Masses versus Intellectuals
By Sumit Paul,
New Age Islam
4 June
2024
"Unlike
The Masses, Intellectuals Have A Taste For Rationality And Interest In Facts. Their
Critical Habit Of Mind Makes Them Resistant To The Kind Of Propaganda That
Works So Well On The Majority. "
Aldous Huxley
Huxley's
quote assumes much greater relevance in these mediocre times. When the masses
go gaga over a megalomaniac's 45-hr 'meditation,' intellectuals remain
unaffected by such gimmicks. They question the relevance of this ostentatious
meditation when the hustings are going on.
What
the intellect sees, idiocy skips. Propaganda and preaching are for the gullible
masses. Intellectuals remain unaffected by them. Hakim Sanai wrote in Pashto, "DiqSaf Min BazShee Qin AzNamazin"(a
fool is more interested in knowing whether people are seeing him offer Namaz).
But an intelligent worshipper is not interested in making a display of his
piety. He does it silently and sans any fanfare.
Centuries
ago, Confucius told his disciple Mingchowk that there was a dire dearth of
those who could think and rationalise. Things haven't changed even after
centuries. You find a handful of people who apply their brains and remain
unaffected and unimpressed by the moonshine.
Once
Rumi asked his mentor and companion Shams Tabrizi (Shams was 22 years senior to
Rumi), why doesn't he (Shams) read the Quran regularly despite having great
faith in Allah? Shams' reply transformed Rumi's thinking. He (Shams) said,
“I’ve great respect for the Quran but I've greater respect for Allah. So,
despite the Quran being Allah's unalloyed message, I'm more focused on the
source itself." In other words, Shams was more into Allah than all his
paraphernalia, viz, Quran and even Muhammad.
An
intellectual is always focused, whereas a mediocre person or the masses will be
more interested in the frills and fancies. Masses and mediocre people will
waste their time in explaining and analysing their holy books and tenets
because they cannot go beyond that. Au contraire, intellectuals will prefer to
concentrate on the source.
There's
an episode in Mahabharata. When Yudhishthir went to meet the grand patriarch,
Bhishma. Yudhishthir asked Bhishma, "Kim
SaadrishyamChintanSamooh Para BuddhimaanAste?” (How does the thinking of
the intelligent differ from that of the masses). Bhishma replied succinctly, Masses
think brainlessly. Intellectuals think with brains. “In short, the masses are
unthinking and the intellectuals are thinking.
A
thinking mind will never be impressed by the gimmicks and shenanigans of an
ubiquitous political leader. But the masses will think that he's a godsend for
India. In these times of rank mediocrity in all walks of life, more than ever
do we need a few sane voices. But mediocrity being so contagious and
overwhelming, it sooner or later eclipses the intelligence of a handful of
people. To quote, YaasYaganaChangezi, "Log
IssQadarJaahilThay Mere Ird-Gird/ Rafta-Rafta Main BhiUn Mein ShaamilHo
Gaya" (I was surrounded by so ignorant people/ I too slowly became
like them).
Furthermore,
people don't want to use their intelligence because it causes anguish and
excruciations as they say in English, ignorance is bliss. "ZahanatonKoKahanKarb Se Faraar Mila/ JiseNigaahMili, Use Intazaar
Mila" (When did intelligence get respite from vexations/ Who got the
eyes, had to wait inordinately). This is happening at the moment.
-----
A regular columnist for New Age
Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special
reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier
publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/masses-intellectuals/d/132440
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