| Sunday, August 30, 2009 |
| IT'S HARD BEING A LIBERAL (SIGH!) |
Unlike the frivolity of the title, the issue is a serious one. I cannot recall the number of times I've assumed a certain mindset to be a commonly accepted one, atleast in the apparently enlightened circles I generally move in. And then, along comes a person whose outrageous comments leave me horrified, only to be further stupefied by the general support the views garner!
Last week, for instance, following certain misguided actions of a girl in our school, another girl (a former council member in our school, I should add) suggested as a punishment "the parents should hit the girl". Barely had I gotten over the shock of this very public statement, when another girl heartily backed this up, followed by murmurs of approval... And here I was assuming corporal punishment was considered brutal and inhuman!
Then there was the case of a girl in our class strongly opposing inter-religious marriage on some flimsy ground of the woman being forced to give up her religion. I sat there flummoxed, unable to comprehend that viewpoint in the middle of Delhi...
Perhaps this was partly because I'm an atheist, and so, intrinsically, don't get religion. And do not even get me started on the amazing amount of ignorance I've had to face on this... Right from a friend asking me why I bothered to do the right thing if I thought nobody was watching- not those words of course, but their moral equivalent. Must I answer? If our friendship has since fizzled and dissolved into nothingness I can really not feel all that sorry.
Does this mean I don't have an open mind? I would not like to offhandedly dismiss another opposing view- but some things, I find myself unable to debate in a cool, collected manner. |
posted by Clezevra @ 11:44 AM   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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For the education system bit, I would say I agree with you mostly, but for the part of not being faced with that again. With a healthy period of 5 months left, I would estimate a count of twice a week when you are going to get to hear that, unless you just give up and remain quite. And, I really don't think it would matter to me that much if I didn't hear it after school. I have a feeling I'll still be pretty upset with the knowledge that anyone is hearing that at that point anywhere. It's just sad rational thought is discouraged so ardently in an institute of learning.
And as for the girl, you forgot to mention her sentiments on moral policing.
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Find another way to enforce discipline other than the way of the sword and I will guarantee you that the world will suck a little less. Democracy and Diplomacy only works with a disciplined lot. But I still don't agree with the punishment allotted...the one you mentioned in this post.
You are an atheist too? Join my club. Our motto: Everything is random so stop trying to make sense :)
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For the education system bit, I would say I agree with you mostly, but for the part of not being faced with that again. With a healthy period of 5 months left, I would estimate a count of twice a week when you are going to get to hear that, unless you just give up and remain quite. And, I really don't think it would matter to me that much if I didn't hear it after school. I have a feeling I'll still be pretty upset with the knowledge that anyone is hearing that at that point anywhere. It's just sad rational thought is discouraged so ardently in an institute of learning.
And as for the girl, you forgot to mention her sentiments on moral policing.