Goodness breeds goodness. What you sow is what you reap. Rings a bell? How often have you heard that? I always keep hearing these cacophonous sounds everywhere. Be it a movie, a book or a person for instance. Be good to people and everything good will automatically happen to you. But does it actually happen? I see the most slimy and cunning people climbing the success ladder in today's world. Selfishness is directly proportional to material gains. Isn't it? Then where is goodness in this fast moving world of today. Have we kind of forgotten why we are here.
Well OK .. a lot of people might say i am an idealist.....we should be pragmatic. But all of us are not born with the traits needed to survive in this world. So how do we get them. Its simple. We acquire them. How? Of course through our experiences.There are basically two things that can happen then. Experiences can bring the worst out of us or maybe in some instances the better in us. Its we who decide what we have to do. Haven't you heard that the good and the evil is within us. We decide which one finally triumphs.
However, as Jacques Monod says " who decides what is good and what is evil?" Here is one school of thought which is evenly poised between the two extremities. I already mentioned idealism which of course needs no introduction. There's a thin line between idealism and "practical idealism". Practical idealism is a philosophy which describes the imperative need to implement the ideals of virtue and goodness in oneself. And one of its great proponents is our very own Gandhi. It sounds like utilitarianism, which broadly speaking, is promoting happiness for the maximum number of people we can. But nonetheless its practical and along with it virtuous......hmmmmmm........now don't these two terms sound like 'antonyms'!!
Therefore in retrospect, i would still say its kind of difficult to be 'practically ideal' but not impossible. As far as i remember, as children most of us (not all indeed) were without any malice or any prejudice. The beauty of the innocence of the child is somewhere marred on the way to success in this material world. Many people also say that evil must constantly re spawn but virtue is immortal. That is definitely a consolation. Yet I keep telling myself 'I shouldn't become a bad person because other people are bad to me'. Who knows, i may already have become Satan's accomplice and am not as 'holier than thou' as i perceive myself to be. And in fact, no one knows what will happen in the future. No one knows who will triumph in this never ending abstract war going on inside the grey cells of my brain.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Very well written indeed!
I would like to add up a few lines.......
"Selfishness is directly proportional to material gains", as you say, is completely true.But also, the seeds of evil which you sow today will definitely reap more evil tomorrow.What I believe in is that whatever you do, be it good or bad, life gets back at you in some way or the other. You may achieve great success by evil means, by putting down people........ people you love, your friends, your family.......may be simply your acquaintances. But how far can you get this way??????? It wouldn't be long until your conscience pricks you. And one day, later on in life, when you sit back and think, you realise. Yes, I believe in realisation of mistakes/misdeeds. And that is when GUILT conquers your heart, your soul. And at that time you regret your misdeeds. And regret is something which is difficult to overcome. Regret is the greatest punishment of all.
So even though there is a constant war between good and evil. It is very important for one to be calm and composed. To think before doing anything wrong. To not let evil impulse overcome good conscience. To help GOOD win over EVIL in todays competitive world, where evil constantly tries to lure you. So that you are satisfied with your life. So that one day when you sit back and think, you have no sense of remorse. And thats when you can smile and say, "Been there, done that and have no regrets whatsoever!!!!!!!!!
'My Inner Strife' is it 'The Alchemist'...? if not it an create an impact like one!!
Keep writing..
Post a Comment