Defining Music, Writer, Split Personality, Quotes, Use Of Complex Fallacy In Politics, Are Universities Superfluous? & Civil Society

Defining Music, Writer, Split Personality, Quotes, Use Of Complex Fallacy In Politics, Are Universities Superfluous? & Civil Society By Dr. Sohail Ansari

Conceived and worded by DR Sohail Ansari (originality of concepts and originality of words).

He believes that there can never be a zero scope for improvement and appreciates criticism if it is not for the sake of criticism.

(Pontificating is often more like the declaration by a man without a sense of smell that rose has no scent.)

A new classification of music

·        ‘All musics’ are one. Music is same in a sense that every music is always the means to a certain end. Categorization of music as traditional or modern helps us to understand the important difference ‘in means’; but to me the more important division is ‘division within’ as it teaches the difference ‘in ends’. We may find western and eastern music on the same side if we classify music by ends and music of two eastern regions may belong to two different categories. 

Psychologist uses music for soothing bruised nerves; coach as a pep talk and general to galvanize soldiers. Music that is an isolated social domain if, regardless of means, played over again and again can be the therapy and can be the force to electrify; and the significance of this music is because of the repetition of significance.

The music of significance is based on a total vision of life: music serving all phases of life and so inextricably a part of culture that it becomes a crucial means of preserving and sustaining it. This music is the method that a community devises to perpetuate itself comes into being to preserve aspects of the cultural heritage that any community perceives as essential; and the significance of this music is because of the significance of repetition. 

A review of the definition of a great writer

·       We need to qualify the epithet ‘great’ especially when we use it to define a writer. Most of the writers are great only the once and mediocre through out. Riding the crest of their valuable contributions, they simply go for their rehashing for the rest of their lives; stale observations and experiences are forever clogging their minds up. To keep writing pure, unaffected by the taint of repetitiveness, writer has got to keep it in perpetual ferment and the real great really do.

The clue to split personlity

·        “Ideologies of our times provide the intellectual setting congenial to the flowering of physical science. All these ideologies are of the inferior order of truth as they are concerned only with apparent truth of the empirical world; therefore, the very conception of truth which makes such an ideology an inexhaustible source of man’s knowledge of the material world also blinds his vision to the realities of his own existence in the social world. These ideologies take the world as it is and tries to make it intelligible to man’s understanding by reducing it to a pattern of scientific law or to a reasonable facsimile thereof. What emerges from such an approach is a world of the here and now, a preeminently logical world of fixed and enduring entities and arrangements and one which man’s understanding can take piecemeal and on its own limited terms. Ideologies of ours inculcates false consciousness, that existing social arrangements are governed by immutable laws, very much like those which prevail in the processes of the physical world and, like them, beyond the power of man to change. To any one so indoctrinated__ and this, ceteris paribus, may comprise all classes of the population__ all social processes take on a illusory or reified appearance in the sense that come to be regarded as having an objective, external reality of their own, as though they were something other than the activities of members of the same society in their relations with one another. This, is the clue to man’s split personality as a member of modern society, what he thinks he does in that capacity (his consciousness) bears no relation to what he actually does (his existence).”

Quotable Quotes

·        Grandiose ideas are those which are not only far beyond your means but also irrelevant to your needs.  

·        You are poor if the search for livelihood is your daily occupation.

·        Incompetent already can never be in a position to cannibalize any organization; this only competent can do by becoming incompetent.  

·        You can date year from any month but the feeling of renewal   only can make you feel that you have opened another file on your life.

·         Debate is not a good measure of a debater’s stance if the aggressiveness of one debater does foul to the reticence of another.

Use of complex fallacy in politics

Political marketing consultant crafts lines for Despot

·        Well what all this pandemonium about? Writers; poets; and intellectuals of our beloved country are demanding as I am told ‘the freedom of expression’ well, I respect what they say, but actions must catch up with words; all those who believe in the freedom of expression must give freedom to their own expression; the frenzy of  inspiration must not be then controlled by technical necessities.

Are universities superfluous?

