Wisdom and Civilization

Everybody wants steady material progress and comforts. Each one of us wants happiness. We work hard to produce articles, gadgets and services for maximum comfort, convenience and enjoyment. Parameters are framed based on the quantum of these factors coming in our possession and we call this progress. We say we have achieved a lot. This we call our mastery over nature. We eat, build, live, enjoy, breed and sleep. This cycle goes on and every day we wake up with the hope of widening the circle of happiness including many more things and articles in its fold. Then where do we go.

Progress leaps forward. Every one counts wealth, riches and money. There is surplus money everywhere and men go after chasing investment channels for multiplying wealth. They accumulate. But then comes a disastrous moment. Suddenly the market crashes. The downfall starts. And leaders all over the world call for austerity and adjustments. They call for sacrifices. They fear and face massive unemployment and steep fall in income and standards of living. The heavy blow of the recession consequent to the unchecked progress makes us the laughing stock of wise men. We discover that we have been unwise. That is the wisdom of being foolish. We allowed the senses to rule over us and not the brain. We allowed greed to overtake us and our sanity. The downfall seems a break less journey. So many brakes are applied but they all jam. We sit in solitude and lament over the tragedy.

Have we respected the wisdom of the ages? The old men of vision who had great concern for the whole of humanity lived simple lives and emphasized on service to others. Their example was of one of sacrifice and service. Now our champions of individualism and material progress substituted it by self aggrandizement, self enrichment and self above service. Many social organizations silently implanted this philosophy with the result wealth of all types including filth was produced and amassed. This was far beyond the basic requirements of individuals. Then the bang was felt.

When are we going to realize that the most valuable and precious but essential things of life are free which Nature has provided us in abundance. Space, air, water, heat are examples. We take them for granted but do not desist from our attempts to pollute or misuse them. A contented society with collective happiness is a goal worth attempting and achieving.

Can we not learn to be wise and give up pursuit of foolishness to avoid global calamity?