Dear jeyamohan,
I am 24 years old and doing research in New Delhi. I am avidly watching your videos on philosophy and literature. In many of your talks, you discussed the importance of persistent work and undivided attention. I have to say something more. The major problem of learning in India is the lack of respect for teachers. I earned my degree in the United States. I am not talking about old-style Guru Bhakti. I am talking about the basic respect of the student for the teacher.
It is neither personality worship nor a traditional custom. It is a form of respect for the teacher’s erudition; in a sense, it is respect for the subject we are studying. In India, we have developed a sense of disdain towards knowledge and teachers. We refer to this as ‘equality’ and ‘democracy.’ We think everyone should have an equal opinion. This is not true; rather, it is a myth that our foolish egos create. If one individual has acquired knowledge in a particular subject while another is still learning, how can their opinions be considered equal?
However, it appears that everyone in India shares that notion. Democractic freedom and equality refer to the confident expression of every absurd idea. This is the primary barrier that prevents Indian students from actively listening to and embracing new ideas. Simple politicians used to say, “Don’t accept anything; question it, and accept the ones that are suitable.” Globally, this approach is not considered a suitable intellectual practice. While we are still students, we are not qualified to argue about or value the subject we are learning. However, as we are not believers, we must adhere to the epistemological framework of the subject we are studying. We have to listen and obsorb every new thing.
The biggest problem in our learning process is the prevalence of silly arguments from students, a phenomenon I observe throughout India. Politicians cultivate this argumentative nature, yet even our educated youth blindly accept political ideas. They emotionally idolize every movie star and media figure. They confine their argumentative nature to the realm of education. This does not constitute free thinking or freedom of expression. It is simply a form of gnosiophobia, nothing more.
S.K.Saravanakumar
