SOCIETIES which do not value the capabilities, competence, and knowledge of intellectuals negate the high value of culture itself. The cultural identity of any society can only be determined by human beings who are capable of thinking, reflecting, asking, and searching for knowledge. Societies which give little or no weight to such creativity are against progress and at loggerheads with the future since culture is the key to progress and the path to the future. In his book, “Saudi Elite – A Study of Failure,” Dr. Mohammad Bin Sanitan deals with the mental structure which governs the thinking of Saudi intellectuals and their relationship with society, the influence of that society on the consciousness of intellectuals, and the extent to which the “Saudi elite” is forced to search for whatever strengthens its positions, and not necessarily for what enlightens them. As a result, the role of the elite has become restricted to a quest for a prestigious social position, a self-defeating role which is neither enlightening nor progressive, and which does not make culture an act of change. In other words, it is not a role which leads to the building of a modern contemporary society freed from the powerful influence of tribal culture and the hegemony of traditional thinking. Dr. Sanitan says: “Some Saudi intellectuals have attempted to play a part in the development and management of public affairs. However, this has been restricted to the theoretical level or to professional participation in government by virtue of this being the only area which earns them respect, prestige, and personal satisfaction in their aspiration to be part of a rising movement. They have, however, not brought creativity, skill, and efficiency to the task at hand. On the contrary, they have conformed and accommodated themselves to it by abandoning their role as social intellectuals. They have become content with the daily job routine, which has restricted their ability to create opportunities to achieve the goals of society. What is more, they tread in many cases on the path of the corrupt bureaucracy which is presumed to be their enemy and which they have sworn to change.” Is what Dr. Sanitan says about Saudi intellectuals true? I believe that the role of Saudi intellectuals is to stand firm against the existence of a social counterculture which, in its essence and literature, is against all calls for progress, modernization, and the establishment of a new society based upon the values of dialogue, multilateralism, and respect for others. The role of Saudi intellectuals should move from one of silence and passiveness to that of national and social participation and from the margins to the center in order for it to have a valuable, meaningful existence and not to be transformed into a mere façade.
