Two sets of tweets at the outset of the New Year: “A new morning, a new awakening, a prayer for good tidings today, wellness and peace, sense and sensibilities, and brightness,” — Amitabh Bachchan
“Wishes for 2012: low inflation, Parliament works, end to corruption, no farmer suicides, decisive government, responsible opposition, Sachin’s hundredth 100, Bharat Ratna for Sreedharan, India beats China in Olympics … And ultimate wish: we all strive to become better human beings, less conflict, more compassion,” — Rajdeep Sardesai.
And I posted this on my Facebook wall: Last day of the year! The year ahead globally is going to be worse, financially…so, let’s brace ourselves up, and I will do so even more…happy 2012 to all! The year with an extra day in February! So, 24 hours more to work and enjoy!
These posts show the signs of the times. Sense, peace, less conflict, managing economic crisis are the dominating thoughts that set the tone for 2012.
There is no ‘my way or high way’. Middle path ‘our way’ has to be the guiding light in everything we do, at home or at work, within or beyond the country. Far too long have the Arab dictators ruled their nations with iron fists, far too long have the pacifist Indians allowed corruption to seep into the social fabric. Rulers and the ruled have to evolve to be representatives and participants of democratic systems. Democracy has to go beyond number crunching, and be participating.
The same theory applies for the economy. Blatant market economics running riot of ecology, food security, resources and prices of essential commodities, apart from seeking to further strengthen the strong has long been discarded. Occupy Movement is all set to be stronger, and unfortunately violent, if the lessons are not learnt on corporate greed and government connivance towards it.
Completely-controlled economies, leading to killing of initiative and entrepreneurship, dearth of innovation and business drive and at times justifying and protecting inefficiency, also need to be discarded. In fact, they are already making way for a new order.
Search is on for the Golden Middle Path again. Mixed economy was an almost messy affair. The golden mean ensuring welfare and initiative simultaneously is yet to evolve.
Nuclear and arms deterrence is no longer a deterrence, but a future death warrant. We need to understand that the existing stock piles of arms are enough to destroy the earth a few thousand times over. It is the force of human progress, not crude militarization that can ensure security. Security, as a concept, certainly needs a paradigm shift. The real security challenge is in ecology. The New Year started with two earthquakes — in Japan and New Zealand, which are both developed and secured nations devastated many times by quakes. Much of the green challenges is man-made, and can be avoided by some tweaking in both policies and actions.
For instance, the gentry in Japan, Libya, Egypt, Pakistan, Mumbai or Sikkim have been equally harmed by nature or violence as their destitute compatriots. The rich in the US or the UK stares blankly towards an impending bigger global crisis like their poor counterparts.
The walls between the East and the West must collapse. Ditto for the communist and the capitalist or for that matter all other forms of inequalities, giving rise to a collective realization of common good for the mankind’s survival.
Indians across the globe have a great role to play in this monumental exercise. With their entrepreneurship and innovation, spirit of community welfare, pacifist nature stressing dialogue rather than conflict, austerity and savings as a culture, heritage and family values, science and technology: we are all set to make the biggest impact.
If only we realize our collective responsibility towards the common good, and by setting our house in order.
