Today, as America stands poised for election, the polarisation of opinion and toxicity of rhetoric is reaching a fever pitch. It is unfortunate that we so often witness animosity rather than argument, divisiveness rather than debate, ruling the realm of public discourse .
A fragmented mind will always lead to a fragmented world. It is perfectly acceptable to have a dissenting viewpoint and to assert one's right to articulate it. But if our thinking becomes so toxic and divided that we cannot have dialogue or engage with those whose ideologies are divergent from our own, it is a question of time before we break down the very house we live in.
In a technologically empowered world, borders are fast falling away. This a wonderful opportunity for the United States (US), regarded as the greatest country and beacon of freedom in the world, to set a precedent. If the spirit of aggression, competitiveness and hyper-militarisation were replaced by a cooperative ecosystem , it could spell the birth of a new world order based on harmonious coexistence - one in which no child anywhere on the planet would ever be denied nourishment or education. This need not be a utopian dream. It could become a reality, if only the powerful in the world dropped the old habit of creating fissures and divides in the external and internal affairs of nations and cultures.
We live in a world that has understood the algorithm but lost the spirit of democracy . A system that has found ways to manipulate groups to vote en masse - whether on the basis of ideology, race, religion or gender - is not a true democracy. It is mere tribalism. We speak of voting beyond barriers of religion, but for many, political allegiance is nothing short of religious affiliation. Those who vote like 'us' are seen as believers, and the others are deemed heretics. People in the US often speak of being 'raised Republican/Democrat'. The very word 'raised' suggests a mindless submission to ancestral norm. When even our politics turn hereditary, it is the destruction of democracy.
People all over the world have organised themselves either around religious doctrine or ideology. Based on their allegiance, they divide the world into good guys and bad, forces of light and darkness, 'us' and 'them'. This is a juvenile way to exist. Firstly, it is wrong to assume that people have to share a single belief system to live together. If anything, those who believe in a unitary ideology have always been at war everywhere in the world. It is only when you prize plurality that you allow life to become your teacher. It is time for us all to collectively discard the 'you' versus 'me' patterns of the reptilian mind.
The spiritual, by definition, implies that which is beyond physical boundaries. The idea of the nation, on the other hand, is invested in boundaries. If just a drop of spirituality entered the hearts and minds of world leadership, it could be a game-changer. To be 'spiritual' does not mean becoming otherworldly. Quite the reverse. For a national leader , the priority will always be the country. But it is also possible to commit oneself to the well-being and harmony of humanity rather than foster a climate of supremacist ambition and divisiveness.
It would be momentous if the US were to inaugurate a new epoch in human history by adopting an inclusive and dialogic approach to national and international affairs.
To embrace rather than dominate the world - this is the way forward.
Authored by: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
A fragmented mind will always lead to a fragmented world. It is perfectly acceptable to have a dissenting viewpoint and to assert one's right to articulate it. But if our thinking becomes so toxic and divided that we cannot have dialogue or engage with those whose ideologies are divergent from our own, it is a question of time before we break down the very house we live in.
In a technologically empowered world, borders are fast falling away. This a wonderful opportunity for the United States (US), regarded as the greatest country and beacon of freedom in the world, to set a precedent. If the spirit of aggression, competitiveness and hyper-militarisation were replaced by a cooperative ecosystem , it could spell the birth of a new world order based on harmonious coexistence - one in which no child anywhere on the planet would ever be denied nourishment or education. This need not be a utopian dream. It could become a reality, if only the powerful in the world dropped the old habit of creating fissures and divides in the external and internal affairs of nations and cultures.
We live in a world that has understood the algorithm but lost the spirit of democracy . A system that has found ways to manipulate groups to vote en masse - whether on the basis of ideology, race, religion or gender - is not a true democracy. It is mere tribalism. We speak of voting beyond barriers of religion, but for many, political allegiance is nothing short of religious affiliation. Those who vote like 'us' are seen as believers, and the others are deemed heretics. People in the US often speak of being 'raised Republican/Democrat'. The very word 'raised' suggests a mindless submission to ancestral norm. When even our politics turn hereditary, it is the destruction of democracy.
People all over the world have organised themselves either around religious doctrine or ideology. Based on their allegiance, they divide the world into good guys and bad, forces of light and darkness, 'us' and 'them'. This is a juvenile way to exist. Firstly, it is wrong to assume that people have to share a single belief system to live together. If anything, those who believe in a unitary ideology have always been at war everywhere in the world. It is only when you prize plurality that you allow life to become your teacher. It is time for us all to collectively discard the 'you' versus 'me' patterns of the reptilian mind.
The spiritual, by definition, implies that which is beyond physical boundaries. The idea of the nation, on the other hand, is invested in boundaries. If just a drop of spirituality entered the hearts and minds of world leadership, it could be a game-changer. To be 'spiritual' does not mean becoming otherworldly. Quite the reverse. For a national leader , the priority will always be the country. But it is also possible to commit oneself to the well-being and harmony of humanity rather than foster a climate of supremacist ambition and divisiveness.
It would be momentous if the US were to inaugurate a new epoch in human history by adopting an inclusive and dialogic approach to national and international affairs.
To embrace rather than dominate the world - this is the way forward.
Authored by: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
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