What Can we Learn from Disharmony

Disharmony has become, I think, an inseparable part of human life. And it remains so, despite our best efforts. Rather than continuing with a losing battle, as we perhaps do now, we should be thinking of learning something from it.

What can we learn from disharmony?

Is human, a species that is not at all at ease with itself? It looks like. They constantly find threats everywhere, whether it is of a non-living entity like climate’s change, or of a living one going to extinction. And there seems to be a qualitative difference in confronting issues, for, when the issue concerns humans themselves only, or when it is something affecting all others, even when it includes themselves, our approach differs substantially.

Take pessimism, for example. In fact, we understand this particular twist in character, and, especially on matters connected with our lifestyle, it is widely discouraged. There is always someone exhorting to the populace to see that it does not grow beyond where it can be a harmless curiosity. But, effectively, and quite notably too, we welcome such a viewpoint on matters regarding our life. Where, we not only encourage, but also give it a position of great significance.

Isn’t there a dichotomy?

Yes, there is, and it manifests best, in the dual nature of our intelligence. Our intelligence does not always result in our benefit. On one side, this intelligence keeps us well separated from all the other species, and makes us the masters of the fortunes for the complete living world. And on the other, it makes us overlook our own fortunes, at least as much as we can. Rather, everything else stands to become a master of human’s fortune! I think there are some more dimensions to it.

We all know, success always comes to them who is ready to meet an eventuality, any time. Here, we humans cut a sorry figure. As mentioned, our intelligence is not a fool-proof mechanism. It has a tendency, or is programmed, to overlook threats in matters related to its own welfare. Hence, we do not happen to be prepared to meet an eventuality, more so, when the eventuality is something related to our own social life. Hence, every contingency in that sphere will topple some human society, the repercussions of which toppling many more. I think this is why, human race is in perpetual disharmony.

Yes, always there is someone among us looking for causes for the eventuality, who comes up with answers that may be of some effect for some time. But, the faster we get used to the changes brought in by the answer, the more ineffective, it turns out to be. Thereafter, these answers also add to the causes, resulting in disharmony being always on the rise.

This is true for all human affairs, except for one area where we have been achieving great success. This area is health, and remarkable indeed, the way we have been dealing with the many and varied challenges since the beginning of history, especially during the modern age. Remember, ill health, and the threat of contagious diseases, were the most serious issues of early times. But, we could overcome all that when we effectively abstracted the reason for ill health to an independent entity, identified as germs. Can we learn something here and make a fresh attack on the issue of social disharmony?

I think the first step would be to conclude that no human should be able to initiate disharmony. In fact each one of us follow one’s on call or priority, with which, one is generally in harmony. In certain cases, the chosen calls might overlap, and, as long as the concerned ones can keep the resulting protrusions in check, there should not be an issue. And harmony should prevail. But in reality, something else happens.

If we look at human race in this light, what will be the outcome? Just that human race is in perpetual disharmony, leading instantly to another question, what is affecting them in a rather steadfast manner. Given the lifestyle of the human race, since long, the one that keeps us always on our toes is nothing but wealth, albeit in very many forms. Like money, land, valuables such as gold, or personal attributes and talents of worth, especially those that can be acquired or augmented by training. As you can see, most forms of wealth end up uniting or dividing us decisively, except the last one, which introduces a rather subjective appeal. What I have understood is, for each and every one of us, always and every time, this results in an abstraction that controls our line of thought. It could be one linked to the creation of wealth, its destruction, or its utilization. Also, of matters of its castigation or its substitution, more so for those who are not a natural success in these, as far as the current context goes. Moreover, those who happen to share a similar degree of success tend to form groups. In short, wealth unites us, while dividing us also decisively. No wonder, human race is always in a disarray, and without the need of someone for starting it.

But we are unable to see the disarray. All those abstractions act as worthy alternatives and engage us in loops and mazes. Because of this we end up closing our eyes to the disarray, naming it as a part of the ‘unfathomable’ human.

You see, any form of wealth, except the last one, is a solid, rather simple idea. Its fulfillment calls for single-minded dedication and untiring efforts. But when we talk of the last form of wealth, whatever be the chosen variant, it shall take position as the loftiest of aims, desires, or ambitions. Sure, it would have been a great success. You see, the effort, one needs to put in, and the benefit one stands to derive, are, more or less, as decided by each one. And, even those not fortunate enough to be born with a soaring strength and style, stood to gain a lot. One can safely assume, more of such people would have been from those blessed with intellectual prowess, who would have then found it quite convenient and rewarding to pursue one’s call.

Remember, it is not easy to amass wealth. One has to overcome many hurdles, real, natural ones as well as those invented by competitors. But, the last form of wealth, which in reality is of abstract nature, offers a lot of room for maneuvering. Its value is definable to a great extent, and can act as an expedient at one’s will and pleasure. Because of this, our forefathers seem to have embraced these abstractions fully, and belittled everything else. Over time, it would have had an impact on the aims and priorities of people, where real wealth comes low on the list.

