In 1928, at a high point of the agitation for independence during British rule in India, the besieged British government received Mahatma Gandhi ji as their guest in London as the representative of the Indian people to try to resolve the crisis.
Fearless in his principles, Gandhi ji was firm but polite in his manner, disagreeing without being disagreeable.
During an interview, a British reporter asked Gandhi ji; "What do you think of western civilisation?"
Gandhiji replied, "I think it will be a good idea."
Apparently amusing, the statement revealed an ugly facet of what is commonly misunderstood to be progress and civilisation.
Industrialisation gave mankind a huge leap in material progress, lifting millions out of poverty and misery. Unfortunately it was mainly confined to Japan, Australia, Europe and America, placing them in a powerfully advantageous position over non industrialised nations. This led to a skewed global power balance grossly in favour of America, Europe, etc.
Power unfortunately is a dangerous addiction, and those who acquire it will try not only to maintain it but enhance it at all costs. When driven purely by greed the best of people can and often do turn savage. This is what Gandhi ji was referring to as “The Western Civilisation’.
This civilisation led to the global destruction of indigenous cultures and their people by numerous ways. Not only justifying but legitimising slavery, colonisation, apartheid, world wars etc.
Mindless industrialisation has exploited and ravaged the earth, despoiling lands and poisoning the air and water. The greater tragedy is not that Western civilization has fallen way short and committed great blunders, but that the other developing nations have learnt nothing from history and plunge headlong to repeat the same blunders. As the enslaved nations became free they followed the same model as the West followed, of mindless and often inappropriate industrialization. This trend has made our environment and relationships toxic.
Now India and China are the fastest rising economies in GDP and sadly the most rapid in decline in quality of life. Environmental degradation and stress related diseases have reached alarming levels.
Apparently huge material gains have been realised on the back of uncontrolled and irresponsible industrialization but at a terrible price to humanity and to the world. Many sacrifices have been made but none greater than selling our souls.
Modern civilization has given birth to unbridled materialism. Now things matter more than people and nature. The soul after all differentiates humans from other living creatures and if our soul is lost then all is lost.
If Gandhi ji were present today he might correct himself and say “Human civilization would be a good idea.”
The root cause of the problem is greed and exploitation. Exploitation of people, and nature is always counterproductive and will always come back to haunt the exploiters and eventually harm us.
Replace exploitation by sustainability, greed by compassion, confrontation by cooperation. If we think and practice win-win approaches, respecting nature and people so that there is inclusive benefit, then we will always be winners.
Appearing an alarmist or a pessimist is one of the ways to appear intelligent. However that is not helpful beyond the point of drawing attention to important issues.
We often underestimate the power of 'One'. That is the ability of each individual to make a difference.
Appearing an alarmist or a pessimist is one of the ways to appear intelligent. However that is not helpful beyond the point of drawing attention to important issues.
We often underestimate the power of 'One'. That is the ability of each individual to make a difference.
