Author: Deepa Govind

It is said and widely accepted the “Reasoning is a mark of an intellect”, but has anyone ever realized the moment where we come across “some extra-witted intellect”… who thinks and reasons beyond any extent that “those who reason are all intellects”??. Moments such as these brings out the animal in me , complete with rage and devoid of any reason.

With all due respects to the great intellectual minds that gave us copious amount of texts in an attempt to teach philosophy, we have to accept the fact that some things should not be reasoned.. in fact the spirit fails to live the moment we think of a reason.

Let me illustrate with an anecdote. A group of friends get out for an evening walk. Its almost dusk, but the night has not yet set in. The behlpuri and paav-baaji waala are doing brisk business. Along the footpath they spot an elderly man accompanied by his grandson selling “Tender Coconut” ( Nariyal Paani) by the footpath. I am not sure to call this a fruit , nut or food, but nevertheless, this is God’s gif to mankind during the scorching summer months.

Coming back to our friends, they decide to have nariayal pani. However, one of them declines the offer, saying “Nah!.. don’t feel like having one now”. No big deal isn’t it .. Others enjoy their natural drink, while this guy is there, accompanying his friends.. and “into” the conversation that was in progress.

So what is the point.. you ask.. Wait till you hear a Reasoning-voice from that group, insisting on “why don’t you want to drink nariyal paani ?…do you realise how healthy this is ?.. It has been medically proved that one Nariyal pani during summer months will keep your organs cool and prevents dehydration.. Or is it because you are more inclined towards having a chilled beer ??.. atleast you could be of some help to this aged person selling naariyal paani for Rs.10″… The poor guy who declined to have a nariyal pani is now annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.. His only fault was to decline a drink, and his peer has already portrayed a ” Unconcerned about heath – aversion to natural product – loves to guzzle down beer- and a horrible person who would not help an old man” kind of a picture.

I am sure this guy is making a mental note to self …. “Next time this guy is around , I shall either leave, or do as he does “…. I will not argue that the “Reasoning-guy’s” reasons were all wrong. My point is.. why at all reason here ?.. Was that reasoning even necessary ??.. What did this act accomplish ??

So, what am I trying to say by citing the above anecdote ?.. I have made an attempt to superdialute some major “intellectual reasoning” going on in the real and virtual world. Off late, I happen to chace on posts where readers are “fighting over each other for ligusitic and geographic reasons”. (.. please don’t expect me to spill it out…It is not worth the attention…)

I have the privilege of knowing some real life fanatics, who are obsessed with their fanaticism that they would squeeze out every ounce of reason in the book to convince why “their fanaticism” is ethically – morally – and above all intellectually correct. Listening to their long and accurate reasoning will put any statistician to shame. They will have numbers at the fingertips. Eventually, they will also “win an argument”.. but their reason fails to see that they have lost the battle even before it was fought.

With all statistics and data to reason.. why do they fail to see the very basics of reasoning… “Wisdom of is Reason.. is to reason only if the reason demands“… I believe such people gather knowledge in mass, but loose out on wisdom…the very reason behind reasoning.