I have read about Eunice Newton Foote
sometime back (today morning happen read it again at https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/09/12/eunice-newton-foote/
-this is an interesting site run by Maria Popova that has random articles posted
everyday, refreshingly insightful on people who matter -their ideas,
thoughts and awareness). She was the first scientist to demonstrate the ability of atmospheric water vapor
and carbon dioxide to affect solar heating, and predicted that increased atmospheric CO2 would make Earth hotter, “an atmosphere of that gas would give to
our earth a high temperature” -a fact now accepted as the main cause of climate change.
Her paper was presented at the meeting of American Association for the Advancement
of Science in 1856, by a male scientist. Few years
later John Tyndall (who was very likely aware of Ms. Foote's work) conducted experiment
with similar result on the role of CO2 in atmospheric temperature. He didn’t find
it necessary to acknowledge Ms. Foote as is the norm indeed ethical prerequisite for any research paper or else it is plagiarism.
Tyndall’s experiment though was sophisticated in that it measured infrared
absorption by C02. Also to be noted was Tyndall's strong opposition to women’s suffrage. It’s not difficult
to connect the dots. Eunice lived during a period when women were meant
to have limited role in society. She did experiments when women were not
expected to. She was in the forefront of women’s suffrage movement in US. What is shocking though is to downplay gender bias against Foote or toxic patriarchy by some of the contemporary narration controllers. There is no need to sanitize history
and retrofit with festoons of choice.
West need
not redact history. Ofcourse there were serious systemic violations but what
need to be acknowledged is that brilliant women like Eunice would not have seen
light of the day in most part of the world, and still cannot. Eunice was based
in US while Tyndall was Irish. Some societies were able to nurture their best
and indeed made effort to acquire better ideas and thought from across the
world. Western world was significant in its ability to consolidate science into
systematic understanding of great value that was shared across the world and became precursor to amazing technological developments as also significant social changes that it initiated. Science consolidates humanistic values and evolves mind into better possibilities. Ancient
Greek played a pivotal role in the advancement of humanity that put
foundation of western civilization and abiding framework for best minds to
explore. There is no need for self-flagellation, atrocities were committed
against race and gender, but what needs vigilance is whether such systemic
prejudices and biases still exists. Are systems closely scrutinized? Are we by our lazy patronizing and culture ‘relativism’
excuse lacking critical scrutiny and empathetic involvement, mystifying the
exotic for safe dealing, tainted as we are from the past -that is invoked to
suit the narration?
Shocking
It is shocking
that a british news media channel had the audacity to use caste cannibalized
word. Sufficient warnings were given even then they refuse to mend their ways
shows the level of arrogance and proprietary confidence that louts who migrated
from Indian subcontinent has entitled them as representing. Racist colonial
monarchist used primitive Indians with minimum of efforts, by playing the egos
of nincompoops -even throwing them occasional bones through number of gun salutes juvenilities to
keep these parasites satisfied in their own muck. Squatter authenticated nincompoops have
since worked on redacted history to retrofit history of valor, some even achieving
mythical status to awe the herd. Bunch of shopkeepers were able to
capture a subcontinent within a matter of few decades and rule for few centuries
shows the caliber -essentially lack of basic involvement with realities or equipped to deal. They did
what they were bred for by siding with the powerful hence became conduit for
exploitation. In the meantime, the main concern was to keep the herd in control.
British understood this very well and played along and nurtured the worst who then extended
the well-suited act of freedom struggle while exploiting the society and
nature. In this process deviant lexicon were exchanged and normalized. What was
being normalized was caste cannibalized world as exotic. With racist monarchist feudals
caste cannibals weaved an idea of India. Words like 'Pariah' and 'Pundit' are putrefied
pus that has oozed into English. Ideas of blessing and fate.
Caste cannibalized
words have no space in civilized society and must be expunged at the earliest. That mediocre Indians
posing as intellectuals, artists, civil society and even writer -who deal with nuance
of language and should be aware of the import, were incapable to point out this
severe transgression shows the culpability and overwhelming influence of regressive
society. This from a society which seems to have positioned as moral torchbearer
-that seems to be in danger through hindutva! I recall many years back when a trash
mouth politician referred to another politician (who was CM of TN) as ‘pariah’.
She was furious, not because this violation is normalized in English but because
she is called as one. Cunning trash mouth excused by saying that this is just English
language while squatter ensconced English media dutifully reported without any
ethical ambiguity. Meanwhile note that some people in this region are classified
as such, as 'pariah community', and are forced to carry this reference by squatter infected world and
further pushed through state. Imagine the grievous violation of human life. Imagine the lack of concern. Imagine the children. Sniffing mami and sons may sniff matrimonial di*k/c*unt arrangement possibilities while word defecating vermin with call center accent may wallow in rotten thali, cud chewing cadavers (read gandhians) incapable to see human will hug harijans…this
society is too primitive to worth consideration. Audacity of ritual vegetarian as civilized and entitled place in universe.
AND what
is much shocking is that these words are used with such normalcy at international
level as if this is English, and that there is nothing more to it except fixed meanings authenticated by dictionaries. Lack of outrage shows deeper malaise, Indians don’t
really measure up. And yes, any Indian ‘chosen’ by west to represent India will
be critically scrutinized, and damned. Beware. Nothing is normal no more.
Post Script:
This i saw the other day at zoo visit. Quite tired of explaining but yes white feathered/hence pure/good omen is 'brahminy kite' (in local language it has reference of god) and dark one -essentially seen in garbage mound hence dirty/impure, is named 'pariah kite'. This is a uniquely uncivilized society. With colonial racist britisher they even infected naming of birds. They must remove these appalling names at the earliest. Wherever caste cannibals have left their influence/infection must be expunged/sanitized.
