Am I missing something or has the standard of public discourse really degenerated? Pardon me for stating the obvious: disagreement need not become disagreeable. But we’re assaulted by so much public ranting that we’re dangerously close to losing all sense of civility and decorum in public life. Especially when elected representatives start employing the language of the streets, simply because they disagree with someone or something, it’s time to do some collective soul-searching. Seriously.
In a recent interview to The Hindu, the Tamil Nadu state Finance Minister, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, while referring to a campaign advocating for liberating temples from state control, termed the demand “nonsense”. But he didn’t stop there. In a shocking below-the-belt attack, he heaped verbal abuse on the architect of the campaign, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, calling him a “charlatan” among other things. Before friends and fans of the minster train their guns on me, let me categorically state that my only interest is in the standard of public discourse among our elected leaders.
Think about this: can someone who can become so emotionally disturbed by a simple difference of opinion really participate in governance in a leadership capacity? It takes diplomacy, goodwill, patience, collaboration and an enormous appetite for dissent to be a leader of any worth. You don’t become a leader by twisting arms and making brazen public threats against anyone who holds an opposing viewpoint. At least in the world I grew up in, this was the way of 5-year-old class bullies.
As a society, we seem to have a high tolerance for slander and a low appetite for speaking up against it, especially if the slander is coming from a powerful voice. If we allow this to continue, we will descend into a no-holds-barred, free-for-all in the name of governance. Is that what we want? This is perhaps the most instructive lesson that the minister can learn from the “godman”— how to be a “good man” publicly.
It’s amusing that people refer to spiritual gurus as “godmen” and then derisively condemn the term. I’ve never understood why they use the term at all. What does “self-styled godman” even mean? You’re giving me a character certificate only to snatch it out of my hands and shred it in fury. Why give it to me in the first place? Anyway, that aside, let’s come back to the Curious Case of the Raging Minster.
As a citizen, all I’m concerned about is the quality of leadership and governance. I want to be proud of our elected representatives—this is why we elect them. In fact, the Hon’ble minister comes from an illustrious family, is erudite and well-travelled. We need more people like him in mainstream politics and one of the reasons we need them is to raise the standard of public discourse, not to downgrade it. People look up to anyone who can inspire, collaborate, innovate and most of all put their best foot forward publicly. These are the people who will bring solutions, craft successful partnerships, and get the attention and ear of the world.
It’s one of the reasons why so-called “godmen” have people eating out of their palms: They have the ability to inspire action without giving any thought to possible reward. We must never underestimate this ability. It is one of the greatest strengths of a leader that they can get people to do what they say not because they are being paid; not because they belong to a certain community, race or religion; not because they hope to call it in some day but simply because they have been profoundly touched and moved.
We may or may not embrace them as our personal spiritual guides but you have to hand it to them: their ability to inspire millions around the world to engage in humanitarian service is quite phenomenal. Even with the best of intentions and ideas, I cannot get 10 people to just listen to what I have to say, let alone act. Yet, these so-called “godmen” seem to effortlessly put people to work—for each other’s welfare—with no expectations in return.
One final thing: You don’t gain entry into global corridors of power being a “charlatan” flying by the seat of your pants. It takes years and years of painstaking work to prove your credentials, win community acceptance, establish impeccable integrity and gain the trust of millions. It takes a keen understanding of the world, its complex dynamics, its intriguing web of political and cultural interplays … in short, it’s a very different ballgame from politics, where one’s agenda and leadership are restricted to a much smaller geography. There’s a lesson there perhaps, minister?
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