"Countless times have I been interrogated by others with every intent, from curiosity to sheer malicious persecution, as to what sort of Intellectual I pride myself to be as well as what exactly makes me fit for the label, itself?"
Each question and occasion has brought about its own fruits to my own wonderment and broadened my own perspectives, on a word that has become as much a second nature to me as any artistry I've explored with every passing day. Finally, I've had the time come for setting all records straight (if only to save time in my dwindling future). Amidst every definition of the word, and all ideas and potential replies expected of me, I've come to the conclusion that true Intellectuality boils down to nothing more than traditional independence. Whether artistic, philosophic, scientific, spiritual, even unto the levels of egotistical and eccentric, the quintessential Intellectual remains as nothing more or less than thus:
A real and true outsider living in self-imposed exile between the margins of society, from whence minds broad and rich with possibility perch their perspectives and enjoy the sharpest view of clarity. They that hold up a much-needed mirror to the face of humanity to reflect and make mindful of the ties bonded by Thoughts, Ideas, & Words. To occupy such an insider-bystander status is to locate oneself in the time and space that identifies those at the edge of such a map as knowledgeable, passionate, and ambivalent without bias or narrow-mind. Just the sort of root both steep and deep that promotes rich ability and perspective, yet with no mild amount of pain and price to pay in exchange for their lot in life.
It is a role thriving primarily off knowledge and theory, which ignites and fuels our response to life and all its global issues and problematic topics, as a voice for those lacking the means and opportunity ... a voice chosen by others and not ourselves, for our sheer ability of taking all beliefs and opinions into account before making our OWN conclusions, mock and mimic free. We are defined by our manner of upholding values and the way we see ourselves: nothing short of the moral conscience of this day and age, networking a reservoir of ideas and motivations with uniquely accurate interpretations as warrants the potential of leadership. While constantly engaging ourselves in the struggle against institutions solely dependent upon our number of followers, true intellects seek no such degree of Godliness or fame, but to encourage the purposes and perseverance of mind, body, and soul with any hope to inspire the very same survival and liberty unto others; the very same beyond-the-grave treasures as the intellect has salvaged in defiance of its own battles and obstacles. We are neutral instruments that many hands of different social entities grab at with greed, condemnation, and alienation when they find their own palms unfit to handle or inflict change for their own benefit.
We are that we are . . .
Not because we thrive upon intelligence or analytical mentality for the pursuit of advancement, or for the professional and personal, or even the selfish gain. Nor because we opt for the abstract erudite ideas and philosophy over the Self-Proclaiming mechanics of the typical monkey-read-monkey-know Ivy League educations. Instead, because we channel the passion & devotion of our birthright to a natural state of scholarship and conscientiousness as allows for discerning there to be no such synonymous connection between intellectuality and standard academia; In fact, the former is completely hollow and that much more lifeless without the latter. Such as they do not seem to promote in schools for the fear of academic foundations losing the financial dependency of the ignorant. Much the same as the reluctance of American Writers to shed their qualms for eloquence, and characters who actually speak in complete sentences, stems deeply from the anti-intellectualism of the American public; those who pride themselves on the very malicious interrogations upon which this thesis was founded upon.
Yet, even by this tactical means, all of the mentioned herein manages still-remarkably to stand on its own legs as testament, and inevitably takes care of itself throughout the ages. A true and indestructible force of nature driven by the movement of creativity, enlightenment, art, faith, belief, and the meaning behind all this world was made to be to and for each creature as inhabits it; along with the wisdom to know the difference between that and what it has all become today. That which makes the Traditional Intellectual a metaphysical scientist as well as a historian of reality and all of their own caliber, while distinguishing ourselves from others, of whom I could write all forms of essays and judgmental rants; yet, as one my fellows I choose only to know my place ... a place where I can speak only from experience and what truth I seek for myself, by myself, between every line of every informative writing and every clearing of a dictator's throat.
Knowing my social role to be a prominent one, far more than others acting as mere parasites thriving upon sheer-negativity never once proved to be nurturing -- any recited fact from such a source is just another form of cheap talk coming from lack of experience -- it is Me, and those like me, who considers the source of all data and criticism before taking it into any collection of fact and morality. Seeking the truth for what it is, feeling it with every fiber of my being as an emotional gut-clenching inspiration the likes of which those living a lie can never physically endure, but long forever to attack. Those of us subjected to the life-long witch-hunt who can stomach pure truth to a zero-tolerance ulcer, despite the blissfully ignorant as well as the destructive critic ... those whose height in society will never shadow the meek of mind, leaving these lost to the pages of our personal history as it was meant to be, especially now at the dawn of change.
YOU whom I wholeheartedly reference, always note: As sure as the majority of the world's population seem bent still more and forever upon setting the odds for intellects and each other, so shall I now pledge to stand with the meek whom are born to defy these odds, with ease and a proud smile. I am your own, thus here and now, and evermore with this Thesis, to you all . . . I pay tribute.
---Lanie Leigh, Author of "Thesis of Individuality".
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