Andrew Marr in an article ‘Who will fill the intellectual vacuum?’ in the Independent writes: ‘Once upon a time, there were intellectuals. They wore pebble glasses and stern expressions, sat around in cafes and acted as the collective conscience for politics: they provided a bridge between philosophy and power.’ The opening lines of the article written way back in 1996 get us curious and can set the direction for a potent discussion. Incidentally, I saw some of those intellectuals in Delhi’s India International Centre – from philosopher Ramchandra Gandhi to journalist Nikhil Chakravarty to international strategic affairs analyst K. Subrahmanyam to Justice J.S. Verma to sociologist Ashis Nandy.

Unloved by few and admired by others, intellectuals have always played a key role in the development of the world. According to Wikipedia, an intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about society, proposes solutions for its normative problems and gains authority as a public figure. It seems intellectuals in India are in a state of crisis today. Since the intellectuals are often labelled symbolically as the left, centre and the right or the far-right, the principal challenge is to carry on without being ‘labelled’. One may rightly ask; how can an intellectual be honest in his opinion without being smeared with an ideological label.

The central point nevertheless is the definition of the labels that shift in meaning as a country’s socio-political events impact politics, the politicians and the political pitch. While labelling is not an easy trap to get away from, responsible reporting, opinion and commentary in the media, discussion forums and other platforms can make a difference. The views thus held and voiced by intellectuals without manipulative flavour/political bias seek to shape public opinion, influence policymakers and bring about change. However, it’s a matter of great concern that the current trend of intellectual viewpoints and reflections by a section of contemporary intellectuals about India’s socio-political narrative blurs the line between right and wrong, between inconsequential and consequential.

Does it indicate lack of intellectual integrity on the part of some intellectuals? The answer is perhaps ‘yes’. In today’s polarized world, in the near absence of open and honest critical dialogue, there is a serious shortage of insight into the issues faced by the country and its people. In the shrinking space for civil society, public intellectuals including those in media fail to talk about government’s achievements wherever and whenever it’s valid and criticize missteps and brazen political motives within a balanced and realistic view. To put it another way, oftentimes intellectuals fail to tell us things we need to know.

Democracy needs critical intellectuals; there ought to be a good reason for being critical and being critical only for the sake of being critical is not a good reason. While it is not fair to say honest and steadfast public intellectuals have disappeared entirely, the number has shrunk rapidly. Speaking on the corporatisation of media, P Sainath winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism in 2007 said, “[In] corporateowned media, journalism and journalists can never be free…..There are very fine journalists…but the space they have to function has shrunk quite rapidly… Freedom of the press is meant for those who own one.”

This year’s winner of the Magsaysay Award (for “harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless”) Ravish Kumar’s take is no different when he in his speech mentioned: “As uncompromising journalists find themselves being forced out of their jobs by news organisations and those corporate owners are never questioned, nevertheless it is heartening to see still some journalists who continue to put their lives and careers at risk to practise honest and meaningful journalism.”

It’s true that in the past few years, with the absolute corporatisation of the media and the advent of the media-savvy politician, ‘non-pliant’ editors and media professionals have been replaced by pliant ones. It’s primarily because media as the fourth pillar of democracy is fast succumbing to politics and patronage. While intellectuals may like to see themselves as independent, in reality they get shaped by the social world they live in. There are plenty of examples of intellectuals including turncoat ones who get closer to people in power with the obvious intention – many a time it is lobbying/unwholesome motive in disguise of courtesy call/meeting for awards, recognition, power and position, etc.

After all power is a crowd-puller. This leads us to the question whether intellectuals’ appetite for ethical thinking is reducing. I am not sure how much more this country can take of intellectuals who are clearly prejudiced and conformist and therefore incapable of performing an intellectual’s role. But what I do know is that unless present day intellectuals grow a spine, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. Unless Indian society rediscovers, revitalises and holds on to the intellectual tradition, the result will be cultural drift or far worse, the continuation of distortions, half-truths, and outright lies. In Noam Chomsky’s words “It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies.”

(The writer was Deputy General Manager, India International Centre, New Delhi and General Manager, International Centre, Goa)