TOWARDS A VALUE-BASED SOCIETY: LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER

 At the present juncture of history, the process of dissemination, creation, generation, augmentation and utilization of knowledge is subsumed under education and research. It stands strengthened through interactions, exchange, technical support and information technology that, again, are outcomes of persistent human ingenuity and initiatives. Whatever benets and advantages that emerge out of accumulated knowledge, understanding and wisdom, humankind is blessed with, at present, is an outcome of sustained efforts of devoted and dedicated human beings who had the human welfare as the prime goal of their life.

History also reveals that knowledge gained has also been utilized to feed and foster negativity. As man moved across continents, it resulted in colonialism, slavery, apartheid and such other inhuman tendencies. When the man gained knowledge of atomic power, he also created the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Today, he suffers fundamentalism, terrorism and the fear of Cyber attacks! Human beings have indulged in wanton exploitation of global natural resources in full knowledge that natural resources are limited and there is no other planet other than this one to sustain human life.

For those unfamiliar with the Vedanta, it would be worthwhile to recall Plato. In his ‘Republic', Plato wants his audience to understand that ‘a good life consists in being a certain sort of a person rather than merely doing certain sorts of action’. To Plato, the answer lies in moving from ‘What should I do’ to ‘What sort of a person should I be’? And here comes the teacher, and education. The teacher transforms a lay innocent individual into a personality. The teacher takes him from humanity to divinity. If that objective is achieved, the values of truth, non-violence and peace would be visible all around! Love and brotherhood would follow and love would no longer remain an invisible aspiration.

That would be the strength of education that inculcates values through the teacher who knows his role as a role model on one hand and as a nation builder on the other. He moves far ahead of being a mere curriculum translator. Wisdom and ‘vivek’ are essential ingredients to let the human race survive. Not that there were no warnings on the count; we simply ignore them!
When Mahatma Gandhi said that nature has sufficient to meet the needs of everyone; but not the greed of anyone, he, in fact, summarized the entire future of human race in these words. It comprehends the sensitivity and mutuality of the man-nature relationship and contains a warning that exploitation of natural resources must end. When aparigrah: non accumulation, grew in Indian philosophy, it was both a warning and a value that needed to be heard and heeded.

Today, we learn about global concerns being expressed in the meetings like Earth Summit, Climate Summit, and others at regular intervals. Not much effective action emerges out of it. In Indian tradition, much before other civilizations entered that area, the learned and knowledgeable strived to understand not only the life on this planet but also what happens after one’s nal departure from this planet! In this quest, they explored, in their own way, the very objectives of creation.

That led to development of the philosophy and practice of spirituality. The entire world acknowledged it. The spiritual quest led to better understanding of the mundane life as well. The values of right conduct, concern for others, eternal human unity, peace in life and with others emerged and their signicance duly realized. Indian scriptures elaborate how and why the man- nature relationship must be maintained in all of its sensitivity. These also assign this responsibility to human beings, as they are bestowed with capacity to think, envision, plan and whenever necessary, devise new strategies as corrective measures.

Delores Commission Report

The widely known Delores Commission Report (UNESCO, 1996) that presented a vision of education in the 21st century identied seven tensions that human beings are facing at present:
• Global and the local;
• Universal and the individual;
• Tradition and modernity;
• Long term and short-term considerations;
• Competition and equality of opportunity;
• Knowledge explosion and capacity to assimilate; and
• Spiritualandmaterial;
On one hand is the issue of global warming; and on the other, the present generation has also to confront increasing violence, fanaticism and terrorism. The diversity of culture, religions and languages or nationality is no impediment to human advancement if the essential unity, and equality, of the humankind is realized, and internalized by one and all.
This happens most effectively during the process of growing up of the child and the process of acquisition of education and learning of the young. Education of every nation must be rooted to its culture and committed to progress. It is India’s own experience that transplanted structures of education just cannot flourish on alien lands. After independence, India decided to persist with the model of education that was meant for preparing manpower to assist the alien rulers in the lower rungs of the system of governance.

While there are certain eternal human values, the cultures and traditions have their specific connotations that provide strength and motivation to its people. Vivekananda states that ‘education is the manifestation of perfection already in man’, he is putting the totality of human life, its goals, objectives, process and product in a couple of words that even the great treatises may not communicate! Rabindranath Tagore presents his comprehension of education as a relationship of man and nature: “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.”

In 1909 Mahatma Gandhi wrote ‘Hind Swaraj, and in that, he quoted the de nition of education which, it would be seen also comes essentially to man-making: “That man I think has had a liberal education who has been so trained in youth that his body is the ready servant of his will and does with ease and pleasure all the work that as a mechanism it is capable of; whose intellect is a clear, cold, logic engine with all its parts of equal strength and in smooth working order... whose mind is stored with a knowledge of the fundamental truths of nature... whose passions are trained to come to heel by a vigorous will, the servant of a tender conscience... who has learnt to hate all vileness and to respect others as himself.

Such a one and no other, I conceive, has had a liberal education, for he is in harmony with nature. He will make the best of her and she of him.” The search for such an education continues worldwide and that in itself is a very encouraging sign of civilization growth and evolution. Huxley indicates what could be the output of excellence in education: “The well-developed, well integrated personality is the highest product of evolution, the fullest realization we know of in this world.” He goes on further to emphasize; “The exploration of human nature and its possibilities has scarcely begun.

A vast new world of unchartered possibilities awaits its Columbus.” Dr. Radhakrishnan put it in words that comprehend education in its totality: “The end-product of education should be a free creative man who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature.” In the current terminology that emerges out of the globalization, enhanced connectivity, cultural interactions and economic interdependence, one may state that only those who enhance their cognitive capital shall rally move ahead in a world that, at present, is not so conscious of the importance of ‘cognitive capital’ and is focused only on generation of financial resources, often over- exploiting what nature has to offer.

The irony of the situation is that all this is happening when the world, and India, boast of enhanced literacy rates and great achievements in the universalization of elementary education. The situation warrants urgent remedial steps to let education achieve its objectives in totality. Nelson Mandela articulated it very comprehensively: “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. Towards that education must bring the best out of ‘body, mind and spirit’.

seven social sins

Total personality development requires initiatives at the level of family, community and education to pave the path of growing up through thought, action and deed. Anyone who limits his needs and requirements, shall certainly not be lured by corrupt practices that engulf only those who indulge in acquiring more, and more. A great visionary that Mahatma Gandhi was, he could see what would result in value erosion in future if necessary caution is not exercised by the systems of governance, and more importantly, by the people. In 1925, he published seven social sins in the Young India:
• Commerce without Morality
• Education without Character
• Pleasure without Conscience
• Politics without Principles
• Science without Humanity?
• Wealth without Work
• Worship without Service.
Convert the above seven sins to ‘Seven Individual Action Points; putting with instead of without; and witness the miracle!

By: Mona Kaushal