" Basil’s writings are a joy to read because although he is a learned and respected lawyer and human rights activist he chooses plain English to send his message. Clarity is his hallmark something Dayan has not heard of."
by Pearl Thevanayagam
(September 18, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) If you know a smattering of Gramsci, Trotsky and Tchaikovsky and spend five blundering years in an institution cramming endless tomes written by ancient scholars with the benevolence of grants, placing both your legs on the table eating pork scratchings during lectures, you are a scholar. All you need to get a PhD (Doctor of Philisophy) is write at least 10,000 words at the end this five long years whether you pull it off Wikipedia or pilfer from other students and the professori would always award you a PhD.
I actually know someone at Berkeley who did his PhD in ‘Ripped Jeans Culture’ and McDonalds also offers PhDs.
Now a PhD in science is another matter and those who do have this degree are very humble people since they do not need to flaunt their research or findings and there is a ready market for scientific discoveries.
But if you write about the ground situation, feel the pulse of the people and tell it as it is then you are unlettered illiterate according to the gospel of Dr Dayan Jayatilleke, politicial scientist. What science has got to do with politics is beyond me. So one would class Dayan’s father as illiterate since he did not finish his degree at Peradeniya. Yet Dayan cites him on every occasion. Yet the late Mervyn de Silva, bless his Bryllcreemed hair, is one of the most eminent and respected journalists Sri Lanka ever produced and he is widely known internationally.
In the same vein, the late Tarzie Vittachi, Manik de Silva with at least 46 years experience in print journalism and widely respected worldwide as an honest and intrepid journalist is so busy writing at least 20,000 words a day, H.L.D. Mahindapala, Edwin Aryadasa, the late Denzil Peiris and other distinguished journalists who did not have time to spend time obtaining degrees must be illiterate because they do not have titles after their names.
Mr Basil Fernando’s writings are a joy to read because although he is a learned and respected lawyer and human rights activist he chooses plain English to send his message. Clarity is his hallmark something Dayan has not heard of.
Dayan needs to get off his high horse and shine the torch inwards instead of drooling over those who managed to enter prestigious academic institutions.
Post a Comment