Lately In The United Lankanosphere....

I met a rocket scientist the other day, a real live one, honestly I did. A nice bloke, a friend of Musicbiz Bro, but I don't think we need him to write a guest post to tell us all, with the use of equations and intellect that's only ever found inside a university campus, that the LTTE has been defeated and the activity on the Lankanosphere is a reflection of that.

With apologies to all who have been omitted but this edition of "Lately" is going to focus solely on the blogs and blog posts that have written about the end of the conflict. Whatever our views, whatever our race and for differing reasons most of us would agree that this is one of the biggest single events in our lives.

I've observed how the Lankanosphere has reacted to things with a high degree of interest and fascination as well. It's a fact that computers, blogs, the internet and technology are all becoming more accessible to more people by the minute, yet it's also a fact that those of us who currently communicate through these means are probably the more privileged members of society.

For me it's important to remember that, whether it's my opinion, VIC's, David Blacker's or whoever's, we're of a social strata that can afford to blog. We're not IDPs, nor are we likely to be the brave lower level serving soldiers, though DB was of course.

One of the things I've noticed is the different trends in the posts and reactions according to where the blogger concerned is situated. It makes perfect sense and, despite what I was trying to say above, that we're not necessarily representative of anything other than the Sri Lankan blogosphere, I wonder how much these geographical differences represent the views of Sri Lankans in general.

It seems that the bloggers who have been writing with total euphoria, total celebration and unadulterated joy are, for the most part, those who currently live in Sri Lanka. Remember those venn diagrams from school at this point, I'm not saying that all the bloggers who are Lankan based have been like that, I'm saying that all, or most, of the ones writing like that have been Lankan based. There's a big difference.

VIC has published a lot in recent days, he continues to be a dichotomy. He writes intelligent and well thought out bits that I agree with on one hand, then insults people who disagree with him on the other, or attempts to. He remains a bloke I'd love to meet and have a drink with, just to see what's he really like. I have an issue of credibility with him in that I can't take some of his good stuff that seriously when he's so blinkered in other ways. His talk about being positive, constructive and forward looking is bang on the money though, in my humble opinion.

Over on Lanka Libertarian Sitting Nut is all too predictable. He's so smart and so clever that he manages to write in the style of a permanent rant. One of his comments in reply to Dinidu says:

"...your low iq still in evidence. you do not say( in spite of repeated requests ) what you would have done with ltte but preach to ppl who answer that and act on their view. that is low contemptible intelectiual dishonesty. pure and simple. do your parents know that they have given birth to a mentally challenged knave? grow a brain if you can and then be honest . otherwise go comment in places where such low idiotic lies are tolerated as in indi padshow's cocoon ..."

I couldn't insult people like that if I tried. Then again I wouldn't want to, I far prefer to attempt intelectiual (sic) conversation and exploration of new thoughts and ideas than writing like I'm a kid stamping my feet and shouting with some poo stuck in my pants.

Some people have been asking what I consider as reasonable and genuine questions about the victory.

Ravana asks the question "Should we be celebrating?" and answers by quoting the opinions of several people on the current situation. It's an insightful post, one of Ravana's typical ones that will languish casually and pick up lots of comments in time to come.

Indi has bunged out a chunk of insightful posts too in recent days. There's not one that sticks out because they're all good, accompanied by photographs and video of quite literally the word on the street. In between all the action he went to prison too. What a guy. He's the Bruce Wayne of Sri Lanka, without the money, looks and car. Well, he's got a car but it's not a Batmobile. I think it might be a Toyota.

Jerry, him of the sort of beautiful, not quite insane mine, has been perving over pregnant women on the bus, then pretending that it's all to do with the conflict. We're not fooled by you Jerry, you can't get away with this bus groping and chest staring stuff that easily. I'm not a fan of his line

"Dark skin. Prime suspect, if previous bombers are to be considered"

but I'm a big fan of Jerry's writing in general. He's funny in a sophisticated way, like me, except I don't have the wit. Or the sophistication.

One of my favourites is this bundle of words written by the Gyppo girl. She's the whipped cream of the Lankanosphere, just with a devilishly tempting shot of whisky thrown in for a kick.

It seems that those who live in Lanka have exhaled, and are exhaling, massively. Natural behaviour if you've been involved on a day to day basis in everything over the years. I think the sense of jubilation must be greater the nearer you are to the centre of things. The diasporic members of the Lankanosphere are mostly exhaling too, but in a less intense and far more consciously controlled way.

There's still a sense of euphoria but it's covered in a tint of "that's great, now let's see". I don't think this is pessimism, some do. There are also people who live in Sri Lanka who are taking a similar wait and see approach, but with optimistic hopes. The subtle difference that I see is that the "locals" are more involved in the immediate joy of the conflict ending than the diaspora.

T, in her very eloquent way has written a couple of posts that mirror the thoughts of many. The first one, written on Monday, is interesting considering events since then. The second, entitled "Blind Faith" finishes with the line

"A nation at its loudest

Isn't always a nation at its wisest"

But T has it centre justified and in italics, which I resolutely refuse to do ever. It's a little bit of wisdom for sure.

On ViceUnVersa DD's gone and written some poetry. It's always a dodgy move this poetry writing lark, DD manages to get away with it because he puts in a lot of "fuck", "bollocks" and other hideously insulting language that makes things edgy. He's clever like that. He even has rhythm and structure to his poetry. Smartarse.

Even Kalusudda's weighed in with a political type post, unusual for him but interesting too.

There have been two posts that would have won the award for post of the week, maybe even the month, maybe the century, if I'd had one.

The first, which you've probably read is David Blacker's one here. It's so brilliantly written that it will bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye. My powers of the written whatsername won't do it justice so I can only urge you to read it.

The second is this one by Cynical Sach. There's a delicious irony in the fact that this journalist has managed to say what so many people are thinking, what so many have failed to portray through words.

In a picture.

Apart from that, well it's all been pretty quiet really.

I'll round off with something that I reckon sums things up for me. It's the simple fact that many are mistaking the concept of the military victory against the LTTE with that of long term harmony and peace.

I hope that the former leads to the latter.

Good weekend all.

RD