Is the Era of Rented Intellectuals over in India?
Hello Friends,
My book ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY? has won an international recognition:
Series 35:
This post is a sequel to Series 33 titled Spiritual Secularism, Spiritual Liberalism, Spiritual Hindutva (click here to read) that I posted on May, 9, 2014. I had written how, often, in the garb of taking a high moral ground or an esteemed value system, we pursue an agenda. I had also written how, most of us educated, 'intellectuals' have been inauthentic, irrespective of which side of the political spectrum we adhere to, those who swear by secular liberalism as well as those who find fault with it. This phenomenon has been fairly widespread.
This post is a sequel to Series 33 titled Spiritual Secularism, Spiritual Liberalism, Spiritual Hindutva (click here to read) that I posted on May, 9, 2014. I had written how, often, in the garb of taking a high moral ground or an esteemed value system, we pursue an agenda. I had also written how, most of us educated, 'intellectuals' have been inauthentic, irrespective of which side of the political spectrum we adhere to, those who swear by secular liberalism as well as those who find fault with it. This phenomenon has been fairly widespread.
Authenticity is a matter of spirit. It does not have much to do with honesty. For, very often we are 'technically correct' and hence, honest. But if there is a motive hidden behind our stance, we are being inauthentic, even though factually right. It is for each one of us to judge, based on our intellectual honesty, whether we have been authentic.
Ironically, by secretly being inauthentic, we might successfully score a point or win an argument, but we personally pay the price for inauthenticity, by moving away from FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS. Readers of this blog as well as my book, ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY? will appreciate this dimension. Inauthenticity is the source of all misery and grief. We might cleverly deny or avoid it, but that's the truth.
I had written Series 33 in the backdrop of a very nasty debate leading up to the Indian elections. The results have surprised many.
Post election results, one class of intellectuals are finding themselves very uncomfortable: the secular, liberals. Even economists with leftist leanings. Somehow in India, if you uphold liberal values, it is expected that you ought to be left leaning. It has become impossible for anyone to not agree with the left ideology, and still be counted as a liberal. This hypocrisy has been the worst outcome of INAUTHENTICITY.
I repeat what I had written before. A secular, liberal framework is an essential and inseparable dimension of our nationhood. The solidity of this framework is enshrined in our Constitution with numerous institutions standing guard to ensure that this value system prevails. Any breach of this principle needs to be punished with severity. Lapses do occur and it would be incorrect to say that the guilty are always caught and punished. But we are progressing as a secular, liberal democracy with all its infirmities, warts and all.
The manner in which some intellectuals, including liberals, journalists and economists, had risen to become the sole conscience keepers of our nation had become disturbing. The agenda was clear. There was a huge stake in somehow maintaining status quo. Why? Was there a symbiotic relationship with the establishment? Was there a vested interest? Which is why I have used the term 'rented intellectuals' in the title of this post. Inauthenticity was screaming from much that this intellectual class was voicing.
Mercifully, I find some change of heart, or possibly, a change of tack. For, denial is rock solid and it takes time to acknowledge. In fact one famous journalist openly admitted to the widespread goof-up. I admire his courage. Those interested can click here to read it: A missive to distraught liberals.
I repeat what I had written before. A secular, liberal framework is an essential and inseparable dimension of our nationhood. The solidity of this framework is enshrined in our Constitution with numerous institutions standing guard to ensure that this value system prevails. Any breach of this principle needs to be punished with severity. Lapses do occur and it would be incorrect to say that the guilty are always caught and punished. But we are progressing as a secular, liberal democracy with all its infirmities, warts and all.
The manner in which some intellectuals, including liberals, journalists and economists, had risen to become the sole conscience keepers of our nation had become disturbing. The agenda was clear. There was a huge stake in somehow maintaining status quo. Why? Was there a symbiotic relationship with the establishment? Was there a vested interest? Which is why I have used the term 'rented intellectuals' in the title of this post. Inauthenticity was screaming from much that this intellectual class was voicing.
Mercifully, I find some change of heart, or possibly, a change of tack. For, denial is rock solid and it takes time to acknowledge. In fact one famous journalist openly admitted to the widespread goof-up. I admire his courage. Those interested can click here to read it: A missive to distraught liberals.
This phenomenon is not peculiar to India. Interestingly, the term 'embedded journalism' first came to be used in the media coverage of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. This practice has been criticised as being part of a propaganda campaign with a bias sympathetic to the invading forces. The whole world knows that the entire premise of the attack on Iraq was based on lies. The truth always comes out - sooner or later. Unfortunately a lot of harm is caused, often irreversible, by the time the truth is revealed.
While the days of such entrenched liberals may have got over in India, one has to be careful to see that the opposite class of vested interest does not get embedded now in the space vacated. We, all citizens, have to be alert and true to ourselves to see that no more games are played. The nation pays a very heavy price. Let us stay clear of the extreme ideologies, Left or Right, and let us focus on what is correct for the nation. Differences of opinion should always be given space and respected. Opinion that is not backed by dogma (secretly supported by ego) or some ulterior motive is always worth considering. That is the stuff of honest opinion. Therein lies the importance of AUTHENTICITY.
One last word: freedom of speech and expression must be upheld under all circumstances. We have had too many books being banned or withdrawn, artists and authors banished from the country. The law of our land is not fully tolerant of the highest standards of freedom of expression. Let us display the courage to amend laws, if necessary. If you don't like some opinions or expressions, either ignore them or challenge them with your own opinion. Creative expression has to be allowed unchecked. In a free-wheeling culture, those operating with agendas are going to get exposed in the midst of healthy debate.
One last word: freedom of speech and expression must be upheld under all circumstances. We have had too many books being banned or withdrawn, artists and authors banished from the country. The law of our land is not fully tolerant of the highest standards of freedom of expression. Let us display the courage to amend laws, if necessary. If you don't like some opinions or expressions, either ignore them or challenge them with your own opinion. Creative expression has to be allowed unchecked. In a free-wheeling culture, those operating with agendas are going to get exposed in the midst of healthy debate.
Cheers!
Deepak Chatterjee
chatterjee.deepak33@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/deepak.chatterjee.944
@Deepak33C
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Very very well said, sir :)
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DeleteCitizens must educate themselves, with an open mind, about their leaders. There is simply no excuse, in this internet age, for at least the educated, tech-savy citizens in a democracy to be clueless about how the establishment functions and who benefits from it. Freedom of expression and voting rights in uninformed hands does not bode well for any democratic republic.
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