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THE WEIRS TIMES, Thursday, January 14, 2010
7
in t e L L e c t u a L s a n D so c i e t y
that influence eventually or religion, something as dangerous place. Scarcely who fulfilled the centu-
led me to write the book intangible as ideas can a mass-murdering dicta- ries-old dream of human
“Intellectuals and Soci- dominate the most con- tor of the 20th century beings flying, were by
ety,” which has just been crete things in our lives. was without his support- no means intellectuals.
published. What Karl Marx called ers, admirers or apolo- Nor were those who con-
Intellectuals generate “the blaze of ideas” has set gists among the leading quered the scourge of po-
ideas and ideas matter, whole nations on fire and intellectuals-- not only lio and other diseases, or
whether those ideas are consumed whole genera- within his own country, who created the electronic
right or wrong, and they tions. but in foreign democra- marvels that we now take
by thomas Sowell
matter far beyond the Those whose careers are cies, where intellectuals for granted.
Syndicated Columnist
small segment of soci- built on the creation and were free to say whatever All these people pro-
ety who are intellectuals. dissemination of ideas-- they wanted to. duced a tangible product
There has probably nev- Ideas affect the fate of the intellectuals-- have Given the enormous or service and they were
er been an era in his- whole nations and civili- played a role in many progress made during judged by whether those
tory when intellectuals zations. Nowhere is that societies out of all pro- the 20th century, it may products and services
have played a larger role more true than in our own portion to their numbers. seem hard to believe that worked. But intellectu-
in society. When intel- times, when some people Whether that role has, on intellectuals did so little als are people whose end
lectuals who generate make suicidal attacks to net balance, made those good as to have that good products are intangible
ideas are surrounded by kill strangers who have around them better off or outweighed by particular ideas, and they are usu-
a wide range of others done nothing to them, worse off is one of the key wrong-headed notions. ally judged by whether
who disseminate those as on 9/11, because the questions of our times. But most of those who those ideas sound good to
ideas-- whether as jour- attackers are consumed The quick answer is that promoted the scientific, other intellectuals or reso-
nalists, teachers, staffers with a set of ideas-- a vi- intellectuals have done economic and social ad- nate with the public.
to legislators or clerks to sion-- and driven by the both. But certainly, for the vances of the 20th cen- Whether their ideas turn
judges-- the influence of emotions generated by 20th century, it is hard to tury were not really intel- out to work-- whether
intellectuals on the way those ideas and that vi- escape the conclusion lectuals in the sense in they make life better or
a society evolves can be sion. that intellectuals have which that term is most worse for others-- is an-
huge. Trying for years to Whether in war or peace, on net balance made the often used. other question entirely.
understand the nature of and whether in economics world a worse and more The Wright brothers,
See Sowell on 20
se c r e t a r y ge n e r a L De s p o n D e n t
o f af g h a n si t u a t i o n
presidential election pro- stan is set for London the country remain as a an Al Qaida double agent,
cess was only part of the at the end of the month. corrupt and ineffective the deaths of four Ca-
problem; he stressed, “to- Here major donor states, central government, if you nadian soldiers and a
gether with the deterio- such as the United States, could charitably call it newspaper correspon-
rating security situation, European Union and Ja- that, a massive narcotics dent, and the steady at-
by John J. metzler
the protracted electoral pan will once again pledge trade, and the undertow trition of American and
Syndicated Columnist
process has contributed reconstruction resources of Islamic fundamental- British forces, illustrates
to a gloomy atmosphere. and cite the tired mantra ism to thwart the “mod- the depths of ongoing
UNITED NATIONS—Citing a If negative trends are not of having to try harder to ernizing trends” of the violence. The fanaticism
worsening security situ- corrected, there is a risk surmount the near-Her- West. which we confront will
ation and overall lack that the deteriorating culean difficulties facing Though the Al-Qaida not disappear by persua-
of political will, UN Sec- overall situation will be- this South Asian land. elements pose a clear and sion of the enemy but by
retary General Ban Ki- come irreversible.” Ironically, London will present danger to Europe defeating him.
moon called on the world “To reverse negative also later host a similar and America, it’s not en- While the international
community to reverse trends, a more focused gathering dealing with tirely certain that and community pours mas-
setbacks in Afghanistan and better-coordinated the deteriorating security current troop levels or sive resources into Af-
before it’s too late. Speak- international effort is ur- situation in Yemen, which more significantly the mil- ghanistan, it is ultimately
ing at a Security Council gently needed.” he opined. I see as the re-discovered itary rules of engagement up to the Afghans them-
session, the Secretary Ban added warily, “There crisis de jour, long over- confronting the terrorists, selves—that tribal quilt of
General conceded, “We is a need for a change looked by the West, but are really up to the threat often disunited factions,
are now at a critical junc- of mindset in the inter- now confronting us. level. Pursuing a success- clans, disparate provincial
ture” adding, “The situa- national community as Despite massive foreign ful counter-insurgency warlords, and seemingly
tion cannot continue as it well as the government humanitarian assistance with the Obama Adminis- “westernized” politicians
is if we are to succeed in of Afghanistan. Without and a large commitment tration’s politically correct to effectively confront the
Afghanistan.” that change, prospects of American and Euro- constraints is in itself a Taliban. The power of
In a candid report to the of success will diminish pean military forces to recipe for disaster on the the government does not
fifteen member Council, further.” stem the tide of Taliban installment plan. extend far beyond the
Ban Ki-moon recounted Another international and Al-Qaida terror, the The recent killings of capital, Kabul.
that Afghanistan’s flawed conference on Afghani- entrenched problems in seven CIA operatives by See metzler on 25
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