On reactions to Audrey Truschke’s rants It’s disappointing most counters come from H-Right. Her fellow indologists of repute don’t take her on, which reduces H-trust in them E.g. Edwin Bryant works in the same university as Audrey. You don’t see him taking her on Indologists often complain about how H-side is too much into conspiracy theories, and disrespectful of academia, mainstream scholarship etc But you don’t help matters with your selective outrage and silence H’s loss of faith in the system is understandable. It is v evident there is tribalism at work and maybe even a covert form of racism - Where nonsense that is critical of Hindus is tolerated and even tacitly encouraged by those who ought to know better, While nonsense that emanates from Hindus is picked on with alacrity.
Some claim that Truschke doesn’t make any obvious factual errors, so why are we all upset? It’s OK to give her an audience as she isn’t claiming 2+2 = 5. That’s silly. It’s about deliberate errors of omission and one-sided narrative pushed day in and out. When you push a certain narrative selectively and make no attempt to be even-handed or fair to all sides, then the other side will lose faith in your intentions. It is up to the indologists to win the trust of the culture they claim to study, by being explicitly even handed.
A good example of the need for “even handed”-ness is in the AIT debate Now I favor some form of AIT myself. But the mechanics of AIT can be questioned by well meaning people on the other side Their doubts don’t get a fair hearing. Airy dismissal of all doubts and characterizing the other side by highlighting its worst arguments are definitely not in good faith When that happens, the H-side loses further trust. And there’s a total breakdown in dialogue.