Indian Narcissism

As Indians we tend to have many false notions about ourselves. We are the most intelligent. We are the most cultured people. We are IT super-power. American industry runs on Indian intelligence blah blah blah..

I am reading the book -- "Weapons of Peace" by Raj Chengappa. On page number 68 there is an interesting observation he makes. I am reproducing it :

By the eighth century Indian science and creativity reached its zenith and boasted of such greats as Aryabhatta, the mathematician, Charaka, the physician and Varahamihira, the astronomer. But as the first millennium ended it had been reduced to a flicker. India lost its technological edge, more so in weaponry. Yet it lived foolishly in the belief of its greatness.

As Indian civilization decayed it became easy prey to invaders. Al-Buruni, the gifted eleventh century scholar employed in the court of Mahmud of Ghazni, the Muslim invader who ransacked India, wrote : 'The Hindus believe that there is no country but theirs, no nation but theirs, no kings like theirs, no religion like theirs, no science like theirs. They are haughty, foolishly vain, self-conceited and stolid ... If they traveled and mixed with other nations they would soon change their mind, for their ancestors were not so narrow minded as the present generation is.'

Surprisingly, how true these words are for the present generation Indians after their country having been through thousand years of oppressive rule ! Our society is one with high self-conceit and low self-confidence -- paradoxical yet true !