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As
the government of Bihar is in the process of
using a 'White Paper' approach to development
and accountability, some of the contributors to
PatnaDaily are taking a rather cynical* and
pessimistic (or may be a protectionist)
approach. In their opinion, it seems, media only
has one role to play - being a critic and a
commentator of the evils in the society. I fail
to understand such attitudes which reflects a
kind of acute helplessness or perhaps extreme
pessimism or may be perhaps insecurity or a
hidden desire to speak against everything except
criticism.
It seems according to such mindedness reporting
or writing anything that is positive or
celebratory is perhaps wrong or bad or may be
somehow harmful?
I agree with the thinkers who say that a major
part of socio-political capital (intellectual,
educational, experiential, moral, cultural,
physical) has mostly been used in asserting
positivity and fighting against our weaknesses
as humans (social ANIMALS).
On the other hand, we human race, in recent
years it seems, are focused on significant
amount of social political and religious ills in
the world. This confuses me greatly. I ask
myself: Is violence a result of cynicism,
pessimism, criticism or are cynicism criticism
and pessimism result of violence?
Or as some social philosophers say one person's
winning is dependent another person's loosing.
Or is there a ' win / win' alternative too? Are,
we the humans, different from animals in the
degree of win/win v/s win/loose tendencies? For
example a lion has to kill a goat to win and
live (so the winning of a Lion is dependent on a
goat's defeat. Where as through the process of
civilization we Humans are moving towards the
win/win end of the continuum from the win/loose
end? as humans do not necessarily
harm/defeat/kill other humans for survival).
Some engineers with interest in social issues
think humans have been progressing towards the
win/win end. Even a neo Gandhian like me sees
'some mileage' in globalization, media explosion
and IT expansion.
This is not to say we do not have imminent
dangers looming (although we have up to a large
extent negotiated the atomic crisis) i.e. the
green house effect, so called 'development'
induced illnesses and widening gaps between the
rich and the poor still remain challenging
problems.
My point in the current context of Bihar is
Either we take the perpetual cynicism and
negativity (major sources of unhappiness) as one
of the 'givens' of nature.
Or can we live by being aware of the imminent
ending of our life but being positive about
fellow humans, the world and the future, being
aware of a kind of trans-generational self which
believes in the fact that there would be life
after we died and also we can strive to do
something for the next generation- a non-cynic
optimistic self that lives after we die.
A non-cynic optimistic collective-self that has
won in this election in Bihar.
Do we not need to focus on and constructively
express our opinion where we see some positive
events happening?
In the Land of our great people like Dr Rajendra
Prasad, comedian and social satirist 'Loha
Singh' the great humorous social satirist
(forgive me for forgetting his name) Jaya Praksh
Narayan, Karpoori Thakur to name a few, we also
have so many intellectually endowed cynics and
or pessimists.
I would only cite some examples from the USA.
Where historically social scientists have been
pivotal in introducing social change. Even in
the United States thinkers have begun to
challenge the role of cynicism and resultant
pessimism and a significant amount of
intellectual energy is being diverted in raising
national optimism.
One of the main thoughts in recent years is that
ever since the beginning of our earth living
creatures have made the earth a better place for
life. It is not to say that there are no social
or political evils in the current world. The
opinion is that as a whole humans have made
positive progress. The world has evolved
continuously. As we all know wealth and
happiness in the world has changed places (from
Africa to Asia to Europe to Americas to trend
towards globalization). But in aggregate life
has evolved and is evolving.
Why then we have some fellow humans who are
pessimistic and or cynical?
Perhaps evolution has 'systemic modulators' .
Perhaps collective cynicism is one of such
social-modulating force?
What makes me think, ponder and wonder over is
the fact that in what circumstances does
cynicism come to the fore in the collective
socio-political psyche at the cost of optimism?
And also in what circumstances it goes back to
the background?
Perhaps if we look in our history and try to
find out in what context cynicism/pessimism has
been useful for us humans. Our great nations has
seen several cycle of ups and downs we should
know it better as India has seen several ups and
downs in history. Hopefully try to learn
something that we may avoid repeating.
As I am not a social or political scientist I
want to invite the readers to think about such
realism/cynicism/pessimism (my following
curiosities are only in the context of our state
Bihar):
What caused cynicism in the minds of some of our
folks - long term suppression, acute awareness
of human weakness or lack of trust in others or
something else?
Is cynicism the best way to express our views?
Is cynicism/criticism most appropriate 'means to
an end'?
Is it bad to celebrate virtues?
Is it ignorant to be an optimist?
Is it harmful to 'take pride' in other people's
suggestions?
Is valuing criticism and cynicism only way
attain or express 'socio-political realism'?
Also do people who live outside the state of
Bihar have no say in the matters related to
Bihar,
Perhaps they are ' Bhagoraas'?
As many readers know Bihar was not made out of
choice of similarity or socio-cultural identity
it was put together by cobbling up different
cultures living close to each other by the East
India Company. Perhaps to keep us fighting with
each other on language, caste and religious
basis.
We all know that India is the most diverse
nation. I would like to add Bihar also is
perhaps equally diverse.
Until now we have been fighting with preserving
our ' foreign' identities ( caste, religion)
although we lived in Bihar most of us refrained
to call ourselves a ' Bihari '.
Perhaps now we have begun to strive for a
collective Bihari identity ( an identity that
explores ' unity in diversity ' an identity
based on multi-culturalism an identity that
values the 'haves and the have nots')- an
identity of an Indian a Global Citizen.
Or do we still need to remain cynical about
positivity, suggestions, offers of help,
strivings, and identity in our Bihar state?
(*Cynical = believing the worst of others, esp.
that all acts are selfish; Collins English
Dictionary (1999) Glasgow UK. )
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