Tunnel vision hurdles universalistic discourse

by Afreeha Jawad

Talking to Dr. Wimal Wijesiriwardhane of the Sripalee Campus one begins to wonder which is more important - strengthening the state or strengthening society? Politicians' and laymen's preferences goes without saying. For this purpose let's take an immediate look across the Palk Straits into neighbouring India.

Indian society during the Independence struggle intervened into social problems from an independent perspective. In fact even the literati focused on secular arts institutions independent of state interference.

Both these factors have helped the Indian state into a secular constitution which has strongly safeguarded society to progress in a non-violent way. "True, inter-religious and inter-caste clashes are there, but national thought and discourse has been mainstreamed," he said.

Justifying his statement Dr. Wijesiriwardhane spoke of Indian literature - from Bengali, Marati, Karnataka to Hindu, Tamil or whatever - from Rabindranath Tagore to Arundathi Roy - it has been an endless stream of anti-systemic or non-state centredness, working from a people's perspective without getting caught up by elitists' projects.

However, he regretted this characteristic to be non-existent in Sinhala literature which was within the system along with the post colonial state building project.

Tagore said he never wished for a strong state but a morally enhanced society. To build good humans you don't need an army, strong military, state nor money. It's the moral forces that matter.

Even morally incompetent people could contribute to a strong state. Yet Indian society and its literary elite were into a strong society in more than one sense. It even brought to writer mind how Indian bureaucrats - many of whom are into moral assertion are a moral colossus against corrupt politicians who try to have their way.

A river has no single origin for a multitude of tributaries contribute in making a river. Similarly traditions have many origins.

A river finds no smooth flow and have rocks to interrupt it. Likewise, traditions get interrupted with time and space. Many tributaries lend to enrich the great river. Similarly diverse communities enhance a nation.

Significantly Dr. Wijesiriwardhane pointed out tradition bearers' that live in time and space who influence traditions. They shape, mould and re-invent tradition to their liking. As a result so much of emotional baggage gets into these traditions.

Given the dangers arising from such dynamics such as developing narrow, nationalistic, chauvinistic, extremist outlook, this writer inferred the importance of arriving at a grand discourse free from the fetters of time and space to reach a universalistic outlook which the Indian literati and politicians did to their people.

He blamed the Lankan literati and politicians for being filled with emotional baggage that was harmful to people's well-being. "They are tunnel visioned with no grand discourse of a universal nature and are only focused on personal well-being. The next man is seen as the other with no fusion of the two.

They only know to create more and more differences for their own survival, not to forget the distortions of tradition itself that help such survival."

Striking high intellectual chord Dr. Wijesiriwardhane pointed out how mutual respect and love was possible only because humans are different.

If humans were the same this would not be possible. Yet it is these differences that are made use of for some others' personal glory.

Proving his belief in inter-dependency Dr. Wijesiriwardhane said it was the clouds that gave the rain followed by trees which in return made pulp to produce paper. "Many people also contributed in bringing out this piece of paper," he said.

Comparing this state of inter-dependency with Anaathma,' he insisted it (anaathma) not to be a state of non-existence to be accepted in a Nihilistic manner.

Judging from Dr. Wijesiriwardhane's explanation it was crystal clear how through mutual respect and understanding one could break new ground into a higher grand discourse where the 'self' becomes non-existent. Surely, a state of anaathma.

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