Mr. Shangkong | We need to hear more, not less, from our intellectuals
A balance is needed between real-life situations we deal with on a daily basis and the inspiring ideas within the domain of academic research
Many of my colleagues and friends know I have two real-life identities - by day I am an editor and journalist with the South China Morning Post, and at weekends I am a student at the University of Hong Kong who hopes to survive a four-year doctoral programme and someday be called Dr. Chen.
How do I feel about the dual identity? It's difficult. Not just because I need to do an excellent job of time management but also because my mind is often divided between two very different worlds - on the one hand, the real-life situations in society that we have to deal with on a daily basis and, on the other hand, inspiring and challenging ideas that must remain within the domain of academic research.
Intellectual has become a label that many knowledgeable people ... try to avoid
In his column, Kristof said one of the reasons academics shun public affairs was the pervasive anti-intellectualism in America. Does this sound familiar?
In today's China, gong zhi, or "public intellectual", has also become a label that many knowledgeable people, including professors, try to avoid being applied to them.
Whenever someone with a fair amount of work or research experience comes out to comment on something related to his or her profession and expertise, especially when it is related to a current event or a societal topic of public interest, the responses often end up being very rude or disrespectful.
I am not sure if this is related to Chinese history and culture, which has reversed from according intellectuals a high degree of respect to treating them with contempt.
Those - many are only in their 20s - who condemn whatever "public intellectuals" say often call them "hypocrites" and describe their comments and behaviour as a "pretence".