The silent "intellectuals".

Not more than 30 themselves appear in the media, although there are also those who come out only when the party "pays" them, by mail and other forms of reward! By, how is it possible that in Albanian society in North Macedonia they teach about 1000 masters and doctors of science and we do not see them at all in the public sphere?! Many, some of them praise their favorite party and leader on social networks.

Write: Sefer TAHIRI, Skopje

It often happens that they meet me and, naturally, due to the large presence in various media with opinions, political analysis and various activities, to be recognized by different people. One in Skopje, one day in street chats, told me: "I know you, because you are around 10 you often appear on television"! From this moment I began to think whether a person should often appear in the media, sometimes for the sake of truth not so much to say, but how to look. HAPPENS, although rarely, that even though you have nothing to say more than what you have said or your colleagues have said, you appear in a TV debate, "smiling" to do "collegial" service, so enough to fill the schedule. By, although this can sometimes happen, still appearing in the media without fear is in the spirit of the socially determined duty that the intellectual has, that is, the public mission.

"Hello, not a word escaped his mouth"!

Of course there is more than that 10 that speak in the media, but not more than 30 Know. There are also those who come out only when the party "pays" them, me post or me para kesh, there are different ones, since even "intelligence" often manipulates for personal purposes, group, clan and party! By, how is it possible that in the Albanian society in North Macedonia there are many people who do educational and scientific-academic work, teach about 1000 masters and doctors of science, so in terms of quantity there are many people of intelligence, but we do not see them at all in the public sphere. Many, praise their favorite party and leader on social networks! PERHAPS, they think the saying "Silence is golden" is true. it, may be the easiest way, but it is not the path of intellectualism, it is not the way to serve the public interest!

I believe you have heard the well-known song "Not a word escaped his mouth"?! This especially applies to many Albanian "intellectuals" in North Macedonia, but also throughout the Albanian space.

In Albanian lands, there is a wrong and distorted perception of the role, the strength and influence that intellectuals have in society. The intellectual is not a salaryman, is not an administrator, he is not a full-time defender of the government's policies on social networks or at the tables of cafes or teahouses, regardless of whether he agrees with many of them. It should not be poltron, materialistic profiteer or person who has his own personal interests as the only priority and always puts them above the public interest. The intellectual is the opposite. He must have a progressive mental structure and a moral-ethical code to positively influence the course of society. If you are going to measure the intellectual by these criteria, I believe most will say, quite rightly, "but where are there intellectuals nowadays??”, because everyone is in the way of their own interests. Maybe interest and only interest is eternal! Actually, how many real intellectuals we have?! I think very little.

There is no medicine for fear. Consequently, nor for the fear of intellectuals. The civilized and emancipated world, to levels of excellence, teaches us that the intellectual is not the one who is silent, who is afraid of the power for his workplace or his positions. By, the opposite, the one who raises the voice of reason and conscience for collective social issues. There are many professors who are "sold" and "touted" as great intellectuals, almost science started with them, they are almost the Aristotle or Plato of the new age, while their voice is not heard a millimeter away from the square meters of the universities where they teach. These are not intellectuals. These are pretend intellectuals, because shut-ins don't belong in the category of genuine intellectuals. even, I don't know how they teach students about public affairs or freedom of speech, for democracy, for pluralism, when they themselves are part of the schemes of the totalitarian dictatorship with both feet, that of single-mindedness, uniformity, that in North Macedonia there are always attempts to be installed by various circles "clothed" with power. The intellectual always has the duty to tell the public the truth about whatever major problem society has.

Some issues deserve intellectual treatment

But is there a bigger problem than the location?, economic and democratic underdevelopment, than the loss of hope?! The intellectual has responsibilities, especially when the society in which he lives is in crisis, be it moral, social and political. North Macedonia, according to all parameters, is in deep political crisis, while the Albanian intellectual is also in crisis. The intellectuals, more precisely those who call themselves intellectuals, they are not critical of the government, to social trends, to various political-ideological crises, cultural-educational and moral, they often make the apology of power, in most cases not with a clear media voice, but with thoughts on social networks and actions of the party activist, which is the entry-level version of policymaking. Instead of being real intellectuals, are silent, no sound, no ideas about the present and no visions for the future. Albanian intellectuals who have raised the voice of reason without conjecture against power can be counted on the fingers, in different periods of society's development, in the past communist system and transitional democracy, because only those who are true intellectuals are not subject to the political system or any ideology that is dominant in society. I understand that this society is one of fear, but you have to "fight" with it, because democracy has no meaning otherwise.

Intellectuals wake up from "winter sleep"

It is the last time and the social situation imposes this, for the Albanian intellectual to wake up from "winter sleep" and be more attentive to events, phenomena, problems and concerns of citizens and political and non-political society. He must present his arguments to politics, how Albanian parties managed to become tools of various state establishments, running all over, without exception, after power, forgetting overnight the "political program definitions" for a better life for Albanians. Obviously a political party, even by definition, aims to ascend to power, but not at all costs and without resolving the means. Someone has to do the opposition as well! It deserves deep intellectual answers as to why airports and bus stations are filled with young Albanians every day, why is North Macedonia emptying and, than according to forecasts, brenda 2 years will also go away 200 thousand citizens, most of them educated and young. Why is it silent and no responsibility is demanded as North Macedonia, a small country, has managed to get into debt from 8 billion euros, why no politician ever goes to prison, even though they were caught in the act of stealing, while the internal and external public debt proves that this has happened?! It needs an interpretation of who will pay the debt from 8 billion euros. Apo, even this analytical-scientific interpretation cannot be given by some, because a large part of those who are today in higher education and hold the title of ordinary professor, inordinary or docents are former ministers, MPs and politicians of party branches or sub-branches! Former rector of USHT, Sadi Bexheti, the weather has revealed that 30 % of the teachers in the universities teaching in the Albanian language are former politicians. In Albanian universities, only the rector of the University of Tetova, Kushtrim Ahmeti is not a politician. The other two rectors come from the field of politics, one is a former member of parliament and the other is a former minister. Not denying the academic and research-scientific abilities and qualities of a small minority, most of the former politicians, today professors, they are people who have used their political authority to become professors.

This fact makes these Albanian intellectuals conformists, people who do not spoil the party, even when she has it bad, even when she is wrong. How bad for the state of a nation and especially for its future!

The article was published in SHENJA Magazine