What to do with such people?

 

 

A highly respected, erudite and very pious and absolutely honoured friend for me was listing some possible methods by which the discussion in social media can be conducted in the most affable manner with due consideration for views in favour of the basic post and not exactly in favour of such views.

True, this can be possible among persons with some sense of fairness.

However, are the facts of the case really so objective?

My response

"All these procedural aspects are very welcome, provided the person who initiates the discussion starts with some reasonable authenticity for the facts and views.

Here, people initiate most of the threads with no care or concern for facts or authenticity and often even the first post is a just cut-and -paste from some other obscure source.

The participants are equally biased.

No one shows any respect for the alternate view.

Highly opinionated discussions alone thrive in social media.

How can you prescribe rules and conditions in such a situation?

Let me share an experience.

I quoted an old saying in Sanskrit from a celebrated text. “Even if we plant a seed of Neem in a mountain of sugar and irrigate the seed with milk, still the growing plant will have leaves and fruits of bitter taste.” (गुलपर्वतमध्यस्थं निम्बबीजं प्रतिष्टितम्।

पयोवर्षसहस्रेण निम्बः किं मधुरायते॥)

The argument was that some things could not leave their natural tendencies and tastes.

One woman was replying that Neem was a divine plant, a medicinal plant and therefore we should not insult it stating that the plant is having seeds and leaves bitter in taste.

I pointed out to her repeatedly that the issue under discussion was the natural bitterness of the plant and the discussion had nothing to do with the divine nature of Veppu or its medicinal qualities.

Even though I had explained to her the facts from all angles, still she became cross, abusive, left the discussion, and left the group too.

What to do with such people?