering, however, is not that unusual. Those who have no 
voice, no substantial vote bank, no political clout are not part of 
discussions on this list. With due respect to Kashmiri pandits, a good for 
nothing movie that lead to a good for nothing long debate, whether giving 
muslims minority status is benefitial to them, whether a particular sect of 
Islam is worht following or not, complaints that the list is turning 
indocentric and myriad other sufferings, do we care that more than 200 
people died out of starvation in Orisa last week alone?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeebesh Bagchi" <jeebesh at sarai.net>
To: <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Lists and assaults


> Thanks Rana for beginning a reflective thread.
>
> This is probably a rare instance in the list, when a big "event" is
> not the center of discussion. List usually does well with "big
> events", as it ensures, that many drop in a few lines about what they
> feel, or what they oppose or what can be done etc. A kind of public
> positioning. (Beslan was an exception)
>
> But in this instance it was about our ordinary ideas of how we think
> our belonging, our social practices and ways of being with others.
> Unfortunately it became too narrowly 'indo-centric" and thinking
> about suffering became rhetorical. If this list can produce some
> serious thought on "suffering" and "being with others' - and how we
> deal with it in our ordinary life, it may contribute to our
> intellectual life in a substantial way.
>
> For me, the last few weeks have made me wonder, as to how far a
> thought can travel if it gets tied to polemics and self-righteous
> indignation. The loads of personal and historical material that has
> come to this list in this weeks is amazing, and i hope that those
> survive and does not get buried in the after taste of polemics and
> condemnation.
>
> Will think about your point on disgust.
>
> warmly
> jeebesh
>
> On 08-Sep-07, at 4:30 PM, Rana Dasgupta wrote:
>
>> It's been an interesting few weeks on this list.  Some might say
>> "We've
>> never had it so good" - since there have been far more posts, with far
>> more responses, than usual.
>>
>> Others might feel that this has been the Reader-list's lowest ever
>> point
>> - its usual solemn tone and good opinions giving way to a running
>> sit-com of ad feminam assaults.
>>
>> Given the seriousness of some of the issues at stake, and the enormous
>> gulfs of understanding between some of the contributors, I have to say
>> I've admired the restraint of many of the writers on the list.  People
>> have held themselves back from expressing outright disgust, or from
>> violent attacks.
>>
>> It seems that there's a sense that one can't say just anything.  Or if
>> one did, it would erode the fabric of the list.  People have to
>> balance
>> their own irritation or repugnance with a desire to uphold the
>> hospitality and vitality of the list.
>>
>> I think this says something very positive about the culture of a list.
>>
>>
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