INTELLECTUALS AND SOCIETY

        Intellectualism is defined as the devotion to the exercise of intellect or intellectual pursuit. What can we say about intellect or intellectual pursuit? Methinks intellect or intellectual pursuit can be likened to ideas. A competition of ideas whose final results must have a positive impact on its source and the underlying environment (read the society).  Society, on the other hand, is the factory that churns out ideas with a special consideration of it coming back to better it. So this begs the questions: Does today’s intellectualism benefit the society? Has it turned to be a curse to the people? Is the society still being considered as a source and owner of intellectualism?

          Intellectualism today has been likened to capitalism, where a clique of people have assumed sweeping powers to design the society and decide on behalf of the masses without due consultation with the people. This is the cause of our ills and social problems. It is until the views and the aspirations of that common man and woman in the village are considered we shall remain where we are. The society itself has taken a back seat in this intellectual race by accepting to be receivers (and not producers) of ideas for its betterment. This is the first stage in the journey towards failure. The so-called intellectuals (read professionals) have turned to be super-humans ready to prescribe any dose to the ailing society .If we really aspire to succeed; I feel this is not the way to take!

           Look at this: a non-governmental organization has visited a remote village whose population is in dire need of clean water. The villagers make their proposal to these messengers of God to drill them a water well. As fate could determine, these messengers of God decide to take one of the villagers for further studies to learn more about clean water. Then the ‘divine mission’ is accomplished. If I may ask, between the villagers and these chaps, who can be classified as intellectuals?

          This takes me to the conclusion; intellectualism is the ability to churn out ideas that are viable and respond to the needs at hand. Not the capacity to speak good English .True intellectualism must appreciate the voice of reason, the place of the society in its evolutionary journey of development and the ability to tolerate what the masses aspire to get as a tool to liberate themselves from bondage of poverty and over-dependence.Besides, true intellectualism must always look at the society as ‘a player’ in the pursuit of liberating itself, not a ‘receiver’ of ready-made solutions. To do this is to reduce the people to things. Do your part and we shall transform the planet, moment by moment.