Intellectual -what it is? Or who it is?
"The
spirit of Advaita is not to keep away from anything, but to keep in tune with
everything." - Swami Chinmayananda.
One may wonder of
what relevance does the above quotation when discussing about intellect.
First we need to know what we mean by intellect
/intelligence.
That’s why even
the most well meaning and super intellectual giants if they fail to grasp
reality as it is without any preconceived frames of references end up becoming
frustrated /depressed and desperate because very often there are numerous
things /events/persons happen to deliver
things which are beyond any intellectual analysis or appropriation.
The
possibilities that exist between, beneath and beyond ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ are
numerous for intellect to grab and give a name or label.
I remember vaguely reading a translation of a Zen poem
titled ‘The logic of non intellectual reality’ if I happen to somehow get it I
shall share it [I think it was in one issue of Theosophical Digest published in
Philippines]
Intellect/intelligence/intellectual are some of the terminologies
which are very often used interchangeably which itself is wrong and I can
produce a huge list of things which people mistake for intellectualism.
One of the giant intellect of this century who had such an
impact on youth across the world , I too was a great fan of her, spent the last
few years of her life in mental asylum –the one and only great Ayn Rand.
As for the recent appropriation and branding of Indian
intelligentsia, the less said the better.
But whether we
like it or not and whatever we may say or do it what is required is sanity and
humane approach to deal with any sort of extraneous identity- be it
nationality, religion, ideology, race, class etc. The first step in this
process is being diplomatic and frugal in words and avoiding provocative
statements and inviting controversies.
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