Learning To Die: Episode 3 - Socratic Method and Plato's Dialogues

This episode is a primer to Plato's Dialogues.

Edit, Feb 22:  Had a bad fall and re-injured my back again a couple of weeks ago. Not sure when I'll be able to continue this.

Learning To Die: Episode 2 - Socrates in The Clouds

In this episode we get a glimpse of Socrates in his early years; discuss Aristophanes's The Clouds and way he portrays Socrates in the play.

Learning To Die: Episode 1 - The Pre-Socratics

 

In this episode I discuss the origins of Western Philosophy; a few basic philosophical ideas in general and go over some key Pre-Socratic thinkers and their major thoughts.

Learning To Die: Preface

This episode is the preface to my new podcast series on Western philosophy: Learning To Die; இறத்தல் அறிதல் in Tamil. 

I think it'd be redundant to type out what I've discussed in the podcast but it is, perhaps, prudent to disabuse the uneasiness the title is likely to cause.

The title is inspired by what Plato says in the Phaedo: "…those who practice philosophy in the right way are in training for dying". Montaigne rewrote that as "to learn to philosophize is to learn to die" in one of his essays. The are some well known metaphorical readings of Plato's words but my reasons aren't just that.

I hope all listeners start with this episode so they know what they could expect from the series and orient their engagement accordingly. 

Note: This blog will only be temporary 'host' for the podcast series until I get to setting up a dedicated site.

Day Dream: News Media Production and Consumption in India

This is a new podcast program titled pagal kanavu (day dream). The title is open to interpretation but it's generally supposed to reflect the broader motivation behind something like this. The program is done in colloquial Tamil [1].

In this episode:

I talk to writer, journalist, academic, activist Krishna Ananth about 'Radia Tapes' and try to understand the current milieu in which news media are produced and consumed in India and its wider implications. It was recorded about a month ago (I know). I've split the conversation into 3 parts for easy download/listening.

Edit: There seems to be a problem with the audio player embedded earlier (playing part 3 in all players even after editing it several times). I'll try to fix it soon, meanwhile please download and listen from below.

Part 1:

2'-8' 'Radia Tapes' scandal - a well known secret
9'-13' Press's erstwhile approach to corruption
17'-19' Public perception of conteporary news media; corporate power
20'-25 Media outlets' collusive attitude in corporate profiteering
29'-32' Media's actual clout
36'- II Media's contribution to public discourse


Part 2:

'1-6' Media's contribution to public discourse (contd.)
7'-10' People's contradictory expectation of 'real' news and its cynical dismissal
10'-13' Activists, NGOs and lack of alternatives
15'-21' The much apprciated virtues of corporate corruption and 'meritocracy'

Part 3:

1'-7' The 'educated youth'; why some of us complain? What's achieved?
8'-18' Would the marginalized people of urban India turn the Maoist way? Why/why not?
21'-23' The missing ingredient in a large scale anti-establishment movement
23'-29' State and demography of aspiring journalists (media producers).
(There's a small technical problem between 34'-34'40")



Download as mp3: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3.

Notes:
1. It would probably sway between 'proper' Tamil sentences to complete sentences in English depending on the guest.

'New' Start

I've been planning to do a documentary for over a year now, on Dalits in Tamil films. Until last May I just wanted to "finish the paper, present it, and get on with the production." I'm putting it in quotes because I've said it so many times since early 2008 or so. I did present the paper back in May 2009, but nothing has moved forward since then. Hopefully I'll get it done before the end of this year. It's been at the back of my mind so much that I don't need this blogpost to remind me. But at least now I have a written 'announcement' that will help me keep track of things.

Meanwhile, however, I'm planning to do a video series/podcast to snap out of the dry 'creative spell' I've been going through. The working title is 'How the World Works'. I know it sounds rather presumptuous. Nevertheless, as the title suggests, I'll probably talk about/interview people on the forces that are central to the 'human civilization' as it exists today -- historicism, means of production, consumption, art, identity, statehood, human rights etc. Needless to say, a lot of the discussions are likely to border on the perfunctory if not downright stupid. But it's probably a risk worth taking. Worst case...hmmm, I can think of many, but why mention 'em? The best case, on the other hand, is saving humanity from its utterly destructive path; rescuing our most cherished institutions from moral decay; enlightening the masses; and world peace is a possible outcome too (isn't my every action aimed at that?).

I have already sketched out some topics, their corresponding narrative structure, and some people who I'm going to interview (mostly over the phone, I think). So if anyone wants to contribute -- by doing the research for a topic, finding 'experts', or simply be on the other end of a brief conversation -- you're more than welcome. The format I have in mind is fairly rudimentary. One/two talking heads in front of a green screen (which will then be replaced by an 'appropriate' background), accompanied by slides/graphics/movie clips that are common in any televised ppt presentation (watch CSPAN, you'll know). It will be in colloquial Tamil. I don't, however, intend to thrust Tamil 'purity' in these videos. I'm doing it in Tamil because of two reasons: 1. there are much better videos/lecture series in English 2. there aren't many in Tamil (my observation in this podcast still remains largely applicable).

I have to thank CBC Radio and Radio Netherlands for reviving my interest in vid/podcasting. Hopefully I'll get things rolling in a week or two.

