Considering that modern political scientists and observers are baffled by the paradoxes and chaos of India, maybe we could look at the situation with the paradigm of an "unwritten constitution" in operation that holds everything together.
Maybe the deeply embedded social norms and traditions carry out functions that the written constitution does not. Looking only at the "formal" power structure won't be enough for a full understanding of the Indian polity.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Some Advice to Those Who Will Serve Time in Prison
A great poem I came across today as I was lazing off my time:
Original link
Some Advice to Those Who Will Serve Time in Prison
by Nazim Hikmet
translated by Mutlu Konuk and Randy Blasing
If instead of being hanged by the neck
you're thrown inside
for not giving up hope
in the world, your country, and people,
if you do ten or fifteen years
apart from the time you have left,
you won't say,
"Better I had swung from the end of a rope
like a flag"--
you'll put your foot down and live.
It may not be a pleasure exactly,
but it's your solemn duty
to live one more day
to spite the enemy.
Part of you may live alone inside,
like a stone at the bottom of a well.
But the other part
must be so caught up
in the flurry of the world
that you shiver there inside
when outside, at forty days' distance, a leaf moves.
To wait for letters inside,
to sing sad songs,
or to lie awake all night staring at the ceiling
is sweet but dangerous.
Look at your face from shave to shave,
forget your age,
watch out for lice
and for spring nights,
and always remember
to eat every last piece of bread--
also, don't forget to laugh heartily.
And who knows,
the woman you love may stop loving you.
Don't say it's no big thing:
it's like the snapping of a green branch
to the man inside.
To think of roses and gardens inside is bad,
to think of seas and mountains is good.
Read and write without rest,
and I also advise weaving
and making mirrors.
I mean, it's not that you can't pass
ten or fifteen years inside
and more--
you can,
as long as the jewel
on the left side of your chest doesn't lose its luster!
Original link
Some Advice to Those Who Will Serve Time in Prison
by Nazim Hikmet
translated by Mutlu Konuk and Randy Blasing
If instead of being hanged by the neck
you're thrown inside
for not giving up hope
in the world, your country, and people,
if you do ten or fifteen years
apart from the time you have left,
you won't say,
"Better I had swung from the end of a rope
like a flag"--
you'll put your foot down and live.
It may not be a pleasure exactly,
but it's your solemn duty
to live one more day
to spite the enemy.
Part of you may live alone inside,
like a stone at the bottom of a well.
But the other part
must be so caught up
in the flurry of the world
that you shiver there inside
when outside, at forty days' distance, a leaf moves.
To wait for letters inside,
to sing sad songs,
or to lie awake all night staring at the ceiling
is sweet but dangerous.
Look at your face from shave to shave,
forget your age,
watch out for lice
and for spring nights,
and always remember
to eat every last piece of bread--
also, don't forget to laugh heartily.
And who knows,
the woman you love may stop loving you.
Don't say it's no big thing:
it's like the snapping of a green branch
to the man inside.
To think of roses and gardens inside is bad,
to think of seas and mountains is good.
Read and write without rest,
and I also advise weaving
and making mirrors.
I mean, it's not that you can't pass
ten or fifteen years inside
and more--
you can,
as long as the jewel
on the left side of your chest doesn't lose its luster!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
A moving TED talk
One of the most remarkable TED talks
"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Who is the doer here ? - Battle for loyalty in lush Afghan valley
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13169224
an article about the battle for loyalty of villagers near Kandhar in Afghanistan.
At one point the article talks about payments. Taliban pay this much for planting bonbs but Americans pay only this much for work -as if the people couldn't see the difference between planting bombs and making roads.
a questionable piece, to say the least.
also, ...the main point. Who is the "doer" of the center of focus here. The villagers certainly are not presented as the people who matter the most. It is about winning their loyalty for maybe in the writer's view a "bigger cause" ???? at least that's what the language indicates. Why is there any bigger cause that requires "loyalty" of the villagers.
an article about the battle for loyalty of villagers near Kandhar in Afghanistan.
At one point the article talks about payments. Taliban pay this much for planting bonbs but Americans pay only this much for work -as if the people couldn't see the difference between planting bombs and making roads.
a questionable piece, to say the least.
also, ...the main point. Who is the "doer" of the center of focus here. The villagers certainly are not presented as the people who matter the most. It is about winning their loyalty for maybe in the writer's view a "bigger cause" ???? at least that's what the language indicates. Why is there any bigger cause that requires "loyalty" of the villagers.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The language could have been far less "collateralizing" New York Times
.......
The civilians were in a vehicle behind the insurgents when the alliance’s forces fired on the insurgents’ car. The explosion destroyed the civilian car, the governor’s office said. The condition of the suspected insurgents’ vehicle was not disclosed.
Civilian casualties have been one of the most contentious issues in Afghanistan, exacerbating tensions in the delicate relationship between international forces and President Hamid Karzai. Mr. Karzai raised the issue again in a speech on Tuesday, saying that the reduction of civilian deaths was an issue that must be addressed as Afghan forces begin taking over responsibility for security in some areas of the country this summer.
Source The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world/asia/27afghanistan.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Findex.jsonp
Few comments:
Why would the issue of civilian casualties be a matter of "contention ?
Why would this be an issue between the international forces and the President of Afghanistan ? Isn't there a more basic issue here ? We certainly are not talking about some diplomatic "tensions" in this case.
Why are we using such a distorting language when describing the wrong done to civilians ? Are we not distancing ourselves from thinking about the right of these civilians to proper justice by restricting the matter to "delicate relations" between international forces and the President of Afghanistan ?
well, things happen....
the big thing is - could we have done better ? ( we meaning the "international forces")
The civilians were in a vehicle behind the insurgents when the alliance’s forces fired on the insurgents’ car. The explosion destroyed the civilian car, the governor’s office said. The condition of the suspected insurgents’ vehicle was not disclosed.
Civilian casualties have been one of the most contentious issues in Afghanistan, exacerbating tensions in the delicate relationship between international forces and President Hamid Karzai. Mr. Karzai raised the issue again in a speech on Tuesday, saying that the reduction of civilian deaths was an issue that must be addressed as Afghan forces begin taking over responsibility for security in some areas of the country this summer.
Source The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world/asia/27afghanistan.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Findex.jsonp
Few comments:
Why would the issue of civilian casualties be a matter of "contention ?
Why would this be an issue between the international forces and the President of Afghanistan ? Isn't there a more basic issue here ? We certainly are not talking about some diplomatic "tensions" in this case.
Why are we using such a distorting language when describing the wrong done to civilians ? Are we not distancing ourselves from thinking about the right of these civilians to proper justice by restricting the matter to "delicate relations" between international forces and the President of Afghanistan ?
well, things happen....
the big thing is - could we have done better ? ( we meaning the "international forces")
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