Jean-Paul Sartre [1905-1980] A writer is the conscience of his time, Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in his foundational essay What is Literature? (1947). India today is a country that does not love writers who possess conscience, unless their conscience aligns with the ideology of the dispensation. Dissent is suppressed, critical voices are intimidated, and conformity is rewarded. What would Sartre do if he were living in India today? Silence is complicity , Sartre would assert. For him literature was an act of communication, not just about beauty or style. Not for him concepts like ‘art for art’s sake’. Writing is commitment, commitment to reflecting on and shaping of social and political realities. If we leave the construction of our social and cultural life to our politicians, we will soon be doomed. Intellectuals should do such things, not politicians. Politicians are mere administrators; writers are philosophers and visionaries. If writers choose to be silent or to conform, who will ...
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