The decline of collective consciousness

Scholar highlights importance of diversity, inclusiveness

LAHORE: “Revival of past is not possible because the moment that has passed cannot return at any cost. Back view mirror is to help out in moving forward but to move forward you need to look ahead,” a speaker said at the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) on Sunday.

Journalist and writer Wajahat Masood criticised a repulsive approach towards modernity as a nation. He was speaking in a session titled, “Ijtamai zahanat ka zawal” on the third day of the LLF at Alhamra Hall.

The session was moderated by Asghar Nadeem Syed and Arfa Syeda Zahra also spoke.

Asghar started the session with a bid to define what constituted collective wisdom. He said every nation had some shared things like culture, art and history that formed heritage.

Wajahat said every nation had collective consciousness but currently there were indications of a crisis in this regard.

Asghar also pointed out that the visit to the country of a Nobel laureate, Orhan Pamuk, had drawn little public attention.

Arfa said, “We as a nation have established too many divisions, while diversity and inclusiveness are very important.”

She said the diversity of geography, language and race as in Pakistan was very rare in other countries. She added that reform started when the mistakes were realised.

Wajahat recounted a response to a column he wrote in which he said that our nation had produced Fatima Jinnah, Asma Jahangir, Malala Yousafzai and others. He said an individual even questioned the celebration of these personalities.

Arfa said that the essence behind dominance of retrogressive elements was that they feared the intelligence of a few.

Wajahat said that the nation had produced shining stars but they had been precluded. He said that people knew about Faiz, Manto, NM Rashid, Rafi Peer, Qasmi and Ahmad Faraz during their times. How many graduates of present time were familiar with the name of Saleemur Rehman, he asked.

A speaker also referred to the abuses hurled by the leader of a religious group, terming it a part of the crisis of collective consciousness.

Examples of some remarks about women by powerful figures and highhandedness of police officers like Abid Boxer, Rao Anwar, Halaku Khan and others were also cited during the discussion.

Wajahat said that all this ignorance was organised. It was a concerted effort, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2020.