Backward Intellectualism

on September 21, 2009

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Kartikey Sehgal

“These born-in-India-but-actually-alien intellectuals don’t want to be identified with Gods and snakes. Meaning they feel good that they belong to the culture, helps in party circles to tell stories about the exoticism of the nation and surprise women with unbelievable tales and how they have come out of that backwardness…”

Intellectualism does not seem to be an Indian concept although Indians are considered smart and intellectual. The trend is to move away from the Indian philosophy and adapt your thoughts to western ideas. For instance, I would consider it an Indian way to talk to children about Indian literature and ask them to formulate thoughts on the same. Instead, what we are provided with is a measured dosage of Indian history and epics. It’s like the past is dead; Indian civilization has been destroyed and it is enough to have a superficial understanding of the same. Indian civilization is not seen as a continuum. Indians are not told to be like Kalidasa and Bhasa.

What is intellectualism. Erase all definitions that you may know; the term has its basis in thought and thinking. It must be different from knowledge. It must be different form information. ‘Anger is useless for the soul’—your grandfather tells you so. But if he can reason this statement with you, then he may be called an intellectual. Note that this is different from ‘Anger is useless for the soul because Mr. so and so said it’. If he can give you thoughts and reasons as to why anger is useless, then he may be called an intellectual. Through his intellect he can live better. Of course, some individuals may believe that intellectualism is something tough or even obtuse. An economist or a writer can be an intellectual but not my grandfather who is a simple man. If he is an intellectual then why didn’t he become rich and successful? More than success—which is subjective as a carpenter can be successful—the leaning is towards the big bucks, the money. Or it’s associates like power and fame. An intellectual must have lots of money or power. It’s okay if he is poor as long as he has supporters (fame). But a simple grandfather cannot be an intellectual. Perhaps the ‘simple’ part of the grandfather is because of intellect?

The problem lies in our training as observers of society. Our educators, role-models look up to the rich-successful combination as imperative for an intellectual. Why! They don’t think of themselves an intellectuals except perhaps in their private chambers. Intellectualism has come to be associated with something big and hence it is seen as tough to accomplish. The very educated people must have made it a tough art so that they can distinguish themselves from the ‘everybody else’.

Indian intellectualism is often used to tell the world that ‘I am not that regular Indian’.
‘Don’t confuse me as one of those people you talk about in your books as deprived and, well, weird. I may have been born there but look at me now! I have come out of that society and to prove this to you, I will agree with you by becoming one of you. You wrote of how the Indians are backward and weird and I will further your cause by giving you specific examples’.

And an intellectual is born. Who can carry forward the sword of slavery; gentle slavery. Only this time not forced by the sword… A product of hundreds of years of servitude. You see, it is simpler to be critical of the caste system than to devise methods to cure it of its ills. To be critical, you have to know about the ills and write about them in different styles. A solution may arise out of the criticism, but the thrust is to shock the world with the ills of Indian society with little credence to the possibility that the nation may revert to its previous glory; that the nation may be cultural again and see woman as durga and stop infanticides. Such a thing seems impossible for the intellectual because he knows no glory about the nation. He has either not given importance to the nation’s heritage or he doesn’t want to do so. Probably, he in not intellectual enough to realise the nation’s philosophy. Hence it is easier to join those who defile it. It’s like a support system. I scratch your back and you scratch my back. Even better, I praise your book and you praise my book.

So an intellectual is born and teachers will talk to students about him. ‘He has lived in India and he knows his country well…’ the children will not be asked to observe and investigate and do things that would do the brain proud. Instead… ‘look up to such individuals…’ Never mind that what bothers the individual is not the nation but acceptance as an intellectual.

These born-in-India-but-actually-alien intellectuals don’t want to be identified with Gods and snakes. Meaning they feel good that they belong to the culture, helps in party circles to tell stories about the exoticism of the nation and surprise women with unbelievable tales and how they have come out of that backwardness; well, he is here, he is talking among people like you, he is like you, speaks your language; what better proof of his civilization.
And intellectualism.

Therefore,

  • ‘Balram was Krishna’s sidekick’… just like how the heroes have sidekicks in English movies. Makes it easier for them to relate to us.
  • ‘Krishna was related to war, so how could Gandhi listen to Krishna over Arjun?’… what a thought. Surely Gandhi didn’t think of this.

Clinging to culture is anti-intellectual, and perhaps this line can best represent the crux of this story. So is writing praises on your culture. But dissection and criticism is good, it is intellectual or at least a road towards intellectualism. Former President A P J Abdul Kalam wanted positive stories to be published in newspapers. He knew that constant criticism of Indian culture is bad for the country. It didn’t mean that we stop reporting the ‘un-culture’ but we don’t glorify the same. Kalam is a gita-mouthing Veena-playing scientist who is lovingly mocked for his manners. And thus far he is in favour of Indian civilization. He doesn’t seem to fit the profile of an intellectual. Probably because he doesn’t go about criticizing the nation! But he is a scientist who works and creates. So does your grandfather, and chances are that he is an intellectual.

‘To think is not to badmouth’


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