Unlearning and Making Sense of Difficult Past

A Great Lesson from Indian History – We must behave like a developed nation.

Unlearning hard earned own past

Is it easy unlearning difficult past? I do not think so. But do we have any option? Again, I do not think so. We have to unlearn our past to make sense of our future otherwise future occurrences will look like past history, which I do not think any body from 21st century will like that or even, deserve that. The complexity of situation is a challenge as well as an opportunity.

Unlearning difficult past is one of the most painful and cumbersome process. The individual, society and even nations are confused. There is no simple way. There are no easy steps. There is no mathematical solution. There is no scientific method to resolve. There is no straightforward solution. The problems are complex. The problems are complicated. The problems are invisible. The problems are intellectually fabricated. The problems are intellectually subsidized. The problems are not even acknowledged as problems. The real problems have been replaced with mediocre one. The real problems have been kept in the dust bin and secondary or tertiary problems are being flashed and discussed extensively.

Is there any escape?

The energy and efforts and money are spent on solving trivial problems rather talking real issues. The solutions are equally complex. The solutions are not simply workable. The solutions are tough. The solutions need high level sacrifices. The solution needs significant understanding. The solution needs very deep knowledge. The solution does not appear visible. The solution has to be found from the complex atmosphere. The solution demands dedication and patience. Are we ready to accept? Are we ready to devote time? Are we ready to understand? It is a challenge to the people of developing world. It is a challenge for developed world to get reality. It is challenge to developed world to find solution of complexity of poverty. Unless, we understand this, we will never be able to enjoy the fruit of our own wisdom, effort and sacrifices.

Is it so difficult to behave like developed people? I have a very different experiences and conclusions. Indians are not behaving like developed. Even the people with plenty of money and resources are behaving like poor. The rich are behaving meager. The well to do families is behaving like conservative source. The country as a result is suffering badly. The country is unable to get correct direction. Most of the part of the country is behaving deprived. Most of the developing world is confused to understand reality. The people of developing world are unable to get the correct picture to move in right direction. Even today, we are unable to move in positive direction.

Uselessness of History

In earlier times, history used to provide some guidance for future direction. More than 2000 years of human history has compelled human beings to read, write, think and work differently. The picture shown and its writings give a very confusing impression. The moral values of 1835 have no meaning and substance to face the reality of 21st century. The country or rather world is moving in a progressive direction. The sacrifices and efforts of few of the individuals of this country have provided impetus for growth in recent past. Since last few decades, there are plenty of individuals who have excelled in their own way.

The successful people have created their own values. These values have nothing to do with our age old values. Today, when Amitabh Bachaan talk about the family values and force his son to follow his footsteps to give continuous box office failures of 17 films, totaling 170 crores loss (approximately) to the film industry, does not appear convincing. It is ridiculous. Even the person of his caliber is busy in projecting his son as the inheritor on Indian films, what others must be doing? Where is the caliber suffering in the dark tunnel of Indian values? The similar situation prevails in other fields too. What is this moral value? Can this value ever take us to success and confidence?

When we talk about spiritual and cultural heritage, the action of our educated intelligentsia has made us ashamed. Starting from Vivekananda to Gandhi, everyone propagated caste system to prevail. Even today, leadership is confused when they go for strike against SEZ (special economic zone). They are able to mobilize illiterate Indian farmers against today’s development.

VP Singh, Raj Babbar, Lalu Yadav or even Medha Patekar, all join in this mediocrity of wisdom. How do they look their and followers future? Do they think, poor should remain poor for life long? Backward should remain backward for few more generations even in the age of call centers? Scheduled castes and tribes should remain deprived of their basic amenities? Muslims should remain hardcore religious person without even having a glimpse of modernity? Farmer should remain farmer for next few more generation? Time has arrived. Time has come when people can change their status in less than one generation time. The leadership and policy makers need to understand this. The leadership should make their plan and movement for the development to be achieved in one generation time. Are we able to understand our spiritual and cultural heritage?

Creating Growing Future

We must cherish our culture which takes us ahead. But we need to be cautious with our wisdom. We are not able to understand the ground reality. We are keeping our eyes shut towards global changes. We give a duff ear towards story of growth. We are fearful in taking hard decisions fro our development. On the name of spiritual and culture, leadership is making the masses fearful.

