THE IDIOT, TRIBESMEN AND CITIZENS

For thousands of years, the Greeks believed that there were three categories of people in any given human society, namely the idiots, the tribesmen and citizens. Of all human categorizations, very few are chosen as most are conferred. Take birth, tribe, color, religion, social status and many more, they are usually inherited not chosen. But according to Greek sociologists and philosophers, being an idiot, tribesmen or a citizen is usually by choice not conferred. Let us see why?

According to the Greeks, an idiot, is not someone with low intellectual capacity as the literal meaning goes, rather it is someone whose world revolves around himself and himself only. In whatever he does, direct benefit to his person is the motivating factor regardless whether it is morally right or wrong, as long as it will further his interest he will pursue it. An idiot doesn’t care about public good, he is ignorant and lack skills of whatever sort towards the promotion of the common good. His ideals starts and ends with self gratification, he is self centered and lives only for himself. Majority of our rural and urban poor are in this category, being so poor and ignorant, survival for them is for the fittest and they live for today leaving tomorrow to take care of itself. Thus on election day they are herded like goats and given small amount of money to vote their officials, who will in turn suffocate the living out of them. They don’t see beyond their noses and that is why they barter away their future and their children’s future for a token change. They don’t value education thus instead of sending their children to school they send them to almajiranci or hawking which is a sure way of training the next generation of idiots that perpetuates idiocy. For the idiots, sacrifice is beyond the reach of their vocabulary, as such they don’t know the meaning of community cooperation for the common good. When an idiot carry the refuse from his own house he will dump it either in front of his house or in the gutter passing by which will surely find its way back into his own house. A community of idiots knew no organization let alone strives for it, simply because their time is too precious to waste on anything but themselves. An idiot lives as a slave of his own making and will surely die that way leaving behind a well trained idiots as his successors.

The second category is the tribesmen, not just an ethnic stock, but people that sees things only within the spectrum of tribal or group affiliation. They may have Phd’s, abundant wealth or power, they may be doctors and lawyers, politicians or opinion leaders, pastors or malams, in fact they are found in every sphere and different classes but the only thing they worship is their tribalistic identity and mistaken superiority. They are always afraid and suspicious of the other, they attribute any ill that befalls them as an external conspiracy, they love and cherish blame game against the others. Their God is the tribe and their religion is tribalism. In conflict with others, they believe in violence as a means of sorting out most disputes thus killing “the other” whom they see as opponent is a moral right. In our country today most of us are tribesmen because we see everything within the spectrum of tribalism, we are so bigoted that no matter what good comes from a different tribe/religion, we will not only reject and castigates but attack and try to destroy. We see truth in shades of grey and that grey being our tribal/religious affiliations. The truth we support today from our tribesmen, would be the same truth we will fight against from a different tribe/religion. That is why the tribesmen could never see the common things that bind them with others but always seek those that divide. In their collective pursuits, nepotism reign supreme which breeds corruption that in turn sacrificed excellence.

The Last categories of people are what the Greeks called the citizens. Not someone designated as such for being born in a particular country or accorded such status politically or legally, rather it is someone that has knowledge and skills dedicated towards the development of the society or community he lives. He cares about the right of others especially his neighbors, the minorities and even his enemies. He lives and abide by the rule of law, he upholds justice which he considers deserving by one and all. He knew how to pursue and protects his rights and at the same time cognizant and respectful of other people’s right. A citizen settle disputes through law and order and also insist on the rule of law in his society as he believes society simply means brotherliness and friendship. A citizen wants everyone to succeed and encourages equity in distribution of wealth and struggle to see justice prevails. This rare gem, the citizen, is indeed very rare in our society and the few we have are looked upon with disdain by the tribesmen and dismissed by the idiots.

All societies, from the earliest to modern, people are categorized under the three classes of idiots, tribesmen and citizens. The dominant percentage of any of these categories determines and defines that society. It is only a society that has majority members being citizens that succeed throughout history. Among the citizen, across timeline of history are the great prophets, philosophers, scientist, teachers and various intellectuals. Though few, they shaped the history of the human race and guide its development despite persecution and opposition from the idiots and the tribesmen.

As I said in the beginning of this article, being in either of these categories is by choice, one is free to chose where he belongs by imbibing the characteristic of the group he chose. We can either choose to be idiots that are only concerned with their selfish interest or be a tribesmen that see things through tribalistic sentiments or become citizen. One verse in the Holy Quran has admonished us on how to become the global citizen God intended us to be

Q4:135 “O you who have believed, be constantly upright with equity (with others), witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or (your) parents and nearest kin. In case (the person) is rich or poor, then Allah is the Best Patron for both. So do not ever follow prejudice, so as to do justice; and in case you twist or veer away, then surely Allah has been Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do”

If you are indeed a truly believer of God, then you should know God commands you to be a global citizen in the above verse and shun being an idiot or a tribesmen. Your watchword must be justice for all, regardless of their labels (family or strangers, rich or poor, tribesmen or not) you must uphold justice, to all.

The prophet in a Hadith reported by Bukhari says

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself."

Here too as a precondition for being a true faithful, one has to be a citizen not an idiot or a tribesman. No religion has placed so much emphasis on the idea of citizenship, as defined by the Greeks, like Islam for linking it with a true faith.

Finally, the ball is now in our courts, do we wish to continue living as idiots and tribesmen in this country and continue to be slaves of elitism while our demi-gods continue to reap our slave labor and sweat? Or are we ready to become citizens, as dictated by universal morality and injunctions of our religion? Where do you want to belong? The choice is ours as we seal ours and our children’s fates.