·        Universities could have been the birthplace of the artists and poets if art had originated in rational faculties. The fact that art originates in intuitive; however; does not render universities superfluous. Universities provide ‘bracing element of craftsmanship’ so that linear perspective and anatomy discipline artistic endeavor and rational order of ideal kind maintains the intellectual element in art.

CIVIL SOCIETY

‘Electoral democracy depends on civil society which is made up by political parties, social movements, public discussion, and freedom of expression, fair elections, laws, and individual rights. In civil society associations, clubs, guilds, unions, parties and groups come together to provide a buffer between state and citizen’ thus becoming the mediating structure between the society and the state.

Pakistan’s civil society is observable in formal institutions, such as political parties, labor unions, media and press, chamber of commerce, citizen clubs and community organization as well as in traditional structures such as clans(beradaris), village and neighborhood organizations, traders associations, ethno religious communities, religious orders, social network, mores of social control and social movements. These are the mediating structure that regulate, balance and influence the state, as well as organize collective action in public affairs.

The evolution of Pakistan’s civil society spanned the period of three divergent regimes: General Yahya’s inter-regenum (1969-71), Bhutto’s PPP government (1972-1977) and Zia’s rule (1977-88). This period has thematic unity as in different ways all three regimes focused on challenging public expression, preempting the possibilities of mass movements and neutralizing the scope of civil society. Thus, containment of civil society was the defining feature of this period. Bhutto and Zia explicitly sought to ‘reconstruct’ the State along preferred ideological lines. All in all, civil society was subject to similar pressures and reconstructive thrusts during the period of three regimes.

Populism of Bhutto made ethnicity based on linguist and regional ties a critical element in the organization of the state and society; and public opinion began to be refracted through the lens of ethnicity. The Afghan crisis during Zia period proved to be another transforming factor; Islamic groups grew into a potent force, further splintering society into sectarian and ideological elements.    

In 1988 democracy revisited Pakistan and continues to function uninterrupted until 1999. During the rule of Nawaz and Benazir labor unions, student associations and chambers of commerce were divided into ethnic, ideological and political factions. Due to fiscal crisis, rising crime, unresolved ethnic and regional disaffection, sectarian violence, the internal contradictions and corruption, the state fractured, and its fracturing led to the ascendancy of sectarian, splinter groups, ethnic and clan-kinship organization at local and regional levels, resulting in the fragmentation of civil society.

In modern polity political parties links society with state. The practice of holding party-less election undermined a great deal the credibility of the institution that has the potential for mobilizing people in pursuit of political objectives. 2001 ‘local bodies’ election was one example of taking out of the political system the very leverage which a state has with the society.(35)

Consensus on certain ideals helps civil society to accommodate difference but due to absence of over arching vision racial and ethnic groups grow powerful. Absence of consensus is the absence of overarching vision; but in Pakistan absence of consensus of not the absence of overarching vision but absence of will to use Islam to accommodate difference. The absence of will resulted in the denominationalisation of civil society and produced glaring contradictions of values and norms. Consequently the ‘personality cult’; ethnic loyalties have become bases of election campaigns and Bradari attachment governs the decision to vote.Appealing to activated ethnic feelings is easy as candidate has to prove only that he will satisfy the urge of electorates to gain ethnic supremacy (intangible gains). Poetic diction and oratory ensures the support of people. Election campaign is reduced to one function: keep alive and intensify ethnic feelings.

Ethnic loyalties belong to ethnic leaders and they need no ad.  Almost no ad from MQM in five election campaign is one example. Strong clan or Bradari base ensures the votes of whole clan by   eliciting the cooperation of Patriarch. ‘Group cohesiveness’ furthermore, makes group small enough to be reached physically. ‘Group cohesiveness’ eliminates diversity in idea, and emotions than reasons dominate group. Political advertising (banners, poster) and demagogy suffice.Election campaign is part of democracy but democracy with out politics was introduced by Musharraf. The state’s attempt to promote and guide community development and subsequently to foster supportive local institutions resulted in politicization and sectionalisation of local initiatives. If politics has to be conducted at local level then no nation wide election campaign is needed to win election. Banners, fliers and handbills__ tools of political advertisings__ suffice.