Friday, January 8

My response to Sagarika Ghose's blog on the 3 Idiots


The following is a response I posted on the blog.

They were kind enough to not put it on their blog. Insecurity is really funny. So I put it here instead

Hey.

I am thoroughly disappointed with this article. Not that I am someone who's appreciation would matter to you.

You, apart from having taken the entire movie out of context, have failed in your argument to put forward something that is comprehensible to the general public.

With a background like the one you have, one would have thought you would be more wary about the situation Education in India is in. Above and beyond this, it is very nonchalant of you to comment on the state of engineering institutes without having actually studied in one yourself.

I understand the entire freedom of speech argument you may have, saying that you have the right to write whatever you want.

But hold on. Wait just a minute. This is a national forum. On a nationally renowned website. Of a nationally renowned news agency. Having posted here, you should be open to criticism for the nation. And thankfully, the nation has criticized this article. A lot. A lot less than it deserves, but still a healthy start nonetheless.

The education system is in shambles. If not at the time you completed your education, but now at least. The core focus of education is so skewed that it makes one think that success in exams determines knowledge. And that this knowledge then determines wellness of life. The proponents of the educational system have managed to turn it into a money game, where the focus is now on getting placements, irrespective of the education of the individual or the problems plaguing our system.

I could go on and on, but that is not the point of this post. You have been extremely myopic in your views (or the expression of them at least), and you should know that.

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Anonymous said...

You should be grateful!! In fact you are a beneficiary of the existing system! On how you would have fared without a relevant existing system in place, give it a thought. . .

There sure are ways to bring about changes to a system and "Ridicule" is not a way!

sLuDGy said...

Thanks for letting me know who you are. Kudos on your bravery !! Bravery is your middle name. Actually, its the meaning of my first name. My real name, not sLuDGy.

I agree ridiculing is not a way forward at all. But criticism is required.

After all, I am using the same freedom of expression that she used.
See how lame an argument that turned out to be?

The system needs to change. Why are you so afraid if someone else is putting up his or her hand saying that they spot something wrong with it?

I am a 'beneficiary' of the system.
True. I have benefited enough to realize that when something is wrong, it needs to be changed. But that was mostly because of my upbringing at home. Not to take anything away from the system though. It tried its best to convert me into a mindless drone content with being happy with whatever the machine dishes out.

Sorry i didn't turn out to be as polished and well placed a cog as you or the system wanted me to be.

Anonymous said...

It is indeed a very dangerous situation if the existing system is challenged without concrete proposals to improve it. Changes for the better must be incorporated but none can take away the credit that it is entitled to...

The film is an entertainer but the message it carries is grossly incorrect. By resorting to word bashing a system which you are a part of, is juvenile and as Sagarika mentions an "escapist fanatasy"!

Anonymous said...

If you can't accept "anonymous" expressions without taking a poke at them then you should probably take of the provision to do so. And by the way "Bravery" isn't my name or part of my name nor do I want it to be.

Web 2.0 literally gives anyone with an opinion a place to post! I apologise for having tuned in to your rant and commented on your post.

sLuDGy said...

Word bashing, Courage (I shall call you courage, not after the cowardly but extremely lovable dog, but after something you possess in large amounts), is how the world turns around. Whatever is posted on a blog, if not in agreeance to the content of the blog would end up being word-bashing. Any sort of written criticism is then word bashing.

Her blog was 'word-bashing'.
My comment was 'word-bashing'.
And now your comments are 'word-bashing' in nature.

You want concrete thought processes and ideas?

Try these out

http://www.thevenusproject.com/

http://thezeitgeistmovement.com/

I agree that criticism without action is pointless. But when every action you try to make is criticized and muffled into oblivion, one must take to defending the need to criticize present systems so that the consciousness is aroused to an extent that something is done about it.

So, call it whatever you want to, I feel criticism is a very good tool to get things started.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not here to whine to you about how I feel the world needs change. I took offense a post and am therefore replying to that.

And then you took offense to that, and then I took offense, and then well... we get the picture.

Anyways the only escapist fantasy I like is the song "The Escapist" by Coldplay.

If my comments make me juvenile, then let me be juvenile. At least, I still have the right to exercise the right to think.

So, Courage, as Truman said, "In case I don't see ya, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night"

And as J Krishnamurti said "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."

and

"A mind caught in habit is insensitive; from this insensitivity, this dullness, it will not accept anything new because there is fear."

Good Night.

Nice talking to you. It really was. Would like to know who you are though. No hard feelings. Honestly :)

Anonymous said...

I promise it's my last comment here :)

Revolution brings about a lot of chaos that does not necessarily lead to good. I believe embracing the existing while striving to improve would be the right way to go about things.

You had struck a chord in a previous post when you said:-
"Simplicity. KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid."

I really hoped it would always stay that way :)

Sayonara!

sLuDGy said...

@Courage Would love to have kept it simple. Easier said than done, though.

Hows the weather in Hyderabad? Do send an invitation to your blog. I like it when people challenge what I write because (pardon me for being selfish), it gives me new perspectives on life (without trying to sound deep).

Will be waiting.

Suvansh said...

sLuDGy got it right mate :D
The system is in a state of rot.I fondly remember the passion I once used to possess when in front of my desktop, alas no more, now I am painfully reminded of all the effort I put into sculpting statements into beauty(Code), and then be judged on whether or not I JUSTIFIED the goddamn documentation, or if I included the stupid references that I never referred.Thats the current state of the 'system' for u.Call it the system's pound of flesh.

But at least I get to air my opinions on a blog because the last time I checked,my response hadnt been uploaded on ibnlive.So much for your freedom of speech.

sLuDGy said...

@Suvansh You too mate? One would think ibnlive would not be this insecure.

sLuDGy said...

@suvansh.

Sagarika Ghose tweeted this around 25 mins after I tried posting this :

"Have had a lot of qs on my piece on 3I. guess i feel aamir's movies always full of gyaanbazi: RDB. TZP, now 31..system's bad every time"

Deboleena said...

Hahahha, the comment page is hilarious. Your little comic asides, especially ;)

Haven't seen movie in question, don't think I want to. But props to you for getting yourself heard :)

-- This is Paroo, incidentally. Please don't liken me to that shivering, completely unlovable pink dog.

sLuDGy said...

@Sugar Magnolia : Don't you dare insult Courage !! (Reference to pink dog, not Anonymous)

Unknown said...

alright i shall reveal my identity. I dont want to be called courage anymore.

This is cherry dude. watsup.