Quote Originally Posted by selvakumar View Post
My respect and admiration for Leoni is increasing day by day. I have become an ardent fan of him with every pattimandram. His reach to all sections of the society is not surprising. He had taken what was once used to be only for elite crowd to everyone.


He represents a strong anti-intellectualism, a bane of Tamil public discourse. Not only do they represent a lack of knowledge but the audacity to ridicule it. He is a posterboy for the 'arrogance of the ignorant'.

There is no 'debate' at all. There is just a serial exchange of peppered jokes. No arguments are made. One side will pick their best example and the opponent's worst example and earn laughs. The other side will do the same. Non-sequitirs, gentle ad-hominems, exaggeration for effect - these constitute his 'technique'.

And then one thoughtlessly blames our 'education system' for people not having critical reasoning. This is the 'example' of critical thinking that is out there to purvey.

He democritized pattimandrams the same way T20 democritized cricket - by keeping the trappings and completely removing the essence. By descending to the lowest common denominator and ensuring they stay s. By assuring them that ignorance is nothing to be ashamed about. That knowledge and intellectual effort is to be mocked and derided at.

He gives the illusion to the listener that he has also participated in some though exercise. Can you imagine the mind that seriously considers ANY of the debater's points as persuasive arguments leading to somewhere.

His only achievement is he has made Pappiah look better!

He was funny - adhu vERa department. He was funny in the late 90s. Used to devour his tapes. But IMO he has largely lost it.

His popularity is symptomatic of our celebration of philistinism. idhellAm Charu Nivedhita sariyA dhaan thitturaapla-nu solluvEn.