Sarin

[sarincolonp]

Part-Riarchy : I Am The No-Going-Out-After-Dark Rule

Let us at the very beginning make a few things absolutely clear. We need to protect our women, because they are our mothers and our daughters, and that is all that they are. And we must do it for it is a direct attack on our honour. And we must do it for they can't do it themselves. And, the most important point, it is them who need protecting, it is from them that the problem arises, and it must be them who must pay for its solution.

I hope having understood these very basic (and rather obvious) facts, we can go on and debate on the 'how' part. How do we go about protecting these weaker members of our society. Now, my answer is so strikingly logical, easy to implement and morally correct, that I don't think you would even think about arguing with me. Not only that, it strikes right at the root of the problem.

So what is this solution? Well, lock 'em bitches up.

I mean, if the streets are so full of "vile men", lurking and looking for scantily clad women (euphemism for a four letter word that starts with 's' and rhymes with butt), it is the these vulnerable(another euphemism) girls we must get off the streets. There won't be no fishermen if there's no fish to catch.

And even if this means taking away a few of their freedoms, their freedom to move, to dress the way they want to, their freedom to choose, and their freedom to live, we must.

We must. For their own good.

And girls, you ought to take responsibilty for what happens to you. Because you know all this to be true.

You know that even though you are 18, and you now have the right to marry a groom of your parents' choice, you do not own your bodies. You never did, and you never will. You will simply be passed on, from being your parent's responsiblity and that of your warden, you would next belong to the one you marry, and to all in his family.

And trust me, no respectable family will accept a woman whose honor has been taken away, for when you are attacked it is your honor that is taken away. When you roam around in the streets knowing what could happen, you oviously want it to. You then have no right to resist, and no right to claim that you gave no consent. Your consent was given as soon as you stepped out. And that is why your right to give consent must be taken away. You cannot be allowed to bring dishonor to the college you study in, nor to your parents.

You know all this and you accept it to be true. And that is why, you accept me.

And that is why, my frail little girls, you must be back to the safety of your well guarded rooms before night falls, and why you must stay in after dark.

(This is part of a series of articles. Read them all here.)

[sarincolonp]

[sarincolonp]

“Nod as I Nod, And the World shall Applaud, At your Virtue that be Intelligence”

Sarin

[sarincolonp]

Part I - I Am Your Grade

From grades to marks, and pointers to percentages, I'm known by a million different names. From cheating to studying, and flattery to mugging, there are a million different ways being professed for attaining me. I'm propped up, as much by passed-down-tales of fortune and success, as by faith, and myth.

In essence, I'm fuckin' god.

Now, in the only opinion that matters(mine), being adherent is the most important quality in the student, and having good grades is a mark of this adherence. Like a tilak smeared across your forehead, or a cross flung around your neck.

To better understand my mysterious ways, lets look at how I choose the ones on whom to bestow my blessings.

I rely most heavily on theoretical tests that follow patterns being followed since the industrial age, and ask questions that were framed at about the same time. The other testing methods involve going to a lab, pretending to do something and writing down what was (supposed to be) done. The final assessment lies with the teacher, which sums up the needed qualities: regurgitable knowledge of irrelevant and barely updated course, sincerity, punctuality and flattery.

That is what I represent. That you, for the last few years, did what you were supposed to. And that you would reward them with the same faith that you gave to me.

I am a sign that everyday after you wake up, you bathe yourself, and you bow your head in respect, to me.

What I believe is that anyone entering the college does so with the sole aim of becoming such an employable product. But whether your prayers and your devotion would be transformed into charity is something that I don't really care about. I don't care if someone came here expecting an education, that would serve as a stepping stone to a higher one. I don't care if you made the decision to enroll long before you knew what it meant for you. I don't care if you think that you are being tested and branded on all the wrong qualities. And if you find that the environment, rather than inspiring you to take up further studies, actually discourages your orientation towards research, then that too is none of my business.

I am glad that the most religious country on the planet produces a peanut's share of the world's research. For innovation and free thought are to me, an anathema, a threat to my hegemony.

Should you refuse to bow, I shall be there to haunt you for the rest of your life, exposing to the world your brazen disobedience. So even if you see no reason to believe me, you must. For when you deal with the divine, reason doesn't count. Remember that atheism, no matter how charitable, shall be construed to mean sacrilege.

And that blasphemy would be punished - with nothing short of execution.

(Read Part 2)

[sarincolonp]

“Nod as I Nod,

And the World shall Applaud,

At your Virtue that be Intelligence”

[sarincolonp]

Part II – I Am ..

(Read part I first)

Part II was supposed to be written by the Rule Of Compulsory Attendance (ROCA). But the rule turned out to be so completely stupid, that it couldn't complete the simple task it was supposed to.

There then remained only one who could write about it.

Read here

[sarincolonp]

Part II - I Am Common Sense

(Read Part I here)

A lot of people wonder why, in spite of my name, I am such a rarity. But I was named so, with the vision that I would prevail all over, and because of my universal application prowess. What has made me paradoxical is the cold shoulder everyone gives me.

