So, here’s me, a member in moderator-approved
standing, of an internet association of free thinkers, yclept Bengaluru FreeThinkers,
thinking, in a reasonably orderly fashion, about that name. And that’s when I
start to get confused.
I should probably explain.
See, the word free, and its various avatars, has for
me anyway, implications of anarchic, chaotic carelessness; the antithesis of
rationality which, much like this sentence, requires a degree of control and
containment.
Now, the Bengaluru FreeThinkers, (BFTs), as educated,
sophisticated, and articulate, as rational a group as one could hope for, has,
quite rightly, taken up the matter of the spate of ideologically motivated
crimes and misdemeanors targeting comment and critique of cultural sentiments
in India. Any attempts to stifle contrary opinions are given a respectful
hearing and refutation, if called for, is stated in measured, quite often grammatically
comprehensible terms; all in all, a rational group. I am but a foot soldier in
that army. However, and in the time, and battle, honored tradition of the
soldier, the grunt, I have a cavil. No, it’s actually more of a bitch,
bordering on a moan.
And it is this.
The folks using sharp objects and projectile weapons
to object to the opinions of other folks, are doing so because their
sentiments, and I’m quoting here, have been hurt. Put another way they are
reacting to an external stimulus with snake-brain logic, choosing fight rather
than flight to a perceived threat. The actions and methodologies of that
reaction are not, or at least seem not be, susceptible to any sort of higher order
thinking. Higher order thinking, the kind that imposes reason and regulation on
the process, would show that the control of sentiment and its sensitivities is
necessary in any social structure with pretensions of equity and fairness in
its governance. In short, the snake brain is being given the freedom of its
simplistic, no grey scale differentiations, choices. Thinking, such as it might
be, is predicated on that heady, adrenaline pumping impulse to fight. Free at
last, great god a’mighty, free at last. Bunches and bunches of free thinking
happening. Rationality and its needs are given short shrift. Blood is spilled. Free
thinking.
See where I’m going with this?
