There are certain things that anyone can do. Living on food and water among friends is one such. But it is a totally different game to live without food or without water or without friends. Some people consider it almost impossible to lead a normal life without friends. But is it the real truth? In most cases, such conclusions are misplaced and are arrived at by weak personalities in an emotional environment. If we can analyse carefully and objectively, it can very easily be concluded that living without friends is a distinct possibility though it is almost impossible to exist without food and water. We can stretch the argument a little further and consider the possibility of a life among enemies and that too in an inimical environment. Again we find it is plausible, and possible it is for those individuals and even nations with strong moral fibre and intrinsically strong cultural roots. If living among friends is emotional and artful, it is more demanding and scientific to survive in enemy lands.
One of the most misunderstood concepts in our country is that of Brahmacharya. Literally it means progressing towards Brahma (the ultimate reality). But in practice, almost all of us take it as abstinence from sexual activities alone. One of the primary requirements in gaining knowledge of Brahma is development of the ability to abstain from anything, especially those which we want or love most. I am sure friends and friendship are something that all of us want. Naturally abstinence from friendship will also form part of the requirements for Brahmacharya that is required for evolution within one’s own lifetime. Thus we can even interpret that the ability to abstain from friendships and even living among enemies form a definite part of the Brahmacharya that will lead us towards God. It would be interesting to explore about how difficult (or easy) it is to live without friends as an individual and as a nation.
As an Individual
For succeeding in any venture, the first and foremost is to understand the subject matter and then reach an understanding with the parties involved. Our enemy is one who cannot agree with us on basic issues and who will always be hostile towards us. He or she will always be looking for ways and means for our defeat and destruction. Friends often take us for granted but enemies do not. Any enemy worth his or her name will never take us for granted, but will always be interested in knowing our stand on any issue. Our destruction may not be our enemy’s primary or only aim but it will always be at the back his or her mind whenever anything is done regarding us. If we can understand and digest all these matters, then it is very easy to deal with our enemies and even live with them.
Success or failure of any individual in a society depends to a large extent on the ability to identify his or her friends and enemies. Not all those who smile at you are your friends and not all those who ignore you are your enemies. It would not be untruthful to say that our enemies are easier to identify than friends. An enemy will always remain one unlike friends. Once you have identified an enemy, you can always believe in his intentions of defeating and destroying you. Without sounding sadistic and masochistic, one can always conclude that complete patch up with an enemy is an unrealistic possibility. Moreover it would be a complete waste of time to patch up with anyone who has been confirmed as an enemy. Our time is better utilised if we can spend it for defeating and even destroying the enemy. Defeat and destruction of enemy should be one’s dharma and Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna should become the guiding principle.
As a Nation
The basis of nationhood is a feeling of oneness and close identification with something common. So whatever is applicable for individuals becomes applicable to nations also to a large extent. Let us take the case of India for an analysis. India and Pakistan were carved out of a single entity on the basis of two diametrically opposite ideologies. While one stood for theocratic religious statehood, the other was firm on a secular statehood. The difference is basic and never the two parties can become friends at any time. It is foolish and unrealistic to think of friendship except some joint efforts at times of natural calamities or epidemics that do not respect man made borders. But this should not worry us at all. We had war with Pakistan four or five times and each time we emerged stronger thanks to the intrinsic infallibility of our basic national beliefs. All that is required is to understand and accept Pakistan as an enemy.
Similar is the case with China. From time immemorial, India and China had maintained cultural ties, and we never had any reason to feel jealous about them. But we never realised that it is not so on the other side of the Himalayas. The words of a famous Chinese philosopher diplomat Hu Shih (1891-1962) revealed this in no uncertain terms when he said “India conquered and dominated China culturally for two thousand years without ever having to send a single soldier across her border”. In their heart of hearts, China was never our friend and they exposed themselves with their attack on India without any provocation in 1964. Except for the Communists in our country there is no trace of any friendship with anything Chinese now. Indian nation has learned to live with another enemy neighbour the hard way. It is much easier to live as a neighbour to a confirmed enemy than an unconfirmed friend.
So it is not at all impossible to co-exist with our enemies in a common environment. In fact it is a very fundamental aspect about this universe that everyone should realise. This universe is so vast that there is space for all types of co-existence. There is amble space for all types of creatures, all schools of thought, all shades of opinion, all types of nations and all types of individuals. Those religious and political ideologies that are striving to conquer the whole world by conversions and revolutions must understand the inherent dislike of our universe towards uniformity. Instead they should learn how to live with friends and enemies in the space available. All that is needed is truthfulness about our own beliefs that would also help us to identify our friends and enemies.
Monday, February 19, 2007
HEALTH OF NATIONS
When Adam Smith wrote the classic work ‘Wealth of Nations’, he never anticipated the health of nations to become an important factor at all. But the advent of something like HIV, which in itself is not a killer but an enabler, has changed everything. The sociological, economical and even psychological impact of AID syndrome on the collective will of individuals, communities and even nations is something unimaginable a few decades ago. Just like 11/9, which changed the whole concept of terrorism and security within USA, the lurking fear of a situation in which we are defenceless even against common cold has changed the common man. There is no guarantee for even the wealthiest nation to survive the twenty first century if they fail to take care of the health of its people and the nation as such. And there is no fool proof way to do that even if one has the abundance of wealth.
The AID syndrome has the unique feature of attacking the wealthiest and poorest with equal impunity. Though they are at the extreme ends of the wealth line, quite surprisingly their characteristics almost match when it comes to values and morals. If for the poor it is because they have nothing more to lose, for the filthy rich it is because they do not care about anything. In the process both end up with identical results from wine, women and wealth. The latest curse of God in the form of AIDS has specifically targeted these two sections of the society in almost all nations. While WHO succeeds in getting statistics from the poor sections in all countries, they are totally in dark about the richest in rich countries. If one can get the accurate overall data, it is sure to point to another syndrome of having maximum incidence of AIDS in filthy rich countries.