Indian intelligentsia is suffering from historical phobia. They do something else. They talk different ideas. They propagate different values. They project something vague. All these come from complicated past. It is not the fault of individuals. It is the complication of knowledge. It is complication of understanding. It is the complication of trivializm. We must generate wisdom for our future by isolating ourselves from our golden past to reach a conclusive and fruitful result. We should not mix our present with our past. We should never plan our future ideas based on our difficult past.

Golden Era has arrived

If we are able to decline our past from our present wisdom making system, we will be able to make our glorious future. In this complex past and delicate future, understanding the path for success is difficult proposal. In my research for last twenty five years, I have come out with very specific path to be followed to enjoy the development of human civilization. These steps are able to make a platform for successful future.

1. Don’t slog, use thrust—Slog will never change your level in life. One needs to keep looking and searching for the required thrust in life. Without proper thrust you will not be able to change level with the comfort and health you need to achieve your goal. On the other hand, slog almost kills the instinct of enjoyment. It is essential to clearly distinguish between slog and thrust of human life.
2. Avoid Reservations - Reservations creates discriminations which are the biggest curse of a civilized human being. Reservations kill competitions. This almost ensures mediocrity in every aspect of human endeavour. What have we got even after reservation of last sixty years? Backward remains backward. Schedule caste remains Schedule caste. Have they become forward? This needs to be understood by our savior like Mayavati, Meera Kumar or Lalu Yadav. In the real sense people from an underdeveloped society will become forward by creating casteless and reservation less society only.
3. Accept Conversions - More than 400 years of slavery have polluted the mind of normal Indians to think of conversion as a tool for their religious fight. Conversions have been looked upon as invasion. The missionaries are accused of manipulation and coercion while converts are accused of betrayal of his culture, tradition and nation. But if we give a little thought in this direction we realize the severity of problem somewhere else. We are being made a fool of nothing. The United States of America has opened their door for any religious faith people on the basis of objectivity; they have achieved better aim for their country. They have attracted the entire brilliant mind for the betterment of their society. If some society or religion are not in a position to look after their followers there is no reason depending upon choice, people should not get converted. Long back people got converted to other religion just to eat meat and avoid castiest discrimination. Castiest discrimination must be eradicated from Hindu society. This could be achieved by accepting conversions.
4. Cut unwanted roots - Roots give strength, they also give pain. It all depends upon the health of the root. Today when developing countries are moving fast towards developed countries, the people of this generation would not take another 100 years to prosper and grow. If the roots are not growing with individual, the level of roots changes in life. The unwanted roots must be chopped off. Only healthy roots should be preserved so that they give sufficient nutrition to a developing individual and society.
5. Change Places - You go to prosperity, do not wait prosperity to come to you. When we talk about global village, how many dare to take harsh decisions to change the place of settlement from the place of origination. Why do not we take lesson from Gladwell family? The famous American author Malcom Gladwell who gave two mind boggling researched books, The Tipping Points and Blink was born in England, raised in Canada and now lives in New York City. At a later part of life he may be planning to settle in Mumbai. Why should not others also do it?
6. Think Like Develop - The development thrust on the people of this century is hardly giving time to think. They are not able to perceive the changes. They are unable to appreciate the changes. They are not in a position to comprehend the development. They still feel very insecure to feel developed. Time has come and time is ripe for the people of Asian countries especially Indian continent including China to expect unbelievable opportunities in life.
7. Enjoy life - The people from the developing world get embarrassed if they are treated well. There are lots of people in the society to keep feeling moderate, that too generally sad. They feel that fun and enjoyment are egoism. They are the indication of pride and that is bad. Such thoughts are wrong. Such thoughts are self-defeating. They must be avoided at any cost. Life is precious and should be enjoyed. In a develop society, the human being has a privilege to feel happy. Enjoy life to the fullest and have fun.

We are poor, not because we are poor but we are thinking like poor, doing like poor, talking like poor, dreaming like poor, aspiring like poor and so on. Stop doing these. Finance Minister of India Mr Chidambaram in Aug 2005 said, ‘India is not poor’. He is correct. We are rich. We had been poor, not anymore, so think accordingly. Gone are the days, now we must think like rich. When USA has done this around 200 years before, can India do it in this century? Today, India has more than 83 thousand millionaires (In American Dollars) and counting; they must enhance their standard of life. Every other guy should learn to live like more develop. This will provide space for more poor to grab the vacant place of rich as rich become richer. Unlearn past and set course for future!