Our Short-Sights

The condition of our societies, in spite of all the advancements, knowledge and experience of billions of people over a long time, and all what is available to us, including human brains, is the vivid proof of our short-sight. "I shall continue my selfishness, ego, dishonesty, hatred, "isms" and politics based on those and not care about society but expect a better and secure society to live in". We do not realize that six billion others are not sitting there to allow me an exception. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction and shapes the society accordingly. Through short-sighted selfishness, we try to win but, in reality, we all become losers. To reverse it, we have to act simultaneously. We have not yet realized that the existing systems are inadequate. Then, of course, another proof is that many of us cannot imagine of the solutions and, therefore, think that improvement is impossible. Even when we work for society, we spend our time and energy ineffectively or without much lasting benefit.

We do not realize that, as "an idle brain is the devil's workshop," so society without vigorous "action groups" everywhere encourages wrong doings. Also, without providing some hope to hopeless ones by various helps, we cannot stop all the time their determination to create anarchy. We should do "good" to get "good" in return. However, if it is not done simultaneously all over, bad apples will spoil the good ones. If I start being bad and doing harm to each other and to society, because some are or do, is there any gain to me? It is depressing or painful to think of suffering, although it is occurring all the time around. We like to cling to pleasure feelings from whichever source they may be, without worrying about immediate-future "possible mishaps" or future. It is a pleasure to dream about a future heaven and somehow expect that all the mishaps around happen to others. We do that by closing our eyes and ears to the reality and thinking as unreal or foolish, even if some others try to make us see.

We are engaged in harmful competitions. To show that I am superior to others, I do not help them to prosper. They do the same thing and we all become losers. We derive pleasure in showing or talking about our talents, money, power, etc. We do not realize that the dreams of happiness may provide some temporary excitement but such dreams will make the shocks of reality in this condition of our societies even more unbearable. Pains either man-made or just because we do not care to eliminate the avoidable ones because of short-sighted selfishness, are more prevalent than the unavoidable blows of nature. We do not want to put a small hand together (which is really fun) with millions of others to stop such shocks, by spending only 1% time.

Business as usual will never stop unless somebody somewhere starts an initiative for a change and we all join simultaneously before the earlier participants lose interest. Under some spell, as if, we do not realize how we are continuing with much less than what we could have in our lives and societies. Honest persons suffer by foolishly hoping not to be a victim. Dishonest ones suffer by foolishly thinking that selfishness and dishonesty, instead of joint initiatives for the benefit of all, will lead to happiness. How amazing and foolish is it that even the so-called top persons suffer from stress, fear, anger, hatred, superiority or inferiority complexes, etc.

Somehow we have a culture which lacks the bigger and longitudinal picture of our lives and societies (matter of a click on realization). Many people unnecessarily suffer from negativism, closed hearts, suspicion, etc. (harming each other) and spoil time in lethargy, depression, brooding over envy (or problems many of which would not have arisen, if we were united), and on trifles, in the absence of something exciting to do. I tasted most of the things people are mad for and found that almost none can provide the long-term joy of creation for the common benefit of all. It is a great pain to those who have eyes to see that most of the suffering of billions of people for various reasons (not only poverty) occur only because there is no far-sight or realization that we can eliminate most of them, if we try to do something jointly.

On the one hand, we are unaware that we have given the world to the interest groups; on the other hand, they too do not win because without fairness everywhere equal and opposite reactions (in a different form) are bound to happen. One's money cannot provide security to one. We need an interest group for all.

There are some short-term pleasures which instead of long- term high spirit, energy, and happiness, leads to lethargy and low spirit. Similarly, when we do not have to worry about work or commitment, we feel some relief no doubt. Unfortunately, it is that same state of free-mind, which leads to low spirit after a while. Because of not knowing the complex chemistry of our likings and disliking at different ages and under different situations and sequences, we often end up in disappointments with something for which we invested a lot. Whereas, we think it foolish to spend a few hours for togetherness to improve the society, in reality, as I discovered, it provides so much joy (at all ages), enthusiasm, and energy (in addition to the benefits for all and the feeling of achievement) that the increased enthusiasm and energy will increase speed in our other works and save the needed few hours from the 168 hours a week.

From the usual short-sighted world, reading magazines with stories about a celebrity's cat or dog or such other things has a greater priority than jointly taking care of the society which affects our lives. It is true that one has to do what one enjoys according to one's mental growth. However, one has to realize that to be able to enjoy the fruits of one's hard work without deprivation i.e. to have a society with security, justice, etc., everybody has to share a little of the effort for a better society. All we can think and wish is somebody from somewhere will or should do something to improve the society (magic?) and we do not have to do anything.

