Mast Kalandar

bandar's colander of random jamun aur aam

Sat, 24 Mar 2007

"Bramhinism" and research


education, politics, science [link] [comments ()] [raw]

It is not the prerogative of Indian academia to be "brahminical". Research is a "brahminical" activity. It is carried out in an esoteric language. The "priests" select those can learn it and who can't. We make little or no effort to get the common people to appreciate what we do. It is enough if we convince the "kings" to fund us.

We are also information capitalists. We are creating more and more intellectual riches while doing little to help those for whom even what we consider "basic" and "elementary" is unattainable.

Yet, when someone makes an effort to bridge the gap it is considered an unworthy activity or work of low quality. Look at any review by mathematicians of the books by Simon Singh for example. (Which is not to say that I like those books by the way!)

What percentage of academic publications are written through a desire to communicate one's ideas to a wider audience? Compare that with the percentage that are written though the desire to promote ourselves in some way.


Fri, 23 Mar 2007

Award Hunting

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