About the controversy surrounding pOtukUci sAmbaSiva rAwu's (PSR) opinions
about SrISrI, this is the way I feel.
If X says that a famous author Y said something about another well-known
personality Z. I am using the words famous/well-known, personality/author
interchangeably.
On the basis of that, do we all have the right/privilege to castigate
either Y or Z? How did they deserve to be the butt of our criticism?
Does the fact that they wrote stories/novels/poems make them "public
personalities" at whom anybody can take potshots ?
Remember, we have our own favorites. The truism "sticks and stones ...."
doesn't quite apply here. I don't think that most of us subscribe to the
Kolichala philosophy of periodic castigation of those whom we admire, just
to preserve our own neutrality/impartiality/independence. Words do hurt,
far more than physical blows. The human tissue repairs itself rather
quickly, but the abruise to the psyche is long-lasting, if not permanent.
Even surEsh got upset when someone spoke s-lightly of yanDamUri, even as
he (surEsh) himself rattled off the faults and fine points of that writer.
Let me illustrate by a hypothetical (I hope) example.
Suppose I said that SrISrI said that the reason rA.vi.SAstri resigned from
"virasam".is because it conflicted with his being an agnostic, and his
belief in astrology.
No, that is too inflammatory. Is it? (In any case, would you attack me for
saying that, SrISrI for [allegedly] saying that, or rA.vi.SAstri [for his
"stale" beliefs]?)
Let me try again. Suppose I said yaddanapUDi writes trash. Then you can
blame me. It may be considered fair. But if I said muLLapUDi said that
yaddanapUDi writes trash, then is it fair to attack either of them?
Isn't that what's going on here? When half the people here don't
know who PSR is, and the other one-third start criticizing him, his
writings, his politics?
And gratuitously drag in nArAyaNa reDDi!, and karuNaSrI!
I also think that the bigger they are, the longer/larger their legacy is,
the more in the "public domain" they become; and the more they become a
target for criticism by anyone who purchased a novel of theirs at a
roadside stand. In that sense, PSR has far less acknowledged stature
than SrISrI. He should not present that big a target.
Nothing here should be construed as a defense of PSR's literary/ideological
merit. Back when I was in India, I read a few of his stories, and a serial
novel in Andhra patrika. I don't remember the stories now; I didn't think
much of the novel then. On the other hand, that was many years ago. As I am
wont to say to many of my net-acquaintances, I left India around the time
you were born - (not that there is any cause and effect relationship
there); I am not aware of all the other things he has done lately.
I am at a loss to understand how to impress upon some members of this
group that they should keep a civil tone. I clearly have failed in my
repeated words to this effect. I don't see a great difference between
the shoot-from-the-hip attitude in SCIT and what is going on here.
Saying that the atmosphere here is marginally better than SCIT is not
enough. That was never the yardstick for this group. This group was
not formed for having "lively" discussions, only "informative" ones.
If they also happen to be lively, okay, but not at the cost of the
fundamental objective of the group: to have discussions in a civil manner.
Those who want "liveliness" at all costs have many other newsgroups. SCIT
or the new (soon-to-be) moderated-SCIT for one, alt.telugu for another.
Ramakrishna
PS: Listed here are some comments I received on the above. As I am not
identifying the persons, I hope they don't consider this as a transgression.
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In my opinion, the moderator should intervene only rarely, and
preferably, only when asked by other members of the forum.
As the list owner you should not pre-empt these kinds of discussions.
I do not think it will achieve the desired effect. It sounds patronizing.
It also encourages the idea that people are participating in the group in
order to take sides, though its aim is to urge people to respect one
another's feelings.
Writings are also( to a certain extent) a matter of taste. So it is probably
a poor taste to pass judgement about an author on HEAR SAY.
IT IS CHILDISH TO THROW MUD ON (or Glorify) Z FROM THE COMMENTS OF ANOTHER.
I will stop my BS after this sentence. I was not interested in Maugham
when I was young, looked at his writings then differently than what I do
now. He has not changed, but I have. Let your intelligence propel you not
to express your opinions (even though it is a free country) so blatantly.
(This is a way of saying let your "buddhi" control your "manasu" -
body, mind, and intellect hiearchy -Ramakrishna)
You are not being over sensitive.
Theoretically, PSR is entitled to hold any arbitrary opinion of SS
Should Madhava Kumar have posted a patently inflammatory third party
opinion on telusa? Probably not. cEsitiDi pO, should the others have
taken up cudgels with similar putdowns (like of karuNaSrI for example)?
I don't think so.
I can see why you are agitated, and I think it is valid. Clearly
pointing out to the two groups why they seem to be over-stepping the
decency directives is probably all we can do - especially given that
the discussion hasn't really crossed into the indecent zone.
A tone of exasperation that I see at the end of your msg doesn't
seem to have helped in the past. That is the only thing I would change.
Most of our traffic goes on this mode. Some of us try to take the broad view
and try to follow and preach the golden rule "orulEyavi yonarinchina..."
Those of us who do this have a tough road to hoe.
I guess what I would say is that we are all human, we are inherently
not better than the average scit-ian; it is just that we are hoping that
the atmosphere of telusa will promote closer adherence to sabhaa-maryaada.
If you have some notion of making this a more civil "universe", then you
should stick around and continue to make your presence felt. I speak from
personal experience--in my early days, I was a prominent shoot-from-the-hip
flamer. Continued exposure to the postings of various netters more mature
than myself had a mellowing effect on me over time.
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