(New Series No. 182 August 2003)
The results of the labor we put in becomes the means to oppress, squeeze, and further exploit us. For 5 to 7,000 years, the flow of the social river is running opposite its course.
* Humans who consist only a fraction of the earth, at a few places on the earth, began movement on the path of the exploitation of the earth. The violent domestication of animals, like the placing of reins on the horse's mouth to bring it under control, has also brought with it the slavery of human beings. From the pain of the body and the soul, pyramids-hierarchial structures and epics arose.
Of course, the slave's pain in body and soul was fathomless, but there were no limits to the restlessness of the slave-owners. By declaring life itself as a curse, slave-owner Siddharth became Gautam Buddha and raised the flag of death as emancipation.
* Exploitation increased with the usage of plows that scraped the surface of the earth and brought in large numbers of serfs in vast areas throughout the earth. In tune with the construction of the fort-the palace, entering into war, the forced taking away of produce, renunciation and ascetic practice and worship became the careers of the pain of body and soul. It is lords who left warfare who became saints...
* The present social system which began with steam and coal is moving towards piercing the womb of the earth...is taking over the whole of the earth with its tentacles. Electricity has gobbled up the night. The chain of company-corporation-institution-computer-satellites has rendered the existence and non-existence of persons almost the same. As compared to the time of Gautam Buddha, the antagonism between person and society today has increased to such an extent that to express it or to articulate is a mind-boggling exercise in itself.
* To create fissures in the increasing, enclosing vicious circles, coordination amongst neighbors seem to be a point of departure. And the ideas and practices of exploiting the weaknesses of one another becomes a painful barrier in the coordination among those in our life.
Methods of Worsening Our Situation
* At all times we are surrounded by difficulties and the difficulties are such that they keep on increasing. Often, it's heard and said that the whole social system is bad and it is itself the root of the problems. In addition, government-company-municipality-village panchayat-party-leader-officer are also identified as the direct producer of many of our immediate problems and difficulties. These feelings-evaluations of ours are generally correct. In this situation, when we take steps by coordinating amongst ourselves, we of course move forward on the path of obtaining relief and changing the system. But we also do a lot against this movement...
* "The era is bad." "The world is an enemy." "Such a time has come"...Such phrases are often heard. In our opinion, these statements are also reflections of truth.
But where are we lead by these accurate statements? What places, paths, and activities? Ones of hook or crook- get your needs taken care of...Somehow, just get through life...By any means, deal with what is before you...Who knows about tomorrow?...There is nothing right or wrong, everything goes. There's only one meaningful thing: get what you need to get done.
* Often, it does not seem possible to immediately deal with or overcome the present social system-government-company. They seem very powerful, but straight-forward confrontation with them seems to just increase the problem. So far, the above of "everything goes, nothing is right or wrong," seems to be okay. But intoxicated in the ideas and practices of the market, many times for immediate relief we push over and unleash our load on the weak amongst us, manipulate them with our problems. In doing this, we abandon ethics and designate no limits in the meanness we exercise towards our co-workers and neighbors. And then, for the laboring masses who are entangled amongst themselves, the government or company become the adjudicators for our everyday relations.
To spoil relations with those close to us for minor relief, to opt for anonymity with co-workers, for minute self-interest is creating such a wound which keeps deepening and worsening the situation.
Immediate and momentary, superficial and shallow relations are the character of ideas and practices according to the market.In the beginning of production for the market and its expansion, ethical norms were also a major barrier. Ethics were entangled and enmeshed in religions. And religions were the pillar of the cruel fuedal system.
Ethics are being declared as superfluous remnants of tradition. To escape ethical constraints is being encouraged on a wide scale. Friend, this is the game of the market...Contending with religions to increase space for itself, the market system claiming to attack religious hypocrisy and inequality was in reality targeting ethics and morality. After attaining dominance, the market actually fed the hypocrisy in religions.
The point of departure for the creation of a new ethics seems to be a critique of science which brought about the market system that has brought life to the destructive narrowness of production-consumption.
Let's question the very attitude, aim of exploitation of life and-non-life.
