The Outcome of 'Intellectual Obstinacy'

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 3 September 2024 The Editor Mr Sultan Shahin Rued and Pondered Yesterday, "Does This Reflect the General Civilisational Decline Of Our Times That Is Noticeable Across The Social Media And Even Television Channels?" Quite Right, Mr Shahin. This Is the Outcome of 'Intellectual Obstinacy' Many Individuals ------ If one sticks too rigidly to one's principles, one would hardly see anybody. Agatha Christie The quote 'If one sticks too rigidly to one's principles, one would hardly see anybody' is a powerful reminder of the importance of flexibility. Adopting rigid principles can create an uncomfortable environment, both for oneself and for any potential companions. It is important for us to respect our principles and apply them to our decisions and actions, but it is also important to recognize when it is necessary to compromise - when it is necessary to adjust our principles in order to foster relationships and understanding. To fully take part in the social world, we must learn to be open-minded and willing to lend an ear to opposing views. This reminds me of Urdu poet Bashir Badr's famous couplet, "Khuda Hum Ko Aisi Khudai Na De/ Ke Apne Siva Kuchh Dikhai Na De" (God must never bestow so much power and might upon me/ That I become a narcissist and ignore others). All problems, differences and issues in life ensue from our lack of flexibility and delusion of infallibility. While it's good to stick to one's stand and convictions, thinking that they must remain unchanged is rigidity and delusional behaviour. French existentialist Albert Camus’ quote – “the need to be right is the sign of a vulgar mind” – has profound relevance in all situations and circumstances in life. The morbid insistence on being right all the time makes one rigid, ossified and monomaniac. The magnanimous acceptance that you can be wrong more than you can be right in your whole lifetime, makes you a thoughtful human. Life’s so intricate and also egalitarian in the sense that it also offers your opponents to be right at times. An individual’s life is a saga of mixed emotions, paradoxes, upheavals and all shades of colours. The editor Mr Sultan Shahin rued and pondered yesterday, "Does this reflect the general civilisational decline of our times that is noticeable across the social media and even television channels?" Quite right, Mr Shahin. This is the outcome of 'intellectual obstinacy' many individuals, including yours truly, are suffering from. Social media is just accentuating it. Most of us are a little stubborn when it comes to defending our viewpoints but some of us are morbidly mulish. They're unable to see even a speck of truth in the views, apercus and opinions of others. They'll argue tooth and nail to prove themselves right despite knowing that their weak-tea arguments and explanations don't hold water. This proclivity is often coupled with a didactic and draconian attitude that I'm not only right, you too must toe the line. This creates bad-blood. If only we all could do away with our collective tendency of one-upmanship, so much rancour in the world could have been kept at bay. ------ A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/outcome-intellectual-obstinacy/d/133110 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism