Due to the influence of ideologies like pluralism and pragmatism, the concept and practise of virtue of dialogue have undergone dreadful changes in our postmodern era. When extra-ordinary range of conflicting versions of reality are made available in the pluralistic culture, people don’t know exactly what should become the basis of their life. As they are confused of the value-systems they are unable to solve their doubts on the basis of any final answer. Under pragmatic culture, truth inquiry has become nothing more than a matter of consensus and solidarity.  The new-gen population does not certify the veracity of knowledge with authentic sources and authority. If truth is founded on pragmatic consensus and not on the fundamental principles in life how can we speak of a virtue which is built up on the dispositions, intentions and attitudes that are basically good? The possible remedy to resolve this crisis is nothing but to have a virtuous praxis of dialogue. Here follows two ways to practise dialogue virtuously.

Educate to see things in wholeness: From childhood onwards, as Alasdair MacIntyre observes, we are taught to understand a particular thing or a concept by distinguishing it from other objects or other notions. The method we generally apply is analytical. We split the complex concepts, actions and transactions into fragments and analyse them atomically for a better comprehension. For example, the activities of human life are divided into a variety of segments, each with its own norms and modes of behaviour. Accordingly, we differentiate work from leisure, private life from public life, childhood from old age and so on and so forth. This distinctive way of forming the frame of mind collides with the method of understanding reality from the point of view of harmony. In fact, each and every segment in the life of an individual has to be conceived in terms of its relation with his/her entire life. For instance, the value and meaning of rigorous religious observances done by a person in his private life can only be grasped in the light of the responsibilities he performs in his public life. It means, the separation we make between the private and public realms will be defective if we don’t situate them in the totality of life. But unfortunately we are mostly trained to feel and to think realities and events in a compartmentalized way and that prevents us from knowing others and their actions in the right way. Consequently we fail to have an integral perception of the other. Time is up that we restructure the educational system in such a way that students are trained to see and understand, objects, events, acts and humans in their coherence and wholeness.

Permit the inner self to be creative: Joy of creation is something basic to human being. People want to explore and want to make use of their capacities to the maximum in order to produce something original. We have observed babies at the age of learning to walk. They will walk one step and then fall on his/her face. Meanwhile if s/he really wants to get hold of anything immediately s/he will then crawl and get it soon. Yet the baby does not stop trying to walk. S/he will try to walk instead of crawling. Why? Because s/he wants to do new things. That is how people are built. Even though the result of one’s hard work is not very efficient it is advisable that s/he is encouraged to do new things. Dialogue in the postmodern age has to be done so as to permit people to exercise their inner capacities freely instead of being forced into narrow options that are given by the leaders. Those who are in leadership will present their options as the objectively available but partners of dialogue at postmodern era must not follow them without critical reflection. The indoctrination suggests fixed paths under the guise of “proper conduct” but in fact they are blockages that prevent people from exercising their original drives and potentials. Dialogue in the postmodern culture will become a virtuous act only if it permits people to be creative by giving them freedom to discover concrete and positive measures to meet their needs.

kundu1962@gmail.com