It is philosophical to say that it is not correct to over generalise or over simplify.
However, when one decides to take on someone/clan, especially the collective 'WEST' (which always tries to be preachy and patronising), one cannot be less aggressive and hint submissive attitude while trying to sound diplomatic.
That is for writers and some top leaders who want do not want to court controversies. But some time or other when long suppressed truth surfaces it has to be a violent cascade not a gentle stream. Few months back President of Kenya ripped apart in very polite terms and exposed the double standards and dubious dealing of all international institutions. One could see the obvious discomfort on the face of Macron, IMF chief and the World Bank head ( all their faces looked like someone controlling a fart inside a crowded elevator/lift).
Now, slowly and gradually, the dubious dirty deals that happen under the veneer of gentleness are getting exposed.
The Western bias needs to be exposed aggressively.
When I used to visit Madras University library during my pre-university days I was crazy about going through encyclopaedia both general and encyclopaedia of philosophy by Dagobert Runes etc. I used to keep wondering why in none of these books neither Swami Vivekananda nor Sri Aurobindo were even mentioned ( these two because most of their philosophical and spiritual speeches and talks were in English and they were more philosophical than the many acclaimed Western verbose writers - I am not getting into translated texts).
Then, I started hunting down books on Indian philosophy. There too, they were discussing very dry philosophical systems, not something about great saints and philosophers and their philosophical wisdom presented as basic didactic sermons that could be easily communicated and internalized with anecdotal experiences and episodes or through appealing short stories like the Zen and Sufi tales that would drive the message more effectively leaving a better impact.
We have also failed to document a lot of great things about Santhana Dharma and this has led to being fed by Western narratives alone in most cases.
So, the prism through which the world was perceived, the perspectives which pervaded the precincts of popular academic circles were all oriented towards not the Oriental but the Occidental ( a near fatal accidental experience whose wounds may get healed but the scars will remain).
So, we need not work hard nor get worked up in trying to obliterate this mishap or keep singing the refrain of we knew much more than the West much earlier than them ( though this may be or is the fact) but , instead, slowly, steadily and subtly convey our greatness through multiple modes of communication, which are fortunately, easily accessible to many, without either creating friction or fight or fanatical or frustrated venting of anger but fine tuned synergetic means in tune with prevailing contextual relevance.
This needs real intelligent, subtle nuanced and diplomatic delivery of the message.
It is unhealthy if we do not realize that human race is far more than the popular narratives, leave alone opportunities, it is consciously aware of as Jean Paul Sartre provides the example of the young man who puts his hand on his first date's hand. She, who does not really know him yet, must either leave her hand there or remove it. Either choice reveals something not part of her consciousness. We are far more than the limited opportunities/narratives or ideologies masquerading as philosophies at present in the world.
(@kansenclub) tweeted at 3:16 PM on Mon, Dec 27, 2021: