Hi Mayur:
At 11:48 PM -0700 9/15/05, mayur bora wrote:
HI MAHANTA DA
STARTLED BY QUITE A FEW POINTS OF YOUR LATEST MAIL.
NEVER DID I SAY THAT ONE CULTURE SHOULD PLAY SECOND
FIDDLE TO THE OTHER WHETHER IT IS IN ASSAM, BANGLADESH
OR USA. HAD I THOUGHT ON THOSE LINES, I WOULD NOT HAVE
CATEGORISED IT AS A WEAKNESS AT THE FIRST PLACE.
**** I don't know that anyone charged you with those crimes :-).
But someone on an introspective mission, forgetting about the
essential companion of 'mainstream', the 'subordinate' ones was what
took us into the arena.
SECONDLY, I AM NOT ASHAMED OF TAKING ANTIDOTE FROM A
LEARNED MAN LIKE YOU. FOR THAT MATTER, I CAN TAKE IT
FROM ANYONE. FORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A MISPLACED
SENSE OF EGO TO PREVENT ME FROM TAKING IT FROM ANYONE
PROVIDED I GET A MEANINGFUL ANTIDOTE. BUT I AM NOT
COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT I AM ASHAMED OF SOMETHING
WHEN I AM ACTUALLY NOT. SO PLEASE DON'T FOIST ANY
DISCOMFORT DOWN MY NECK WHEN I DON'T FEEL ANY BEING IN
CHANDIGARH AMIDST PUNJABIS AND HARYANVIS.
**** No need for explanations. My response was to the charge that
I was indulging in the same kind of judging the Punjabis. But I am
still unclear on HOW you would respond to the Haryani perception of
the Assamese? Is their perception correct? If not why so?
These are critical questions. I hope you will attempt to answer
them. Because exactly the same questions would apply when you attempt
to weigh the traits of the Assamese people, and you will have to be
able to defend your asessments.
>LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, I AM AMAZED AT YOUR HONESTY.
*** I don't blame you . I treasure honesty, 'kuber' like. But
occasionally I slip and slivers of my stash escape. It is an
exception, not the norm of my
self :-).
>HONESTY TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT YOU
KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR WEAKNESSES THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.
**** You are being very naive about this Mayur. Obviously your
youth and experience has a lot to do with that. One thing you must
remember:
You cannot, but cannot, judge an entire group of people based
on anecdotal evidence or perceptions. That is the fundamental problem
with your endeavor.
But if you still don't buy the notion, I will be pleased to show
you with some examples next time.
YOU MUST BE SENIOR TO ME IN AGE AND DEFINITELY MORE
>EXPERIENCED IN LIFE.
**** Yes, I am what is called a 'geezer' here in the USA, an old
and decrepit person :-).
Take care.
cm
CATALOGUING OF DIFFERENT FEATURES OF ASSAMESE WOULD
DEFIINITELY HELP IN INTROSPECTION AND REFLECTION. IT
IS LEFT TO THE PEOPLE. IF WE CAN MOTIVATE EVEN 1% OF
PEOPLE TO REFLECT ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES,
IT WOULD BE OUR SUCCESS.
REGARDING BENCHMARK, YOU ARE AWARE THAT IN ARTS OR ANY
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, BENCHMARK IS SUBJECTIVE. IT WOULD
BE INVIDIOUS TO COMPARE AN ARCHITECTURUL BENCHMARK
WITH THAT OF SOMETHING IN ARTS. NO ONE CAN QUANTIFY A
BENCHMARK WHILE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE BEHAVIOURAL
TRAITS OF ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT IS OUT AND OUT A
SUBJECTIVE ISSUE. GENERALLY IN LIFE ALSO, THERE IS NO
BLACK AND WHITE ON ANY ISSUE. THERE ARE BOUND TO BE
INNUMERABLE SHADES OF GREY IN BETWEEN. BUT IN STEAD OF
GETTING PERPLEXED BY THE GREYS, DON'T YOU FEEL IT
WOULD BE WISER TO BE ENLIGHTENED BY THEM ?
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, I AM AMAZED AT YOUR HONESTY.
HONESTY TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT AND ANNOUNCE THAT YOU
KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR WEAKNESSES THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.
YOU MUST BE SENIOR TO ME IN AGE AND DEFINITELY MORE
EXPERIENCED IN LIFE.
I AM SURE EVERYONE WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR
THE DEEP DARK SHORTCOMINGS OF KHARKHOWAS FROM YOU.
THANKS ONCE AGAIN. I AM GETTING LOT OF FOOD FOR
THOUGHT, I MUST ADMIT.
REGARDS
MAYUR
CHANDIGARH
--- Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi Mayur:
>
> First off, I congratulate you on a finely composed
> response.
>
> Next, allow me to get some extraneous matters out of
> the way so we can
> get back to your original aim of cataloguing the
> "--strengths and
> weaknesses of Assamese people--".
>
>
> > > Whether you accept it or not, academic
> >discussion sometimes gets stifled under the weight
> of
> >its high sounding words.
>
> *** I am neither an academic nor am I into throwing
> around
> high-sounding words regardless of meaning or
> context. I am not a
> literateur, not a linguist, not a devotee of
> language purity. For me
> language, first and foremost, is a tool for
> communication. With that
> intro. I must say I have no clue about what you
> write above.
>
>
>
> > >The first weakness indicated
> >earlier is nothing but a testimony of my deeply
> >ingrained belief that whatever is observed in the
> >relationship between the Assamese speakers and
> other
> >tribal groups is grossly unjust and unacceptable.
>
>
> *** I am not going to speak here for Utpal, but my
> reaction to the
> 'mainstream'( dominant) and its essential but
> unspoken companion/s --
> obscure/subordinate -- characterization in the
> context of comparing
> ethnic/ cultural traits is an unacceptable premise
> at the get-go;
> your denial of intent not-withstanding, even though
> I believe you
> completely.
>
> For the same reason Ram's defense of your premise is
> akin to
> comparing apples and oranges. Ram cites his own
> comfort-level with
> his cultural identity being an obscure or
> sub-ordinate culture to the
> 'main-stream' American culture as justification.
> That is his choice.
> But why does a Bodo, or a Mising or a Karbi have to
> accept that in
> the Assam context, which, as I explained earlier, is
> very different
> from the American context.
>
>
> >I failed to understand how Ram's analogy is not
> >tenable as per you. In American social milieu also,
> >everyone sees the ghost of the 'past' very
> frequently
> >and they can't be brushed aside as sporadic or
> >isolated occurrences. I think Ram's analogy is
> fairly
> >valid.
>
>
> **** You mean Latino or African American cultures to
> be presented as
> sub-ordinate or obscure is an acceptable format to
> compare ethnic
> traits in the USA? You gotta be kidding me. Where
> did you learn that?
> Would Ram, as a long time US resident, propose that
> or support that?
> I think not.
>
>
> > >The very fact that you are attributing some
> traits to
> >the people of Haryana goes a long way to show that
> you
> >also probably suffer from the same syndrome which
> you
> >are consciously trying to dilute or should I say
> >demolish.
>
>
> **** I don't go about judging or labeling whole
> groups of people from
> the actions of a few. I know it is a common
> cultural habit among
> Indians to do so, including the Oxomiyas. But it is
> a simple-minded
> trait, an unsophisticated one. I made my comment in
> light of your
> making an issue of it. Obviously you spoke of it
> because it made you
> you uncomfortable or ashamed. I just provided you
> with a suggested
> rebuttal, an antidote.
>
> But now I see that you really don't want to use my
> antidote to your
> feeling of discomfort. That is fine. But do you
> believe that those
> Haryanis are right in their perception? If they are
> wrong, what do
> you plan to counter it with?
>
>
> > >I am startled by your argument that to see
> something
> >>good in others signify your insecurity vis a vis
> them.
>
> **** I made such an argument? That is news to me.
> Care to explain how
> you came to that conclusion?
>
>
>
> > >Going by that logic, a secure individual is one
> who
> >always criticises others.
>
>
> **** Nothing can be farther from the truth. However
> to embark on a
> mission to to catalogue Oxomiya ethnic
> shortcomings--or assigning
> labels on the basis of a few examples ( the
> 'lahe'-lahe' epithet for
> example) as a reaction to others' ignorant
> generalized view (as those
> Haryanis for instance) implies what?
> I can't think of anything other than your own
> insecurity. But I will
> stand corrected when you proffer a better
> explanation.
>
>
>
> > >Misconception about NE is so well
> >entrenched in people's minds that, to dispel it
> fully
> >is a herculean task. I sincerely believe that given
> a
> >chance, one should try to demolish those
> >misconceptions.
>
>
> **** I agree with you. But how is your cataloguing
> effort going to
> assist you on this?
>
>
> > >I am afraid I have a very strong view.
> >I am aware of my shortcomings. I do try to rectify
> >them sometimes. But never ever I let those
> weaknesses
> >to give a feeling of inferiority complex vis a vis
> >others.
>
> **** That's my man! A kharkhowa after my own heart.
> All power to you!
>
>
> > >----you can't wish away benchmark to judge
> >them.
>
>
> **** On the contrary I was only emphasizing the need
> for that
> benchmark, which by definition has to be definable
> and/or
> quantifiable. Unfortunately the benchmark you were
> going to
> use--other peoples of India-- is an undefinable one.
> A highly
> nebulous one. The rubber-scale of architects. I was
> challenging you
> to be able to define your benchmark. And the
> challenge still stands.
>
> I will give you a little clue here: I am not one to
> go about
> challenging people, unless I know I have solid
> grounds to stand on.
> So go at it my friend. Prove your mettle. Define
> your benchmark, and
> I promise to assist you with all the deep dark
> shortcomings of your
>
=== message truncated ===
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