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  #31  
03-11-2012
Ganesan
Senior Member
 
: Apr 2011
: Chennai
: 70
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: 166 | 0.04 Per Day

Dear Summit,

Thanks for your long message. Sorry for my long delayed reply; I could not find sufficient time to apply my mind and reply.

I agree with much of what you say. I surely admire your optimism, determination and persistence. I hope you have the moral fibre, and if you do, you're the kind who should get into politics, or party-less politics like Anna's movement. Identifying the right party or group to work with is a challenge, though.

A few good, well-intentioned persons who are willing to take up challenges and obstacles in politics can make a huge difference. I guess you can. My best wishes.

A few things:

1. Thanks for all the kind words you've had for me. I know I'm not worthy of them, though I'd like to have been. Please don't judge anyone as good necessarily based on what they say (in this case I'm referring to me). We have too many glib talkers in politics, who are the worst scoundrels. And many good do-ers can't talk, and when they do, they may do a bad job of it.

This is not to say I've done something wrong. Not doing any wrong by itself is not good enough for someone to be assessed as good. All I'm saying is you don't know me enough to judge me yet. So, please don't. (Please read my assessments of you, particularly my choice of words, though I'm very impressed by what you say.)

2. There was a time when I was young, when I had the time and less personal commitments. I spent a lot of time and money but accomplished little. Today, I have a lot of personal commitments (much more than most average persons of my age would have; Id prefer not to discuss them in public).

Yet, if I know for sure that my time will yield results, I may not mind giving up all my personal commitments, but experience has taught me that my efforts will more likely be wasted, and I would have failed so many near and dear ones in the process too. So, unless I see light at the end of the tunnel, I may act only marginally. Yet, I'm trying to do something in my own small and humble way.

3. I respect Subhash Bose as well as Gandhi, but would tend to follow Gandhi (to the best of my ability) than Bose, based on my personality. Both were great leaders in my world view.

My suggestion is that you should stop straight-jacketing yourself into too narrow dogmas and beliefs, which may not be a great idea (e.g., "Gandhi was bad, Bose was good") . No one knows the ultimate truth, and no one may perhaps ever know. But surely, you should pursue your life based on your world view, but keeping your mind open.

4. There are many things that Anna has said and done I don't agree with, but I know he had no perverse intentions like most politicians, and his broad direction is right, which is why I follow him. Anna is human, and he is entitled to err too. The only people who never erred are the ones who did nothing. And they erred even more by their inaction.

5. I'm realistic about one thing. People may not always support the good and right thinking leaders, and may more often follow the evil mis-leaders, out of ignorance. It's easier for evil to win than good. So, a leader desiring to be successful also needs to think strategically the right things on how to win this unequal and unfair fight.

6. It's a marathon, not a 100 m dash. In fact, there's no end to this mega-serial.

If there's a way I can help you, and support you, do let me know, with details. I'll try my best. But I should have reasonable faith in your chance of success for reasons I've mentioned above.

All the best,

Ganesan. :~)