Message-ID: <m0vAaLO-000JqsB@rci.ripco.com> Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 06:29:02 -0500 From: "gene o'regon" <mailto:gene@SQN.COM> Subject: Re: Ideas and authors evolve or change their minds To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Dear Reinaldo,
I admit to being somewhat "put off" by your passionate rantings
against "appropriate technology" which I see as a concept to select third
world projects which have a fair chance of helping the people and the
country in which they are done, and which you see as a way of permanently
imprisoning third world countries in outmoded technology.
However your letter below, and especially
>"Los espejos y la copula son abominables
>porque multiplican el numero de hombres"
makes up for a lot of ranting. In addition, I do see your
point about appropriate technology, but my conclusion is -- better the
lower-tech project which involves local skills, improves local technology
and really works to improve the lot of people and country, than a high-tech
project which is likely to fail completely within 10 years, and requires
outside technical help on a continuing basis.
Gene
At 04:32 PM 10/4/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Dear Joaquim and friends:
>
>Grrr.... -the sound of a brazilian mad lion- I am in a fantastic mood today
>so I will skip the "tunnel vision" statement. No need. This is just ideas.
>And the discussion has been great. I am not-so academic, I am not an
>academic as all our friends can notice. I just read some time ago and now I
>have to face the situation. You can't deny Joaquim that people's ideas
>change with time -Never answered the issue about your president-. Please
>don't think that any of us, including me, as thinking about other people's
>needs. No doing so is a bit less than unhuman. Our difference is about the
>perspective as I said before in my INTENTION VS. REALITY. You as a
>technical government person -as I think read from your signature- know it.
>
>This brings perhaps another interesting topic. Have you noticed any change
>of ideology in 60's developmentalist authors between then and now? I
>personally find -I dont live in Brazil, though-, a radical change from
>President Cardoso and 1960's Cardoso. I have read a delightful short story
>from Jorge Luis Borges called "El Otro". I will dare to roughly translate a
>part where he evaluates his fictituos meeting with himself fifty years
>younger:
>
>"Half a century do not just passes by. Under our conversation of persons of
>miscelaneous readings and diverse likings, I understood that we could not
>understand each other. We were too different and too alike. We could not
>lie to each other, which makes a dialog difficult. Each one of us was the
>caricaturesque imitation of each other. The situation was very abnormal to
>last any longer. To advice or discuss was meaningless, because his
>unevitable destiny was to be who I am."
>
>This short story belongs to "El Libro de Arena" -The Sand Book"- from this
>great argentinian author. I don't advise you -as he did- to read his
>poetry.
>
>By the way, under my signature, there is a very funny but delightful piece
>from Borges that could translate something like "Mirrors and orgasms are
>abominable because multiply the number of men". Just a piece of Borges'
>fine humor.
>
>Best Regards,
>
>
>
>Reinaldo Vicini
mailto:>interext@anditel.andinet.lat.net
>http://www.colomsat.net.co/rotarios.bogota
>
>
>"Los espejos y la copula son abominables
>porque multiplican el numero de hombres"
>______________________________________
>
>Jorge Luis Borges
>
>----------