Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Love is the formidable helpmate of our attention. This was something on which the philosopher Simone Weil, who famously took upon herself the sufferings of others, insisted – refusing, for example, to consume more that the miserable rations allowed her compatriots in France, when she was confined to a hospital bed in London in 1943. ‘By loving the order of the world we imitate the divine love which created this universe of which we are a part,’ she wrote...
Human beings could intentionally attend to this dynamic and collaborate with it. But, if not, if love is demoted from this role it becomes, at best, a moral ideal or emotion, exapted from evolution and sustained by the brain. Metaphysical agnosticism has replaced ‘ontological rootedness’, to borrow from the philosopher Simon May. Little wonder people feel disorientated or worse. To misquote R D Laing: someone who describes love as an epiphenomenon might be a great scientist, but someone who lives as if love is so will need a good psychiatrist.
https://aeon.co/essays/in-the-beginning-there-was-love-we-can-move-with-its-power
As India strides on the path of rapid economic growth and liberalisation, it grapples with the dual forces of erasure and romanticisation of its past. Traditional lifestyles and environments find themselves at the crossroads of modernity, often sacrificed at the altar of progress. The bustling markets, the artisanal crafts, and the rural agrarian ways — integral to India’s identity — are fading, leaving behind a nostalgia for a simplicity and authenticity that progress threatens to engulf. Yet, in this race towards the future, there is a simultaneous romanticisation of the past, an idealisation of cultural heritage that is often commodified rather than preserved in its essence. This dichotomy underscores the haunting presence of what is lost in the pursuit of what might be gained, a poignant reminder of Derrida’s assertion that the ghosts of the past always overshadow the future.
Sanjay Kaushal teaches at Indian Institute of Management, Bodh Gaya
Issues are rooted in history, but flowing into politics, unfortunately: Vikram Sampath https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Apr/13/issues-are-rooted-in-history-but-flowing-into-politics-unfortunately-vikram-sampath
A famous historian once said, "Every work of history is an interim report." It is always a work in progress; new evidence comes up. So, I might have written the most well-researched, well-written book on a particular subject. Suppose you find something new and discover something new, which I have either intentionally ignored or didn't have the capacity to research thoroughly. My thesis could be completely overturned, and my book might end up in the dustbin. Your book might become the new narrative on that subject. So, it's not 'correcting'. What I'd like to say is, it's presenting an alternative version of history...
From self-portraits using traditional symbols to paintings portraying resistance and documenting history, Pal’s work consistently remained both rooted and ahead of her time. The use of motifs from tradition and myths of India was not unusual, but Pal went beyond the obvious symbols and their conventional usage. She used the process of transfiguration to turn mythical creatures such as the kinnara, the mythical part-human part-bird and kamadhenu, the ‘mother of all cows’, into expressions of the self. She also closely observed the strategies used to represent women in popular culture, and added her own artistic voice to it, through her series on nayikas.
Democracy is under attack globally, not just in India. Authoritarian forces are using a largely pliant media effectively for propaganda, assuming that people are gullible. This has less to do with gullibility and more to do with technology, affluence...
In today's democracy, the winner takes all. It is not fair and needs a deep rethink. Just because you are elected by, say 40 per cent of the vote, you ought not to have the licence to rule everyone. Secondly, there should be no corporate funding for ...
Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/the-tuesday-interview-this-election-is-about-choosing-the-future-of-india-2952093