Health of Physique
Whenever we talk about physical health the first picture that comes to our mind is that of the outstanding ‘black’ achievers in the track and field events. Be it America or Europe, the colour of athletes at the very top are invariably black. But does it mean that Africans are the healthiest and most likely to survive the onslaught of AIDS? This is definitely not the case. The whole continent of Africa is under extinction if there is no sufficient help from the world community. True or not, AIDS originated in Africa and it questions the way of living that exist in that continent. It may the cradle of civilisation, but something has definitely gone wrong. Did the mixing of bloods create the problem? Or is it the mistake of missionaries who tricked the innocent natives to ape them in lifestyle? Only an impartial study by an African scientist can get us the answer.
Yet another factor that would test the physique in its war against AIDS is the inherent strength of immune systems of different races and communities. We often tend to make a mistake while judging the health of muscular Africans vis-à-vis skeletal Asians. Mahatma Gandhi could go without food for 21 long days whereas any of those muscular athletes will die or commit suicide in 15 days time. What is it that makes the difference? One of the key factors is definitely the fact that Vegetarianism is more natural than non-Vegetarianism. Nature is supreme and it supports natural processes much more than unnatural ones. The fate of communities and cultures that eulogise and encourage non-Vegetarianism will definitely be put to test by the natural forces that have unleashed AIDS on humanity. We should not be surprised if none of the meat eaters survive to witness the twenty second century.
Health of Mind
There is a famous saying that highlights the importance of character in comparison to wealth. If wealth is lost nothing is lost, if health is lost something is lost but if character is lost then everything is lost. The character we are referring to here is precisely the health of our minds. If soul, mind and body make up each living being, the hierarchy of relevance to our existence must be in the same order too. While our souls are something beyond our own control, the other two are definitely within our control to a large extent. Our mind can control our body but not vice versa. The way to control our mind is by way of training the mind itself. Many great personalities have demonstrated in our midst that it is possible to tame and control our minds. By sheer determination and perseverance, great minds have come to reside in not so great bodies. The case of Sree Ramakrishna and Mahatma Gandhi proves this point beyond any doubt.
When we look for ways to tone up our mind, we should first get clarity on what constitutes a healthy mind. We perceive our mind in the form of our thoughts, actions and words. Only a healthy mind can generate healthy thoughts that can lead to healthy actions. Man is yet to discover a scientific method of controlling the mind. But we always knew that our value system and culture have tremendous control on our own minds. The chances of a learned and cultured man committing a heinous crime are very remote (though not zero). So what we can do to improve the health of our nation is to target our children and youth for developing the right values. An open mind receptive to all ideas from world over with a firm footing on our proven family values and culture is what can take our nation forward. Health of mind can achieve far more than what we can achieve with the wealth we can accumulate.
Health of any nation is a collective characteristic of the people who make it up. Heritage India has always emphasised the importance and freedom of human mind for centuries. Our culture, religion and even the concept of God is centred around this uniqueness. It will be no boasting or arrogance if we ourselves come to a conclusion that one of the very few nations that will succeed in taking on the AIDS juggernaut will be India. It should also be borne in mind that it will be possible not because of our large number but because of culture and heritage. The inherent strength of our cultural values have withstood so many epidemics, invasions, holocausts and natural disasters that another Maurya or Gupta like empire after Kalinga war is a distinct possibility in twenty second century.
The AID syndrome has the unique feature of attacking the wealthiest and poorest with equal impunity. Though they are at the extreme ends of the wealth line, quite surprisingly their characteristics almost match when it comes to values and morals. If for the poor it is because they have nothing more to lose, for the filthy rich it is because they do not care about anything. In the process both end up with identical results from wine, women and wealth. The latest curse of God in the form of AIDS has specifically targeted these two sections of the society in almost all nations. While WHO succeeds in getting statistics from the poor sections in all countries, they are totally in dark about the richest in rich countries. If one can get the accurate overall data, it is sure to point to another syndrome of having maximum incidence of AIDS in filthy rich countries.
Health of Physique
Whenever we talk about physical health the first picture that comes to our mind is that of the outstanding ‘black’ achievers in the track and field events. Be it America or Europe, the colour of athletes at the very top are invariably black. But does it mean that Africans are the healthiest and most likely to survive the onslaught of AIDS? This is definitely not the case. The whole continent of Africa is under extinction if there is no sufficient help from the world community. True or not, AIDS originated in Africa and it questions the way of living that exist in that continent. It may the cradle of civilisation, but something has definitely gone wrong. Did the mixing of bloods create the problem? Or is it the mistake of missionaries who tricked the innocent natives to ape them in lifestyle? Only an impartial study by an African scientist can get us the answer.
Yet another factor that would test the physique in its war against AIDS is the inherent strength of immune systems of different races and communities. We often tend to make a mistake while judging the health of muscular Africans vis-à-vis skeletal Asians. Mahatma Gandhi could go without food for 21 long days whereas any of those muscular athletes will die or commit suicide in 15 days time. What is it that makes the difference? One of the key factors is definitely the fact that Vegetarianism is more natural than non-Vegetarianism. Nature is supreme and it supports natural processes much more than unnatural ones. The fate of communities and cultures that eulogise and encourage non-Vegetarianism will definitely be put to test by the natural forces that have unleashed AIDS on humanity. We should not be surprised if none of the meat eaters survive to witness the twenty second century.
Health of Mind
There is a famous saying that highlights the importance of character in comparison to wealth. If wealth is lost nothing is lost, if health is lost something is lost but if character is lost then everything is lost. The character we are referring to here is precisely the health of our minds. If soul, mind and body make up each living being, the hierarchy of relevance to our existence must be in the same order too. While our souls are something beyond our own control, the other two are definitely within our control to a large extent. Our mind can control our body but not vice versa. The way to control our mind is by way of training the mind itself. Many great personalities have demonstrated in our midst that it is possible to tame and control our minds. By sheer determination and perseverance, great minds have come to reside in not so great bodies. The case of Sree Ramakrishna and Mahatma Gandhi proves this point beyond any doubt.
