Obama and Bolt

The Editor, Sir:

Immediately after the American elections, I (and other parents) received a letter from Leon Botstein, the president of an American university that my daughter attends. It was a comment on their elections that I wish to share with your readers. Botstein wrote:

"The danger inherent in contemporary mass democracy has always been the potential for manipulation through mediocrity, conformism, intolerance, and an inflexible populism that contains resentment of learning and educational excellence.

The American people have rejected this path. I believe it is a non-partisan statement to assert that this election is not only a tribute to American ideals, but also to the importance and centrality of education, and the role that institutions of education which aspire to the highest ideals and standards can play.

courage

The victors in the 2008 election are the potential power of knowledge and inquiry, of intellectual curiosity and courage, and finally, the virtues of civility, tolerance, and humility that mark the highest achievements in scholarship, teaching, research, performance, the making of art and public service."

These words resonated with me. It is not just American anti-intellectualism that I find rather threatening.

For some time now, I have also been troubled by the promotion of anti-intellectualism by sections of the Jamaican political elite and the marketing of a brand of exclusionary populist identity politics that I believe could be very damaging to our democracy. Intellectuals have their faults. There is such a thing as intellectual snobbery. This is not, however, sufficient reason to devalue education and to rank 'love' and loyalty above capability and merit.

Today, we are celebrating the achievements of Barack Obama. Yesterday, we were celebrating those of Usain Bolt.

great pride

We should reflect on what they have in common. We take great pride in our achievements in sports. These are achievements based on merit and merit only.

No one becomes Olympic champion by using their party and church connections, school affiliation, skin colour, sex, beauty or even past performance to get in the Jamaican team. This is partly why they are so internationally competitive.

We would like to see greater success in other spheres of activity, but we are reluctant to transfer the merit principle to these spheres of activity and to other important institutions. I am not aware of any situation in which anti-intellectualism has comfortably cohabited with tolerance, competence, hard work, merit and development.

Resentment of learning and educational excellence do not need any reinforcement from our politicians. It is already strong enough among our people including some of our intellectuals and students. We should 'think on these things'.

I am, etc.,

ANTHONY HARRIOTT

anthonyharriott@yahoo.com

Criminologist