Erosion of Higher Values of Life

 

Erosion of Higher Values of Life We are witnessing a systematic consciousness of man. An imperceptible values. In infense competition, a mad rush for wealth is in evidence. Naturally the spiritual or higher values have become unfortunate casualties under the steel keels of materialisn aided and abettea by science and technology. Now things have conme to such a pass that we good of the individual aside and part from consider our relationship with our fellow- men in terms of material profits. Only those count in our scheme who can be erosion of higher values of life in modern process of socialisation began and in course of time some values were deve- loped. These in fact were "social values', times. We are succumbing to forces and elements which weaken and debilitate the edifice of our body politic. Opportunism for they could be conceived only in a coupled with materialism is the order of of society or community assumed prece- the day. Our mutual relations are no more based on spiritual factors of our social context. Gradually the importance dence over the individual. There was no líves but on material considerations. Man the good of the society or what is called "common good'. Thus in course of time has become so mercenary that he has become insensitive to the agony of his neighbour, may, even to that of his brother. Truth, love, morality are regard- community. Realization had come that ing as the concerns of an idealistic person whom the generality of people call insane. Those who still hold dear the higher These principles and values were the glory. Our educational system will have values of life are ridiculed and branded as higher values of life which held the misfits in the present social order don- promise of a decent and dignified living moral education in our educational inated by materialistic tendencies. Fair to every member of the society. piay, mutual help, felow-feeling, honesty, loyalty asnd idealistic adherence to higher zwhere these higher values of life assuned causes seem to be systematicaly losing escendIey, We have the oldest of reli- of higher zalues. Documentaries and ground. Respect for the laws of the society, for the commands of our elders, for eternal principles of life, is being torn ZSunder by cunning deceit and crooked- ness. Authority is unscrupulously cha- llenged. Faith, confidence and brust, life. Lives of Indians have all gions been propagated. We shall have to make every spirit of self-sacrifice and obedience to a higher late, are witnessing their edifice values of life. Even a thoroughly illiterate propagate those zvalues which gave crumbling. The factors that hold society together talks philosophically, talks of something to be initiated into the knowledge that are nothing but the higher values of life. imperceptible and yet very real which Priority to the evolution of society there were no higher zalues of life. The strone gives movement and meaning to our lives. mental nof only to the individual but also dictated to the weak, might was right. The weak were always at the mercy of the the tworld was worshipping Mammon, strong and their lives were always, India was worshipping the deities of those threatened by the latter. If was a "State of higher values of life which put man and avarice, and templations galore. The Nature' as Thomas Hobbes puts it. In Iumanity above everything else. Hence, this state of nature man's life was India came to be referred to as the nainly because of the fact that it always "solitary, poor, nasty and short'. No spiritual guru of the west. common bond bound the lives of the individuals in that particular state of nature. The very conception of some law turned the other way round. We witness was non-existent. The higher values of all the world over a systematic erosion of mould our lives in tune with nature, for life were not developed. But their need was ever felt for life without them appeared to be miserable, and intolerable. Inventiveness is the sole trait of the decimated our desire for perception of higher values the people at the top should human being. He was in search of some- thing which might provide safety and security to him and might make life spects of our lives. Wealth has multi- Moenlify so that the people at the lower pleasant and happy on this planet. Expo- Sure to ever recurrent violence and insecurity and the loss of near anid dear and technology has not been accompanied very survival of humanity depends upon ones in this state awakened the social with the same adzancement of human the concept of common good led to the kelpful to us to carn more and more. We are thus in the midst of a grave crisis of character, a crisis of talues. evolution of the State or society or adherence to certain principles and values could ensure common good with which is Every effort will have to be made to associated the good of every individual. restore fhose higher values to their old to be reformed. There is need to introduce system. A student should be made aware of those values from his very childhood. Mass media must assist in the restoration India was perhaps the first country gious scriptures in the world. Our old Jeature films should display the victory of sacred literature, ranging from the Vedas, Puranas and LUpaniskads to Smiritis, embodies great religious thought which poluted Besides this, the ideal of plain Rsserts the importance of higher zalues of living and high thinking needs to be the good over the evil, of the right over the expedient, of the pious over the permeated with the spirit of the higher fort to revive our past traditions and Indian living in the most remote village sustenance to those traditions. We need erosion of higher values will be detri- to the society. Higher values constitute the mornings or the anchor which protect the skip of society against storms of greed, Elsewhere, particularly in the west, when Indian culture has survived through ages gave precedence to higher values. Side by side, efforts will have to be But now things have unfortunately made for the protection of environment, conservation of mature and we should tihe higher values of life. India, the there is an intimate relationship between spiritual refuge of the west, is perhaps spiritualism and physical environment. exception to this. Crass materialism has In this campaign of rehabilitation of beauty belozo and behind thhe sordid set examples of highest standards of levels may emulate their example. We plied, thanks to the means of rapid should lose no time for reinstating these production. The advancement of science higher values to their proper place, for the them. FUapas