It’s been a little over 6 months at BP and I have some take aways.
First, I am grateful for the opportunity to write on a well regarded blog. The ability to put thoughts down on paper, contribute and having an audience has been both meaningful and engaging.
Second, the commenting has been fun and thought provoking at times, annoying and a little trying at others, but something that I overall enjoyed and viewed as a positive experience.
Third, the governance of the site feels pretty capricious. The bans, the reinstatements, the offence taking, the rethinking of the offence taking, it is all pretty fly by the pants. There is also the repeated trajectory changes when views or interaction goes down, typically resulting in some questionable decisions being made.
After Kabir was made editor, I’ve decided to take a break from the site. Definitely from commenting, I refuse to be randomly censored by his whims as he has done in the past & will almost certainly do so in the future. He has been happy to openly flout rules and guidelines around this and given reinstatement with elevation I expect his inner Mugabe to have been unleashed.
In the grand scheme of things I suppose the habitual response, the ideological hypocrisy and the inability to recognise it, is catnip to rationalist commentators willing to engage. Kabir is just far more desirable to put on a mud wrestling show for an audience. I understand the position but it feels faustian and I just don’t want to engage in it. So respectfully, let me bow out.
Not to add a parting shot, but more to scour the annoying brand that has been attached to my name I want to set a few misconceptions clear.
I have repeatedly stated that I am against caste identifications of any sort, and being forcibly labelled is exceedingly annoying, more so because arguing against it invites the sort of speculation I am trying to discourage in the first place. Perversely this has resulted in being accused of both being Brahmin/Brahminized and being Anti-Brahmin (by a friend), within the same week.
My Hinduism is very cultural and my views far more heritage oriented than religious, I do not endorse or encourage any of the “saffronite” movements and am a very strong supporter of keeping the state out of religion and vice versa. Being labelled a saffroniate is very annoying, but something I am happy to argue against.
Thank you
Indosaurus.
Sorry to see you go. You had a valuable perspective to offer when you were not inordinately focusing on bashing Pakistan. Also, your mission of calling out my “hypocrisy” was unnecessarily antagonizing. We all have our biases and can be called “hypocrites” at times. To inordinately focus on one person just creates a hostile environment.
For the record: I did not ask to be made editor. I agree with you that the governance of the site can be arbitrary at times. I was banned and I accepted that quietly.
The best compromise I can offer you is that I will not participate on your threads and you will not participate on mine. As for my “whims”: I have very clear red lines. No one gets to call Pakistan a “Nazi” state and no one gets to call me an “Islamist”. Otherwise, go for it.
Lastly, I did not come up with the term “Safforniate” or apply it to you. That was XTM’s description. As far as I’m concerned, I really don’t care what caste anyone is.
But your pain at being forcibly labeled “Saffroniate” should enable you to understand my pain at being forcibly labeled “Islamist” despite repeatedly objecting to the use of that (inaccurate) term.
Sad but understandable. Enjoyed reading your posts. Hope you can still comment on some meaningful threads.
Take a breather for one quarter and see how you get on?
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