Its DIWALI today. As the sun sets in the western sky and the begins spreading it arms all around slowly the age old procession of lighting lamps will begin. Little lights twinkling in the face of darkness. A great metaphor indeed for the relentless human struggle against darkness within and without. But the metaphor does not ends here. As India proceeds to acquire the status of a superpower among the great fraternity of civilised nations with free markets in one hand and nuclear bomb in the other Diwali too is witnessing a metamorphic mutation. The flirting lights , the sparkling crackers, the glittering dresses , the dazzling markets....all these have become the new metaphors of diwali. A metaphor of India shining in a sea of dinge. The anti-avatar of Lakshmi in a new age for a new country in awe of its newly discovered greatness...'india unbound' as they say!
Saturday 17 October 2009
Monday 2 March 2009
SCIENCE AND NATIONALISM
Why do we value science?A very innocent answer, and in all probability the best answer ought to be , is that science has shown infinite possibility to improve the lot of humanity. I think this to be true in many ways. NOT only the technical innovations that eased our life but also science as a thought process has brought to fore novel ways of thinking about philosophical and ethical problems.
However my concern here is not the school-book topic of 'boons and banes of science'. Iam thinking about how science or to be precise scientific developments become a mode of venting euphoric emotions of national pride and nationalism?very recently we saw this in Iran which made a public show of its newly developed satellite carrier. And this is not a stand alone case . In India we saw Chandrayaan mission or nuclear bombs used as symbols of 'national pride' more than their actual or probable potential to contribute to betterment of the people of this nation! Even in holywood films we see unworldly scientific stuff used to show the scientific prowess and hence the inescapable superiority of US.
So what is the connection between science and nationalism , if any?
One common denominator which springs in mind is POWER. Nationalism is the ideology of modern nation-state. To assert itself as a nation the state seeks power. The ideology of nationalism legitimises this power. Such a legitimacy is important for the political ruling classes to sustain thier claim of ruling on behalf of or for the people. Science comes handy in assertion of national power because scientific inventions are itself an important source of power..
(more on this later...)
However my concern here is not the school-book topic of 'boons and banes of science'. Iam thinking about how science or to be precise scientific developments become a mode of venting euphoric emotions of national pride and nationalism?very recently we saw this in Iran which made a public show of its newly developed satellite carrier. And this is not a stand alone case . In India we saw Chandrayaan mission or nuclear bombs used as symbols of 'national pride' more than their actual or probable potential to contribute to betterment of the people of this nation! Even in holywood films we see unworldly scientific stuff used to show the scientific prowess and hence the inescapable superiority of US.
So what is the connection between science and nationalism , if any?
One common denominator which springs in mind is POWER. Nationalism is the ideology of modern nation-state. To assert itself as a nation the state seeks power. The ideology of nationalism legitimises this power. Such a legitimacy is important for the political ruling classes to sustain thier claim of ruling on behalf of or for the people. Science comes handy in assertion of national power because scientific inventions are itself an important source of power..
(more on this later...)
Wednesday 21 January 2009
Obama's America
The significance of Barack H Obama's election as the US president cannot be denied. Notwithstanding the usual sceptics it vindicates that no system of oppression can be perpetuated for ever. Oppression produces resistance...it renews itself and so the resistance too is renewed...and the struggle continues.
However the question which concerns me more is , would Obama's America be any different from the America we have seen in contemporary history?
The writing on the wall is not quiet encouraging , to say the least. In fact if Obama seems a bit reasonable and moderate the credit goes more to Bush who pursued hawkishness to the extent of lunacy. The euphoria gathered around the inauguration of Obama presents some ominous signs of things about to come. Obama has picked up the theme of a nation in crisis and called for a spirit of national sacrifice.[Refer to his address on 19th Jan at Lincoln memorial ]. War..crisis..national character..this jingoistic language reinforces the image of a nation under seize endangered by some ferocious enemy all set to destroy the US. This symbolism serves well the empire.
Apart from this symbolism there are other more concrete signs that Obama's 'historia' is not going to last long. For example the stance taken by Obama on various issues does not marks any serious discontinuity in US policy. Here i will take up only two instances.