When we look for ways to tone up our mind, we should first get clarity on what constitutes a healthy mind. We perceive our mind in the form of our thoughts, actions and words. Only a healthy mind can generate healthy thoughts that can lead to healthy actions. Man is yet to discover a scientific method of controlling the mind. But we always knew that our value system and culture have tremendous control on our own minds. The chances of a learned and cultured man committing a heinous crime are very remote (though not zero). So what we can do to improve the health of our nation is to target our children and youth for developing the right values. An open mind receptive to all ideas from world over with a firm footing on our proven family values and culture is what can take our nation forward. Health of mind can achieve far more than what we can achieve with the wealth we can accumulate.
Health of any nation is a collective characteristic of the people who make it up. Heritage India has always emphasised the importance and freedom of human mind for centuries. Our culture, religion and even the concept of God is centred around this uniqueness. It will be no boasting or arrogance if we ourselves come to a conclusion that one of the very few nations that will succeed in taking on the AIDS juggernaut will be India. It should also be borne in mind that it will be possible not because of our large number but because of culture and heritage. The inherent strength of our cultural values have withstood so many epidemics, invasions, holocausts and natural disasters that another Maurya or Gupta like empire after Kalinga war is a distinct possibility in twenty second century.
EXPIRED ETHICS
“Change is the only thing that does not change” were words of immense prophecy. Everything in this universe is changing and that applies equally well to the living and non-living beings, concepts and even ideologies. Illation can be that anything which refuses to change is bound to go under the carpet of time. Yet we have the so-called professional ethics that have not changed much with flow of time in certain vital professions. Technology is changing everyday and industry is readily following it. Roles, responsibilities and ethics of job functions in industry and business have undergone rapid changes in the last few decades. In fact, what and how a Project Manager or Project Engineer performs in an industrial environment has undergone drastic changes. If they had insisted on written approvals or decisions a decade back, the same things can be got done by an e-mail or sms now. And we have even introduced sanctions on countries or companies that deal with undesirable business and technology purely on the basis of ethics.
Yet two of the most important professions have not changed much and least of all are their ethics. Professional ethics lie at the very foundations of a profession and if there are no changes therein all other changes are merely superficial. One of the key factors that make a profession noble is the ethics associated with it. When we refer to a profession as noble, we mean the profession is of very high moral quality, dignified and of high eminence. Two of the professions that have always qualified for this status are the medical and legal ones. Quite unfortunately, the basic ethics of these professions have remained stagnant and it is causing great erosion to their value. The basic ethics for these two professions are:-
· Treating anyone who needs medical help
· Advocating for anyone who seek legal assistance
The advent of organised terrorism has changed everything in the civilised world and there is no way we can go forward with such blind virtues.
Ethics of Doctors
Medicines and techniques used by doctors have undergone tremendous change in the last one century. The nature and extent of change have been unimaginable in certain specialised fields like surgery and psychiatrics. But the basic premises on which a doctor offers his services has remained unchanged especially in the case of the so-called modern medicine viz. allopathy. While a village doctor practising native medicine might refuse to treat a killer or rapist, the modern doctor will not even think twice if his or her services are ‘ordered’ for a fee. Of late, his / her only concern may be more about the HIV status of the patient and the associated risk factor for the doctor. None of the modern five-star hospitals and doctors will show any semblance of conscience while helping out the most undeserving. If there is money, even confirmed terrorists are treated as VIPs in an allopathic hospital.
Ethics of modern medicine is becoming all the more critical because of the evolving legislations and medical advancement in organ transplantation. If there is enough money there are many doctors who would be willing to ‘mistreat’ someone or steal organs or treat terrorists without any qualms. Terrorists kill innocents for no rhyme or reason and those doctors who are willing to heal their wounds forget the heinous act committed by them. The reason given is always about the professional ethics of a doctor to treat anyone who needs his help. But does a terrorist deserve any sympathy or help like that? That should be the question upper most in the minds of professional bodies of doctors in this modern era. Terrorism and terrorists are the most visible symbols of 21st century, and every profession must consider it while debating their ethics.
Ethics of Lawyers
The degeneration of lawyer’s has been the most significant among all the noble professions. One of the prime reasons for the same is its unchanging ethics in a fast changing world. In olden days when the technicalities and logic of dispensing justice in a civilised society were unknown to the uneducated, it made sense to defend any one before a court of law irrespective of the merit of the case. But it is no more so in the modern world. The terrorists are no more uneducated and primitive. In most cases they know more about technology, techniques and legalities than the lawmen. Does it make anymore sense to defend confirmed criminals in a court of law only on the basis of professional ethics? Do the terrorists, traitors and rapists deserve the services of a lawyer at the State’s expense? These are some of the questions that the civilised society in every country should ask their own self. Any more delay in starting this debate will only make our condition more and more miserable.
In India, we witnessed several cases were miscarriage of natural justice did take place as a direct result of the expired ethics driving a noble profession. Defending the known devils is equally undesirable as refusing to defend the innocent. The lawyer must first convince himself of the merit of his case. And the merit must be only that of justice for the wronged and not escape routes for the wrongdoers. But the current breed of lawyers is doing exactly the opposite. More young lawyers are taking up cases of highly paying criminals under the lame excuse of keeping the ethics of their profession, the real reason being the enormous amount of fees offered by the filthy rich criminals. The infamous case of a school teacher getting hacked to death in front of his very young students and the killers going scot-free thanks to the brilliancy of unscrupulous lawyers should be very disturbing one for any civilised society.
Whatever needs reform must get reformed. There should be nothing like an eternal concept except for the concept of God. The need for reforms in the professional ethics of doctors and lawyers is long overdue. Confirmed criminals must not get any assistance of lawyers and cruel killers wounded by the self defence attempts of their victims must not get medical assistance on the basis of a wrong interpretation of professional ethics. Lawyers and doctors must use their discretion in taking up cases. It is definitely not unbecoming of a civilised world to shun criminals and letting cruel killers to die with out any sort of medical or legal help. Any contradictory signals will only encourage the growth of terrorism and extremism.