Case in point : The Rule Of Compulsory Attendance(ROCA)

Now I say, that any rule would have a particular rationale behind it. It would be created to promote something that is considered ideal, or to prevent something that is not. So lets consider the entire chain of actors involved in formulating and implementing this rule, with more ferocity than all others.

Starting at the very top, the very primary logic behind verifying that students attend classes is to make sure that they study. A rule which was perfect when classes were, for most students, the only place where they could study. It was even fine as long as classes were a place where the students could study. But then something happened. The number of students exploded, and as teachers, they took just about anybody who could read and write. Education stopped being a part of the classrooms. It became just reading notes, and writing tests.

Coming down a level, why do the teachers hold this rule so dear to their hearts. One aspect associated with them is a lack of faith in their own abilities. Its often seen that the teachers who pay the least attention to attendance, actually have the fullest of classrooms. And for those unable to hold students with their teaching, ROCA comes in as a face saving device. A little something to maintain their authority and satisfy their pride.

For some, of course it is about their vision of an ideal student. It would be unfair on those who attend classes if the others aren't punished in some way. But this too is an incorrect perspective. It should be a matter of choice. Those who feel that they can learn more in a classroom would attend them, irrespective of regulations. The others, should be able to choose their own method of study.

In the recent past, however, another something has happened. The internet has exploded, and the best teachers have started putting their lectures online. Education and knowledge is being disbursed on the net, for free, from the very best teachers of the world. Those who want to learn can do so easily, even if they get no fancy degree to show for it.

And so, I say, one final something in this saga is imminent. The entire system of education, as it exists today, would soon begin to collapse, its archaic roots being unable to hold the immense weight of its stupidity for too long. As students start learning on their own, just the way want, what they want, and being taught from the best, it wouldn't be surprising if these kids with no 'formal education' start competing with the top of the best institutions, and start beating them. The tag self taught would become a norm, as would people with expertise in diverse unrelated fields. The ease of it all would attract the best towards it, and universities, at the risk of being reduced to a secondary resource, would be forced to evolve.

All this, however, has one little caveat that I be allowed to prevail. And given my past record, it is likely that, for now at least, those looking to learn will be made to suffer at the hands of those who have nothing to teach them.

How do I know?

I'm common sense.

[sarincolonp]

[sarincolonp]

Here's how banning ragging is working out for everyone.

[sarincolonp]

Part I - I Am The Teacher

As I walked back towards my home in the evening, I passed a graphic board reading "Ragging is a menace." I wondered if it really was.

I thought of the one kid who'd gone as far as hanging himself because of the unspeakable atrocities he'd been forced to bear.

I thought of the disrespect that, since this 'menace' had been banned, I'd been forced to bear.

But if I had to choose between ending a human life and facing humiliation from the very people I was trying to help, I guess I'd pick humiliation any day. 

(Read the senior's views)

[sarincolonp]

Jugnu Be Dead

[sarincolonp]

Part II - I Am The Senior

(Read the teacher's thoughts)

It was a flutter that woke me up. A pigeon had flown across the high ceiling of the drab classroom, bringing me to my senses. Not a bad time to wake up, to be honest. The professor had just started taking the attendance. As soon as he called my name, I answered and without a word, went out. He didn't mind. Our class was a lot better to him than the one that had just come in. In fact, our class was a lot better to almost everyone, including  to us.

I thought of us all feeling abased about not being able to rag our juniors.

I thought of the guys across town who'd been fined 50k for having some fun.

But if I had to choose between parting with 50k and facing humiliation with my fellow batch-mates, I guess I'd pick humiliation any day.

(Read why the junior is suffering)

[sarincolonp]

Part III - I Am The Junior

(Read what the teacher and the senior think about this)

It was my roommate who woke me up. With tired disinterested professors, and disconnected seniors, he was one of the few 'mentors' I had. A pretty tough way to wake up, like this. Almost a semester into college, and I still had no idea what to do with my life. So finding motivation to getup and go attend lectures was tough. Nonetheless, with the promise of a job, I dragged my sorry frame to the class, as I had for the entire semester. Listening to the professors was an even harder task. They sounded distant, as if teaching to themselves. At least after college that day, I had something to look forward to. The alumni meet was scheduled for the evening and I'd heard that with it came the promise of something rare. Good food!

For free! ...

The food was as promised. But there was something else that evening that whet my appetite even more.

Bonhomie.

Of course, the drinks they'd had would have helped them enhance their camaraderie a bit, but they were equally friendly in the sober morning that followed.

They chatted about their times in college, telling us about the culture we were supposed to inherit, a culture that was losing its essence not due to the lack of carriers, but because the carriers had been barred from meeting the recipients.

It was like forcing a couple to use a condom, even though they'd maturely decided to have a baby, all in the name of safe sex.

I thought of everything I could have done in the past few months, had I got the right advice from the right people.

I thought of the 'humiliation' I would have faced, had 'cruel sadists' been let loose on me.

But if I had to pick between a day of humiliation and a lifetime of ignorance, I guess I’d pick humiliation any day.