the phundit

then there are phundits.

I define a 'phundit' as someone who seeks to benefit materially or otherwise from the knoweledge base he has built over time either specific to a subject or in general context *and* is unafraid to share it with others so as to influence the opinion that ultimately suits his clients or who pays his bills.

For example if you were to listen to FOX news or CNN, they may have guests on it who portray each and every policy in a certain light. I have no issue with those unless they are being compensated with a self-serving exposure just because their view suits the particular audience. One day they will be writing a book from the half truths they told (even when they knew the full truth). One day they will be writing a policy paper on the subject they talked about (again telling only a half of the story).

A quality that distinguishes these phundits from others is that they 'reach' and 'grab' answers that are outside of their experience and knowledge. They do that first when prompted. And they do it as a rule afterwards -- because they would already have mentioned it before, now their Phunditry passes as Punditry.

The Phundits also have some fun looking at their well dressed mannerisms in full-length mirrors. They are the used-car salesmen of the intelligentsia. They tell you what you like to hear. They cash in on you when the time is right. They push you and prod you toward a maximum utility point on the curve where you and he/she benefits most, "together". Your own utility value is of concern only to the extent that he makes that 'sale'.

You are of some value to the Phundit. He has to make that sale. He has to guide your ill-informed and clumsy soul toward a point of sale for his idea. He has you by the balls after he convinces you that he is the Phundit -- you both together are going to have fun.

The lectures on Economics, Morals, Philosophy and especially about humans at war -- and specifically if it involved Arabs and Jews; Iraqis wanting to stand for their freedoms and the tribal leaders for their fiefdoms; Pakistanis and Indians going to the brink of a war and oscillating back to peace; home grown terrorism in England; the so-called revolutionary maoists in Andhra Pradesh -- they spare nothing. They are experts at everything. I heard a columnist on C-SPAN of all things, that India and Pakistan were within a 15 second timeframe to begin a nuclear war. He said the war could come that quickly. He writes for DAWN, a Pakistani Newspaper. He is not worth the mention on this blog. It is the reader who must make a distinction -- whether to trust a columnist, ever. I would say, never.

Every columnist is a Phundit, to some degree. I am not outside of that sphere as well. It is easier when you are one among them to write about and speak about.

I have other updates to the blog coming up. Thanks for reading.