Thought and democracy

Originally published June 2005·Last updated April 2026

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I have come the quite depressing conclusion that human society does not foster or make it more “viable” to think. It might seem a tad quirky, but I am beginning to see the truth of this, more and more starkly as time and events progress.

I am convinced that blessed are the people who apply little or no thought in their activities, choices and decisions and follow the statistical majority. Unevaluative decisions and indulgences are far more gratifying than living a life of principles, introspection and rationality. The person who makes choices without agonising over them (all of which are the imposed ebb and flow of the socio-economic bandwagon that is cultural capitalism) is far more content and happy in their lovely little world than is the perpetually introspective, I-question-everything intellectual.

Now about democracy, I came across, in the process of going through the news, quite an interesting array of perspectives on the French “NO” vote to the ratification of the European Constitution. The difference in the way the Americans (read CNN), the Brittons (read BBC), and the French themselves (read Libération) interpret the event is quite a revelation in the absolute worthlessness of the modern media. More often than not, the presentation of an event is a political commentary, nothing short of propaganda.

I am most happy that the French democracy has shown what true democracy is capable of. The farce that is democracy in most countries, has a lot to learn from this.

As regards the actual decision, that is a matter of great joy to me. I only wait for the day, when my own people realise what cultural multiplicity and ethnic living is, and when we live in not a united and dead world, but in a divided and vibrant culture.

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