Year Anew 2011

We welcome a new year. The year 2011, like the year 2010, will come to us, and will have 12 months with same names. It is true that the events will not be same as in the year 2010, but it is true that the events in 2011 will have their links, antecedents or causes or something there will be with the events in 2010. I do not say that the events in 2011 will be all related to the events of 2010, and there will not be new developments or ‘virgin’ moments, but there will also be developments which will be linked to the year 2011, then to 2012, and so on.

In fact the developments in their multiple dimensions take place in every plane of human life both collective and individual. In collective human lives – in the form of family, or villages, or clans, or nations or such larger agglomerations the developments will take place. And these developments as the developments in the relations among the common human entities will be either for good or for bad. It is certain that relations will not be static. In fact the relations, and particularly the human relations abhor any kind of statist tendencies, and so also among the relations between the nation states, or intra-state, or among regional organisations.

On a different scale the Idea will move further towards East, or as in the Hegelian dictum, the march of God on earth will move from west to east. But this movement is so perplexing, it is very difficult to confront it in very physical shape, and it will take many more years – that the West and East will be equals in all senses. When I say equals, I do not mean physical or quantitative equality, the nations are different, the cultures are different, and they will remain different. But it should be, rather it must be a relation in harmony, relation of harmony, not a relation of subordination and superimposition or subservience, or something like that.

Something similar will be happening or is rather happening in the individual plane. In this age of technology, when everybody can claim to the domain of knowledge and known, and in this era of connectivity and globalisation, the individual is at once a decider of destiny and a slave of his fate. The individual with superior knowledge and idea can also be a master of his fate. It all depends, or will depend, the kind of consciousness, knowledge and wisdom he or she has. Every individual obviously will react differently to different situations. Similarly the consciousness of the individual will determine his or her actions. A fundamentalist terrorist brainwashed by dogmas of a religion cares for nothing because he or she has no consciousness or has imposed consciousness which guides him or her for devious goals. Obviously it is a complicated question that why a terrorist becomes a terrorist? Or rather who is a terrorist – individual or any group who kills the innocent by means of gun or who swindles billions and makes millions deprived and dead?

The victims suffer many ways. They suffer everywhere, at every turn, without any recourse. Putting in a different way, the Kautilyan saying ‘big fish eats small fish,’ or might is right is the principle that guides most of the actions of the most of the people and most of the actions of national as well as international entities. But the common concern is that – when an individual in isolation is motivated to harm, it can be controlled, but when a man is motivated by opium of religion, or culture, or whatever having direct bearing with mass human life – that becomes dangerous.

Turning to a different principle, I remember what Sri Aurobindo says, that human life is bound to evolve towards better, if not today, then tomorrow, if not tomorrow then day after. The descent of superconscious and ascent of human being to higher conscious are inevitable, as the evolution of man from primate was inevitable. But one may ask, whether this is pure mysticism, or is there any truth? It is a matter not to be argued, not to be seen from a rational angle, because it is something what Kant says beyond the rational. It is not irrational, but suprarational. It does not negate rationality, but transcends it while according it its due place. It is something to be realised not rationalised. If it is so, then it is possible that human beings can aspire to have a higher consciousness, which can provide strength and wisdom to work harder and wiser so that the killing of the innocent and maiming of the humanity by unnecessary wastage of resources in arms, nuclear weapons, and devious agendas. This is an important and interesting question, which needs to be pondered in the eve of the New Year.

Simply put, can we be good human beings by moderating our lower passions and related actions motivated by greed, anger, hatred, lust, craving for power and many such, and think of the other in a wider framework what in Sanskrit called ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ the whole world is one family. If we can think and act that way as individuals and impact our families and neighbours, and the larger communities that will indeed be a great step towards a better society undoubtedly. Or can we pledge – we will not harm others in thought or deed. If controlling thought process is difficult, then at least in deed. By doing so, we can contribute positively towards a better society in 2011.