First, his economic agenda. Although he has drawn a blueprint of huge state intervention to shore up the falling economy, there is nothing in the agenda as yet to suggest that any serious thought is being given to the need of reviewing the economic philosophy underlying the crisis. There is no sign that Obama will seek to change the international economic and financial order created and perpetuated by US. Obama's strategy to tackle the current crisis is at best a swift and short-term effort to preserve tattering US dominance. So, at the most America's underprivileged can expect bits of relief but for rest of the world,specially the third world has nothing to look forward in terms of its demand for a just and equitable economic order.
Second, and a little more disappointing is Obama's stand on the Palestinian crisis. The stand he took on Israel's attack on Gaza showed his selective sympathies.Mr. Obama ,outraged at Hamas attacks killing Israeli children did not see the hundreds oh children killed by Israeli attack. That Israeli action in Gaza is not defence but an offence and crime against humanity, Mr. Obama need not take a law training to know this.
However the question which concerns me more is , would Obama's America be any different from the America we have seen in contemporary history?
The writing on the wall is not quiet encouraging , to say the least. In fact if Obama seems a bit reasonable and moderate the credit goes more to Bush who pursued hawkishness to the extent of lunacy. The euphoria gathered around the inauguration of Obama presents some ominous signs of things about to come. Obama has picked up the theme of a nation in crisis and called for a spirit of national sacrifice.[Refer to his address on 19th Jan at Lincoln memorial ]. War..crisis..national character..this jingoistic language reinforces the image of a nation under seize endangered by some ferocious enemy all set to destroy the US. This symbolism serves well the empire.
Apart from this symbolism there are other more concrete signs that Obama's 'historia' is not going to last long. For example the stance taken by Obama on various issues does not marks any serious discontinuity in US policy. Here i will take up only two instances.
First, his economic agenda. Although he has drawn a blueprint of huge state intervention to shore up the falling economy, there is nothing in the agenda as yet to suggest that any serious thought is being given to the need of reviewing the economic philosophy underlying the crisis. There is no sign that Obama will seek to change the international economic and financial order created and perpetuated by US. Obama's strategy to tackle the current crisis is at best a swift and short-term effort to preserve tattering US dominance. So, at the most America's underprivileged can expect bits of relief but for rest of the world,specially the third world has nothing to look forward in terms of its demand for a just and equitable economic order.
Second, and a little more disappointing is Obama's stand on the Palestinian crisis. The stand he took on Israel's attack on Gaza showed his selective sympathies.Mr. Obama ,outraged at Hamas attacks killing Israeli children did not see the hundreds oh children killed by Israeli attack. That Israeli action in Gaza is not defence but an offence and crime against humanity, Mr. Obama need not take a law training to know this.
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Jigyasa....???
Jigyasa...
this simple word can be roughly translated as 'curiosity' in english. Though simple this word is of great significance. The moment i say that i am curious to know i acknowledge my ignorance about something.... and it is this acknowledgement which marks the moment when knowledge begins. So, the quest to know becomes the zealous guide which directs us to traverse ever widening horizons of knowledge.
Now, when i say knowledge i do not mean any transcendental, eternal knowkedge mystified in some heavenly other-worldly being or vision. No.The knowledge i seek is very much this -worldly, here-and-now.constantly created and destroyed, leaving a trail of history behind. Challenging us to grasp it if we can. It is real and illusive at the same time.In every moment of our life and experience we have to reason out this entangled mass of reality and illusion. Fluttering through this web we might have a glimpse of knowledge....or..might not!
So for me it is not "athato brahma jigyasa"(let's now seek knowledge of the 'brahma' or supreme reality) as the great upanishadic saints said. It's more like "athato vishwa jigyasa"...!
this simple word can be roughly translated as 'curiosity' in english. Though simple this word is of great significance. The moment i say that i am curious to know i acknowledge my ignorance about something.... and it is this acknowledgement which marks the moment when knowledge begins. So, the quest to know becomes the zealous guide which directs us to traverse ever widening horizons of knowledge.
Now, when i say knowledge i do not mean any transcendental, eternal knowkedge mystified in some heavenly other-worldly being or vision. No.The knowledge i seek is very much this -worldly, here-and-now.constantly created and destroyed, leaving a trail of history behind. Challenging us to grasp it if we can. It is real and illusive at the same time.In every moment of our life and experience we have to reason out this entangled mass of reality and illusion. Fluttering through this web we might have a glimpse of knowledge....or..might not!
So for me it is not "athato brahma jigyasa"(let's now seek knowledge of the 'brahma' or supreme reality) as the great upanishadic saints said. It's more like "athato vishwa jigyasa"...!
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