Also, in the early eras, we were yet to master the art of improvisation, or scientific concepts like efficiency or mechanical advantage, and incorporate such ideas in these areas. Therefore, the actual increments of wealth (any measurable parameter) would not have been commensurate with the effort that was needed to go in. Naturally, these abstractions would have received great, widespread welcome. It effectively replaced real forms of wealth, and in turn effort, with something subjective as well as imaginary. Sure, the society would have benefited a lot, but it also opened up fresh room for maneuver in social transactions. And nobody would have been able to foresee the complexity that awaited them.

As one can infer from the above, over time, this complexity metamorphosed into a disharmony. Especially since there was nothing to absorb the anomalies or disturbances resulting from the above transactions, which, as one can imagine, would have been involving real and unreal elements. Had there been no disharmony, each and every anomaly or disturbance would have to be dealt with appropriately, taking a lion's share of society's time and efforts. That is why, disharmony came to be instituted as an essential part of the human race, since it saved them from a lot of effort that could then go into the more rewarding activities of living.

But, in the current times, situation is different. There is hardly any reason for the continued existence of this complexity, given that there are many avenues, especially those resulting from scientific innovation, that can bring attractive increments in all variants of real wealth. This perhaps shall place the abstractions, redundant, and matters of esteem having no real role to play in life. The original reason for this complexity, and through which the disharmony, namely, the incapability of the early humans in arriving at quick, satisfactory results, exists no more. We are also fully capable of conquering nature. But, for certain unfathomable reasons, we take an unnatural path of clinging on to the ideas reflected in those abstractions. In fact the whole edifice of theology serves no purpose other than that of keeping these abstractions and the complexity alive, thereby defying its natural death.

So, we are continuously deriving benefits out of disharmony. We are deriving a lot of value from the abstractions like pride, love, or courage, that directly contribute to the disharmony. But for it, the abstractions would have vanished, becoming the victims of time and tide, and harmony would have prevailed, instead.

Human race needs an overhaul

Whatever muck, the human race gathered over the long past, continue to remain, thanks to all of us spending our time, energy, and peace, and glorify the remnants of the past. What else is needed but an overhaul?

But how? I think it is an intimidating thought.

Is it? Being a knowledge based life, in our case, overhaul boils down to nothing but a revision of our intellectual wealth. A reprogramming that needs to dovetail the new, the existing, and the forgotten, while relegating, downsizing, or discarding, few ideas and concepts. Currently, since we have not yet done so, the cascading effect of whatever happened in the past, continue to haunt us.

Sure, quite a few good things would have happened, and say, a few bad things too. The good, we get used to, quite soon, and the bad continue to be as it was before. And over time, only the bad remain. This is what is keeping the human society in a perpetual state of disarray.

An overhaul will not only free ourselves from this tight knot, but also open new vistas for imbibing life. 

Hide the Hidden Variables

I came across a study, one about, human nature with a goal in mind. An effort to 'find out what human nature consists of as viewed from an objective, scientific, third-person point of view'. The aim was 'to find out how to live well'; and I think nothing can be more holistic than this. It further makes certain assertions about human nature and what we need to do in order to experience the fulfillment of functioning well. And its main findings can be summarized as the following. 

1. We have a much greater intelligence than other animals. 

2. We can be far more loving, powerful, cooperative and enthusiastic about life. 

3. These traits, along with intelligence itself, are diminished by emotional distress, but we have the capacity to recover from such distress through the innate healing mechanism of emotional discharge. The more we do so, the better we function. 

4. We are good for each other, or rather, we are indispensable for each other. 

5. We have an innate sense of morality and religion. Even atheists find satisfaction in aligning themselves with a purpose greater than themselves.

Can we call this as human nature? Isn't this, the nature of all that has life? In each and every form of life, all of this appears, perhaps with differing intensity, varying contexts and relevance. What then differentiates human from all the others? 

The difference, I find is this. Whenever human is to engage in any form of transaction, unseen dimensions crop up, and gather some attention, if not dictating its essence and spirit in full. Whereas, all the other forms of life shall be carrying out the current engagement with single-minded dedication and complete involvement. Since we have been living in this manner for many a generation, now we have in our kitty, quite a few dimensions to whatever can elicit a reaction from us. All such dimensions, or at least whatever struck our imagination, kept getting added to a kitty, and got cemented as the natural features of the human. And it continues. This phenomenon gives rise to very many attributes, transactions, and responses, and is collectively identified as our cultural wealth. And at any time, many, we celebrate, and a few, we despise. 

Now it is clear. Till we acquired an ambience in our character that kept looking for the unseen, human would have been just another one of the animal kingdom. Which brings up another significant question to answer. How did we acquire the propensity to look for unseen dimensions in all that we see? I think we acquired it en route. We also started our journey like all other living forms, but, certain events would have been significant enough to spark such a variation.

