[Reader-list] Gujarat DCP shoots Muslim inspector twice in mockanti-terror drill

[anupam chakravartty]

Rakesh,

I may have hurt the sensibilities of quite a good number of people on
this list by posting which could have been addressed on a personal,
one on one basis. I understand and i will explain as well. Being a
prick, not just a state of mind but also a position, and it is
political.

When we generally argue, we provide contrasting scenarios or
hypothesis. If you think that pricks like me do not do any good (
propose nothing 'good' but doubt all the intentions), you may be
right. Pricks like me are worst than scavengers. However, some
questions I have posed for Kshmendra and now it is certainly open to
others: if truth is something good? if it is something good, why is it
that it is not accessible to a lot of people? why are truths not being
told to people (who participate, pay taxes and essentially form what
is considered as a country, established through a rule of written or
unwritten laws)? and also for (media practitioners) is truth a
developing story or if there is a finality to what has been written in
newspapers or given as news feed?

As Taraprakashji writes for a good number of individuals (including me
perhaps), that 60s are yet to happen in their lives. that this good
number of people are yet to arrive at post-structuralist experience
(pardon me if i am not interpreting it correctly). i found this
statement to be extremely illuminating therefore i had to say that in
this post-structuralist we are all pricks and perhaps, gooders at the
same time. if i say binaries exist

therefore, political positions have to be established keeping in mind,
the personal, which will be more accurate than aligning with a
structure or a discourse. at least, i am not pressurised to make
certain statements which i do not agree with because on other
occasions i have supported this same cause. i have already declared
(my property if i were a judge) that i am a prick [as opposed to the
elusive 'good', 'sane' or 'descent' (as described by bipin trivedi) so
it will be some kind of yardstick for any further discussion]

"who wants to talk to a prick?" may be a pertinent question here. or
something like: "a prick lurks in this reader's list". at least, it
will save you from saying that "Wow! Great to see adults take on each
other in this forum, and that too on ego-based issues (as opposed to
say discussions based on lesser important principles like rationality
and respect)" it will save you from even thinking about implications
of such discussions, further strengthen you to work for the change.

Moreover, change is not makeover. so please do not describe it as an
event. it is not something to be celebrated. it is intrinsic. change
is not final, it is a mean. so do not be disillusioned. there is lot
to discuss here.

-anupam

On 3/18/10, Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com> wrote:
> Wow! Great to see adults take on each other in this forum, and that too on
> ego-based issues (as opposed to say discussions based on lesser important
> principles like rationality and respect).
>
> Alas, indeed as my friend said : 'If people were to change their lives based
> on other's requests or speeches, Laden and George Bush would have been
> transformed long ago'
>
> Rakesh
>
> @ Anupam Jee: One question: What's the use of being a prick?
>