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Friday 26 November 2021
THE TRANSACTIONAL SOCIETY
QUEST FOR MATURITY
I wrote this article more than 32 years back.In pre-internet days .It is seeing light of the day today.I hope it helps make some journeys worthwhile.
For this is the journey that men
make: to find themselves.
If they fail in this, it doesn’t
matter much what else they find.
-JAMES MICHENER “The Fires of Spring”.
The significance and indispensability of this
quest is undoubted. That man must live as a fully rational, independent and
progressive being is a self-evident axiom which can be achieved by reflecting
on the essence of man – to discover it and to act according to it. What then is
maturity? – It is REALIZATION OF A HUMAN BEING’S ESSENCE. The inevitable
question that arises is: what is the essence of a human being? What is it which
makes man a man? It consists of three basic principles: Reason-purpose-self-esteem.
“Reason” is man’s only tool of knowledge. “Purpose” is his choice
of the happiness which that tool must proceed to achieve. Self-esteem is
his inviolate certainty that his mind is competent to think and his person is
worthy of happiness. These three values imply and require all the man’s virtues
– RATIONALITY, which implies that the mind (reason) is one’s only judge of
values and one’s only guide of action; Independence – which is recognition of
the fact that yours is the responsibility of judgement; HONESTY – which implies
that one calls an A and A and never attempts to fake reality in any manner;
JUSTICE – is truth in action; it is the recognition of the fact that every man
must be judged for what he is and treated accordingly; PRODUCTIVENESS – is the
recognition that productive work is the process by which man’s mind sustains
his life; PRIDE – implies that as man must
produce the physical values he needs to sustain his life, so he must
acquire the values of character that makes his life worth sustaining (For a
detailed discussion see “Atlas Shrugged” and “The virtue of selfishness” by AYN
RAND)
In this quest, hereunder are a learner’s
suggestions which would hopefully be illustrative of what is required to be
mature: the foremost is a constantly enquiring and progress desiring mind.
Even when one is clear about the basic norms that must govern human life, one
must constantly apply them in newer situations, discover subtler nuances and
hidden dimensions – through questioning every significant fact/issue. Socrates
prescribed the same duty for himself – to, question the assumptions that
underlie one’s supposed knowledge – in his case, his fellow Athenians. Aldous
Huxley said it well that a majority of young people seem to develop mental
arteriosclerosis forty years before they get the physical kind. This is due
to lack of doubt, lack of the curious sense. Also it is not sufficient to
merely get the answer right; you must be qualified to make good the guarantees
you offer. Once reason’s supremacy is granted (and I can’t see how it can be
denied) the significance of CAUSAL ANALYSIS (This – therefore that) becomes
indisputable. Here one must be clear about two things – one, the reasoning
process is VALID and two, the premises are sufficient and requisite for the
conclusion.
Constant learning is
another beacon – reading, hearing, reflecting applying – that’s the way great
mind “become”. One must also give due consideration to what others
do/say/undergo – but all such information is subject to the test of a thorough
critical examination before it becomes knowledge. (Ultimately it is a question
not of personalities but of facts. We must learn that we can’t cheat. You can’t
lie to life. What WE haven’t learnt leaves a hole that nothing but learning can
fill and no amount of covering up can disguise. Facts become problems if
they aren’t faced) Even the unwise assertions help – one gets to know what
stupidity means! However one must learn from experiences only the wisdom
inherent or else, as Mark Twain said, you would be like the cat that sat down
on the hot stove – lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again-but
neither will she on a cold one anymore! Mahomet puts it this way – “There
are two things which I abhor; the learned in his infidelities, and the fool in
his devotions.” Logical consequences, you see friends, are the scare crows
of fools and the beacons of wise man. To this end in particular one must
constantly educate oneself – It is not merely fact cramming. S.M.H. Burney
wrote once that “Education is not merely technical efficiency or provision for
avenue of promotion in society, but is a process which produces independent
minded citizens uncontaminated by narrowness of outlook.” Of course
knowledge is power – but only wisdom is liberty. Be sure in giving yourself an
education you would commit mistakes – acknowledge them and correct them. We do
not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err
because this is more comfortable. Next, truth must be really believed in
– it must become a matter of life and death. Your convictions must become your
life and vice-versa.” It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong as long
as you are merely using it to tie up a box. But suppose you had to hang by that
rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then discover how much you really trusted
it?” (C.S. Lewis) – An associated virtue is unflinching intellectual
integrity. One must never lose the sense of wonder, the eager curiosity to
know and find out for oneself by observation and experiment, the truth of the
near and the far. We owe our reverence to the seekers of truth who conquer our
minds by the spirit of truth, and not to the conformists, who enslave our minds
in the name of tradition. Tradition cannot ever supersede truth, conscience
cannot be silenced by scripture. Right and wrong exist in the nature of things.
Things are not right because they are recommended not wrong because they are
prohibited. A is A. Don’t be afraid either of the tyranny of public opinion nor
of the EASY–NESS OF THEIR path. Josh Billings says it well – “the road to
ruin is always kept in good repair, and the travellers pay the expense for it.”
(The associated issue is of circumstances. Cowper said that man is the
genuine offspring of revolt. Tough times never last, friends – but tough
people do. History is the record of an encounter between character and
circumstance. Attitudes create events.) And when you do win, don’t relax. A
constructive dissatisfaction only can ensure perpetual progress. Edison said
that restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress. Develop
a killer instinct too – winning is not everything but I see no honour in
defeat and nor should you, if worthy of your salt. However one must remain
cool – losing your temper is like a sharp nail that tears the threads of
something durable and lovely. We may use every bit of our patience and skill in
mending it but we can’t make it like new again. The darned place will always be
conspicuous. A good sense of humour (and not a crude sense of the comic) helps.
Laughing is a dead serious matter – it takes some learning. “A day is wasted
without laugher”, said Chamfort. And Alan Paton attaches so much
significance to it that he says – “Cherish above all, your sense of humour;
if you lose that you are in danger of losing your cause too.”
You must be sure of your priorities. The
trouble with our age is that it is all signposts and no destination. You must
have goals in due order. Visions and dreams are the thing. I’d rather have
wonderful dreams that would never materialize than be afraid to dream. Cherish
your visions. In all ages, men have fought most desperately for beautiful
cities yet to be built and gardens yet to be planted. But also remember that
the best way to realize your dreams is to wake up! H.E. Fosdide says well that
“No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever
turned into light and power until it is tunnelled. No life ever grows until it
is focused, dedicated, disciplined.” Mere talents plus dreams aren’t enough –
focused work it THE KEY. Make use of TODAY. Yesterday is cancelled cheque,
tomorrow is promissory note; today is the only cash you have – so spend it
wisely.
You’d do well if you don’t repeat even
sincere mistakes. An ancient Chinese proverb sums it up well –
The
first time you slap me,
it
is your fault;
The
second time you slap me,
it
is my fault.”
This is it then, ladies and gentlemen. You
can add to this list as per your lights. Life is a promise – you must fulfil
it. Let’s say once again, with Robert Frost –
“The
woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But
I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.”
Tuesday 23 November 2021
THINKING
A great story I read somewhere.
Change
Your Thinking
It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your
thinking..
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon
to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their
involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit
up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour
of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.
Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view
of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details,
the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this
picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in
his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive
words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths
only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died
peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed
appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The
nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable,
she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his
first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased
roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see
the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue
There is
tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is
doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that
money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .'