America's Cancer: The Death of the Intellectual
| Published 10/15/04
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Remember reading in the history books that Colonial American intellectuals writing radical and revolutionary ideas in the Federalist Papers used assumed names? Remember how in 1776 those same intellectuals and the pressure groups that they represented, with their ears firmly fixated on the pulse of the people's passion, spurred the American colonists to a war for independence with Great Britain? Can we still remember that long list of grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence, or George Washington's holdout at Valley Forge which led to his crossing of the Delaware? I examine the history texts of the United States of America, and I read a subtle elegy for the time when it was the passionate intellectuals who led America not only to a political revolution but to a social one was well. They were not only armed with musket rifles and bayonets, but with the words of Locke and Montesquieu. Most of us probably don't understand the devotion and dedication of the "Founding Fathers" as we examine the rather stoic and pragmatic society that we live in today. Thoughts of revolution are only seen in the vulgar flying of a Confederate flag or the propagandist speeches of militia men in the Idaho or Montana. Worst of all, social revolution in America is now disdained with newly-minted words of subtle condescension such as "hippie," "liberal" or "socialist." At one time, our country's roots grew deep in the fertility of the Enlightenment, but now it seems that the principles and preachings of that modern philosophy have been replaced with blind allegiance to the governmental status quo and the weekly sermons of the Evangelist Jerry Falwell. To be a good American means to be a good Christian as well, and it seems that there is little room for another means to the same end. Americans are not longer tolerant of criticism. Perhaps it isn't effective to have the President be both the Chief Executive and the Chief of State. I find myself having a twinge of disdain at hearing someone criticize the leader of my nation; this isn't because he is an elected official, but rather I've been blinded by years of seeing the Office of the President as being the symbol of America itself. It has been theorized that the modern society is the end of history -- a statement which last year I did not understand nor could I fathom. Now I realize that the meaning behind the statement is just to say that there is no further for history to go. What was the purpose of 6,000 years of history? Was it for humanity to evolve into societies that were both democratic and capitalist? What more is needed if a government is chosen from society fair and freely? What more is needed if everyone in that society has economic freedom that rewards those that work hard? History tried to produce the Marxist theory, which in its absolute sense seems to be another evolution beyond capitalism and the need for the State, but in its real application (or as close as it could come) it has floundered and failed. Subsequently it is being produced by poor and corrupt capitalist societies struggling to make the transition. If the statement be true, if this is what the end of history was meant to be, then the need for intellectuals is a necessity that is no longer necessary. Nietzsche said, "God is dead and we killed him." What he failed to note was the intellectual is dead as well, and the good American murdered him. In the place of the intellectual, the American pulled the entrepreneur up from that proverbial bootstrap, and he ascended to reign over America. Multi-national corporations reach out across the globe, robbing Third World countries of their resources and the ability to evolve societally to harness the resources themselves. Eighteenth century Americans took up arms for the right to decide their economic fate; sadly, we fail to let others do the same. Wars are now fought to protect the interests of the American dollar, masked in a sense of freedom for all and democracy. What we really mean is economic freedom for all Americans and the exploitation of the less developed. After all, a despot is only one man, and the only man necessary to make an agreement; an elected body is far less cooperative. In the post-9/11 world, the only sense of passion and nationalism in America comes from a fourth month period of shock and despair subsequently exploited by business and government alike. The emotions of our citizens in mourning were commercialized into commemorative flags, photographs, coins and other memorabilia -- striking it rich for America's corporations. Afghanistan was sacked, but Osama escaped. A pipeline for the transference of oil takes the place of the Taliban, while opium floods the international market. Iraq, a bed of destruction and death, surely provides economic gain for Halliburton (who didn't even have to bid for a contract due to a Dick Cheney connection). I'm not here to pass judgment on whether Iraq or Afghanistan were the right moves to make. I'm just here to point out that America has no heroes left. It has no intellectuals; it just has businessmen. |
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I wouldn't go as far as to say the intellectual is dead, maligned maybe, but not dead. Granted, to be a free thinker will get a person quite a bit of flak, but that won't stop the thinkers from thinking, because that is their nature. The problem lies more and more with the idea that theory is not what we need to being teaching the masses. Rather it is believed pratical skills are what is necessary. Unfortunately theory is what allows us to move foward and progress as a society. But the intellectual won't be killed off so easily. For thinking is what the intellectual is, whether he likes it or not. As long as their are dreamers, the intellectual will live. Remember the dreams of yesterday are what have built the societies of today. Comments:
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