Yet two of the most important professions have not changed much and least of all are their ethics. Professional ethics lie at the very foundations of a profession and if there are no changes therein all other changes are merely superficial. One of the key factors that make a profession noble is the ethics associated with it. When we refer to a profession as noble, we mean the profession is of very high moral quality, dignified and of high eminence. Two of the professions that have always qualified for this status are the medical and legal ones. Quite unfortunately, the basic ethics of these professions have remained stagnant and it is causing great erosion to their value. The basic ethics for these two professions are:-
· Treating anyone who needs medical help
· Advocating for anyone who seek legal assistance
The advent of organised terrorism has changed everything in the civilised world and there is no way we can go forward with such blind virtues.
Ethics of Doctors
Medicines and techniques used by doctors have undergone tremendous change in the last one century. The nature and extent of change have been unimaginable in certain specialised fields like surgery and psychiatrics. But the basic premises on which a doctor offers his services has remained unchanged especially in the case of the so-called modern medicine viz. allopathy. While a village doctor practising native medicine might refuse to treat a killer or rapist, the modern doctor will not even think twice if his or her services are ‘ordered’ for a fee. Of late, his / her only concern may be more about the HIV status of the patient and the associated risk factor for the doctor. None of the modern five-star hospitals and doctors will show any semblance of conscience while helping out the most undeserving. If there is money, even confirmed terrorists are treated as VIPs in an allopathic hospital.
Ethics of modern medicine is becoming all the more critical because of the evolving legislations and medical advancement in organ transplantation. If there is enough money there are many doctors who would be willing to ‘mistreat’ someone or steal organs or treat terrorists without any qualms. Terrorists kill innocents for no rhyme or reason and those doctors who are willing to heal their wounds forget the heinous act committed by them. The reason given is always about the professional ethics of a doctor to treat anyone who needs his help. But does a terrorist deserve any sympathy or help like that? That should be the question upper most in the minds of professional bodies of doctors in this modern era. Terrorism and terrorists are the most visible symbols of 21st century, and every profession must consider it while debating their ethics.
Ethics of Lawyers
The degeneration of lawyer’s has been the most significant among all the noble professions. One of the prime reasons for the same is its unchanging ethics in a fast changing world. In olden days when the technicalities and logic of dispensing justice in a civilised society were unknown to the uneducated, it made sense to defend any one before a court of law irrespective of the merit of the case. But it is no more so in the modern world. The terrorists are no more uneducated and primitive. In most cases they know more about technology, techniques and legalities than the lawmen. Does it make anymore sense to defend confirmed criminals in a court of law only on the basis of professional ethics? Do the terrorists, traitors and rapists deserve the services of a lawyer at the State’s expense? These are some of the questions that the civilised society in every country should ask their own self. Any more delay in starting this debate will only make our condition more and more miserable.
In India, we witnessed several cases were miscarriage of natural justice did take place as a direct result of the expired ethics driving a noble profession. Defending the known devils is equally undesirable as refusing to defend the innocent. The lawyer must first convince himself of the merit of his case. And the merit must be only that of justice for the wronged and not escape routes for the wrongdoers. But the current breed of lawyers is doing exactly the opposite. More young lawyers are taking up cases of highly paying criminals under the lame excuse of keeping the ethics of their profession, the real reason being the enormous amount of fees offered by the filthy rich criminals. The infamous case of a school teacher getting hacked to death in front of his very young students and the killers going scot-free thanks to the brilliancy of unscrupulous lawyers should be very disturbing one for any civilised society.
Whatever needs reform must get reformed. There should be nothing like an eternal concept except for the concept of God. The need for reforms in the professional ethics of doctors and lawyers is long overdue. Confirmed criminals must not get any assistance of lawyers and cruel killers wounded by the self defence attempts of their victims must not get medical assistance on the basis of a wrong interpretation of professional ethics. Lawyers and doctors must use their discretion in taking up cases. It is definitely not unbecoming of a civilised world to shun criminals and letting cruel killers to die with out any sort of medical or legal help. Any contradictory signals will only encourage the growth of terrorism and extremism.
FIRST QUADRANT
Human body and human life are among the most complex tangible and intangible phenomena known to mankind. It is a simple fact that we cannot envisage anything tangible more complex than a human body. Even the most complicated of machines or devices pale out in complexity when compared to the hundreds and thousands of systems and sub-systems that operate in every inch of the human body. The complexity is much more compounded when we consider the human life where multiple interactions with multiple personalities are involved. Yet we can always trivialise anything and start looking at complex and complicated phenomena in limited angles. Like in physics the complex whole is always a sum of its parts and same theory applies to intangibles also.
If human life can be plotted on a two dimensional plane, what should be the nature of curve for an ideal life? Before we can proceed any further with this philosophical ‘space walk’, we should define what are the parameters represented by the two axes. Let us take Values on X-axis and Actions on Y-axis (the third axis can be defined as Thoughts). When we fix these two co-ordinates for life, we get combination scenarios as follows:-
First Quadrant – Positive Values, Positive Actions
Second Quadrant – Negative Values, Positive Actions
Third Quadrant – Negative Values, Negative Actions
Fourth Quadrant – Positive Values, Negative Actions
Now the question is about where do you want yourself to be in? Let us try to analyse the various scenarios and see the results.
Best Options
Undoubtedly it is the First Quadrant that all of us want to be in. But is it really possible? Is it a viable option to uphold positive values and resort to only positive actions to achieve them? History shows that it is not an easy option. If positive actions refer to living peacefully, helping and sharing, we have seen them failing easily in front of violence, attack and selfishness. And if positive values stand for truthfulness, sincerity and gratefulness, then again we see them ineffective in comparison to dishonesty, insincerity and ingratitude. Even the best man we can identify in this universe cannot operate purely in the First Quadrant at all times. At best it is only an unachievable but a lofty target worthy of ideal pursuit. A peaceful world with no conflicts, no poverty and complete equality is one such ideal that is never attained.
For any student of history it is an easy conclusion that no man or woman could ever exist in the First Quadrant throughout his or her life. Even the best of biographies and auto-biographies do not tell us everything truthful about the individuals. Mahatma Gandhi’s was considered the most open but even that is turning out to be hiding many truths. What usually happens in the case of such life recordings is a look back from the pinnacle of life and invariably many of the pitfalls will be conveniently missed out. If that is the case, the natural question can be about the very relevance of such an impossible quadrant for life. It is impossible to be in First Quadrant but it is definitely a must to have such unattainable ideal options in every aspect of life.
