Intellectual integrity is integral to the socio-economic, political, scientific and psychological development of humankind. Characterised by staying true to one’s rational thought process and applying consistent standards in interactions with others, it lays the very foundation of an honest, inclusive and enlightened social fabric. As opinion makers, molders and guides, intelligentsia not only shoulders the responsibility of guarding the public from systematic state atrocities but also leading them to what’s right and inclusively beneficial for them.
From the ancient Greek philosophers and enlightenment scholars of 19th-century Europe to the upright genius of today, intelligentsia has driven social change rigged in favour of the public. Powered by their sagacity, strength of faith, uncompromising consciousness and utmost regard for public trust, they have challenged and ultimately helped undo the dark forces of the status quo. By selflessly taking the public cause to the corridors of power, they rationally attacked the legitimacy of the laws and enlightened the public about their realities. On account of their invaluable contributions, the intellectuals of a society are often viewed as saviours and salvaging forces. The countries with upright intelligence stand out in the world’s community today.
However, the one’s manned with intellectually opportunists lags far behind in all aspects of life. Manifested through the selective, deliberate and deceptive presentation of facts, thoughts and opinions for selfish purposes, intellectual dishonesty serves as the foundational cause of comprehensive societal deterioration. The history stands testament to the fact that the rulers and their sympathisers used to cultivate, through bribery or force, the courtier tendencies among the intellectual lot of their times so that the realities could not only be conceived but also be molded in a self-serving manner.
Against this backdrop, intellectuals turn out to be a social liability and enslaving force when they trade their morality, public trust and integrity for personal perks, privileges and amenities. The reason isn’t that they know less than their counterparts of the past; it’s instead because today’s intelligentsia in our country has less integrity and regard for public trust. Consequently, society at large travels down the road to degeneration and public despondency. Our society displays the classic characteristics of intellectual dishonesty and enlightened hypocrisy.
Intellectual dishonesty is not only a cause but also a classic manifestation of our accelerating holistic degeneration. The intelligentsia — whether in the media, politics, civil-military bureaucracy, judiciary, parliament or civil society — has been at the forefront of practising or framing falsified narratives charged with appealing to public emotions and shaping ill-informed public opinion for decades. By artfully using words, misquoting historical traditions, fabricating facts and manipulating public sentiments, they have advanced their patrons’ interests cloaked as a public cause.
Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us at all that most of the people living beyond the border barely trust Pakistan’s national intellectual capital. They perceive it as tainted, patronised and aligned with the interests of the powerful or personal privileges. With few exceptions, the so-called traditional intellectuals have consistently sought to be pampered and patronised by the powerful. In return for their trading soul, public trust and intellect, they earned lucrative positions, and privileges.
However, the positive development is that the public has started identifying pseudointellectuals, evident in growing skepticism towards narratives received unquestionably for decades. The desperate defence of the decaying status quo by the so-called intelligentsia, perhaps as withdrawal symptoms, also manifests this. The growing public reluctance to accept narratives without digging into their merits points towards a probable scenario where the traditional intelligentsia would become irrelevant only to be replaced with honest and upright ones in the foreseeable future.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2024.
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