A parallel society, or alternate one?

["Ash Mahesh" <ash_mahesh@hotmail.com>]

I'd like to bring back some discussion on how we at IPI can move forward

with our thinking. At the root of my worries is the uncertainty over
whether we are attempting to build a parallel society to the one that
exists in India, or an alternative. Ultimately, we all seem to agree, we

want to get to some level of prosperity, freedom, etc., which is
laudable. But how exactly is that transition to be made. Do we define
new rules of operation and slowly apply it to ever larger sections of
the population until this parallel society has become the dominant one,
or do we wait to attain a position of strength from which the wholescale

implementation of these ideas is possible. By "we", I don't even
necessarily mean IPI, the question is just as real for anyone working
towards a better India.

Some of the premise on IPI, mostly advocated by Sanjeev, is that
attempts to enlarge parallel societies have largely failed, and that is
why we must go with alternative platforms first. I have always disagreed

with that, but not been able to make the distinction as clearly as I now

see it.

I urge that we discuss this question, find an answer and work towards
that transition as part of IPI's efforts now.


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