There was a time, years back when it seemed that everything was going to end up in dust as many young people were caught up in the ‘tsunami of philosophy’ and they started even ‘worshipping’ philosophers who necessarily don’t have universal applauses. In fact they were so controversial going around the world wasn’t some easy matter. Take the Osho guy for example. Now, there could be no doubt about him enjoying wide global following in almost every country. And his followers were mostly very emotional youngsters with whom. Of course, having fair discussions is very difficult if not outright impossible with followers who were one step away from making him ‘The Creator’ himself. You don’t ask questions, you listen and say “As you say master! As you say!” I came across many youngsters and could realize the passion among that generation. Of course you can’t blame many of them for having deep knowledge about the philosophies of the man. But the little they know is enough for them. I have to admit that I read at most a couple of translated works while there were scores of translated versions. If I had formed any opinion after my readings, I’m not saying!
One thing his ‘teachings’ seem to have been perfectly chiseled to appeal to those rebellion genes of almost every other youth. I mean those are years when logic and reality are subjected to the extreme back of the room making any sort of discussion difficult. Those were years when opposing and demonizing everything past were the orders of the day. Everything has to change and so-called traditional and cultural norms and heritages should be abolished. Maybe they should have been, maybe that was the way the world should have worked; maybe the world is in such mess that it’s in because it failed to lend ears to such teachings and preaching. Of course I can tell you there are facts that most of those young followers of the man never heard because such issues aren’t raised as they don’t do good the man’s reputation. It breaks your heart to witness so many energetic youngsters whom the nation and the world need to isolate themselves from their respective communities because of the things the man thought.
There was this young man, a more or less rational guy, or so we thought, who worshiped the man with such finality you wondered what happened to that rational and logical guy you knew before he stumbled across the man. Unlike many among his generation this was a guy who read almost any topic, until of course the ‘silent’ revolution caught up with him. He took up reading especially people like Osho, Frederick Nietzsche etc. and there was no turning back; he just ignored all other books he over read so emphatically. Now, speaking of Nietzsche, because this was one philosopher who practically mesmerized our guy. Especially one quote from the philosopher seemed to have laid the foundation of our guy’s being. “God is dead!” (Familiar isn’t it?) The irony here is that this young man was a regular in churches on Sundays and any other day he got the free time to drop by. In a very religious society where more than 90% of the people are religious this was one very contentious issue to raise in public. The verdict about anyone who said such a thing is simple and down to earth; “He has gone crazy.” But this young man never thought he was crazy and publicly used the philosopher’s saying and I can tell you he didn’t make any more friends. In fact he lost most of the ones he already had. But nothing scared him bad enough to reevaluate his situation.
Now and then I sat for tea with him and we used to discuss books, films and the like. Then after he became a new convert well the conversations dealt with new topics too. But since I’m a guy who’s usually uncomfortable discussing religion or any such topic it was hard for him to ‘recruit’ me or think of anything like that. But one day he took that big leap and asked me what I thought about the “God is dead;” concept. Now a small trap as it was I managed to maneuver around it telling him that I didn’t have deep reading of the philosopher’s works and was not in a position to comment. But then I took the opportunity to throw a piece my mind at him. I said I think maybe that particular quote might have been wrongly interpreted.
“Why do you say that?”
“Well I feel many interpret it literally word for word and I have this feeling that probably wasn’t what was meant.” The guy was neither impressed and nor was I trying to do so. Why I should try to impress anyone about something I have the scantest knowledge about if any at all! He went into quite an emotional monologue trying to tell me that was exactly what he meant and delved into the broader issue of religion. I cut him short under the pretext of an appointment to keep and never did we raise the issue again.
Then all of a sudden this guy disappears. Just like that! Whatever happened to him he was practically forgotten after a couple of years. Then after some years I meet this guy back home for a visit from North America. We were discussing about completely different issues over tea when the name of that guy crops up. You can imagine my system going into overdrive. So that son of a gun had all this time been across the oceans! No wonder America seems to be losing its soul! (Yes, that was too harsh of me!)
I asked what he did for a living not having any doubt that he was still in the Osho/Nietzsche guy.
“He has become a preacher!
“Sorry; what did you say?”
“He is a preacher with quite a significant following.” Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! And still there are those who tell you this world isn’t changing. Now my reaction didn’t make any sense to the fellow I was talking with.
“Why are you so surprised?” Watch out! You’re getting too close to the cliff’s edge!
“Well I never thought he was that religious!”
“He said in interviews he has always been religious since he was a toddler.”
Yes; isn’t that groundbreaking news of the decade!
We’re in the social media age and things are harder in that there are so many pitfalls into which the young could fall without first taking care on which stones they step and which direction they are actually moving. Unfortunately, by the time many youngsters realize their mistakes it become to late them having ended up in no man’s land! When it comes to the youth it’s not only the direction they take that worries us but the stepping stones leading to the finish line.
Ephrem Endale Contributer
The Ethiopian Herald April 28/2014
