Maisnam Pushpakanta Luwang

The phrase “common people” has increasingly become a familiar expression in public discussions, particularly among individuals who are widely recognised, influential or considered knowledgeable in society. It is frequently invoked to support arguments, validate personal interpretations and reinforce opinions on various issues affecting the public.

However, something about this repeated use of the phrase has increasingly made me question its actual meaning and credibility.Whenever someone speaks about the common people, I find myself asking a few fundamental questions.

Are these individuals genuinely making an effort to collect opinions, observations, concerns, suggestions and ideas from people across different sections of society? Are they engaging with people from different backgrounds, communities, professions, age groups and circumstances to understand what they actually think?

Or are they relying on a relatively small and familiar circle of individuals whose opinions, perspectives and interests happen to correspond with their own?

If the latter is the case, how can the opinions of a selected few be presented as the collective thinking of the common people?

This is not an attempt to discredit anyone’s knowledge, experience, intellectual capacity or right to express an opinion. Everyone has that right. However, there is a significant difference between expressing one’s personal understanding of an issue and claiming, directly or indirectly, that such an understanding represents the wider public.

I have repeatedly witnessed discussions, meetings, public conversations and gatherings organised around various subjects and issues. These platforms often bring together individuals who share their observations, interpretations and conclusions. Such engagements can certainly contribute to public awareness and meaningful debate.Nevertheless, an important question remains: How representative are these discussions of the people whose interests they claim to address?

Have the voices of those who disagree been heard? Have the concerns of people outside those familiar circles been considered? Have the opinions of ordinary individuals, particularly those who may not have access to influential platforms, been given equal consideration?

Or are we gradually creating an environment where a few familiar voices become the accepted interpreters of what everyone else supposedly thinks?

There is also a danger in repeatedly using the phrase “common people” without establishing whose opinions are being represented, how those opinions were gathered and whether they genuinely reflect the wider public’s thinking.Public opinion cannot simply be assumed, manufactured or selectively interpreted to strengthen an existing argument. It requires genuine engagement, openness to disagreement and a willingness to listen beyond one’s immediate circle.

Being well-known does not automatically make someone a representative of the public. Being intellectually recognised does not necessarily mean having a complete understanding of people’s everyday realities. Similarly, conducting discussions and participating in numerous meetings do not, by themselves, establish that the voices of the wider population have been adequately represented.Speaking about the common people and genuinely listening to the common people are two entirely different responsibilities.

Perhaps it is time we became more critical, not necessarily of those who express opinions, but of the manner in which those opinions are presented as collective public sentiment.

The common people are not a convenient reference point to validate someone’s personal thinking. They are individuals with different experiences, expectations, concerns, disagreements and aspirations. Their voices deserve to be heard on their own terms, not selectively interpreted to fit a predetermined narrative.

Ultimately, the question is not simply who speaks about the common people. The more important question is:

Who has genuinely listened to them, and on what basis do they claim to speak for them?

Maisnam Pushpakanta Luwang. An Advocate for the unheard voices