Other Quadrants
Among the other three quadrants, we can easily rule out the third one which involves negative actions and negative values as an unacceptable one under any circumstance. The world cannot sustain itself if we have majority of people living in this quadrant. The whole world would be in turmoil if there is no minimum trust, understanding and accommodation. Second and Fourth Quadrants, where there is some positive values or some positive actions are the places where most of us would find ourselves most of the time. While Second Quadrant indicates negative values but positive actions, the Fourth Quadrant stands for positive values but negative actions. Is it acceptable to have negative values and carry out positive action to achieve them? But it is definitely not a desirable scenario to have people using positive (legal) methods to achieve negative (illegal and immoral) ends.
The Fourth Quadrant of life which stands for positive values but calls for negative actions to achieve them is the most interesting one. Is it not what Lord Krishna advocated when he clearly instructed Arjuna to stay on with the dharmic war to achieve noble ends? In our world today it is no exaggeration to imagine each of us as Arjuns in Kurukshetras around us that calls for similar actions to achieve nobler ends. If it was swords and lances then, today we are living in times of guns and bombs. We do not see our enemies but they are out there everywhere. The modern weapons make no mistake and the modern terrorists make no discrimination in using them. Negative values can be confronted only by negative actions and that’s what Fourth Quadrant requires us to do. But that should be an exception.
Whatever be the quadrant we are in, we have our lives to live and live on we must. While First Quadrant is where we want to be, it takes immense luck and sacrifice to be there through out. While most of us would invariably get pushed around the other three quadrants of life, it must be the endeavour of everyone to get back into the First Quadrant at the earliest. If a majority of us succeed in doing so it would be much easier for us to identify those who are stuck in the Third Quadrant and isolate them for ever. Our world would be a much safer place if we can destroy and thereby limit the occupants of the Third Quadrant. In the current parlance there should be only terrorists in the Third Quadrant and all of them must be eliminated for our own good. Genuine Paradise would prevail only in the First Quadrant and that is what all the sane secular and rabidly rational humans must strive for.
If human life can be plotted on a two dimensional plane, what should be the nature of curve for an ideal life? Before we can proceed any further with this philosophical ‘space walk’, we should define what are the parameters represented by the two axes. Let us take Values on X-axis and Actions on Y-axis (the third axis can be defined as Thoughts). When we fix these two co-ordinates for life, we get combination scenarios as follows:-
First Quadrant – Positive Values, Positive Actions
Second Quadrant – Negative Values, Positive Actions
Third Quadrant – Negative Values, Negative Actions
Fourth Quadrant – Positive Values, Negative Actions
Now the question is about where do you want yourself to be in? Let us try to analyse the various scenarios and see the results.
Best Options
Undoubtedly it is the First Quadrant that all of us want to be in. But is it really possible? Is it a viable option to uphold positive values and resort to only positive actions to achieve them? History shows that it is not an easy option. If positive actions refer to living peacefully, helping and sharing, we have seen them failing easily in front of violence, attack and selfishness. And if positive values stand for truthfulness, sincerity and gratefulness, then again we see them ineffective in comparison to dishonesty, insincerity and ingratitude. Even the best man we can identify in this universe cannot operate purely in the First Quadrant at all times. At best it is only an unachievable but a lofty target worthy of ideal pursuit. A peaceful world with no conflicts, no poverty and complete equality is one such ideal that is never attained.
For any student of history it is an easy conclusion that no man or woman could ever exist in the First Quadrant throughout his or her life. Even the best of biographies and auto-biographies do not tell us everything truthful about the individuals. Mahatma Gandhi’s was considered the most open but even that is turning out to be hiding many truths. What usually happens in the case of such life recordings is a look back from the pinnacle of life and invariably many of the pitfalls will be conveniently missed out. If that is the case, the natural question can be about the very relevance of such an impossible quadrant for life. It is impossible to be in First Quadrant but it is definitely a must to have such unattainable ideal options in every aspect of life.
Other Quadrants
Among the other three quadrants, we can easily rule out the third one which involves negative actions and negative values as an unacceptable one under any circumstance. The world cannot sustain itself if we have majority of people living in this quadrant. The whole world would be in turmoil if there is no minimum trust, understanding and accommodation. Second and Fourth Quadrants, where there is some positive values or some positive actions are the places where most of us would find ourselves most of the time. While Second Quadrant indicates negative values but positive actions, the Fourth Quadrant stands for positive values but negative actions. Is it acceptable to have negative values and carry out positive action to achieve them? But it is definitely not a desirable scenario to have people using positive (legal) methods to achieve negative (illegal and immoral) ends.
The Fourth Quadrant of life which stands for positive values but calls for negative actions to achieve them is the most interesting one. Is it not what Lord Krishna advocated when he clearly instructed Arjuna to stay on with the dharmic war to achieve noble ends? In our world today it is no exaggeration to imagine each of us as Arjuns in Kurukshetras around us that calls for similar actions to achieve nobler ends. If it was swords and lances then, today we are living in times of guns and bombs. We do not see our enemies but they are out there everywhere. The modern weapons make no mistake and the modern terrorists make no discrimination in using them. Negative values can be confronted only by negative actions and that’s what Fourth Quadrant requires us to do. But that should be an exception.
Whatever be the quadrant we are in, we have our lives to live and live on we must. While First Quadrant is where we want to be, it takes immense luck and sacrifice to be there through out. While most of us would invariably get pushed around the other three quadrants of life, it must be the endeavour of everyone to get back into the First Quadrant at the earliest. If a majority of us succeed in doing so it would be much easier for us to identify those who are stuck in the Third Quadrant and isolate them for ever. Our world would be a much safer place if we can destroy and thereby limit the occupants of the Third Quadrant. In the current parlance there should be only terrorists in the Third Quadrant and all of them must be eliminated for our own good. Genuine Paradise would prevail only in the First Quadrant and that is what all the sane secular and rabidly rational humans must strive for.
