Robert Cribb discusses about the circle of esteem, standard works and euphoric couplets. I think, Cribb is such a skeptic person. However, in some arguments, I share opinion with him. In term of circle of esteem, I think it might be also related to the Bigalke’s writing. The circle of esteem could arrange from the points of keys. Such a student, I also ask my self that am I a member of circle of esteem? If so, what am I going to receive and give to be the member? If not, why am I not a member of circle of esteem and what could happen? Or do I need becoming a member?
Cribb states that the production of knowledge as an industrial process, which means that everything depends on the market demands. I think that circle of esteem might be as a vehicle of industrial knowledge. If circle of esteem works under industrial demands, for sure the ideal of research will lose. Actually, the case of industrial knowledge also manacles students. When they received scholarships, they should research under the request of the funding.
Standard works and euphoric couplets are parts of a role in circle of esteem. Standard works is the references that are always used to be reliable citations for scholars. As a result, the researchers never move from the circle. So who make the standard works? Indeed, I am not able to find the certain criteria of standard works from Cribb. I think when Cribb describes about how to write the standard works, it is uncertain. There are many quality books about Indonesia, for instance, but they are not included to be standard works. Does standard works link to the industrial knowledge? Is standard works the new face of hegemony of knowledge?
For people who have initiative to do outside the standard works, they choose euphoric couplets. With the provocative terms, researchers break in the standard works. Circle takes some example books and articles of euphoric couplets such as “imagined community” by Benedict Anderson. However, I think right now there are many book such Anderson’s books that already become the primary references of researchers, so can they be categorized that they are standard works? if so, do we need “new” euphoric couplets?.
