Harish Khare presents a convincing case for moderation in our thoughts and suggests ways to keep “thought policing” at bay in his article “Why the intellectual is on the run” (Feb. 6). We have many problems, of which rising intolerance disables our capacity to address all others. While we always knew that the electronic media had great powers to shape informed public opinion, only recently are we becoming aware of its pernicious ability to dumb down the level of discourse and debate. Every evening, experts and charlatans, free thinkers and bigots, share TV studios to offer their 30-second panacea for all evils. Unfortunately, the very format of the so-called debate guarantees its failure. It usually turns out to be a crude exhibition of lung power and serves no one. Let us shun these charades and turn to a handful of newspapers and magazines for opinions.
Santanu Sinha Chaudhuri,Kolkata
The article is brilliant. But I fear that those who should be reading it have no time as they are full of themselves. It is difficult to see how the visual media will actually raise the quality of its reporting and ethical standards.
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