Some requests for future blog posts: Your profile says (if I remember correctly) that you are a trained meditation teacher or something of the sort. I would like to see some more posts about your experience with Buddhism.

Also I would love to see more posts on economics in the style of Buddhist Sutras… “Thus we have heard…” etc. I tried finding that one post I remembered but couldn’t find it since you changed the format of the site. I really enjoyed that post but haven’t seen more of those since.

To me, being a man of action is much more respectable than spewing words of wisdom. I would like to know more about your projects and things you do as an Economist that translates your thoughts into action.

And keep the rant and/or your words of wisdom going!!

Wish list: more economics lessons and education. also, perhaps ‘dhamma’

I am slowly, ever so slowly, reading an elementary book on Economics. Perhaps will be wiser to understand your mode complex arguments.

The blog is going great, otherwise.

Thanks for the feedback. I will try to post more frequently. Being the lazy bum, however, I am forever falling behind. It takes me forever to translate a thought into a post. Getting started is the most significant barrier — but once I do, it is pretty hard to stop, as you can see from my long posts.

Bouquets…I like the clear and concise way you express yourself. All your posts are very well thought out and well argued and that makes me visit your blog everyday.

I must admit, more than the economic and development related issues, I enjoy your take on SSRS and similar articles!

Brickbats…I wish you post more frequently! I also wish it was easier to comment; I have to login to comment here.

Your comments on the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) controversial recommendations ?

As you correctly point out, I do rant a bit. It is part of the package. I am not lukewarm towards matters that I feel need immediate attention. But it is not an irrational rage. It is rage against irrationality.

Do I think that I am absolutely right? Only in certain matters and in only those for which the evidence is overwhelming that that is how the world is. Moreover, I am just an observer and not the discoverer or inventor of those truths.

My position is this: that there is an objective world out there. Some truths of that world has been partially glimpsed at by some very smart people. I have had access to a very small subset of those and have internalized them in a coherent and consistent world view. As I understand more of the truths, my view continues to change and becomes more comprehensive. My goal is to learn not just for the pure delight that arises out of comprehending the world but also that if I ever attempt to meddle in the world, at the very least I will not make things worse. I don’t want to be like a monkey attempting to save fish from drowning by putting them up on trees.

My rage is basically focused on monkeys saving fish.

Bouquets: Wonderful, clear writing on themes of economics. I learned a lot of things.

Brickbats: You rant quite a bit, and you’ll probably be the first to admit that. Your rage – an intense rage, sometimes bordering on hatred – is quite disturbing at times. It seems to stem from the belief that you are absolutely right.

But then this tone of yours is a pleasure too because it does challenge some preconceived notions that I’ve held and am slowly beginning to rethink.

I am very very sorry to hear that. Really now. Come on! Sure things are not what it should have been with regards to India. But it can only get better. Confronting the bad stuff is only the first step towards getting things fixed. The day we stop complaining will be a sad day because we would have given up.

A business friend of mine once told me that his employees know that as long as he yells and screams at them when they screw up, they know that it is alright. Because they know that the boss generally doesn’t bother getting on an employee’s case who is about to be fired.

If India were a totally hopeless basket case, some of us would not even bother bitching about India.

I am from bombay I look forward for your enlightening website and log almost daily for new posts.But one thing is that the things posted on this website have made me feel ashamed to be being indian,not that i was not before but i am more ashamed.hope you dont get bogged down in infamous mumbai traffic.

I am sorry that if you have gotten the impression that I advocate no action unless the perfect is attained.

I am willing to settle for the good if that does not get in the way of an attainable perfection. Actually, a perfection is unattainable by definition in this imperfect world.

What I am for is an attainable good. I believe that a little bit of reflection is needed and mostly people miss the good because they don’t fully comprehend the distinction between the symptoms and the causes.

I think that addressing the causes is important.

The above approach has a risk. The risk of an endless wait to get the perfect solution. For small problems, perfect solution is feasible. For large problems, perfect solution without dirtying hands looks very difficult. (I am being polite here by not using the word impossible).

So Atanu, what to do?