Intellectual poverty in Guyana today
By Terence Roberts
Guyana Chronicle
April 22, 2007
IN past decades, before and after the 1950’s, Guyanese on the whole were far poorer financially than they are today.
They owned less cars, rode bicycles, lived in older wooden houses, were paid less in their jobs, etc. However, they were less violent and unlawful than they are today, and there was less crime in their society.
And yet in those past decades the average citizen was far more intellectually rich, intellectually ambitious, and intellectually stimulated than they are today.
This intellectual development came about in the past because the average Guyanese read more serious progressive literature, saw a huge amount of the best classic and contemporary Hollywood and European films, they also used bookstores and public libraries more.
This intellectual stimulation was far from boring, in fact it no doubt contributed to a feeling of self-worth, ambition, and optimism in both young and adult, male and female.
This self-worth and optimism was reflected on the village and city streets, on seawalls, night clubs and house parties where Guyanese gathered in some of the best casual fashions, neatly matched, yet diverse.
For example, the famous small blouses and short sleeve shirts of females in their calf-length striped trousers or peddle-pushers in soft material with coloured embroidery up the sides, and males in their close Banlon jerseys, shirts with tapered sleeves and shoulder straps, moccasins, etc.
Such fashion reflected intellectual guidance picked up from quite intelligent films, and participation in a local version of modern culture, also influenced by the wide consumption of modern literature and music. As make believe as it may sound, such fashions reflected self-worth gained from the pursuit of intellectual influences as well.
The purpose of these references to past decades before the 21st century is not to keep living in the past, but to simply prove how certain progressive habits and attitudes emerged from a popular local exposure to intelligent films, literature, pop and instrumental music.
If one does not realise or understand how such cultural and intellectual habits influence the high social qualities of a society and nation’s daily life, one can easily lose such qualities or have them taken away, while foolishly believing they merely belong to some unreal era called ‘the past’.
But simply repeating the various disturbing social events which resulted in the decline of intellectual standards in Guyanese society will not remedy the situation.
Nevertheless for the benefit of a new generation who seem unaware that comparisons can be made between the intellectual quality of life in Guyana today, with Guyana in previous decades, we should state one basic fact: Intellectual poverty was set in motion after the devastating riots, arson and political/social conflict of 1962, after which, among the thousands who lined up around the corner at the Brickdam Police Station for passports, were numerous innovative, knowledgeable owners, managers, and workers of cinemas, radio stations, the press, bookstores, etc., whose valuable intellectual guidance and input was disrupted and crippled by a disturbing and dangerous social atmosphere in the nation.
When looking for reasons behind the gradual increase of intellectual poverty in Guyanese society today, we must recognise that the average citizen no longer receives the daily influence of high quality films, literature, and musical quality they received decades ago.
What sort of people would be nurtured without such influences? A recent report from North American ghettoes stated that violence-prone youths regarded reading, seeing intelligent films, and enjoying placid pleasant music, as something for “white people” only.
Imagine if such an attitude was imitated locally. We have proof of the good effect of intellectual interests on Guyanese of the 50’s and 60’s, 70’s when we see how progressive Guyanese immigrants from those decades became when they entered American, Canadian, European and other territories.
The intellectual training they brought with them from Guyana enabled them to quickly find respect and advance honestly in foreign societies. In contrast, a new generation of Guyanese immigrants, abroad since the 1980’s, who grew up in Guyana when high quality films, literature, music were in decline, found themselves in difficulties, were drawn to unlawful acts for survival, which often resulted in deportations, something that almost never occurred among earlier immigrants to those countries.
In today’s Guyana there is no shortage of speeches, sermons, letters and articles in the press by politicians, preachers, concerned citizens, etc, appealing for better attitudes, civilised behaviour, less violence and crime etc, from young and adult citizens.
But even if such wayward Guyanese ever hear or read these reports, they are still exposed daily to a barrage of aggressive, poorly created, non-intellectual music, films and publications. Do such items which enter the ears, sight and minds, have an effect? Of course they do. What kind of effect? What good does such intellectually poor and mediocre cultural items do for you?
Yet people are free to pay attention to whatever they wish, and to legislate their choices would be dictatorial. Guyanese have to decide for themselves that seeing better films, reading better literature, listening to better music, can only benefit their lives. Even more important is the bad effect such poor cultural items have on local professionals on TV channels, writers, musicians, artists, etc, who have been influenced by the same intellectual poverty in their society.
It is also interesting that some Guyanese flaunt their pride in national heroes, leaders, artists, etc, such as Critchlow, Forbes Burnham, Cheddi and Janet Jagan, John Carter, Martin Carter, Lloyd Sewar, Basil Hinds, Rudy Insanally, Fred Wills, Desmond Hoyte, Aubrey Williams, Dennis Williams, Peter D’Aguiar, etc, but they should also encourage the average citizen to see the same high quality films, read the same high quality literature, and listen to the same high quality music which influenced such renowned Guyanese to become the intelligent people they became.
How can this situation be remedied? In place of the numerous irrelevant and intellectually poor TV programmes on local channels, (except for local and international news from CNN and the BBC) there can be first class old and new films, cultural, scientific, and geographical programmes filling up precious time slots, day and night, that should be put to better use guiding the minds in the nation.
Another major remedy is to increase the diversity of musical styles beyond a familiar monotonous local style which guides the minds of listeners along weary, lazy routes. Thousands of exciting, pleasant and uplifting pop songs, languish in studios. The same goes for thousands of exciting and intellectually stimulating films which never appear on local TV, or exist in Video/DVD stores.
Guyanese and Guyana can do much better as individuals and a progressive nation if they once more encourage, seek out, and learn to enjoy intelligent challenging films, literature, and music of quality, which can also influence and build their talents, making them intellectually rich, while leading them to better economic opportunities and a personal sense of fulfillment.