Intellectual Disparities & Conflicts 

Mukhtar Kareem
Today, economic and political disparities dominate the discussions of intellectuals across the world, often assumed to be the underlying reasons for conflicts throughout the history.
In Marxian term, it is not the idea, culture, or opinion that brings about conflicts but the economic forces, held by few and coveted by many, that create discord and divisions within society.
However, Engels argues that there are also a wider set of factors which come to bear influence. Modern intellectual thought by and large seems to concur on this.
Although the economic disparities are at the roots of many societal disputes, these are not the only precursors to potential conflicts. Fundamental disparities in intellectual suppositions also often precipitate and exacerbate situations.
Before moving on to discussing the amenability of this prognosis with economically-intoxicated scholars, it would be helpful to define what is being purported.
Intellectual disparities often come from the ability or inability of some people to comprehend what others take certain lines of thinking to be more plausible or for that matter to be true.
That is to say that the intellectual suppositions are accepted or discarded on the basis of interpretations of situations and circumstances and what may or may not be the resolution for moving forward.
Intellectuals like many of us mortals are also shaped by their experiences and other past and present intellectual thoughts. These very divergences of thoughts and opinions are often derived from a wider set of experiences and circumstances than just the narrow parameters of economic or/ and political spans.
Let us, for example, look at the ‘freedom of speech’ issue around which we note a fundamental divergence of views between the adherents of Islam and other more secular-natured ideologies. To a Muslim, a number of key Islamic principles are sacred and cannot be breached therefore not up for discussion. To secularists, everything is open to discussion and investigation.
This is a classical example of disparities in understanding caused by two diametrically opposed propositions of intellectual thought. Islamic society is pitted against other societies.
Here, It is not the economic disparities between affluent Muslims, especially in the Arab world, and affluent others, for example in the west, that are the basis of differences, but other manifestations.
Similarly, the stand-off positions between Pakistan, India, China and the western block have a wider context too.
Intellectual disparities are informed by experiences that a given intellectual may have gone through. Also, whether a particular point resonates with people depends on the integrity of the source.
For example, a person sitting in heaven speaking of hell in joyous manners will not find his or her understanding warmly welcomed by the people of hell. This is because the circumstances and experiences of people who are being talked about are far removed from that of a person talking about it.
There is a plethora of evidences regarding how intellectual disparities have contributed to a number of conflicts, divisions and massacres in the recent history (1800 to date). In order to mitigate conflicts resulting from intellectual disparity, “Respecting of “, as Shashi Tharoor says, “not tolerating of, ideas, circumstances, cultures, believes and backgrounds is essential.
Respect is actually acceptance of different truths whereas tolerance is providing space for whatever reasons even though one detests something or someone.
In short, intellectual disparities which are causing conflicts must be curtailed by acceptance until there emerges a truth which is universally applicable that is not possible. So respect becomes the only option and must be taken into account while deciding on any principle.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Balochistan and covering socio-economic issues with a special focus on political economy. He has done MBA from Iqra University Karachi and is preparing for competition exam.

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