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Intelligentsia

28.12.2022




French writer and philosopher Montaigne (French Michel de Montaigne, Les Essais, 1581) said: "Stupidity is a disease, which never affects those who see it in themselves...". So it is with belonging to the Intelligentsia stratum. A true Intelligent will never admit that he is an Intelligent. What are the virtues an Intelligent should possess?

Various dictionaries, translations from Greek and Latin give a meagre definition of the meaning of the term "Intelligentsia". In general, the term "intelligentsia" refers to a layer of educated people having enough knowledge in various fields of science and arts to be able to hold a conversation in any society.

However, a person having this dignity may not refer himself to the Intelligentsia but only to the Intellectuals. What then is the difference between an Intellectual and an Intelligent?


In my opinion, the Intelligent, apart from the Intellectual virtues, is also characterised by Spirituality. Spirituality of the Intelligent manifests itself first of all in the fact that he is concerned first of all not about his own welfare but about the welfare of people around him and for the sake of it he is ready to suffer his own inconveniences. There is no self-interest in the actions of the Intelligent. The Intelligent has self-respect but no more than respect for his interlocutor, even if his interlocutor clearly falls short of the Intellectual's level. And, of course, for the Intelligent, the word Honour is not an empty word. An Intelligent never admits he is an Intelligent because of his modesty. One does not become an Intelligent but is born one...


In my opinion, there is no specific Intelligentsia: scientific, creative, rural, engineering, military and so on, because Spirituality is not specific.


That, in my understanding, is the high bar to the Intelligentsia, which is the real pride and elite of any society. The task of the state is to preserve its Intelligentsia. It should also be noted that Intelligentsia is not only the capital of a particular country, but also the capital of Mankind.

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