E Contrario

Signing his new book The Age of Fallibility, 14 december 2006


Actually, I knew Soros through Mahathir. George Soros only caught my attention after Mahathir publicly condemned him for ‘destroying’ Malaysian economy. I didn’t know who Soros was then. However I strongly disagreed with Mahathir’s statement.

At the time, I wrote a few posting in the internet slamming Mahathir’s racist undertone. I thought it was Mahathir behaving like a mad dog (and “moron”) during the crisis.

Later I learned about the foundation established by George Soros was known as Open Society Institution (OSI). It reminded me of Karl Popper whom I studied from my philosophy class in the university. Instantly I thought Soros must have been influenced by Popper. Later I found that to be true, as he was a student and admirer of Popper.

I accept and appreciate scientific system of thought of Karl Popper. But my political belief was more radical and more romantic than his liberal rationalism. One thing I strongly disagreed with Popper was his attack on Plato, Hegel and Marx as the enemies of open society. For me, it is wrong to think writings have certain intrinsic values of good and bad.

I thought this argument is flawed as it suggests human’s action is governed by words. To say that the writings of Plato or Hegel determine the actions of their readers is to deny human as a free agent. I was more inclined to Sartre’s existentialism: human is always free to determine one’s own action.

Without doubt, Popper objected to communism/socialism. The promise of a perfect society or paradise in Plato/Hegel/Marx, to him, inevitably leads to authoritarianism. I questioned such “inevitability” and objected to linking the two. Liberals and Rationalists hold that a perfect society denies individual freedom to maneuver for improvement. On the other hand, the longing for a perfect society also inspires people to act for freedom.

In those days I was standing on the opposite side of Popper. Nonetheless, I shared his passion for the defense of freedom; and fiercely struggled for democracy. In my student’s days, I had never regarded Open Society as the destiny for my struggle. I was on the other side of the iron curtain. I dreamt for a perfect paradise. By the name of Open Society Institute, I recognized that Soros’ political affiliation. I soon learned about OSI’s activities in promoting the ‘opening’ up of the communist controlled ‘closed’ society.

Last year I got an opportunity to meet the big man. We met due to our mutual concern for democratic struggle of Burma. Although we often heard his furious exchanges with ‘morons’ like Mahathir and George Bush, Soros came across as a relaxed and unassuming person—not a haughty arrogant tycoon as many would imagine. His humility (‘open-mindedness’) is perhaps a reflection of his belief system that nothing is perfect; every proposition can be falsified/attested.

I must admit I knew less about Soros than Popper, but I view both of them as philosopher. Popper was a philosopher who developed theory in the academia; Soros is the philosopher who acts in the world stage. Perhaps Soros was one of the very philosophers who is not only not unemployed, but ended up very rich. Soros said the trick is in the application of Popperian philosophy—which he translated into what he called the concept of “reflectivity”. Unfortunately, I know very little about financial market, I still could not work out what the heck reflectivity is about.