Have we lost the human in humanity?
We all dream of a better world where there is peace, happiness and harmony, don’t we? No one would like the degradation of the environment, loss of human lives due to wars and murders, corrosion of the human spirit by crime and corruption, or dehumanisation through poverty and troublesome social, economic and political conditions, embroiled in high tension and turmoil that drain human energy and make life miserable.
On the contrary, all would like life to be characterised by harmony and health, well-being and wealth, and a sense of happiness and purity.
But the question is: what are those values, and how can such a socio-politico-economic system be established which has those values and enhances human experience, enabling men and women to have a lifestyle that makes such a society viable? Looking around, it can be said that much of the conflict in society today is due to a lack or absence of tolerance. Yes, it is tolerance of differences in views, diversity of religious beliefs and cultures, and plurality of races and nations that brings about unity and co-operation and, in turn, leads to concerted efforts for the amelioration of the miserable condition of the world.
However, tolerance or unity cannot exist or survive alone. In fact, no value or virtue can stand by itself. In the case of tolerance, there is either some common purpose that holds people in unity or an urgent common need waiting to be fulfilled that compels people to tolerate. Even then, tolerance becomes weak and fragile if there is suspicion about a person’s motives, doubt about intentions, or awareness of a lack of such human values as honesty, sincerity and sympathy, and above all, the absence of the spirit of co-existence and fellow-feeling.
In our lifetime, we come across many variables and variants, and one requires spiritual strength to tolerate those who have violent, obsessive and inhuman tendencies as their constant companions. Tolerance is easier when one is confronted with civilised and wise people, even if they are critics or opponents. However, a higher degree of tolerance is required when dealing with those who are compulsive, vile or wicked. For this, one must develop supportive values such as goodwill, patience, introvertness, calmness and, above all, love. Our present condition is the result of neglect or violation of these values. We have gradually lost the human aspect of our lives and become more or less like machines, resulting in a lack of friendship, fellow-feeling and love.
Our knowledge of science, technology, communication and managerial skills has not brought inner happiness because honesty, sincerity, cordiality, fair dealing, duty, discipline and mutual trust are declining. In other words, there has been a rapid erosion of social, moral and family values. It is not that science, technology or management skills have caused our suffering; rather, the fall in moral standards has prevented them from yielding their full benefits. People do recognise the importance of moral values, but they often lack the spiritual knowledge needed to practise them effectively, as well as forms of meditation that help internalise these values and create a deep experience of peace and happiness. Thus, the need of the hour is to create mass awareness of values such as tolerance, humility and mutual respect in order to realise our dream of a world filled with peace, happiness and harmony.
