Is this infatuation justified?

The grey beard, the grey hair, the skill of properly weaving the right words in the Queen's language, the diction used in the almost flawless articulation of ideas, the crossing of the legs, and then the ultimate, the grand show of absolute power and finesse; the use of the fingers of either the left or right hand to skilfully hold his spectacles, such that they never fall to the ground, all the while swivelling it to the right and left with so much class. These words of mine capture what I see when I watch Professor Wole Soyinka, the writer, playwright, and Nobel Laureate, in any interview. I literally have saved many interviews of his on several platforms, on my Personal Computer. And to be honest, anytime I watch this absolute maverick speaking, my focus often diverts from the issue being discussed and unto the other aesthetic features he possesses, some of which I have listed above.

For a very long time, I have had a special affinity for various intellectuals around the world, from my mentor Malik El-Shabazz also known as Malcolm X, to the very brave Noam Chomsky, to the rather calm Chinua Achebe, to the fast-talking Bright Simons, to the very daring Mr. Bernard Avle, my admiration for wisdom from around the world has known no bounds. However, I am in a fix as to whether my admiration for intellect based on merely aesthetics, is enough. Interestingly, I am of the feeling that a vast majority of people use these similar features as illustrated above to validate or invalidate a person's intellect.

Often referred to as Soft Power, there are times where as a speaker, or a public intellectual (no matter one's field of expertise) one ought to do the following;

a) Present oneself as confident using various hand gestures (especially when emphasising a point),

b) Project one's voice using the most comfortable tone whiles appearing assertive

c) Make direct eye contact with persons in the crowd (that is; when speaking to a wider audience), especially when the point one wants to put across concerns those persons specifically, so as not to lose them in the course of one's presentation.

These actions and more are often justified by so-called self-help coaches and business executives as being part of the necessary tools needed to convince or persuade others to accept one's viewpoints as valid. This is because of the power of perception, that is; people are more likely to believe what one says if one appears and sounds convincing enough.

And to be very honest, I have on many occasions fallen for this infatuation of gesturing and vocal prowess exhibited by intellectuals instead of actually being interested in exactly the points that were being put across. Even in communicating to others on very mundane issues, I find myself using some of the gestures being portrayed by intellectuals I admire.

All this I do, interestingly, knowing full well the obvious effect of learning nothing anytime I watch these intellectuals in action. But what do I care, it is not like I watch a lot of movies or engage in the usual forms entertainment like many around me do. Well love truly is blind, but I only hope that the likely ditch I fall into in the course of following in its seductiveness is not too deep because I don't see myself coming out of this infatuation anytime soon.

Shalom.