L14 SYNDROME
If AIDS is the syndrome that can upset the destiny of any man, its counterpart in the case of nations or institutions must be much more dangerous. King of France, Louis XIV, made his distinct contribution to the degeneration of ‘man-ruling-man’ systems when he declared “I am the State”. Though he himself was involved in a monarchy, his flawed philosophy produced more followers in democracies than monarchies. Like AIDS it is not a disease that is passed on from one to another nor is it a symptom of total failure of any of the systems. But it is a syndrome that develops over a period of time among leaders who come to yield power in institutions and nations under peculiar circumstances. Let us name this AIDS that afflict democratic nations and institutions as L14S. Consequences of L14S are invariably disastrous for the leaders and systems that come to contract it.
Though both nations and institutions are equally amenable to L14S affecting its leaders, the strengthening of various watch-dog institutions in democratic countries has cut down its occurrence at the level of nations. Also, now there is the big bulldog watching all nations and its leaders in a uni-polar world. In a way it is good that there is someone watching all the world leaders and their potential for contracting L14S sooner or later. But it becomes counterproductive, when they themselves inflict some selected leaders with L14S to serve the temporary needs of the lone superpower. These leaders with L14S are later hanged or hooted out like rabid dogs. But there are those who develop L14S over a period of time at the top. It is worthwhile taking a look at how the syndrome descends among some of our democratically elected leaders without any extraneous reasons.
L14S in Nations
If it was Louis XIV himself who said it in France, it was a lesser known Barooah who said “Indira is India” in India. What followed is recent history. If the basic pillars of democracy were strong enough in India then, India would have been in a different league by now. But the huge giant on weak knees that India was (and to a great extent, is), the effect of L14S was fast and devastating. Emergency followed and Indian Democracy was put back by at least a couple of decades by the excesses first and its enquiries and punishments later. Precious time was lost during the growing age of a democratic nation. Advent of a Narasimha Rao a few years earlier, ushering in a two-digit GDP growth rate, would have almost put India at the very top by now. But L14S is like that and its effect is much more ravaging in the case of youths than oldies.
To make matters worse, L14S has never really gone off from the Indian sub-continent for the last half a century. Whenever and wherever its antithesis Democracy takes root, L14S is also lurking around. The case of Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka and even Nepal is no better than India’s. When there are no external threats and the leader gets a chance to do something good for the country, what strikes invariably is L14S and not the sane & sound thoughts to do something long lastingly good for the motherland. There have been very few leaders in democracies who have not fallen for the sycophants and advisers, who are the carriers of L14S virus. The distinct lack of real leadership qualities, coupled with larger than life images that these leaders develop, always take them to their political graveyards sooner or later. Keeping away from L14S needs much moral courage and many inherent abilities, and that is exactly what many of them lack.
L14S in Institutions
Easier preys for L14S in the present world are the leaders of various institutions. Many of them are titans in tiny worlds of their own making. First few times, these tiny titans get elected democratically on shear merit and they do significant contributions too. And then the problem starts. In the midst of appreciation and accolades, many of them get cut away from the outside world that is always thirsting for change. TINA factor (There Is No Alternative) sets in and the leader himself starts believing in the words of the sycophants around him or her. Then it is only a matter of time for L14S to claim its next victim. The L14S afflicted leader genuinely believes that he or she is irreplaceable, and that the institution itself will be destroyed if someone else comes in his or her place.
Democratic countries have the maximum number of democratic institutions and L14S has taken its maximum toll in such countries. The unimaginable diversity that is found in anything and everything about India has resulted in a mind boggling number of democratic institutions also. Thanks to the democratic tag, free and fair elections are held but the L14S victims at the top scuttle real democratic spirit from flourishing. How can we expect democracy to be fruitful in any institution where 70+ old leaders are the front runners in elections for several years? Democracy for the sake of it is not want we want. We should be looking for the democratic spirit for progress and development that can come only from younger and younger leaders progressively.
The inseparable trio of democracy-development-dynamism can happen only if there is constant turnover of leaders at the top of any institution or nation. L14S is an unacceptable syndrome that is afflicting the leaders of so many democratic institutions and nations. While most of us are understandably powerless in doing anything about national leaders, we can certainly do something for inculcating the spirit of dynamism and change in the nearest local institution that we form part of. And if we are successful in defeating L14S in most such institutions, the eternal quest for change and democracy will definitely throw up more and more youthful alternatives from our own midst for our own nations. A giant democratic nation like India can make real progress only in such a scenario.
Though both nations and institutions are equally amenable to L14S affecting its leaders, the strengthening of various watch-dog institutions in democratic countries has cut down its occurrence at the level of nations. Also, now there is the big bulldog watching all nations and its leaders in a uni-polar world. In a way it is good that there is someone watching all the world leaders and their potential for contracting L14S sooner or later. But it becomes counterproductive, when they themselves inflict some selected leaders with L14S to serve the temporary needs of the lone superpower. These leaders with L14S are later hanged or hooted out like rabid dogs. But there are those who develop L14S over a period of time at the top. It is worthwhile taking a look at how the syndrome descends among some of our democratically elected leaders without any extraneous reasons.
L14S in Nations
If it was Louis XIV himself who said it in France, it was a lesser known Barooah who said “Indira is India” in India. What followed is recent history. If the basic pillars of democracy were strong enough in India then, India would have been in a different league by now. But the huge giant on weak knees that India was (and to a great extent, is), the effect of L14S was fast and devastating. Emergency followed and Indian Democracy was put back by at least a couple of decades by the excesses first and its enquiries and punishments later. Precious time was lost during the growing age of a democratic nation. Advent of a Narasimha Rao a few years earlier, ushering in a two-digit GDP growth rate, would have almost put India at the very top by now. But L14S is like that and its effect is much more ravaging in the case of youths than oldies.
