Each time there's a peccadillo or a horrific act committed by some misled young men, the oldies get down to their characteristic bashing of the present, as if all was hunky dory when they were young. They start haranguing the youth with their pet lecture on the degeneration in all spheres-culture, morality and what not? Macaulay rightly talks about the fact that society, while constantly moving forward with eager speed, constantly looks backward with tender regret."If we were perfectly satisfied with the present, we should cease to contrive, to labour... ...And it is natural that, being dissatisfied with the present, we should form a too favourable estimate of the past." So fair enough, guys. But i still don't find a convincing answer from these revivalists as to the causes of this 'degeneration'. I know Indian hockey degenerated post Astro turf. But what has caused the degeneration in other spheres? Some introspection on the part of both the old and the young is needed perhaps, instead of the bashing.
But we should take this revivalism with a pinch of salt, to put it mildly. Ranade's words should be paid heed to by the revivalist-"...What shall we revive?...The men and the gods of those old days ate and drank forbidden things to excess in a way no revivalist will now venture to recommend. Shall we revive the twelve forms of sons, or eight forms of marriages, which include capture and recognised mixed and illegitimate intercourse? Shall we revive the Niyoga system of procreating sons on our brother's wives when widowed? Shall we revive the old liberties taken by the rishis and by the wives of the rishis with the marital tie? Shall we revive the hecatombs of animals sacrificed from year's end to year's end and in which human beings were not spared as propitiatory offerings..."(Indian Social reform, cited from The Past and Prejudice by Romila Thapar)
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Saturday, October 1, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
RAMBLINGS ON TEACHERS' DAY
Let me at the outset salute my teachers on the eve of ‘Teachers’ Day’-Hats off to those great souls. However, I would not overdo this show of respect by saying that all that I am today is thanks to my teachers. That would mean blaming my teachers. Much of all that I am today are failings and weaknesses. My teachers are not responsible for those glaring aspects of me.
The preparations for celebration of the occasion on campus by the students are fantastic. However, it reminds me of my school days. When we were college goers, Teachers’ Day was considered the exclusive property of schools. Of course, in the last decade or so may things in college have gone the school way. The College uniform is one such thing.
All said and done, everyone, including teachers, would like to be pampered on at least one day in the year. However, I would like to urge the students not to shower so much respect on this day that none is left for the other 364 days! One should not also respect others so much that there is none left for himself!
Teachers today are continuously at the receiving end. Every one teaches the teacher today. Intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, politicians, former teachers, assume the role of teachers, while it is the teacher who hardly teaches, for the poor soul is busy enhancing his A.P.I!
Besides, the teachers are constantly under the scanner. Every moment the teacher has nightmares of the cctv camera following him, and the installation of the punching machine. It’s a fact that all the logistics are towards reigning in the teacher. This surveillance grows in proportion to the teachers’ salary. Now that teachers are ‘rich’ post-revised scale, the knives are out. Indeed, to be ‘poor’ is a virtue in India.
However, the teaching profession was never thought of as a ‘hazardous’ one. However, a Times of India article the other day has proved to be a game changer. Teachers, it says, are at risk of allergies because of the chalk powder, they could also lose their voice dealing with large classes. Besides, the postures that a teachers need to take can have a toll on his body.
The utility of the teacher is also under threat. It was Ekalavya of Mahabharata fame who threw the first salvo by opting for Distance mode of education. The spurt in Distance education at present is a renewed threat to the relevance of the teacher. Of course, in one sense, the teacher has to make himself gradually irrelevant. Only then, he or she could be considered a good teacher. Talking of teaching, I am reminded of the saying, ‘an ordinary teacher tells, an average teacher explains, a good teacher demonstrates, a great teacher inspires.’ However, this is often misinterpreted and teachers merely inspire without teaching! Technology too is a threat to the relevance of the teacher. Now you learn everything if you just have a mobile with packet data connection. It is the ‘rule of the thumb’. Use your thumb, and the World Wide Web is your teacher.
These ramblings notwithstanding, let us spare a thought for the man in whose memory this day is celebrated-Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India. May his tribe increase. We need philosophers, and we need statesmen just as we need teachers. We need philosopher Kings-though not of the Machiavellian kind.
The preparations for celebration of the occasion on campus by the students are fantastic. However, it reminds me of my school days. When we were college goers, Teachers’ Day was considered the exclusive property of schools. Of course, in the last decade or so may things in college have gone the school way. The College uniform is one such thing.
All said and done, everyone, including teachers, would like to be pampered on at least one day in the year. However, I would like to urge the students not to shower so much respect on this day that none is left for the other 364 days! One should not also respect others so much that there is none left for himself!
Teachers today are continuously at the receiving end. Every one teaches the teacher today. Intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, politicians, former teachers, assume the role of teachers, while it is the teacher who hardly teaches, for the poor soul is busy enhancing his A.P.I!
Besides, the teachers are constantly under the scanner. Every moment the teacher has nightmares of the cctv camera following him, and the installation of the punching machine. It’s a fact that all the logistics are towards reigning in the teacher. This surveillance grows in proportion to the teachers’ salary. Now that teachers are ‘rich’ post-revised scale, the knives are out. Indeed, to be ‘poor’ is a virtue in India.
However, the teaching profession was never thought of as a ‘hazardous’ one. However, a Times of India article the other day has proved to be a game changer. Teachers, it says, are at risk of allergies because of the chalk powder, they could also lose their voice dealing with large classes. Besides, the postures that a teachers need to take can have a toll on his body.
The utility of the teacher is also under threat. It was Ekalavya of Mahabharata fame who threw the first salvo by opting for Distance mode of education. The spurt in Distance education at present is a renewed threat to the relevance of the teacher. Of course, in one sense, the teacher has to make himself gradually irrelevant. Only then, he or she could be considered a good teacher. Talking of teaching, I am reminded of the saying, ‘an ordinary teacher tells, an average teacher explains, a good teacher demonstrates, a great teacher inspires.’ However, this is often misinterpreted and teachers merely inspire without teaching! Technology too is a threat to the relevance of the teacher. Now you learn everything if you just have a mobile with packet data connection. It is the ‘rule of the thumb’. Use your thumb, and the World Wide Web is your teacher.
These ramblings notwithstanding, let us spare a thought for the man in whose memory this day is celebrated-Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India. May his tribe increase. We need philosophers, and we need statesmen just as we need teachers. We need philosopher Kings-though not of the Machiavellian kind.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
No.1esque performance
I have been a hard core cynic as far as Indian cricket is concerned, perhaps because of the media hype around cricket and cricketers in this part of the world. Still,have been following cricket keenly for donkey's years. And it's been always a case of India flattering to deceive in Tests! Team India has always been unstoppable at home-especially since the Azhar-uddin saga. Even Steve Waugh could not conquer the 'Final Frontier.'But wins overseas have been few and far between. For a long time, we had to recall the 1986 series win against England in England by Kapil's Devils to talk of India's overseas triumphs! But things have changed-changed indeed. The Ganguli-Wright combo heralded this change. We started winning in countries like England and West Indies( though today's Windies are a far cry from the indomitables of the 70s and 80s).We started winning in New Zea land too where even the mighty Windies faltered! Yet, the win at Perth was the only one we could show against Australia.A series win against Oz down under and a away win against the Proteus would surely make the No.1 status more convincing. But things are on the right track. The way India came back to win the second Test at Durban after the mauling at Centurion was No.1esque. And they are putting up a gritty show at Cape Town too. So the signs are there surely.
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