There is enough evidence from
history, as also personal observations and experiences, to be fairly certain
that humans are not benign specie. To be
driven by empathy seems like collective opportunism wired for survival and not
for egalitarian purpose. To be civilized is not given but evolved attribute
that comes with effort, to dissociate from primal self for better self. Much of
the subtle values that hinge best of humanity is not natural outcome within the
specie but an intense effort by enlightened few to work a framework. Many
philosophers, as also saints, strived for better possibilities and a saner world
that percolates to define modern institutions and human progress. More of these few people and consolidation of
enabling framework better the chance for each to evolve and sophisticated
values to permeate. Few centuries back religion (faith/superstition) had a
significant role in framing society’s morals and individual ethics. That these
continues into modern times directly contradicting accumulated awareness and
undermining thinking capacity of educated individuals points to opportunism of
few to keep extending the control. This has debilitating impact on egalitarian
institutions that hinges on critical thinking and humanitarian concerns. It is
therefore natural for opportunist religion to undermine democratic institutions
and side with worst whether colonialism, racism, nazis, feudalism, neoliberal
consumerism, authoritarian tendencies and as active agents in much of strife
and dehumanizing (of the other) across the world. Benign roots, if ever, of most
religions can only extend its patronizing presence into modern world in
overwhelming hypocrisy, it persistently undermine contemporary reality and
human progress.
Many years back I spent some time
to travel around the country to find out how religion percolates to common
people’s everyday psyche (ofcourse since then I am quite convinced that this
system that has outlived its purpose -in the context of contemporary human
awareness, continues for reason of insecurities and juvenile minds incapable
to take responsibility hence cling to fiction for solace, lacking
self-awareness gravitate to authority figure. I am indeed quite
viciously dismissive of religion and see it as constant threat -a herd
churning mechanism that nurtures contexts for worst possibilities. More you observe more you are
convinced of any redeeming value except maybe to create fear and restrain the
herd from slipping to its worst version). I created specific questions to probe the
commonest of person, ideally situated in holiest of sites of a specific religion, in an attempt
to work an objective analysis (visit https://depalan.blogspot.com/2008/10/two-questions-dho-sawal-randu-chodiyam.html).Religion does have an influence in framing of
outlook but it doesn’t seem natural. It is contrived to appear faithful or personal yearnings seeking goodness of religion which
can be beneficial if it nurtures egalitarian values. Since it lacks thinking it seems
a dangerous toss of fate for herd, it may work or may go horribly wrong
-ranging from dehumanization to grandeur to collective hallucination. What is
increasingly apparent with religiosity is increasing exceptionalism and supremacism that the religion seeks to differentiate to create followers and dissociation from reality. Quite a natural state when you are controlled. Indeed,
what frames the outlook of a person is complex but religion does influence
significantly for majority of people. Even if a person may be secular the level
of percolation of religion in society and institutions does create influence as
a consolidation or a reaction. All religions are not same nor do they create
same context hence cannot be equated thus the impact on collective varies. This
must be clearly understood. Religion is an ancient conception that had much
relevance in meagre limited medieval world. The continuation of these juvenile
conceptions into modern world shows hold of sinister forces capitalizing innate
opportunism that defines human specie. Benign framework is an arduous effort
built on the grit and sacrifices of best of humanity over the centuries. It
must be understood that much of humans are free riders who could very well
find themselves suited in hunter gatherer group and choose representatives to
democratic institutions based on cave mind imprints that define leaders, assign
roles for gender, define morals so on. This is very much normalized and
institutionalized into herd mind through religion. These cave mind imprints are
used to trap humans into time capsule that replicate cave mindset in modern
setting.
Egalitarian values and humanistic concerns therefore must be consolidated through institutions and stridently defended through rule of law that percolates as norms. Liberty and freedom must be asserted as right of individual and not of herd. Human is the concern of human right, and any attempt to diminish human is diminishing of human right. By this very definition all regressive systems and framework lose their claim to represent human hence human right. A human has right to profess faith but a system doesn’t have right to profess faith to a human and claim as human right. If education is value based that nurture thinking aware individuals and empathetic collective then regressive systems will easily be eviscerated. If rule of law asserts egalitarian values nurtured through democratic institutions, then blessedness -exceptionalism and supremacism, will be checked and denied space. It must be made clear that human progress is an achievement of value system consolidated over centuries through egalitarian humanistic concern that value diversity of each individual and critical thinking that nurture progressive thoughts. If these are not defended then herd gets the impression that human progress and personal fortune is because of blessedness, very much facilitated by greatness of their religion as means to channelize miracles for favors. This blessedness is a dangerous presence and infects mind into unhinged vicious ways. An embodiment of entitlement that holds civilized norms/decency and democratic institutions as mere props for their blessedness to flourish, a fate that asserts superiority of their religion, and carries its obnoxious bearings wherever it emerges, a sense of invincibility that fuels arrogant recklessness and wanton consumption. Humility comes with self-awareness and is not a contrived sideshow of blessedness.
Capitalism originated as means for efficient trade and commerce from Asia to middle-east for centuries, it is
controlling nature of state and religion that consolidated capitalism into ceaseless
accumulation of privately controlled capital while carefully calibrated ethics
of religion created labor force as a duty and for religion to propagate as
well-meaning guardian. Human
opportunism bypassed Adam Smith’s benign self interest into neoliberal
capitalism that see this greed as inevitable and indeed natural extension of
human desire and innate nature thus unleashing crudest possible value system
that exploited fellow humans into organized slave trade as they were transported
across the continents as commodities. Slavery was banned despite innate nature of
capitalism syncing with human barbarity through egalitarian corrections facilitated stringent
rules. Keynesian state intervention and labor laws gave capitalism a human face
before neoliberal blasted its way across through charismatic leaders as pawns to
convince the world, and since then this runaway capitalism continues to vandalize
the world into brink of immense catastrophe while devaluing liberal democracy. There
seems to be no alternative, as someone said “It is easier to imagine end of the
world than the end of capitalism!”. There are many alterative suggested but it
seems the system is too entrenched to even recalibrate capitalism (I am not an expert
in economics, I need not be an expert on poison to know that it kills, the
present model of ‘development’ is sinister). It is here that one must
understand the importance of collective assertion of best of human values
strived through rule of law and collective empathy, and urgent need to
eviscerate feudal systems and regressive values that lie dormant for opportune moment.
It must be understood exploitation preceded capitalism and must be acknowledged
that capitalism did provide space for prosperity that elevated HDI. The innate
and primal nature of human must not be allowed to gain credence and presented
as credible option or diversity ruse. Human beings are not benign specie nor especially
blessed. They have evolved through millions of years of natural selections,
mutations, seemingly unsurmountable odds and good fortune (so have dragon flies),
while institutions evolved through immense sacrifice, diligence and inquisitive
human ingenuity to present spectacular possibilities for humanity and nurture sophisticated
cultured caring humans. This awareness of immensity is humility. Innate primate
nature of cave minded herds wallowing in crude exaggeration and posing in
blessedness must be dealt strictly and made to realize their utter limitations and
vacant selves. This is the task.
