Photo by Faruk Tokluoğlu
More often than not, you hear people accusing religions, religion teachers, or thought leaders in general of leading people astray. In some corners, you see people attributing most of the world's problems to them.
This is often so because those sets of people wield strong influence and power over others.
And there are only a few things that corrupt, like power and influence. If those two endowments (power and influence) aren't properly channelled, they could be disastrous, as we've read in history and witnessed in recent times.
Moreso, religious leaders, or thought leaders in general, do have cult followings.
These followers sometimes act like headless mobs who are ready to maim and destroy at the least provocation.
I have witnessed the irrational behaviour of mobs. With my eyes, I have seen how they cancel, harass, assault, destroy, and even sometimes kill just because someone makes a statement that seems to pinch their sensitivity.
And in some cases, these crass and gross sets of actions are either pioneered, fueled, or encouraged through silence by their leaders.
I, more than anyone, tend to see the reason some folks blame thought leaders for the inanities of their followers, especially when such behaviour tends to stem from the messages they pass on.
It goes without saying that folks who wield massive influence must be careful of their utterances, because an inciting statement from them can inspire a world of damage.
That said, without absolving thought leaders and influencers of all blame, individuals need to be reminded that the distinctive feature of humans is free will. Humans have the freedom to do what they want.
Whether motivated, incited, or otherwise, at the end, people are responsible for what they do.
Humans are highly intelligent. Our intellect sets us apart from other animals. We have the ability to process information that comes to us, make sound judgements, and eventually act on what we deem appropriate.
That some people refuse to think for themselves doesn't in any way mean that they lack the ability to do so. It's simply a case of refusal. And whatever a person does out of the person's refusal to think through it is still the person's responsibility, and such a person shouldn't be absolved of any wrong.
Yesterday, while having a banter with a friend, he lamented how a certain influential thought leader has led a multitude of people astray. While not totally disagreeing with him, I was quick to point out to him that everyone is responsible for the action they take, whether led or otherwise.
You see, a sage or a thought leader only does one thing, and that is to provoke you into thinking or having a rethink of your morals, values, and ideals.
You're the one to process the thought and take action based on how you interpreted the information you received.
As an adult, your actions have very little to do with what you were told; rather, they have everything to do with how you processed and interpreted what you heard. Your will is power. Maximise it.
It's true that people can be manipulated or incited to make crass decisions, but when all is said and done, adults only have themselves to blame for their decisions.