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What about standing up to bad people in their own country? If everyone flees from the crooks, kleptocrats and nuts, then the crooks, kleptocrats and nuts win.

What about standing up to bad people in their own country? If everyone flees from the crooks, kleptocrats and nuts, then the crooks, kleptocrats and nuts win. Somebody has to stand up to them someday.

srean 12y ago
Would you ? Have you ?
- tosseraccount 12y ago
  Yes.
  - palakchokshi 12y ago
    Please elaborate. Was it life threatening to stand up to these nuts for you? who were these nuts? What were you standing up against?
themodelplumber 12y ago
Well, rather than being killed dead, he got a nice writeup by the BBC, which is read by quite a few of his countrymen. I'd say he's taken a wiser path.
drzaiusapelord 12y ago
That only works when there's a popular movement or political bloc surrounding you. The guys who go up against the gurus and miracle-men are a small minority. There was a NYTimes write-up not too long ago linked here explaining the situation. It all sounds pretty hopeless. Fleeing is the only smart move here. Also, a high profile skeptic there was recently murdered: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/world/asia/battling-superstition-indian-paid-with-his-life.html?pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/world/asia/battling-supers... When the "bad people" are your neighbors, the majority, and the government, the law, the constitution, etc who exactly is going to take your side and free you from prison?
icambron 12y ago
You're asking him to prioritize the glory of "standing up" over his life. That's an absurd expectation to put on a human being, and it's not clear that it would accomplish anything anyway.
- srean 12y ago
  I dont have problems with people having such expectations as long as they themselves lead by example. Its too easy to pass judgments about what personal risk somebody else is supposed to take from a position of safety and anonymity. EDIT @icambron minor point, my position is the converse of what you interpreted: i.e. If you are going to tell me what to do then lead by example.
  - icambron 12y ago
    I agree with your second sentence, but not your first. "I'm willing to die for my causes so you should be willing to die for yours." No thanks.
arjunnarayan 12y ago
No thanks, I have better things to do, and larger ambitions. The crooks, nuts, and kleptocrats can rule over the inevitable wasteland they will create.
Crito 12y ago
"He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day." What will give him the best long-term outcome? Persisting on this issue while still in India, and getting himself arrested or killed, or preserving his life and freedom so that he may have several more decades to continue this fight? Martyrdom is massively overrated.

srean 12y ago

Would you ? Have you ?

tosseraccount 12y ago
Yes.
- palakchokshi 12y ago
  Please elaborate. Was it life threatening to stand up to these nuts for you? who were these nuts? What were you standing up against?

themodelplumber 12y ago

Well, rather than being killed dead, he got a nice writeup by the BBC, which is read by quite a few of his countrymen. I'd say he's taken a wiser path.

drzaiusapelord 12y ago

That only works when there's a popular movement or political bloc surrounding you. The guys who go up against the gurus and miracle-men are a small minority. There was a NYTimes write-up not too long ago linked here explaining the situation. It all sounds pretty hopeless. Fleeing is the only smart move here. Also, a high profile skeptic there was recently murdered: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/world/asia/battling-superstition-indian-paid-with-his-life.html?pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/world/asia/battling-supers... When the "bad people" are your neighbors, the majority, and the government, the law, the constitution, etc who exactly is going to take your side and free you from prison?

icambron 12y ago

You're asking him to prioritize the glory of "standing up" over his life. That's an absurd expectation to put on a human being, and it's not clear that it would accomplish anything anyway.

srean 12y ago
I dont have problems with people having such expectations as long as they themselves lead by example. Its too easy to pass judgments about what personal risk somebody else is supposed to take from a position of safety and anonymity. EDIT @icambron minor point, my position is the converse of what you interpreted: i.e. If you are going to tell me what to do then lead by example.
- icambron 12y ago
  I agree with your second sentence, but not your first. "I'm willing to die for my causes so you should be willing to die for yours." No thanks.

arjunnarayan 12y ago

No thanks, I have better things to do, and larger ambitions. The crooks, nuts, and kleptocrats can rule over the inevitable wasteland they will create.

Crito 12y ago

"He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day." What will give him the best long-term outcome? Persisting on this issue while still in India, and getting himself arrested or killed, or preserving his life and freedom so that he may have several more decades to continue this fight? Martyrdom is massively overrated.