Great ideas can come from people you hate. Don’t starve yourself intellectually |
Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit
ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures
Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story
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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit
ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures
Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story
More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice
Great ideas can come from people you hate. Don’t starve yourself intellectually
From university campuses to cultural spaces, moral purity tests are narrowing the scope of debate. But for the world’s morality jurists, there is a way out.
But she is a problematic person, yaar.”
“And a great writer. Let’s go for that.”
“You cannot separate the two. We are not going for the launch.”
So went an eavesdropped conversation on the Delhi Metro, and it does seem to complement the socio-political mood of the day in India (and around the world).
Certain individuals—and by extension, their work—are deemed invalid from the get-go by self-anointed jurists of morality. “Cancellation”—of their work, life, experiences, and entire being —is therefore not only just, but also necessary to preserve the moral order of our spaces: Schools, universities, the arts, and culture.
I did my MA from IIT Gandhinagar, which, apart from being one of the most sought-after institutions for technical learning, also offers a uniquely curated Masters in Society and Culture. One would have expected its campus to be a sanctuary that allowed for free thought to prosper, with young minds marrying their sharpness with a receptiveness that is so needed for brilliance. That, sadly, wasn’t always the case.
It was common for the otherwise exceptional student community to cherry-pick guest talks, book launches, performances, and even electives, based on the problematic-ness of the person involved. The subject of the book, discussion, play, or even course often became secondary: The alleged politics of the individual took centre stage.
A talk by historian Manu Pillai would be a no-go zone for some. For others, an elective offered by scholar Michel Danino would have to be rejected, preferably discarded. A book launch by a decorated former faculty witnessed footfall that rivaled the box-office run of Bombay Velvet, because it “celebrates Vedic culture”. The common thread passing through them all? They were too “problematic” for either of........