Democracy and Intellectual Sloth

(Note: this entry is the third part of a five-parts series.)

As I put forward in my first blog (A Brave, New (Old) World …), intellectual sloth reaps ignorance. In turn, ignorance festers fear which, as we know all-too-well, acts as a powerful motor in driving irrational thinking and actions. Furthermore, fear is quite expert in the exercise of nullifying any semblance of intellectual and emotional maturity in people – in other words, fear transforms a supposedly adult person into an irresponsible, reactionary, intolerant, judgement-impaired, and comfort-craving, child (or adolescent). One who searches for easy and absolute answers, who demands his instant gratifications.

In short, intellectual sloth renders anyone guilty of it incompetent - incompetent in dealing with reality, incompetent in at least trying to understand it, incompetent in the inevitable choice of using violence (verbal or physical) as the mean and last refuge to remain secure and blissful within one's own intellectual sloth.

As a first example of what I am trying to convey, I discussed in my last blog (Of Faith, Fundamentalism and Intellectual Sloth) of the pernicious influences exerted by intellectual sloth on faith in proclaimed self-righteous people, and why they seek to impose their values and faith on all aspects of society by any means (including violence).

However, are people of faith the only ones susceptible to be guilty of intellectual sloth? Of course not. Tragically, the prevalence of the search for the quick-and-easy, and thus prevalence of intellectual sloth, constitutes a genuine scourge that affects all human activity in our modern societies.

Which brings me to discuss of the dangers of intellectual sloth in the maintenance and preservation of our democratic values and institutions.

Intellectual sloth is by nature selfish. That is why the most popular mantra in 2006 is: "it's my right to (insert choice)". In other words, living in a democratic society means that anything goes.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

Because of the ignorance and egotism fostered by intellectual sloth, too many people forget a fundamental principle which underlies the very definition of any human right: the rights of one end where those of another begin. Period.

Right to freedom of speech? Yes. Right to incite hate? No.
Right to freedom of faith and religion? Yes. Right to impose your faith and values? No.
Right to defend one's opinions? Yes. Right to use violence (verbal or physical) in order to do so? No.
Right to get rich? Yes. Right to do so at the expense of others and/or society? No.

And so on.

In addition, too many people today define for themselves rights which, in fact, are nothing more than excuses to justify their intellectual sloth, their ignorance, their selfishness and, consequently, their search for the quick-and-easy.

Right to own a house? Right to study in a university? Right to own a computer? Right to own a car? Yes - provided that you can pay for these: it is certainly not up to society to pay for them. Nonetheless, there are too many people out there who would be demonstrating in the streets tomorrow morning to defend those "rights", should anyone would entice them to. Incidentally, there have been demonstrations already to demand some of those false rights!

Nowadays, everything is about Me, of what I perceive to be My rights, My needs, what I find acceptable, of how I feel, of how I intend to live My life. And to hell with the others!

The sad reality is that, in addition to forgetting the aforementioned fundamental principle, too many people also forget a corollary which is directly linked to the very concept of what is a "right": responsibility.

Responsibility to your neighbor. Social responsibility. Responsibility to yourself. Responsibility as a citizen of a democratic society.

So here we are, in 2006 ... and where are we? Complacency reigns supreme: don't-give-a-damn during electoral campaigns; voter absenteeism; lack of caring with regards to the issues facing our societies; hanging of "Do not disturb" signs in the face of global issues such as the environment, the economy, the convergence (of media, telecommunications, etc.), wars, genocides, diseases, etc.

Unless, of course, anyone such thing happens to play up to our intellectual sloth-driven fears.

We would rather be serviced an opinion, like being served fast-food, instead of making the effort to forge one (and an informed one at that!) for ourselves. We prefer to wallow body and mind into reality-tv shows and the local version of American Idol (Canadian Idol in Canada and Star Académie in Québec). Thus, therein now lies our democratic passion, whereby we discuss, analyze and evaluate which participant to support and then vote for him/her.

But, to do such things in the exercise of our duty as citizens of democracies? Forget it!

I often hear mention of "cynicism" and "indifference" to explain the prevalent apathy among the electorate. Too many folks think that their one vote can not change much of anything. Oh really? Tell this to Al Gore in 2000 and to John Kerry in 2004. In my opinion, all these supposed explanations and justifications for not going out to vote are nothing more than excuses for intellectual sloth.

In the meantime, what of real reality, meaning the one that has this knack of biting you in the ass when you least expect it? We act like ostriches in the face of it. It is too complicated. Too discouraging. Too unsettling.

In short, reality confronts intellectual sloth.

For indeed, the fact remains that such an ignorant and selfish attitude has intellectual sloth as sole progenitor. In addition, this generalized attitude brings grave consequences to any democratized society. In fact, let us not forget that ignorance breeds fear and, when under its yoke, it renders us irrational ... even willing to embrace happily any easy, quick-fix solution, thus allowing us to remain cozy and blissful in the admiration our own little navels.

Consequently, such prevalent attitude leaves our societies vulnerable against any demagogue who, furthermore, sees his work made that much easier!

You have doubts about this? Take a long, hard look at what is going on today: lies, disinformation, spins, corruption, scandals, media paid-for by leaders, illegal monitoring of phone calls, attacks against media that remain "free" (like blogs), use of fear to spearhead agendas, cryonism, repeated attempts at information containment or stifling, little or lack of governmental transparency and accountability, etc., etc., etc. Now, try to remember if there has been any demonstrations against such grotesqueries anywhere in our societies ... Recall any? I did not think so as well.

We would rather demonstrate to be given superfluous entitlements like spoiled children, or stand up against things which we fear through ignorance and intolerance (name it: abortion, gay marriage, so-called indecency on tv, illegal immigrants, etc.), than demonstrate vehemently to denounce such blatant attempts to diminish our real rights.

And all of this is happening in our own societies. All of these attacks are being perpetrated willfully (or because of intellectual sloth) by elected people, helped by the fear-criers on the radios, in the papers and on tv.

(Is it me or is there an evident similarity here with the tactics used by religious fundamentalists to impose their views?)

Thus I ask the following question: what is the point of living in societies where free-flow of information is the norm if the majority of the citizens will not even bother to pay attention to it?

We are living in a dangerous period of the history of our democraties. You can blame the politicians, the media, the corporations, the lobbying groups, or anyone else, yet the painful and ever so tragic truth remains this: we have only ourselves to blame.

Point of fact to this: it is we (at least, those of us who actually bother to get off the tv couch and go out to vote) who elect demagogues that "make us feel good, make us feel secure, make us feel at ease" while rejecting with disdain and mistrust the genuine candidates that are actually knowledgeable and better qualified as leaders.

So, let it be known ad nauseam: living in a democracy is a right and a responsibility.

And yes, this responsibility requires effort. But which is better: having your back bent by the effort required to keep on living in a democratic society, or letting leave for complacency and find yourself one day with a back bent under a totalitarian regime (however benevolent it may be)? We must not wait until it is too late to remember that one who uses fear and seeks to control information is one who would see himself as our master.

In conclusion, I say again: anything which interdicts critical thinking and the acceptance of facts (and reality!) is nothing short of tyranny.

It is therefore up to us to be vigilant if we are to preserve our democratic values and institutions ... just like it will be up to us to bear the shame of having forsaken them because of intellectual sloth, ignorance, selfishness and the search for instant gratification.

Hence, we have to make critical changes to our cultures - which just happens to be the subject of my next blog. Stay tuned ...


(entry reposted as a DKos Diary)


(this entry was originally posted 27/05/06)


(Google caches of the original posts - in English and in French)