photo credit: DoblonautI admit that I have always viewed the throbbing masses of humanity like a flock of sheep they always seem to stampede down the path of least resistance, while this is certainly true for most situations but I would like to stand corrected I now believe and know that sometimes the opposite can be true too. Before my lifetime, there had been a global thrust and still there is for democracy which at least in theory gives power to the people in an indirect way. This powerful concept had been around for more than a millennium but only recently did people rise up in the face of oppression realizing that poverty in a democracy is far better than wealth in tyranny. Yet the people in power or let it be the media likes to portray the fact that the masses are dumb that things have to be dumbed down for them.
Frankly I disagree, put on your television and tell me what is the amount of total intellectual content that you get on television. I bet that you will be counting on your fingers, out of the 200 channels on display only a few display such content. In India even the news is a joke these channels do not spend their time on important legislation, market scenarios or discoveries that directly change the world you live in and impact your lives, instead majority of the times they cover family feuds or kids in wells or some idiotic comedian pretending to be some actor. It is there view that this is what the public wants and sure enough people having nothing better to do sit down to watch these stupid shows. This is a very very dangerous trend we are dumbing ourselves down if not careful we will enter into what I call a regress to stupidity. This is dangerous because if the people are not aware what is happening and are open to such techniques of propaganda, hence it will threaten the functioning of the democracy, for it is only an informed citizen that can take action. Moreover, we have brought up with the idea that the majority of the people around us are dumb and that nobody wants to talk about serious topics and sadly we start believing it. This has led to ignorance in the people.
Go to any kindergarten class you will see children eager to learn eager to ask questions and then go to grade 12 you will see that rarely do people ask questions the same children have lost their sense of curiosity why? I am quite sure that it isn’t just puberty. They have been told and it has been hammered into them not to ask questions for if children developed a skeptical mind they will start questioning the institutions like the government, the so called “traditions”, religion e.t.c. This poses a certain dilemma clearly there would be a lot of awkward moments for the elders and the politicians won’t be able to hoodwink the populous as easily as they now do but I am quite sure that they will find other ways. Take a look at science I hate the way it is taught in school we are not taught the joy of learning but rather a more rote based method. Understandably many children loose interest in science and are not receptive to the ideas that have shaped the world. We are a society that is based on science and if science itself hasn’t percolated down to the grass root levels, one might as well understand the consequences.
So in the end it is vital for us to inculcate intellectual freedom in the world and throw off the draconian concepts of the dumb masses. Each and everyone can play a role start informing yourself about what is happening near you and moreover don’t quench your thirst for learning, keep exploring and keep on asking questions.