No end to magnitude of stupidity

Is there a limit to stupidity? Not that we know of. Is this quality an urge that one cannot contain? Why do those who question stupid remarks forget that they also keep displaying the trait in them often? Similar accusations can be, and in fact have been, made concerning those who criticise them as well. It seems that stupidity is ubiquitous, unable to be contained within or attributed to one specific political position, personal trait, or even ignorance and erroneous reasoning. Stupidity permeates our perception and practice of politics. We frequently accuse politicians, bureaucrats, journalists, voters, "elites," and "the masses" for their stupidities. In fact, it is not only "populist politicians," "sensational journalism," and "uneducated voters" who are accused of stupidity.

India today is witnessing a new spell of stupidity in public life. Politicians, celebrities and intellectuals are sharing their brilliant ideas and views with the nation every now and then entertaining some, irritating many and infuriating political rivals. As usual, Rahul baba who is on a 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' thought it fit to make a feeble attempt at 'Mahagathbandhan Thodo' at Maharashtra by taking a swipe at Savarkar once again. Congressmen have this habit of raking up the history calling Savarkar a British servant who allegedly sought pardon from the British. Whether Rahul had a brilliant political plan of bringing down the Shinde-Fadnavis government in a jiffy is not known to us. It certainly irritated the Thackareys who reminded Rahul that Savarkar is Maratha's idol and cannot be spoken ill of. And Rahul did so soon after stepping into Maharashtra leg of his 'padayatra'.

The BJP would naturally celebrate the irksome moments of the opposition and it was well into its carping business when Maharashtra Governor Koshiyari had other plans. He thought of none other than Shivaji to earmark a shelf life to his contribution to the country in the past. He called him an idol of olden times. Koshiyari was only repaying a favour. Now both of them – Rahul and thereby the Congress and Koshiyari and the BJP thereof – are on an equal footing. This is being cited often. Film personalities don't lag behind in this anyway. Kamal Hasan in his discourse the other day called Shiva and Shakti worshippers non-Hindus just as the Congress politicians call Lingayats, dalits and OBCs as Ahindas.

What we witness is rather that one's reasoning can be sound, evidence-based, and at the same time stupid. This quality, stupidity, is an ineluctable problem not only of politics, but also of thinking perhaps. There is something called political correctness which keeps changing from time to time.

Yet, why judge the past and the actions of people who are no more. None of us knows exactly under what circumstances and conditions that one did a certain thing and made a certain move. It cannot be pulled out to be placed in our present contexts to be judged by us. For a common man, how does it matter? Voters, either in their wisdom or stupidity, choose some as their leaders in the hope that their lives would not become dreary. What should they do if the leaders turn out to be historians trying to rectify the vagaries of the past? It is time these VIPs stopped travelling backwards in the time capsule and, instead, look at their contribution to a better tomorrow.