Re: [cs-pdcdca] Re: [ProgSoc] A questions

[Suresh Rajagopalan <suresh@nospam.progsoc.uts.edu.au>]

>
> just because someone is born into a culture does not make them an expert
> on their culture. i do not and can not agree in any form with you on

Completely agree with you here, however being born of a different culture
does not give someone the right to criticise in a publiuc forum some
particular trait of another culture.

>
> being born into a position or culture does not make someone
> automatically suited to that position in the world, and nor does it make
> them all knowledgeable about their culture. that requires extensive
> education. which is something that not every one has access to.
> knowledge can always be learnt.

Completely agree with you here, that is why this experience may have
taught you something which you already didn';t know. I could have easily
sit back and let readers assume whatever stereotypes they had in mind were
true in which case you would not have been any better off.

> then whats the problem?
> there is a distinct difference in ideals and implementation of those
> ideals. to put it simply, the literature says that in practice in the
> here and now, the caste system is not fair or right. it doesn't matter
> if a system is ideally perfect or correct (and i'm not saying the caste
> system is), if it doesn't work properly in practice, it is a failure.

Correct. Let me put it tro you this way, if you tell an American
Capitalism sucks for any number of reasons, would they not be offended?
If you tell a Russian, Communism sucks would they not be offended?

Whilst inviduals who belong top those political sectors of the world
will whinge and complain about the flaws it is by natural causes they
belong those systems.

One thing you don't know about India is that it is extremely diverse, with
a mutlitude of languages, relgions, cultures. Castism had neccessary place
in the nation, as Indians had lived peacefully for many years with each
other with this system.

You cannot integrate peoples of many different ethnic backgrounds
overnight it takes a long time to do it, and the caste system in India is
breaking down fairly quickly, as it is no longer neccessary. it was a
neccessary and natural thing at the time to prevent people from killing
each other.

Now both systesm have their flaw, but they have their purpose too. And the
picture being presented was not balanced.
>
> i am however in no position to dictate socio-economic policy to india
> and its people, and would never dream of doing so. this is merely my
> opinion, and all are naturally free to disagree with me.

Indeed you are not. Just as the US cannot dictate policy to Iraq or China
and make claims that communism is not neccessary therre. What is good for
the goose is not good for the gander.



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