Awkay, lets talk biziness..It is not the thank you but the "I appreciate" part of it. The voice may be of a little girl, but the composure was of a grown-up.
Western culture imbibes a personality at a very young age. It is rooted in the culture that worships individuality above all. In correct proportion it liberates people and makes them complete. There is lot to learn from the western concept of individualism and its implications - positive or otherwise.
Individualism is a powerful notion. It is therefore imperative to exercise it judiciously. Without the sense of context individualism naturally gravitates to the worship of 'I' above all – ending up in denying the value of we and the social fabric that connects us. It cracks open foundation of relations between individuals - whether in families or at work places. One can argue it to be the cause of nuclearisation of families despite the many advantages of joint ones.
Excess of I also tend to spill out as public display of expression that are deeply personal - taking away the exclusive dignity of private-feelings. The on-your-face display of affection in public is just one such instance. It makes one wonder if we have regressed to the life-forms so well documented in National Geographic. We see I's in public places in outfits only suited within the four walls of residential privacy - as if the walls of the bedroom have just expanded to the city limits.
Obsession with the self ends up in insensitivity and eventually intolerance for the rest. Intolerance does start with I! There is little patience or openness to look at the value of we at a relatively smaller price of accommodation. There lies the downside of western worship of individualism when pursued without understanding.
We are in a world of people increasingly obsessed with "my life", "my space", "my freedom", "my time" with little appreciation of the fact that without the context of 'we', I is inconsequential. A great concept has been taken down to the lowest common denominator of thoughtless self-gratification.
Concept of 'I' is not alien to India. We have one of the longest history of delving in the self. It has been focussed on understanding and realisation of the self attaining a deeper appreciation of 'I' in the larger context of the world around us.Today, however, we seem to mimic the west with effortless panache of arboreal life form. Needless to say without the culture and tradition of individualism of the west - the lessons are only in behavioural superficiality and mindless practices.
We lack the internalisation of I. Neither do we enjoy the social infrastructure that can nurture and guide the exaltation of the individual. So when the West looks at our history for lessons in collective identity and self realisation to temper the downside of individualism - we gape at them through the prisms of media and social window shopping of package-tours. The outcome is comical with a tragic undertone.
The beauty of the night sky is in the collection of fiery stars in mutual gravitational understanding. Rest have been lost in individual space time oblivion. Let’s live like stars too.
Western culture imbibes a personality at a very young age. It is rooted in the culture that worships individuality above all. In correct proportion it liberates people and makes them complete. There is lot to learn from the western concept of individualism and its implications - positive or otherwise.
Individualism is a powerful notion. It is therefore imperative to exercise it judiciously. Without the sense of context individualism naturally gravitates to the worship of 'I' above all – ending up in denying the value of we and the social fabric that connects us. It cracks open foundation of relations between individuals - whether in families or at work places. One can argue it to be the cause of nuclearisation of families despite the many advantages of joint ones.
Excess of I also tend to spill out as public display of expression that are deeply personal - taking away the exclusive dignity of private-feelings. The on-your-face display of affection in public is just one such instance. It makes one wonder if we have regressed to the life-forms so well documented in National Geographic. We see I's in public places in outfits only suited within the four walls of residential privacy - as if the walls of the bedroom have just expanded to the city limits.
Obsession with the self ends up in insensitivity and eventually intolerance for the rest. Intolerance does start with I! There is little patience or openness to look at the value of we at a relatively smaller price of accommodation. There lies the downside of western worship of individualism when pursued without understanding.
We are in a world of people increasingly obsessed with "my life", "my space", "my freedom", "my time" with little appreciation of the fact that without the context of 'we', I is inconsequential. A great concept has been taken down to the lowest common denominator of thoughtless self-gratification.
Concept of 'I' is not alien to India. We have one of the longest history of delving in the self. It has been focussed on understanding and realisation of the self attaining a deeper appreciation of 'I' in the larger context of the world around us.Today, however, we seem to mimic the west with effortless panache of arboreal life form. Needless to say without the culture and tradition of individualism of the west - the lessons are only in behavioural superficiality and mindless practices.
We lack the internalisation of I. Neither do we enjoy the social infrastructure that can nurture and guide the exaltation of the individual. So when the West looks at our history for lessons in collective identity and self realisation to temper the downside of individualism - we gape at them through the prisms of media and social window shopping of package-tours. The outcome is comical with a tragic undertone.
The beauty of the night sky is in the collection of fiery stars in mutual gravitational understanding. Rest have been lost in individual space time oblivion. Let’s live like stars too.
Restless,
Jd.
