Friday 25 June 2010

How NOT to respond to material on Blogger

Someone calling herself or himself "Arnab" and claiming to be from the Indian Institute of Science, writes as follows:

"Instead of being a Lion, I would say, try being a good indian. Our nation was an educated, spiritually supirior (still is), rich in moral values. Then why and how did a foriegn nation could conquer it? By using our dishonesty, our unpatriotic acts and using our disrespect, lack of love, lack of belongingness to fellow indians.
Lets be realistic, lets find out what the English had done to our culture, but, honestly, not by tampering with the history. Lets have so much respect and honesty to our selves and towards our actions that foreigners also respect us.
--- Arnab"

First, how is it honest or truthful or does it display spirtiual or moral values to write to someone from an email that is titled "Anonymous"?

Second, if "our nation was an educated, spiritually superior... (and) rich in moral values" how come it was at the same time marked by "dishonesty...unpatriotic acts...disrespect, lack of love, lack of belongingness to fellow Indians"?

However, I agree with "Arnab" that we need to find out both the positive and negative impacts of British rule on our culture - and that without trying to distort or tamper with the history. If s/he is really interested, I can send her/ him at least one full article (several articles and books, actually) on the subject.

Let us indeed "have so much respect and honesty that foreigners can also respect us" - and not merely because "Business India" is shining at present for reasons principally outside our control - though of course we should make hay while the sun shines.