The attitude of some is, "Why bother with other's headache! It is a hell out there. Just save yourself and enjoy life." Sweet dreams by closing eyes to the reality! It is the idea of preparing a dream house on the foundation of explosives or with fire all around or "preparing double steel gates in the front for happiness, keeping all around unprotected for unhappiness to enter freely". Everybody for himself and the devil gets the hindpart.

Without fairness and some caring everywhere, equilibrium/(security, efficiency, peace, etc.) can never come. Today's advantage/unfairness by some by power, grouping, or outsmarting others will only open doors for opposite reactions/ disasters in the future. Because of the lack of far-sight we fail to recognize the repercussion. Every action has an "equal and opposite reaction" and shapes the society accordingly. If we look back at what the human beings did (history), we will realize what a (self-destruction) meaningless harming each other, cruelty, insanity, etc. went on.

A few examples of meaninglessness in this world: We know that people become celebrity through scandal, some people can so easily manipulate us to get money from our pocket to their pocket in the name of the fashion of the day. We make all sorts of manipulators, models, and entertainers celebrity and wealthy but do not do anything for our own thing society where we live and which directly affects our lives so much. We have not established a culture of sharing. Sharing even daily life simple experiences could be of great benefit to all. I have people throwing big parties on some occasions because others do and then suffers and even starves because of want.

We are mad for immediate importance or power and cannot see the broad and long-term picture and ultimately we all suffer. We play the games of politics based on various isms or mutual favoritism, and do not realize that if we play games with what we have, then the men on the street or terrorists will play games with whatever they have- the knives and guns or bombs. Disastrous of all we do not even want to read what the greatest thinkers could see.

Strangely, in spite of our tremendous brain power, we cannot give up our "pennywise poundfoolish" animal instincts. Like the proverb, "Double steel-gates in the front and shades of grass all around," all our efforts are for happiness keeping all around unprotected for unhappiness to enter freely: we think it smarter to build up our happiness through the endeavors which will bring money, status, etc., to enjoy life, to start fleeing when we see a cheetah, and to weep and think it a misfortune (our own creation) when a mishap really strikes.

So many homicides, other mishaps/crimes/injustices, various inefficiencies/hassles, etc. do not seem to concern us enough to communicate and talk about a solution. Many seem to get irritated that these are covered by the news media. Probably, their sub-conscious mind thinks that these things will never happen to them. Even though the dreams of so many of us are shattered, after finishing the essential daily chores, we continue running after fun and short-sighted pursuit of happiness, when we do not have our own serious problems. We never consider that this may turn into a pathetic joke any moment.

When homicides, suicides, and other mishaps have already occurred, we get concerned, we shed tears, spend money on flowers, etc. However, when it was time that we could easily stop it, we did not care about it. We are so busy with the "self" that very few can see what an enormous self-destruction we are engaged in, instead of making the best utilization of our resources (brain and various types of talents, time, energy, and others). A small cheetah can kill a big animal because each in the herd tries to save its own life (short-sighted selfishness), instead of standing in defense collectively. They could kill the cheetah by their horns, if it dared to approach. In my village , there was a broken spot on the main street (built of just dirt). That broken low lying part used to be full of mud and water, except in the few dry winter months. Everyday, hundreds of people had to cross that spot by taking off their shoes, walking through the mud and water, washing off the dirt in a nearby pond. This continued for many years, when it would have taken only a few hours to remove the problem jointly.

I know how infinitely difficult it is to make an average person get out of his\her current frame of mind about happiness and its pursuit (short-sighted!). One does not realize that without societal improvement, just individual pursuit cannot provide security, justice, hassle-freeness, etc. in society. When one is in serious trouble, one thinks about these things. Once out of trouble, one forgets about troubles and again goes back to individual pursuit of happiness.

There is a severe lack of far-sight that harming others or the society directly for own benefit or indirectly because of not caring and sharing is foolish; everything comes back to ourselves through the norm we create. Because of our nature's intoxications which we cannot recognize, we take as non-sense what the greatest thinkers said and run after short-sighted priorities of the self (and not of the surroundings) or after attractions or impulses, which lead to suffering. The trend of the society is towards making each other's life miserable and increased insecurity. Evil is so deep rooted that small and scattered initiatives will never be able to uproot it.

Some support evil to get a little initial benefit and then can never get out of the clutches of that evil, i.e., become a slave and help that evil power. When I was one of the house-tutors (superintendents), we saw that the students were in extreme fear because of a few touts. There was a rumor that one or more of them were murderers. When we tried to get rid of those touts because they were no longer registered students, those touts used to excite students against administartion on baseless issues. Going against administration is a delicious item in that country. So the students fell into that trap and we could not liberate them from fear. Far-sight (resulting from thinking and analyzing) is almost non-existent. Many go by impulses.