Negative Effects of Poetry

(Translated from a contribution in Urdu)

Great Greek philosopher, during 450 BC, declared poets to be dangerous specie of persons inducing irrational tendencies in normal behaviour of mankind. He submitted his suggestions to his government for taking steps to save the civil population from infections of poetry. One of these suggestions was to establish settlements for residence of poets far away from civil population. One can understand the honest sincerity of his concern for his nation as well as for the human beings as whole.

About a thousand years later, Muslims Holly Book Quran mentioned poets with hatred in about seven different verses in different chapters. Some Western scholars and philosophers also denounced poetry and poets.

A few points of analysis of the devastating art of poetry are listed below:-

1- Subject matter of all types of poetry is based on either white lie or meaninglessly playing with the sentiments.

2- Economical and social circumstances of every poet have been a story of desperate pathos.

3- Instances have shown that a poet as head of an institution or a department ultimately destroyed everything managed by him.

4- It was exceptional good luck for British that 1857 revolution of India was headed by a poet (Bahadur Shah Zafar) instead of an expert army commander.

5- Poetry persuades for crimes and sins and ranks dacoits and abductors as heroes. So many books and poems of poetry about criminals are sung by renowned singers accompanied by expert musicians.

6- Poetry in religion mentions Saints and Prophets in a manner derogatory to their exalted status.

7- Heavy amount of fees are settled for a few hours of melodious recitation of religious poems.

8- Subject of shocking accidents and calamities are made subject of poetry which is something beyond sympathy for the effected lot.

9- No great personality has ever been a poet, obviously because poetry and powers of practical performance can never go together.

10- South-Asian Sub-Continent is worst affected by negative effects of poetry due to which its peoples suffer from uncontrolled sex crimes, drug addiction and corruption of all categories.

11- People of the Sub-Continent have taken it for granted that they can not survive without debts and aids from the economies of other nations.

Governments, officially patronizing and promoting poetry and poets have seen worst periods of crimes, corruption and inefficiency enveloping the nations as whole.

So goes the story of poets and poetry which are nothing more than impractical enthusiasm, ecstasy of hypothetical worries, luxury of false sadness and surviving in gloomy temperament.

Here are the sayings of two scholars:-

1- It is good news for mankind that only a few people suffer form curse of poetry. (Edward Moore)

2- Nobody can be a poet and nobody can appreciate works of poetry without a specific defect of mind. (McCaulay)

In view of above details:-

A- Before designating a poet with the honor of being a scholar or thinker, you’ll have to be honest regarding respect for justice.

B- Human being’s capabilities are for actions and results and not for manufacture of concocted jumble of words. It is better to assign job of talking to some other creatures.

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Tags: philosophy, poets

Category: Social