Re: Tri' thu+'c la` gi`

[Tuan Pham <tuan.pham@unsw.edu.au>]

Hong Lam Vu <vuh000@goofy.zdv.Uni-Mainz.de>

Hi La^m and all

In old Russia and old Asia education was elitist and so
the intellectual/intelligentsia or ke? si~ occupied a special
position and had a special mission.

In the modern world anyone can influence society.
An 18 year old in Western society who is knowledgeable
about using the internet and other media can influence
society to a much greater extent than an intellectual
could in the old days.

The intellectual has therefore lost his unique mission
(or, rather, the monopoly on his mission). However, by 
virtue of his opportunities to read and think, he still has
special contributions to make to society and should try 
to do so. Like everybody else, he may often be wrong, 
but if he doesn't try to contribute then PR-specialists, 
charlatans and ignoramuses will take over (from within 
or outside their ranks).

Intellectuals have been called "less than shit" and it might
well be true in some cases, but in general terms there is
a wealth of evidence that, in societies or during periods 
where intellectuals are treated like shit or made to shovel 
shit, the country and the people suffer a fate worse than 
shit. (No obscenities intended, I am only using "ngo^n ngu+~
tho+`i thu+o+.ng" :)

Cheers
Tuan Pham


>Hi intellectuals,
>> 
>> >         Su+' ma.ng cu?a tri' thu+'c la` ddi ti`m cha^n ly' va` phe^ pha'n
>> >  (L'intellectuel a mission de chercher la ve'rite' et de juger). 
>> 
>
>I think that Vu Tai Luc is old-timer when he uses the term "mission" in
>relationship with the term "intellectual". There is a basic difference
>between the terms "mission" and "function". Theories on intellectuals
>distinguish two categories:
>
>- intellectuals: Those who have a certain function in society: to produce
>and reproduce knowledge.
>
>- inteligentsia: This term comes from the Russian notion for intellectual.
>And here is the point. Inteligentsia has not only the function to produce
>and reproduce knowledge, but also and above all a mission. They believe in
>their mission. To understand what a mission is, just think to the mission
>of Heaven (Thie^n me^.nh).
>
>Again, with the inteligentsia, the issue of Tri ha`nh ho+.p nha^'t are there.
>The inteligentsia believe in truth (cha^n ly') and in the idea of Tri
>ha`nh ho+.p nha^'t. Unlike the intellectual, who is to produce "formal" 
>knowledge, the inteligentsia knows more. He is furthermore to produce a
>special knowledge: the knowledge of WHAT TO DO. He does not only KNOW, his
>"mission" is to do what he knows. Moreover, he believes firmly in what he
>does, because he knows THE truth and he can tri ha`nh ho+.p nha^'t.
>
>Cheers,
>La^m.
>