Saturday, April 14, 2007

New addition to the Arundhati-Teesta-Shabana tribe

Poor thing is getting anxious about "so much inequality everywhere"

"From a policy perspective, it is crucial that the attributes of disadvantaged groups are clearly and objectively determined. The interlocking of inequalities — cultural, social and economic — is evident. As such, there is a need for policies that do not put the challenges of recognition and of redistribution into separate boxes, but clearly address the areas of their overlap. A balance must be struck between the claims of sheer identity and those of palpable material deprivation."

A textbook example of how to spout utter garbage but make it sound intellectual and scary.
Of course, her solution to inequality: more inequality -- in terms of access and benefits.
Address Balkanisation with more balkanisation.
In line with the islamist tendency of "The solution to islam is more islam"

5 comments:

Harish said...

Happy Vishu guys!!..(Its new years time!! in India)

non-carborundum said...

AGWorld,

In fact some common jargonese regularly used by jholowala 'social scientists' include sustainability / sustainable, policy perspective, disadvantaged groups, outreach, grassroots, key, way forward, etc. This is the language of stupid people.

jamnalal said...

I just can’t understand the author's definition.

She has already made up her mind as to who are minorities- and is brandishing her arguments accordingly.

Muslims are 'materially disadvantaged'. So are crores of Brahmin families. What about them?

Historically? Historically Muslims were rulers. Whoever oppressed them? How did they become backward? Are they really so backward? What did they do to get rid of their backwardness? Isn’t it good to be called a weak minority in this country- once and for all? Look at the benefits you can corner.

Basically any definition that keeps Hindu upper castes feel discriminated is good minoritysm.

My point is- history is not going to feed poor upper caste families- you have to get off pontificating and making generally lazy policies-and then identify disadvantaged people. Or they must die- because you have developed some weird, biased ideas on deprived groups? Why don’t you go and live in extreme poverty like millions of upper castes, or as in the refugee camps with Kashmiri Pandits before you develop your beautiful theory.

For the life of me I can’t understand why we must not target individuals and families and go by caste and communities? When this is so divisive, can't all the 'intellectuals' and the government think of a better way to distribute justice?
Harping stubbornly on such divisive identities will only break the country – it is already broken in fact. Believe me you will have nothing to redistribute than ill-fortune.

Sameer said...

(OT) Rajeev and others,
Wish you all 4 Happy new years.
Baisakhi (Punjab)
Bihu (Assam)
Poila Boishak (Bengal)
Tamil New Year (Sorry, dont know the name)
Vishu (Kerala)
Anyway, see this nice video clip of the Japanese animated Ramayan of building of the Rama Sethu.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UiurD-rfng

nizhal yoddha said...

someone sent me email with a good point: this woman is a complete nobody. no point building her up by paying attention to her. she is part of what i call the 'shikhandi tactic': the communists put a bunch of females up front (eg. brinda, arundhati, teesta) because indians have a natural respect for women (typically considered noncombatants) and will not attack them. just as bhishma would not attack the hermaphrodite shikhandi.

also, this woman is merely singing for her supper at JNU and the nehru memorial ad nauseam and library. she will soon be getting a sinecure at the jamia millia too, i can guarantee. they have to do these things for the arab and chinese moolah that funds them in all these places.

btw, why is communism wombat (home of teesta) so quiet these days? not much scope for marsupial marxists after nandigram?