Anrdrei Plesu on the problem with intellectuals

"It's terrible how annoyed the whole world is with intellectuals," complains Romanian philosopher Andrei Plesu in the daily Adevărul. "It's not really clear what an intellectual is, but nowadays individuals who are seen as belonging to this category are blamed for all that goes wrong in the Romanian world. … Intellectuals are not really dislikeable; it's our rulers who are. However not even 'the people' love intellectuals all that much. When they interfere in politics they are suspected of overambitiousness, having material interests, subservience or being vainly elitist. No matter what they do they end up being harshly condemned: They did nothing. Or even worse, they ruined everything. But when they keep their distance they are criticised for not intervening. … What can we do? I see only two solutions: either intellectuals serve a purpose, so every waiter should quickly convert to philosophy; or intellectuals are a bad thing altogether and it would be better to produce waiters en masse. In the end the crisis will decide: both professions are having a tough time! All we have enough of are presidential candidates."

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