Mayank
Goel, CESP, JNU.
mayankgoel90@gmail.com
Our world is
highly progressive in nature. Today, we have moved into an era where we have
broken all the previous benchmarks established in the different spheres of
life. Comparing present with our past, we can surely assert that the level of
technology, modern facilities, machines, medicines, etc. is completely
unprecedented. Every moment we are kind of augmenting our skills to innovate
new things and techniques to do our activities. But, the world in general is
experiencing massive increase in diseases, severe health problems, depression,
mental breakdowns, physical inactivity, dilution of relations, rapes, murders,
death, etc. People are dying young. In last 45 years suicide rates have
increased by 60% worldwide (WHO). Over 450 million people suffer from a mental
health problem or mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health,
Office for national statistics mental health in children, mental health
foundation, mind, rethink, London School of Economics). These things are
happening in our vicinity that sometimes raise questions regarding the
relation, if any, between the two perceived events.
Humans by
nature are inquisitive to know ever since the dawn of life. Given the fact that
we have imbibed higher intelligence in the evolution process, we try to
manipulate our resources to overpower or control the material nature instead of
surrendering to the material conditions like animals. This urge has been
driving the development of our human society in the field of action where we
work to change and create an artificial environment around us suitable to our
comforts. To decipher upon the extent of our success, we must take care of two
things. First, we should think whether we have been actually successful in
overpowering nature or is it an illusion that makes us believe so or the
situations have further worsened? What is it really? Secondly, we want to
control the nature because we want to become independent as dependency is the
cause of misery. In short, we do not want miseries inflicted upon us by nature
in the form of Tsunamis, floods, famines, earthquakes, scorching heat, excessive
cold, etc. We want to liberate ourselves of all sufferings and wish to live
happily. So have we succeeded in it?
All these technological developments and modern science are
helping us to delay our sufferings only to be caused in a much intensified
manner. (This is intact with the overall capitalist system in which growth is
technology-led which does nothing but delays the crisis to be caused at some
later date.) These advancements do give us pleasure and happiness by easing our
life style but they are highly momentary and temporary. It is a cyclical
process. More urge to enjoy gives more sufferings and more sufferings compel us
to degrade our source of pleasure and
eventually we tend to locate our happy moments in small and petty things. Is
this true development?
The true
development is one where pleasure increases and the source of happiness is
elevated in each cycle of development. This development is a boon for human
civilisation as it is directed in the right direction. This leads us to the
path of universal peace and harmony. Today, people are seeking pleasure in
killing animals, boozing, hangovers, smoking, gambling, illicit sex and all
kinds of commercialised conspicuous consumption. This is not the right
development as it is animalistic in nature which has taken away humanity from
our lives.
All
these problems are the reflections from the mirror of ignorance. Thus, one of
the best solutions is to promote the right knowledge. We need to understand why
do societies develop or what is the driving force behind these material and
technological developments. The essence of all our activities is to enjoy and
become happy. Developments are no exception and they occur essentially to
improve the well-being, standards of living, comfort levels, etc. in order to
increase the state of happiness.
This
is a point to ponder whether we have actually increased our happy state or
augmented our sufferings. Since all human efforts or actions performed by any
living entity, for that matter, is dualistic; characterised with the system of
synthesis and antithesis based on our criteria or thesis. Thus, we ourselves
create avenues that increase the miseries in the process to enjoy or become
happy. When our intensions are not wrong then why the results are always
contradictory? What is the nature that makes our actions dualistic? Little
understanding of human psyche and human needs can make us aware and acknowledge
the direction leading to humanity.
Basically,
all humans have three kinds of needs; biological, social, and natural.
Biological needs arise out of our body that mainly includes food, clothing,
shelter that are mainly material in nature. The reason is that our body being
made up of matter comprising five elements; earth, fire, water, air and space;
the bodily needs are satisfied through these elements only.
The
social needs arise out of the environment or the society in which we survive.
These needs vary among humans according to their civilisation and are thus
satisfied in the framework of that society. For example, in earlier societies
people needed goods to exchange with other goods of consumption while today we
need money to possess purchasing power. Social needs also include needs at the
abstract level like emotional caring, etc.
The natural
needs are difficult to perceive because they are the most subtle of all. These
needs arise out of us being the spirit souls. The characteristic feature of
soul is eternal, conscious and blissful.
na
jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah |
ajo
nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire ||BG.2.20||
Thus,
our natural needs are to achieve immortality, become fully knowledgeable and
always be happy. Humans from time immemorial have this desire to overpower
death, inquisitiveness to know and desire to do away with pains and sufferings.
These natural needs thus form the base of all our other needs.
Our
efforts are dualistic because of this distinction between our bodies and
ourselves (spirit souls). Because we are souls, we want to be happy but as we
are limited by our bodies we cannot work for the welfare of everyone and hence
all our efforts are relative that create both positive and negative effects.
Positive on one hand make us happy while the negative increases our miseries.
The modern
scientists and technocrats promise to make us happy by increasing our comforts.
The biggest advertisement going on is how to become happy immediately and
forget about future as it is uncertain. Thus, we are discounting our future
pains for temporary pleasures. But,
in this world, there is no perfect substitution. We cannot
substitute our pain with pleasure. At the best, the pains inherent in the
processes can be garbed. We must accept the pains and pleasure as we accept
summers and winters because they are bound to come in a cyclical way. As in
seasonal changes, we want to maintain the temperature; similarly in changes of
situations, we must try to maintain our feelings i.e. try to situate ourselves
in equality
(Equality is the foremost requirement for real happiness).
jneyah
sa nitya-sannyasi yo na dvesti na kanksati |
nirdvandvo
hi maha-baho sukham bandhat pramucyate ||BG.5.3||
One who neither hates nor desires the
fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person,
liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is
completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
However,
this material development is characterised by inequality that improves the
situation of some at the cost of others. There are very few instances where
everyone in general benefits but there also the margins of benefits differ
greatly. This creates a divergence in the society between those who possess and
those who do not. Thus, the overall process is very unequal. Knowing this, we
must try to innovate or develop such a machine which doesn’t discount our
sufferings by garbing them but promotes equality to achieve universal peace and
harmony. Then, we can claim to live in a happy world and a true human
civilisation!
