By Yoginder Sikand; dated: 19 April, 2012 (4400 words) http://www.countercurrents.org/sikand190412.htm
My Comments: This article is a must read for all the social activists, not just in India but all over the world. The really visible ones are those who have made social activism as a business for themselves, and a means of their livelihood. They are the ones who keep travelling all over the world, and the ones whom the media, the government, etc., often consult to get 'expert' views on the subject of their supposed specialization. What the author has said is as follows: * Social activists divide the world between the oppressors and the oppressed. * Social activism has actually become a profession and that it pays handsomely. They are actually living off the problems of the oppressed. * The professional social activists also come from within the oppressed groups. They too are paid handsomely, and are today living a life of reasonable luxury. * These professional social activists get invited all over the world to tell others the problems of the oppressed. * The professional social activists have, in blaming the problems on others, have acquired a negative set of mind. He says, "(M)any 'progressives' and 'radicals' were horrifically negative as human beings, many of them being irritatingly obnoxious, judgemental, cantankerous, dour and sullen." * The problems identified by the professional social activists are not all real. Some are imaginary and some others are self-inflicted. * The professional social activists are not permitted to talk about the problems within the oppressed groups. And if anyone did, he will be accused of being an agent of the oppressors. * Also the social activists "simply couldn't see or find anything worthy at all in 'upper' caste Hindus or in Americans, and, if you did, your sincerity and commitment were gravely suspect." * In mentioning about the money received by the professional social activists, the author has exposed the funding agencies, who seem to swallow the line taken by the activists in blaming others for the problems. * The professional social activists indulge in hollow rhetoric. In the recent past, in different parts of the world, the professional social activists have been confronted with a demand that they offer solutions and not just narrate problems. This is because those that the activists identified as oppressors were not viewed by the oppressed as being oppressors. As one of the comments, posted to the article, says: "As someone who considers myself a progressive, I too have wondered at times how everyone we oppose - Hindus, Jews, Americans, capitalists - pursues positive actions and are the ones who build up the world while we seem to want to smash what they do without trying to understand them. I have wondered many times why every position I have is based in hatred for the other group and in negativity and not in constructing something new that adds value to the world.. I have sometimes wondered how the groups we hate live in peace and harmony for the most part while we permanently seem to plan a violent revolution although we blame them for all wars and riots." The social activists were so busy wallowing in their negativeness, and spewing hatred against the supposed oppressors, that they have no time to see what is happening at the ground level. Sadly, the article ends in a negative note. He has decided to cop out, rather than fight the professional activists with the same energy that he expended in fighting the 'oppressors'. Another comment to the article says: "After your self-awareness moment - the least you could do is to try and remove the poison that you have spread all around the place." Interestingly, most of the comments on the article are supportive of what the author is saying, and that the commentators would not be classified as progressives. In fact, some of them would be classified as belonging to the oppressor groups. There are hardly three or four, out of some 40-odd comments, that are available that are made by those from the progressive group. Except for one, quoted above, the others have condemned the author for expressing his angst. Yet, the author has felt it necessary to offer an 'apology and clarification' of what he wrote. This is available at: http://www.countercurrents.org/sikand210412.htm In it, he has offered an apology to the members of the progressive group (namely, the professional social activists) for giving 'ammunition' to the oppressed so that the arguments of the professional social activists can be exposed. Little does he realize that what he has written is what those identified as oppressors is what the latter have been saying for many years. In his original article, the author has mentioned that speaking about the issues that he has done will mean a sort of ostracisation form the progressive group. This is an example of what can truly be called intellectual terrorism. But in giving the apology, he has shown that he is not able to stand up to this terrorism, when directly confronted. One does hope that the professional social activists in India, and their supporters all over the world, seriously dwell on this article. There is a need for enduring solutions to the problems being faced in India. The professional social activists have nothing to offer in this endeavor.