Friday 27 December 2013

Gandhi, Rawls & Academic Credentialism

(From Prof. B.N. Ghosh's - Beyond Gandhian Economics)
What was the jajmani system of ancient India? Essentially, it was a system that redistributed wealth and income towards those whom, in a well ordered Social Order, we would expect to be the least well off- viz. those descended from, or otherwise modeling their behavior on, mad fuckers, violent sociopaths, or lazy cunts.
The mad fuckers were known as Rishis and the Brahmin caste, of which I am so estimable an ornament, are descended from them. These Rishis had a problem with premature ejaculation. When ever they saw a pretty girl in the distance, they'd shoot their load and then that sperm would be collected in a jar or leaf or some other utensil and conveyed to where it would do most good. Clearly, mad perpetually prematurely ejaculating fuckers are going to be the least well off, and least respected members of a Well Ordered Society. Thus, if there's a chance, when choosing from behind the Rawlsian veil of ignorance, that we might be descended from Rishis, we would stipulate that Bhramins should be treated as the highest caste..
Since being descended from sociopathic nutjobs is less humiliating than being a Bhramin, the Aristocratic Kshatriya class must content itself with second place- unless actually occupying the throne, in which case they get to be God.
As for the money-lending Bania, this was Gandhi's own caste, no very great humiliation attaches to being descended from a lazy cunt- indeed, amongst the English, the definition of a gentleman was one who belonged to the leisured caste- so, though still comfortably above the non-jajman 'Service' castes who do the actual work, they must content themselves with third place.

As Gandhi points out, granted a Lamarckian inheritance of acquired characteristics, the ancient Indian system would have been truly perfectly compassionate. Unfortunately, Brahmin priests weren't totally shit, so they didn't deserve to be treated as the highest caste. Furthermore, Kshatriyas weren't sociopathic nitwits, so they didn't really deserve their Aristocratic status. Banias too were energetic and forward thinking.
Still, what isn't true about genetics may be true about training and education. Hence, Academic Credentialism is both Rawlsian and Gandhian.

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