In a way, our education and the ensuing intelligence is a contributing factor to the chaos all around. Let’s ponder for a moment- if the present system of education were effective, can the state of our society be in its current form? The answer is obviously a resounding no.

Speed thrills, but kills, goes a famous saying. It not only kills our human body, but our inner soul too. But to remain alive, we may have to, at times, override our conscience and restrain the soul. Humans have strayed from the divine design, largely due to the pace of our life. Air-conditioned spaces and smart phones have insulated us from our surroundings and the realities. Apartments have so confined us that we now live in our own compartments.

For a moment, let us imagine a world, very neat and clean, exquisite shopping malls with every conceivable item for human need, comfort and desire. Well-laid expressways, flawless flow of traffic, seamless mobile connectivity, handy machines and gadgets at our beck and call. Tall buildings and skyscrapers all around. Miles at a stretch without a tree. Not a sign of life form other than humans. What a world that would be? We are precisely heading in this direction. Whether we live to see this ‘human glory’ is beside the point.

Questions loom large:

While questions are many, the answers are few and alarmingly limited. When in doubt we seek answers from elders, books, gurus, scriptures and of course common sense and conscience. We bank on our educated mind and inner self. A distinction needs to be made here between the educated state of mind and the inner self.

In a way, our education and the ensuing intelligence is a contributing factor to the chaos all around. Let’s ponder for a moment- if the present system of education were effective, can the state of our society be in its current form? The answer is obviously a resounding no. But then, do the educated ones have the right virtues for building a better world?

Order, disorder and entropy:

Perfect order, or nearness to utopia, in a society is an elusive goal. In the absence of order, indiscipline, lawlessness, chaos prevails. That said, let’s define disorder quantitatively by borrowing the concept of entropy. It is a measure of the system’s thermal energy per unit temperature that is unavailable for doing useful work.

A state of disorder and uncertainty has gradually become a norm rather than the exception.

Our best contribution could be to reduce the uncertainties leading to anxieties and distress. Is it not possible to reduce, if not eliminate, losses in all transactions, minimize waste generation and ensure equitable distribution of resources? As for governance, one approach could be to place people of character in positions of public relevance and service delivery.

The present state:

We broadcast misery and disasters, making stories and films out of them. The art of spreading negativity is rampant and mastered. What about projecting success, spreading positivity and goodness, benevolence and all those innately nobler human qualities? While thriving on past laurels is not a bad idea, one must act and live in the present.

We are individuals different from our parents in our own unique ways despite the genes. The war of ideologies, opinions and viewpoints will continue. The world of imagination can be at absolute variance.

While every being needs food, no one wants to cultivate and pursue agriculture. Alas, agriculture is not seen as a lucrative career option. We need to be producers and not consumers all our lives. It’s time we value and safeguard the interests of the producer as well.

Epilogue:

Human supremacy can be justified only when we care for all others. As Indians, this must reflect in our behaviour and attitude. We need to understand and reflect on the fact that, whatever we see on this earth, whether animate or inanimate, are intricately related. Therefore, we need to revere their presence to make a better world for our children and future generations. It is said that a helping hand is better than the praying lips. There is an urgent need to look within.

(The writer is Director School of Robotics at Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune)