Arun Gandhi
Co-founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

Arun Gandhi

Gandhi is the fifth grandson of India’s legendary leader, Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi. He worked for 30 years as a journalist for The Times of India.

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The Scourge of E-mail

The Question: E-mail: Blessing or Curse?

Depending on what one's concept of progress is, E-mail can be a blessing or a curse. Although I am guilty of using E-mail more than snail mail I think it is a curse because it has made life faster when we need to slow down and enjoy the beauty of nature and living. Life was fast enough before E-mail and now it has just got to the point when we can't move away from the screen to see anyone or enjoy nature and the family. We have no time to cultivate relationships or interact with human beings (except snipe at each other on email) and this form of isolationism only leads to more violence in human societies. There is also the other aspect. Future scholars will find no written records to piece together the history of this period. We don't write much in E-mail and we don't save them as we did letters which provided material and color to historians. E-mail has made communications faster and has ended up in more work, work, work!!

By Arun Gandhi  |  March 13, 2008; 7:01 AM ET
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Goodbye Governator!

Posted by: Anonymous | March 24, 2008 5:00 PM
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Dear Farnaz,

You are wonderful and brilliant! You know, for the longest time, I could not figure out why Anonymous, who was so very smart, was continuing to correspond with that sub-cretin Gazelle. How on earth did you figure it out, Farnaz Jan?

I am sorry to be so familiar, but I feel like I know you. Do you see what these Christians have done, Farnaz? They have made the enemies of Iran their friends! And, now, everything is even worse than before.

I do not know too much about this bigot, Gandhi, but some Indians have told me that he is a bungler and a fool, nothing like Babu. Did you know he auctioned off his grandfather's letters?

When will you start posting from that wretched new testament? If you haven't the time, I can help you, Farnaz. I have read it, and I have it.

I am your fan, Farnaz.

Giti H

Posted by: Giti H | March 14, 2008 12:32 PM
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Dear Farnaz,

You are wonderful and brilliant! You know, for the longest time, I could not figure out why Anonymous, who was so very smart, was continuing to correspond with that sub-cretin Gazelle. How on earth did you figure it out, Farnaz Jan?

I am sorry to be so familiar, but I feel like I know you. Do you see what these Christians have done, Farnaz? They have made the enemies of Iran their friends! And, now, everything is even worse than before.

I do not know too much about this bigot, Gandhi, but some Indians have told me that he is a bungler and a fool, nothing like Babu. Did you know he auctioned off his grandfather's letters?

When will you start posting from that wretched new testament? If you haven't the time, I can help you, Farnaz. I have read it, and I have it.

I am your fan, Farnaz.

Giti H

Posted by: Giti H | March 14, 2008 12:31 PM
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The Moderate,
Hi, where have you been, I have not seen you for a while, you have been missed.

I have been well, mostly, some strange virus has been making me a little yucky.

I do not understand all the hate that seems to come out for no reason. It seems inconcievable that people can see what is happening and not want to throttle both sides. Hubris or stupidity.

terra

Posted by: Terra Gazelle | March 14, 2008 1:46 AM
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i did somthing i almost never do... iread some of the other comments bwefore i made mine. i useually like to speak then see where i fit into the discussion. i think i believe like you do that e-mails are neither bad not good... like matches are neither bad or good... only a tool. if used to light the pilot on the heater or to light a barbuque fire or a candle when the power goes off they are very noble instraments of good if used to start a forest fire or a malitov coctail or perhaps to burn down a church they are sinister and evil but the truthis they are merely the reflection of the human being that is using them. i see from this forum and some of the other comments some very small ignorant people who dont really have anything constructive to say about the topic or for that matter life in general use the e-mail as a monument to thier own inadiquicies and ignorance not to mention thier very own intolerance and hate which is what they themselves are trying to cast upon you... instead have painted themselves for all to see. the only real difference between electroniic and snail mail is sometimes people have time to actually think about what they are saying before they mail it. i find that to often it is too easy to jot down huridly poison words that really have no perspective. as for keeping record of emails i collect them in my history and when i have a fairly large amount i burn them onto a cd thus i always have reference to past corresponadace. it amazing how many people i have been able show what thier exact words were long after they themselves had forgotten them. i alos print out important or legal information ones when i'm dealing with companies or schools. this has proved to be invaluable. i also use the option that shows all the ip numbers and all the servers each correspondance went through thus making it a legal document. i look forward to you again speeking the truth to people to ignorant to be able to see themselves and thier government as the problem... oh yeah my anscestors were jewish and i consider israel to be terrorist terrorizer who kill far too many women and children far more than the terrorist actually kill. shame on both of them. i dont see the moral ground they stand on or make pitful accusation to peopel who are far far better human beings than they are and here i'm talking about you.. for all you ignorant hatemongers i'll pray for you since you obviously do not practice the religion you claim. you will have to answer to your God just like the torah says you will and remeber it was God himself who exhile you not the egyptians conquering you. it was for not obeying God. i'm not God but the way i read your scriptures you are in grave danger of being exhiled again... for your own actions. now write some hate nmail about the truth i have spoken or read your own book first.

Posted by: artistkvip | March 14, 2008 12:03 AM
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i did somthing i almost never do... iread some of the other comments bwefore i made mine. i useually like to speak then see where i fit into the discussion. i think i believe like you do that e-mails are neither bad not good... like matches are neither bad or good... only a tool. if used to light the pilot on the heater or to light a barbuque fire or a candle when the power goes off they are very noble instraments of good if used to start a forest fire or a malitov coctail or perhaps to burn down a church they are sinister and evil but the truthis they are merely the reflection of the human being that is using them. i see from this forum and some of the other comments some very small ignorant people who dont really have anything constructive to say about the topic or for that matter life in general use the e-mail as a monument to thier own inadiquicies and ignorance not to mention thier very own intolerance and hate which is what they themselves are trying to cast upon you... instead have painted themselves for all to see. the only real difference between electroniic and snail mail is sometimes people have time to actually think about what they are saying before they mail it. i find that to often it is too easy to jot down huridly poison words that really have no perspective. as for keeping record of emails i collect them in my history and when i have a fairly large amount i burn them onto a cd thus i always have reference to past corresponadace. it amazing how many people i have been able show what thier exact words were long after they themselves had forgotten them. i alos print out important or legal information ones when i'm dealing with companies or schools. this has proved to be invaluable. i also use the option that shows all the ip numbers and all the servers each correspondance went through thus making it a legal document. i look forward to you again speeking the truth to people to ignorant to be able to see themselves and thier government as the problem... oh yeah my anscestors were jewish and i consider israel to be terrorist terrorizer who kill far too many women and children far more than the terrorist actually kill. shame on both of them. i dont see the moral ground they stand on or make pitful accusation to peopel who are far far better human beings than they are and here i'm talking about you.. for all you ignorant hatemongers i'll pray for you since you obviously do not practice the religion you claim. you will have to answer to your God just like the torah says you will and remeber it was God himself who exhile you not the egyptians conquering you. it was for not obeying God. i'm not God but the way i read your scriptures you are in grave danger of being eshiled again... for your own actions. now write some hate nmail about the truth i have spoken or read your own book first.

Posted by: artistkvip | March 14, 2008 12:00 AM
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Mr. Gandhi,

Racists do not belong on panels on faith. They can certainly email, or, if they prefer, hand write their racist diatribes. It would, of course, be better of if they ceased and desisted, but that is unlikely.

Since Quinn won't fire you, would you have the good grace, the common decency, to spare those of us opposed to bigotry and resign?

An alternative would be for you to tell us what you "learned" from the aftermath of your January 7th racist cant, as Ms. Quinn promised us you would.

"Moderate"

You did not debate. With cowardice and immaturity, you attacked and threatened the professor after he had left off posting. (O,brave and worthy Moderate!) You then went off on a racist diatribe of your own, posting a truly hateful and ignorant rant. In response, I shall begin quoting from the "New" Testament, but I haven't the time right now.

What I will say is that you and your ilk still prefer not to see what made Mr. Gandhi's essay so offensive. Not a one of you. By blinding yourself you made debate impossible. You were told again and again that criticism of Israel is not the issue.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Gandhi had said similar things about the Christians?

I can because I saw what was said to the professor. And, you know what, that might have been his point.

By the way, you have not told us the particular Slavic group from which you were extracted.

Posted by: Farnaz | March 13, 2008 6:18 PM
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Mr. Gandhi,

Racists do not belong on panels on faith. They can certainly email, or, if they prefer, hand write their racist diatribes. It would, of course, be better of if they ceased and desisted, but that is unlikely.

Since Quinn won't fire you, would you have the good grace, the common decency, to spare those of us opposed to bigotry and resign?

An alternative would be for you to tell us what you "learned" from the aftermath of your January 7th racist cant, as Ms. Quinn promised us you would.

"Moderate"

You did not debate. With cowardice and immaturity, you attacked and threatened the professor after he had left off posting. (O,brave and worthy Moderate!) You then went off on a racist diatribe of your own, posting a truly hateful and ignorant rant. In response, I shall begin quoting from the "New" Testament, but I haven't the time right now.

What I will say is that you and your ilk still prefer not to see what made Mr. Gandhi's essay so offensive. Not a one of you. By blinding yourself you made debate impossible. You were told again and again that criticism of Israel is not the issue.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Gandhi had said similar things about the Christians?

I can because I saw what was said to the professor. And, you know what, that might have been his point.

By the way, you have not told us the particular Slavic group from which you were extracted.

Posted by: Farnaz | March 13, 2008 6:17 PM
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J
O
Z
E
V
Z


.
U
S


J
O
Z
E
V
Z

.
U
S

Posted by: NOMASTAY | March 13, 2008 2:12 PM
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Oh goody another tool complaining about a tool because he can't effectively use it.

Posted by: garyd | March 13, 2008 12:45 PM
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Hi Terra,

Merry Meet!

I hope all is well out your way. Some of the flak you took last week was not nice at all. Some folks need to clean up their acts. I am not perfect all the time, but I try to respect everyone's humanity even in strenuous debate. Maybe the newbs will learn to be civil in a while.

Posted by: The Moderate | March 12, 2008 10:48 PM
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"...we can't move away from the screen to see anyone or enjoy nature and the family. We have no time to cultivate relationships or interact with human beings..."

Who do you mean as "we"? The 2 billion people with internet connections? The small number of Washington Elites that are in your circle? Information from a junk poll?

Anyone spending that much time on email needs to press the delete button. But of course, it's easy to write false generalizations about the "other".

Posted by: Miguel Zambrano | March 12, 2008 7:42 PM
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Mr. Gandi,
I am sorry for the neanderthals that attack you...I am ashamed that they claim humanity. Most have not learned to use tools not alone reason.

Namaste,
terra

Posted by: Terra Gazelle | March 12, 2008 5:16 PM
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Josh,

You are way out of line! Why don't you keep your hate mail to yourself?

Posted by: Gaby | March 12, 2008 4:50 PM
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