If so, won’t a glance at our past should show those sparks? Yes, and I think, it will. Also, these may be of a major upheaval of the physical world, an explosion in the cultural sphere, an enigma of the psychological domain, or another factor with deep influence on our lives. Now, if we examine the way human species did grow over the years, I think, the first time the whole world felt a severe jolt that left a permanent scar, would have been when the geocentric universe collapsed.

Remember, geocentric universe is an intuitive idea, and it fits well with whatever we see. Here, naturally occurring thoughts and other logical elements are sufficient to manipulate or predict the parameters of interest. But, when the heliocentric systems took the center stage, things would have gone for a toss. The intuitive became instantly unreliable, paving the way for the altruistic to rule over the realistic. Abstract calculations of the surreal genre, ever-present danger from hidden variables, and the perpetual presence of unseen elements, are some parts of the mystic edifice that changed the way we approach issues.

Consequently, we humans have had a haphazard past. Not that they did not progress, but progress did not happen in an optimum manner. Or, the progress happened in spurts and bursts.                    

Take for example, the idea of heliocentric universe. Suppose this idea occurred to us well after we mastered the art of machine computing. We still would have been in our comfort zones of geocentric outlook, all the complexity of computations relegated to the rather invisible internals of relevant computers or other devices. Our ideas and notions would not have been imagination intensive, letting a large populace take active part in it. As a result, the whole society would have been remaining active in rather profitable ventures. In fact the very idea of learning would have been taking a route of unfettered enjoyment, and in close link with whatever challenges we face in life. This, needless to say, is more or less in line with how it is with all the other forms of life. Moreover, even the epoch changing issues and outcomes that will have a significant say on the future of the planet shall now on present a rather down-to-earth ambience. And the result: a more homogeneous populace and a bright future.

quixotic?

 Even an Oscar winner is going astray? 

Another feather

It seems, my prediction that the future is going to be more and more unbearable for the female folk is soon going to be true. The latest is from South Korea election for president, where an anti-feminist wins. One can always ignore this by calling it a backlash!

Worth Pondering?

 An Answer to all our Problems Lies in Economics

Economics is nothing but an analysis of wealth. Here we discuss issues like the creation (production), upkeep, and utilization, of wealth; how it benefits us, and how it can grow. We have made it into an art and a science that study things like the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, since we equate all of these with wealth. And each of these facets grew into rather independent and definable areas of expertise, which we have been cultivating as the central pedestal of our society. And these areas effectively sideline the abstract element of wealth, which should have been taking the attention of economics.

Also, the most important part, the one that actually turns wealth into something of value, is nothing but the transaction of wealth. What we take as wealth is actually something that enables, and many a time necessitates, a transaction. I think this fact does not get the attention it deserves.

And because of this reason, economics does not help us to make an objective analysis of wealth, and arrive at rather definite conclusions. I think this is the reason for the absolutely illogical state of the best of the species being the worst in looking after itself. Had we been keeping our tool, economics, well polished, just as we do everywhere else, an answer would have been in place.

Think of the early days. One can say, we were more successful in handling our physical sphere than the economic, or the social, ones. I find there are two reasons for this. The issues faced by the early ones were rather well-understood and reacted upon, as far physical surroundings go. Secondly, the available tools, implements or other expedients were logically sustainable, thereby enabling a structured response, as far as the physical sphere go. To compound this, the sphere of life in general, and especially that of health, boasted of a mixture of traditional practice and rather obscure wisdom. And in all other areas, like wealth, health, or well-being, no logical connection could be established.

As time went by, our understanding and appreciation of health improved dramatically, the germ theory of disease paving the way. Something in similar lines is slowly taking place in many other areas, all leading us to new and path-breaking concepts and discoveries, like quantum theory. However, we are closely guarding at least a few age-old notions, like the difficulty to analyze or modulate our priorities. This is affecting our social living or wealth or both, but we are happily living with it. In short, wealth is causing the human societies to be in a state of war with each other. (In fact I fail to understand this. We humans respond rationally, only to things that are established as rational. For everything else, we pride in giving an irrational response!. Of course naming it as love, hatred, pity, etc.)

Rightfully, taking a cue from our successes, where a substantive deviation from the old or the existing can be seen to have sparked each such instance, we should have been going for an overhaul of the art and science of wealth. The principles of economics should have been re-written to account for the unpredictable human, to begin with. Instead, we nonchalantly attribute all that cannot be explained to what we call as the vagaries of human behavior. Moreover, we feel proud of the fact that it is not all there with any other form of life.

Now, what do we need to do? I think only this. Choose a lifestyle that accords value to transactions rather than things.

What is that lifestyle? Undoubtedly, a nomadic lifestyle fits here. 

Now, If we succeed in making that form of living, a default choice for the populace, it will a pleasant change. This is where, I think, economics will come to our help. A good measure in this regard can be ROI, which is definitely more attractive, as far as a nomadic lifestyle go. Think of the avenues, each one of us stand to get for exhibiting and relishing one’s talents, however meager that be. Think of the openings, all of us will have, where everything pent up stands to get released, howsoever big that be. This, and the added benefit of the freedom from contagious health issues of community living, will make this style, a much sought after one, one can be sure.