Comments on: Objects in the Mirror

By: Tony Judt, RIP

Tony Judt, RIP — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 07:05:20 +0000

[...] few years back, I was privileged to hear (and briefly meet) Tony Judt in Chicago. I would like for you all to hear him, as I did – passionate about telling the [...]

By: sepoy

sepoy — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:10:26 +0000

akbar: not much to follow up on. we went. passed some flyers. life goes on.
boyk: thanks for catching the typo.

By: David Boyk

David Boyk — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:36:47 +0000

How could Lebowski be from 1989 if it takes place after the first Gulf War? Oh wait, maybe it was a typo; it’s from 1998. But anyway, I agree with lapata: more Lebowksi, less Derrida.
اور زیادہ فیض۔

By: akbar

akbar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:36:46 +0000

Iam waiting for the follow up post

By: Rohit Chopra

Rohit Chopra — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:50:30 +0000

Heard this from a wag many years ago. I have never found out its provenance, possibly it is well known. Applies to the neocons, and what they might wind up doing to the world…

Barbad-e-gulista karne ko, ek hi ullu kafi hai
Barbad-e-gulista karne ko, ek hi ullu kafi hai

Har shakh pe ullu baitha ho, to anjam-e-gullista kya hoga

Repeat to fade…

By: sepoy

sepoy — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:10:26 +0000

“Judt is wrong.” I think he would agree with you, actually. He meant we need to fight for that turf.

By: Jonathan Dresner

Jonathan Dresner — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:53:47 +0000

Be forewarned: it is good for your soul, but Judt is wrong. The academy is actively trying to expel public intellectuals from its ranks. It’s not just the traditional (and over-stated, I think) anti-popularizer disdain, but a real disgust at the idea of talking to people other than students (for which you’re paid) and colleagues (for which you actually get credit, if your colleagues approve) and home-improvement professionals (being upper middle-class pseudo-aristocrats in our own minds has its requirements).

Tenured academics might have an opportunity to be public intellectuals, and some of them might actually do some good, but there are cultural barriers. We need to break them down, and the internet can help, but it’s going to take some serious retooling.

By: tsk

tsk — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 06:31:34 +0000

(insert quote about good men doing nothing here)

kudos on the shop-setting. if you need help, i know a guy that makes killer sandwich boards. we could light up “history of islam” in flashing leds.

By: lapata

lapata — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 05:03:42 +0000

Rave on, Sepoy! Bear witness even when the crowd is gone. Also, we want more Jamaluddin Afghani, more Big Lebowski, and less Jacques Derrida, wherever possible.