Well if you consider intellectual platform as battleground then yes, no one is stopping you or anyone. But my main point was that all intellectual platforms are there to learn and outgrow yourself after all. If other side is wasting their time on politics etc then that's their loss isn't it?
Well.. time is meant to be spent on politics, especially in a democracy! It's only wasted when you fail to conduct yourself successfully in politics and that applies to every other field/profession (business, teaching). So one must ask what are the aims of ones small political career: form a group, do public service, help your group prosper sensibly .. anything else?
This is precisely what happened with the encroachment in "Defence Colony"/Bangalore: the rich landlord works with the poor and uses them to enrich himself and shares a fraction of his wealth with them, while army officers and the intellectual class are isolated from the poor.
So what my father should have done was this: taught people English, run a free school on his govt allocated site, not bought a lot of domestic furniture and instead invested in community infrastructure that he controls influences for public good. As for advising his children - best done by example of course BUT he should have encouraged more interaction in volunteering and social service (especially easy and safe when done under his nose in HIS ESTABLISHMENT).
The other thing I absolutely hate is that almost all these platforms are now in control of some very rich and powerful folks.
ah, very true but there is USENET which is free, chaotic and uncontrolled
Poor people have 2 choice that is either suck up that narrative or buckle up and fight. The later needs time which sadly no one has in today's age.
not really, it's more important to fight sensibly! poor people can fight by discussing things amongst themselves, sharing knowledge and doing exactly what my father should have done! You can always do something however feeble to fight back and resist while staying within the law - no point getting yourselves killed stupidly.
So what could a poor person do in a tangible sense: well my parents ran a school eventually, and they hired people.. learn english the language of science! and teach it to others! youtube wasn't availiable back then but you could teach a hobby - farming, or even how to sweep better. (eg: it's much easier to sweep using a long stick tied to a broom)
The trouble arises when people feel injustice and then decide that therefore they will make the world suffer as a consequence.. I mean that we all have flaws so perhaps some people have a difficulty doing this.. even so.. the trick therefore is to form a group that can compensate for your defects. Try to focus on what you are doing wrong.. vs trying to make the world suffer and share your pain - lol