Spiritual values can help us overcome consumerist pleasures and keep pace with rapid change
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
— George Bernard Shaw
Whether we like it or not, but we have to constantly keep up with the changing dynamics. Today, change has become so rapid that some people, especially professionals, have to keep a perpetual watch on the emerging trends. As a consequence of keeping themselves constantly in a high gear, many people feel that rapid changes shake up their nerves and are physically and mentally taxing their lives. However, we must not have an impression that every change is an anathema. On the contrary to common belief, change is generally a welcoming feature of life and stagnancy is considered boring. It is the high frequency of change or the enormity of it that forces responsible people to miss the much needed rest.
Observation and analysis tell us that science and technology are responsible for this predicament, as they compel an individual to lead an increasingly faster life in a highly competitive world. They force people to move like machines which, too, are moving faster day by day and are changing enormously in design and functions. But, if we go deeper into the problem, then we would find that science and technology are, in fact, at the service of mankind.
Evolution of science is based on a man’s needs, mindset, motives, emotions and external influences, including exposure to the media and society’s approval or criticism of his acts. Hence, these are the major factors that lead to new designs. They determine the purpose and use to which science and technology should be put to. Therefore, rapidity of change depends, to a great degree, on the rapidity of rejection of the old system. This, in turn, depends on how rapidly a person is discontented with the present facilities. This discontentment may, in most cases, be due to the lack of man’s inner stability and happiness and wrong sets of values and attitudes.
A thorough analysis of the present situation would lead us to the conclusion that the current depression or the short-lived pleasure is due to our own consumerist attitude, geared mainly to cater to our sensual pleasures. It’s time society realised that spiritual values alone would be the remedy to the present precarious situation.
The writer is a spiritual educator