From: me@comstore.uark.edu (My Account)
Subject: Re: West Bengal: Communists out, ? in
Organization: Columbia University Center for Telecommunications Research
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 14:42:57 GMT
X-Posted-From: comstore.uark.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1992Jul23.033902.12453@menudo.uh.edu> mece1e3@Jane.UH.EDU  
(Arindam Ghosh) writes:
> >else, you are talking of something that is 'almost'impossible. Just the  
> Well isn't that the favourite sport of humanity?
> 
> >battle cry that "Bengal needs us" is not enough for people to go back  
and  
> >dedicate their time.
> 
> That's right; the only thing that can motivate you is you need Bengal
> 
> > Because even if you could motivate people based on  
> >patriotic feelings, it will be short lived.
> Correct again:patriotic feelings are out of date; i.e. not to say that  
we
> should not be patriots but true patriotism now can be realized only in a
> global context.
> 
> > In order to make real changes,  
> >we have to convince people that their professional lives will be more  
> >challenging, and their education and experience will be better utilized  
if  
> >they go and serve in Calcutta.
> 
> Well, I don't see any of them happening but I do see my spiritual and  
social
> life being better if I go and serve in Calcutta, rather in the tribal  
belts
> as that's where we must start.
> 
> > Accept it or not, most of us who are living  
> >in the US, are considered outsiders by other fellow bengalis. Our  
services  
> 
> Yes, you are as long as you want to remain an outsider. Saying
> everything that you are doing is "stupid" and "worthless" is not
> a good way to become an insider
> 
> >is considered unwanted in most part. It seems most people, both  
> >professionals and otherwise think of us as people trying to show off  
our  
> >
> As long as you are just trying to do that; why won't they think so.
> 
> >abroad experience. I think our capacities are limited. 
> Well I think, not.
> 
> >In any case, keep us posted as to what your plans are, apart from  
forming  
> >a think-tank. I would surely like to contribute whatever I can towards  
a  
> >better society back home. -- Aditi Sen. 
> >>    
> Forget it, that's not going to work. Each movement has to start from the  
very
> bottom; one at a person.
> "Jethaey thake sabar adhom diner hote din;
> seikhanete charon tomar raje
> sabar pichhe sabar niche sabharaader maajhhe."
> Good Luck, thanks for your concern anyway.
> Arindam


Your note in the first place was an exercise in futulity, and you knew  
that very well.  It is another instance of Bengali pseudo-intellectualism.  
We want to do a lot of things, but we know we are uncapable of achieving  
most of them, because we are unwilling to make the needed sacrifice and I  
think that it is nothing unusual. Most of us are torn between the need for  
a financially smooth and apparently luxurious life and the sublime urge to  
acknowledge our social responsibility. 
I would like to know, what you are doing in order to start the so called  
'movement'? If one person at a time is the basis of your concept, let it  
start from you.--- Aditi 
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