To make matters worse, L14S has never really gone off from the Indian sub-continent for the last half a century. Whenever and wherever its antithesis Democracy takes root, L14S is also lurking around. The case of Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka and even Nepal is no better than India’s. When there are no external threats and the leader gets a chance to do something good for the country, what strikes invariably is L14S and not the sane & sound thoughts to do something long lastingly good for the motherland. There have been very few leaders in democracies who have not fallen for the sycophants and advisers, who are the carriers of L14S virus. The distinct lack of real leadership qualities, coupled with larger than life images that these leaders develop, always take them to their political graveyards sooner or later. Keeping away from L14S needs much moral courage and many inherent abilities, and that is exactly what many of them lack.
L14S in Institutions
Easier preys for L14S in the present world are the leaders of various institutions. Many of them are titans in tiny worlds of their own making. First few times, these tiny titans get elected democratically on shear merit and they do significant contributions too. And then the problem starts. In the midst of appreciation and accolades, many of them get cut away from the outside world that is always thirsting for change. TINA factor (There Is No Alternative) sets in and the leader himself starts believing in the words of the sycophants around him or her. Then it is only a matter of time for L14S to claim its next victim. The L14S afflicted leader genuinely believes that he or she is irreplaceable, and that the institution itself will be destroyed if someone else comes in his or her place.
Democratic countries have the maximum number of democratic institutions and L14S has taken its maximum toll in such countries. The unimaginable diversity that is found in anything and everything about India has resulted in a mind boggling number of democratic institutions also. Thanks to the democratic tag, free and fair elections are held but the L14S victims at the top scuttle real democratic spirit from flourishing. How can we expect democracy to be fruitful in any institution where 70+ old leaders are the front runners in elections for several years? Democracy for the sake of it is not want we want. We should be looking for the democratic spirit for progress and development that can come only from younger and younger leaders progressively.
The inseparable trio of democracy-development-dynamism can happen only if there is constant turnover of leaders at the top of any institution or nation. L14S is an unacceptable syndrome that is afflicting the leaders of so many democratic institutions and nations. While most of us are understandably powerless in doing anything about national leaders, we can certainly do something for inculcating the spirit of dynamism and change in the nearest local institution that we form part of. And if we are successful in defeating L14S in most such institutions, the eternal quest for change and democracy will definitely throw up more and more youthful alternatives from our own midst for our own nations. A giant democratic nation like India can make real progress only in such a scenario.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
ASATYAGRAHIS
One hundred years of satyagraha has produced more asatyagrahis than satygrahis - no other conclusion can be reached by any honest and impartial observer of public life and politics in India. Though various forms of satyagraha had been in existence in our culture from time immemorial, it was an ordinary Mohandas who realised the effectiveness of a modern version of it while fighting against painful racial discrimination in South Africa. He took the idea and gave it a definite form to deal with the atrocities of the British. In the process Mohandas also got transformed and he evolved himself into Mahatma Gandhi. And when he left his earthly sojourn in 1948, we termed all that he stood for as Gandhism with satyagraha as one of its basic tenets. What happened to Gandhism from then on is recent history and not mythology. We do not even need history books to learn and understand from it. Its remnants are all around for us to see and draw our own conclusions.
The power of satyagraha does not need any more examples than the transformation of an ordinary Mohandas into an extra-ordinary Mahatma Gandhi. Just like intense desires resulting in even movement of mountains, the inherent desire for satya (truth) can achieve the impossible if we can cultivate it properly. All of us know this and we have seen this happening. But the sad part is that we do not take note of it nor do we care to cultivate it. While travelling in a local train we know how it feels when we see a couple of wayward boys molesting a hapless girl. We know how it feels when we learn the truth about how a petty politician has cheated a poor villager or an old man. We suddenly realise our earning for truth and desire for victory of righteousness. But most of us get overwhelmed by the associated hatred for wicked. We do not know nor care to find out the correct way to get the wrong-doers realise their mistake. That was exactly what Gandhiji achieved by practising satyagraha. For those who say that Gandhiji copied from Jesus Christ, they are right in as much Jesus Christ copied from Lord Budha and Sanatana Dharma.
Gandhiji to Gandhi
Ever since Gandhiji left the scene in 1948, Gandhism has been reduced to a sort of fashion rather than passion. Many of Gandhiji’s direct followers talk about a certain amount of passion in their attraction to Gandhism. Those like Vinobaji lived like a saint after Gandhiji’s death. But many of the hardcore politicians who survived Gandhiji have been reduced to Gandhians only in their dress and cap. For them Gandhi (not Gandhiji) is only a mascot for attracting votes during elections. It is very difficult to categorise many of the current politicians as Gandhians when we know their true picture by way of newspaper and TV reports. Those who attend meetings wearing Gandhi caps and khadi clothes are the very same who have ‘benami’ investments in liquor industry and gun running. And those who swear by equality of all religions are the very same who argue for ‘minoritism’ much more than equality for all Indians irrespective of religion, caste and class.
Decline of the ism has been in direct proportion to the decline of his name from Gandhiji to Gandhi. If the former conveyed our unconditional respect, the latter clearly conveys our reserved formality. If our previous generation could entrust their future with Gandhiji without any hesitation, we can do it now only with guarded hopes. Gandhiji will not do anything against our interests. But is that the case any more? Our national interests are allegedly jeopardised in many issues and doubts about the real intentions behind many of the ongoing negotiations with foreign countries are frightening. We cannot sleep anymore in peace when Gandhiji has been reduced to mere Gandhi. Even Jinnah is reported to have said that he needs no Pakistan if all Indians are like Gandhiji. It is highly doubtful if even an Indian would reflect similar spirit with the new Gandhis around.
Gandhism to Ghandism
Many of the foreign literature refer to Gandhism as Ghandism. They are right and we should be thankful to them for such a reference to what is being practised now. It is a purely mistaken notion that Gandhism is all about bullock carts and it is opposite of what computers stand for. The basic axiom of Gandhism is truthfulness and it is exactly opposite of what hypocrisy stands for. The concept is very simple if we can understand the truthfulness of a British in coat & tie as being a Gandhian and the lie of an Indian Gandhian with dyed hair in an air-conditioned Corolla among poorest of poor in Indian roads. What would differentiate a Gandhian act from a Ghandian one is the extent of truthfulness in the doer. We have dozens of so-called Gandhians visiting Rajghat on 30th January every year but very few who reflect Gandhism in their day-to-day lives. Many of them qualify only to be Ghandians and not Gandhians in any manner.