Podcast: Violence, Disenfranchisement and Statehood

Download mp3; download mp3 (Odeo Link)

1'-5': Protests in distant lands -- far from where it may actually have an "effect".
5'-12': An individual's interaction with the state; role of violence in maintaining a statehood.
12'-14': Nationalist arrogance
14'-19': Why should the systemically marginalized and the oppressed live by a state's laws?
19'-23': Periyar and Tagore on "India" the nation.
23'-28': Constructing nationalist loyalties; erosion of leftist perspective in mainstream media. (pothu putthi - common/mainstream sensibility.)
28'-35': Muthukumar's self-immolation; Tamil Nadu's indifference to protests and the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Related blog entries: நாகார்ஜுனன்; ஜமாலன்; முத்துக்குமாரின் கடிதம்.

Roast of Kamal Haasan (or Dasavatharam)

englishtamil · Roast of Dasavatharam

1-5.00: random stuff 7-00 - 13.00: Chaos theory and its popularity (quite boring, you may want to skip it) 17.00 - 25.00: scenes in the movie 28.00 - 35.00: Kamal the sucker (and Kamal the sell out) 35.00-45.00: random stuff Edit: This is one of the articles I referred to, to refresh on Chaos theory's application

Tamil politics: MGR, Hogenakkal etc.

I'm still not sure if I should publish this podcast. I have been "disrespectful" to many celebrities before, but I wonder what kind of people listen to that stuff and what's in store for me. A constant nag successfully made me moderate comments. I just hope that someone else doesn't make me change my phone number (I don't want to think about anything worse). Anyway, the title pretty much explains what the podcast is about. It has a lot of MGR bashing and some others.

Download mp3

Ostracized solitude (in Tamil movies)

This podcast is a general commentary on how solitude/family life etc., have been dealt with in Tamil movies over the years. It threads itself loosely around the movie Pirivom Sandhippom's theme, but it's not a review of the movie. (Download mp3.)

Apology: I realized that I had used the filler "vandhuttu" excessively throughout the podcast. Excuse me for that.

Swivelling Layers (of condescension)

Part 1 - mp3

3': life's decisions
8': 'interactions' affect 'conviction'
10'-21': random narratives from school and college
24': facing your enemies (or friends?)
28': what's important?; 'micro' vs. 'macro' perspectives

Part 2 - mp3

2': the call center conflict
5': shifting positions; "proud to work in McDonald's"
9': choosing what makes you "happy"
13': the software pride
18': vacuous questions and stupid logic
22': the 'sexploiting' woman
26': personal goal
32': need of the hour: a hot cup of shut-the-fuck-up

V-three: Streets of Coimbatore

V-two: Police in Palani

Roast of Sivaji

I saw the movie in a theatre. Was one of the worst 3 hours of my life. (Yes, it was worse than the time I felt like my eyes were gouged and buried in sand--because I had looked directly in welding sparks for too long--and I could feel the sand in my gouged eyes.)
download

Note 1: The author of this podcast claims to know everything and is a 'periya vengayam' who does not respect anyone who liked this movie. He's also scared of getting beaten by wimps who leave anonymous comments. So his address will not be revealed here.

Note 2: If you think this podcast is done to attract comments, do yourself a favour and don't leave any. Comments: If I don't like it or feel the need to reply but don't feel like because it's too immature or too smart for me to handle, I'll delete it.

Sivaji vaayila mannangatti

Download
Sivaji's trailer gave out everything the movie makers were trying to keep in secret for a long time. Of course, it doesn't include the fact that 'Shankar + Rajini = masala trash' was always known - not many would have guessed otherwise. It's just that more people feel shameless enough to openly admit that they are looking forward to watching Rajini's masala than Vijay or Ajith's.

Rajini is almost like religion: anything goes if he does it. Because he's been doing it for a long time, with people's apparent approval. But I, for what it's worth, will say what I feel: It's disgusting, it's irritating and it's high time idiots stopped pretending like he's got an aura. My interest in this movie is just like my interest in religion -- they both follow an inexplicable pattern of idiotic following, almost unquestioned.

Anyway, I saw the trailer and I thought of predicting how the plot is going to unravel. That's what I've done in this podcast (partly). Then there's some Rajini bashing in the end (how about that for a "commercial" podcast?).

Tamil Media: a reality check

The podcast is quite long (36 minutes), so I'll give a rough outline of what I've spoken about.



3': How we address celebrities in TV (Kamal sir, Rajini sir etc.)
5': Lollu Sabha. A historical moment - Pokkiri's parody - Bakery.
12': "Experts" in TV
15': Nayyandi durbar, Ari Giri assembly
17': Standup comedy in Tamil TV channels (Kalakka povadhu yaaru etc.)
23': Internet's influence on mainstream media
26': Lack of Tamil social commentary in audio-visual formats in the internet.
30': Mainstream hangover in non-mainstream mediums.
34': Interviews in Kumudam.com

Aside: Lollu Sabha issued an apology the week after 'Bakery' was aired. But the sentences were structured in a way that it was obvious that they were being sarcastic about the apology. It's good to see that these people not only have the guts do such parodies but the wit to deal with potentially serious repurcussions.