Man enslaved by civilization

Going by the rapid advancement made in science and technology, sometimes we feel that we have reached the zenith of civilization. After a long process of evolution from the Stone Age to the Digital Age, man has made vast strides in science and he has already planned to visit or invade other planets rotating in the galaxy. Big countries that boast of nuclear power are threatening other developing nations not to experiment with it. They probably fear for their own safety. However, North Korea and Iran are reportedly going ahead with their nuclear programmes despite threats from the United States.

Although we have reached material advancement, we have miserably failed to develop our spiritual world. In other words, civilization has produced and fostered a cruel and calculated selfishness among nations. Developed countries are always trying to dictate terms to the Third World. The gospel of rich nations appear to be self-help, and their credo is grabbing more and more from others.

No doubt, civilization has produced refined men and women especially among the upper classes. Even the poor are imitating their rich masters in matters of dress and behaviour. This is, undoubtedly, a plus point for modern civilization. In the same way, civilization has fostered a kind of artificial life on the urban population. While the rich can afford to maintain a highly sophisticated life-style the poor do not have the means to imitate them. Those who try to imitate the rich do so with bank loans and other heavy financial stakes.

Although we hear sermons at churches, temples, kovils and over the electronic media, modern civilization has sapped the basis of morality giving rise to luxurious living and vice in many forms. The critics of this opinion are of the view that civilization has enabled everybody to look beyond the everyday struggles. We do not want to admit that some of us have become mere robots while pursuing a mundane life. Most of us have forgotten that we had a simpler lifestyle in the past.

There is commendable progress in medical science. Scientists have done successful experiments with methods of preventing deadly diseases. Except for a few killer diseases such as Aids and cancer, they have found effective remedies for many fatal diseases. Still, the critics say that the progress made in modern civilization is in relation to external matters. According to them the spirit of society is disintegrating.

The problems in society appear to be permanent. The tragedy is that they are increasing in number and complexity. Although men have better brains, they are unable to solve the problems existing today. For instance, the Government spends millions of rupees for higher education in universities. However, most universities have turned out to be hot beds of politics. Ragging, indiscipline, wanton destruction of public property and falling standards of education have destroyed the university education in our country. As a result, those who have the means join private institutions to follow higher education and obtain degrees from foreign universities.

It is true that scientific and mechanical knowledge have facilitated our labour giving us enough leisure for enjoyment, self improvement and relaxation. Although a minority of men and women enjoy their leisure fruitfully, the majority use it for drinking, gambling and other nefarious activities.

Some people say that civilization is organized slavery. For instance, the rich are slaves of their own wealth. The poor are the helpless bondsmen of the rich. Although we have been able to banish slavery, civilization has enslaved all of us. Some sociologists, however, argue that these are temporary problems. They say that we are bound to see better times ahead.

We are optimistic that civilization will bring us the opportunity to enjoy full freedom. In order to enjoy full freedom we have to surrender all our personal interests to serve the public. Except for a few individuals who have sacrificed all their wealth and time to help the needy, the majority are on the other side. They amass wealth and make the poor poorer.

Like heady wine, modern civilization has made us drunken robots trying to satisfy our physical needs. We are so busy earning money in a cut-throat competitive world that we have no time to LIVE. If you think carefully, real happiness is individual. You cannot enjoy group happiness. We have to seek happiness at home in the first place. Happiness found elsewhere is not real and it is temporary. When you seek happiness elsewhere, you become a frustrated man or woman.

Modern civilization has made most of our tasks quick and pleasurable. The communication revolution has made it possible to contact anyone in the world in a matter of minutes. But the instruments we have invented for speedy communication are being misused by anti-social elements. For instance, the mobile phone is used to threaten and blackmail people. Sometimes it can be used as a weapon of death.

We speak of great civilizations that existed in Greece, Egypt or China. But we have no desire to leave behind a better world for the coming generations.

Those who enjoy the fruits of modern civilization have to think twice whether they are civilized at all. On the surface, the present civilization is demonstrably more destructive than the preceding ones. This may be a valid conclusion if you think of the destructiveness prevalent all over the world. Today wars are waged by professional armies using sophisticated weapons.

Instead of using advanced technology to create a world free from misery, we use new inventions to create more suffering.

It is tragic to see scientists helping super nations to invent new weapons to exterminate the human population. People are not ignorant of such matters but they are simply helpless. They are victims of circumstances or 'slaves of the immanent will.'

On the other hand, sky-scrapers come up in many countries as a sign of progress. But what will happen to such high-rise buildings in a terrorist attack or war?

Sigmund Freud Foresaw such an eventuality many decades ago. According to him civilization begins with two methodical inhibitions of the primary instincts. One is the inhibition of sexuality and the other is the inhibition of destructive instincts. These two inhibitions rule the fate of man. Nietzsche went a step further and said: "The earth has all too long been a madhouse!"

George Orwell has beautifully captured this situation in his classic work "Animal Farm." Like the inhabitants of the "Animal Farm" human beings are proud to be members of a civilized world. They talk of their glorious past and dream of a better future. They think that a great messiah would come and liberate them some day.

Man's inhumanity to man can be seen everywhere. Even God is tired of man's stupidity. Although there is order and harmony in nature, man is out of step. Animals in the "Animal Farm" reduced the seven commandments to one: "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others." Similarly, man has distanced himself from the Ten Commandments and Panchasila.

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