Ever since Mohandas turned into Mahatma Gandhi, he was particularly careful about indulging in practises with a noble message. His intention must have been in conveying the message more than the particular incident or act as such. The way he dressed, the way he travelled and the way he lived all carried tons of messages to those who are serious about Gandhism. He was much more comfortable in western dress, yet he took extra effort to dress up as an ordinary Indian. He was definitely more conversant in English, yet he wrote his autobiography in Gujarati. As he rightly said, his life is his message. And those who are missing these real messages can never qualify to be practising Gandhism. What they are doing is evidently Ghandism.
Gandhiji dreamt of an India full of satyagrahis and made his best efforts during half his lifetime. The touchstone of his ism was truthfulness in our search for truth. Unfortunately that is exactly what is lacking among most of those posing as Gandhians in India today. It will be no exaggeration to say that those who are opposing these current Gandhians are the true followers of Gandhiji in present day India. And quite likely we should be finding most of the true Gandhians among the highly educated youth of this country who survive truthfully on their merit even in foreign lands. It should not be shocking for any of us if many of the Indian icons in hi-tech business turn out to be more Gandhian than those in khadi and Gandhi cap at the sammelans and seminars. True Gandhism and satygraha might finally succeed through unavoidable meritocracy in the booming hi-tech industry in India.
The power of satyagraha does not need any more examples than the transformation of an ordinary Mohandas into an extra-ordinary Mahatma Gandhi. Just like intense desires resulting in even movement of mountains, the inherent desire for satya (truth) can achieve the impossible if we can cultivate it properly. All of us know this and we have seen this happening. But the sad part is that we do not take note of it nor do we care to cultivate it. While travelling in a local train we know how it feels when we see a couple of wayward boys molesting a hapless girl. We know how it feels when we learn the truth about how a petty politician has cheated a poor villager or an old man. We suddenly realise our earning for truth and desire for victory of righteousness. But most of us get overwhelmed by the associated hatred for wicked. We do not know nor care to find out the correct way to get the wrong-doers realise their mistake. That was exactly what Gandhiji achieved by practising satyagraha. For those who say that Gandhiji copied from Jesus Christ, they are right in as much Jesus Christ copied from Lord Budha and Sanatana Dharma.
Gandhiji to Gandhi
Ever since Gandhiji left the scene in 1948, Gandhism has been reduced to a sort of fashion rather than passion. Many of Gandhiji’s direct followers talk about a certain amount of passion in their attraction to Gandhism. Those like Vinobaji lived like a saint after Gandhiji’s death. But many of the hardcore politicians who survived Gandhiji have been reduced to Gandhians only in their dress and cap. For them Gandhi (not Gandhiji) is only a mascot for attracting votes during elections. It is very difficult to categorise many of the current politicians as Gandhians when we know their true picture by way of newspaper and TV reports. Those who attend meetings wearing Gandhi caps and khadi clothes are the very same who have ‘benami’ investments in liquor industry and gun running. And those who swear by equality of all religions are the very same who argue for ‘minoritism’ much more than equality for all Indians irrespective of religion, caste and class.
Decline of the ism has been in direct proportion to the decline of his name from Gandhiji to Gandhi. If the former conveyed our unconditional respect, the latter clearly conveys our reserved formality. If our previous generation could entrust their future with Gandhiji without any hesitation, we can do it now only with guarded hopes. Gandhiji will not do anything against our interests. But is that the case any more? Our national interests are allegedly jeopardised in many issues and doubts about the real intentions behind many of the ongoing negotiations with foreign countries are frightening. We cannot sleep anymore in peace when Gandhiji has been reduced to mere Gandhi. Even Jinnah is reported to have said that he needs no Pakistan if all Indians are like Gandhiji. It is highly doubtful if even an Indian would reflect similar spirit with the new Gandhis around.
Gandhism to Ghandism
Many of the foreign literature refer to Gandhism as Ghandism. They are right and we should be thankful to them for such a reference to what is being practised now. It is a purely mistaken notion that Gandhism is all about bullock carts and it is opposite of what computers stand for. The basic axiom of Gandhism is truthfulness and it is exactly opposite of what hypocrisy stands for. The concept is very simple if we can understand the truthfulness of a British in coat & tie as being a Gandhian and the lie of an Indian Gandhian with dyed hair in an air-conditioned Corolla among poorest of poor in Indian roads. What would differentiate a Gandhian act from a Ghandian one is the extent of truthfulness in the doer. We have dozens of so-called Gandhians visiting Rajghat on 30th January every year but very few who reflect Gandhism in their day-to-day lives. Many of them qualify only to be Ghandians and not Gandhians in any manner.
Ever since Mohandas turned into Mahatma Gandhi, he was particularly careful about indulging in practises with a noble message. His intention must have been in conveying the message more than the particular incident or act as such. The way he dressed, the way he travelled and the way he lived all carried tons of messages to those who are serious about Gandhism. He was much more comfortable in western dress, yet he took extra effort to dress up as an ordinary Indian. He was definitely more conversant in English, yet he wrote his autobiography in Gujarati. As he rightly said, his life is his message. And those who are missing these real messages can never qualify to be practising Gandhism. What they are doing is evidently Ghandism.
Gandhiji dreamt of an India full of satyagrahis and made his best efforts during half his lifetime. The touchstone of his ism was truthfulness in our search for truth. Unfortunately that is exactly what is lacking among most of those posing as Gandhians in India today. It will be no exaggeration to say that those who are opposing these current Gandhians are the true followers of Gandhiji in present day India. And quite likely we should be finding most of the true Gandhians among the highly educated youth of this country who survive truthfully on their merit even in foreign lands. It should not be shocking for any of us if many of the Indian icons in hi-tech business turn out to be more Gandhian than those in khadi and Gandhi cap at the sammelans and seminars. True Gandhism and satygraha might finally succeed through unavoidable meritocracy in the booming hi-tech industry in India.
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