We are in the middle of a global standstill and major health crisis. Many people have taken this crisis as a time for introspection and personal development. A time to delve into the fundamental truths of the world and analyse where we stand as a race, as a community and finally as individuals. In this modernised and globalised society where we are constantly on the move trying to make a living, it took a pandemic to make the world pause and think about the value of life for a change. The real disease lies elsewhere…
Trying to make sense of a situation of this magnitude generally happens in phases of denial, anger, blame, despair, and finally perhaps, acceptance. States and governments have tried out all these measures except acceptance of the truth. The initial blame is undoubtedly attached to the virus itself, the next in line is China.
On an individual level, we blame smaller groups of people violating the lockdown, we find faults in the actions and responses of the government or ultimately blame the insufficient medical facilities. Taking the high ground, we put the blame for this pandemic on different factors but we have only scratched the surface. The deeper truth hides in plain sight. Our lifestyles have changed for the worse and our consumption patterns have eaten up far too many resources from our environment.
This situation is proof of the environmental deficit that we are not ready to cover. The population that consumes non-essential goods like processed foods, bigger cars, larger residences and even sizeable debts is increasing worldwide. Globalisation allows wider access to cheaply made goods around the world and thus, the use-and-throw mentality is gaining popularity. Luxurious items have become necessities making the standard of lifestyle more expensive by the day. This increasing consumption and growing demand is good news for economic growth, thereby equating present day happiness with an individual’s materialistic prosperity. Someone has aptly put it ‘Greed is permanent slavery’.
Changing lifestyle also includes a change in diet to incorporate wildlife meat dishes. The unhygienic factory farms and meat markets are the breeding grounds for many deadly diseases which harm the people. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also declared that 60% of infectious diseases that we know originate in humans through animals. Even the coronavirus is believed to have originated in the “wet meat market” in Wuhan, China in December 2019. To curb the rapid spread of the disease, China had shut down trade in wild animal meat and banned its consumption which led to 20,000 such wildlife farms being closed but in a very short time they have resumed the inhuman business. (UK, 2020)
The combination of farmers’ economic insecurity, soil erosion, water wastage and pollution, forest clearance, the release of greenhouse gases, depletion of natural resources and an unhealthy diet full of cholesterol and lacking in fibre, leading to reduced immunity is the perfect recipe for environmental disaster. It is no wonder then that the modern world is seeing such pandemics and no cure.
So, when we say that exploitative capitalism and mindless consumerism are destroying the world, we must remember that these also do not take place by themselves. Consumption is not inherently destructive but the ‘greed’, ‘cruelty’, ‘lust’ and ‘power dynamics’ at play are the root cause. This is evident from the fact that even amidst this chaos many cities across the world saw a run on grocery markets and ammunition stores when the full scale effect of the crisis was revealed. Even educated people began hoarding supplies in panic. This reveals how superficial and cosmetic our so called development and advancement in the world truly is. This pandemic is simply holding a mirror, exposing the true human nature as it stands today…
We are only reaping what we ourselves have blindly sown. Over time we have forgotten that every action has a consequence; the two cannot be separated. This law explains an active relationship wherein a cause which is the action leads to an effect known as the rule of causality. This is a scientific explanation that Indian philosophies call the ‘Laws of Karma’. It is not about faith as much as it is about physics. It is universal and disregarding it does not negate it. Similarly, rejecting the truth does not change it, it persists.
Many will argue that it is naive and rather counter effective to believe or even mention such philosophies in these trying times. And yet, they will suggest that we place an unlimited amount of faith in science, hoping that it will provide the solutions to all of life’s problems. However, no amount of advanced medical facilities and modern technologies have been able to suggest a concrete solution, let alone stop it. Science may tell us how the pandemic started, but it will not be able to tell us why it occurred only now, why not earlier or later. Science may tell us who it is affecting and how, but will fail to answer why it is affecting them and not others. It may tell us that the aged and those with low immunity are at higher risk and yet, we have seen numerous people above 100 years of age survive the disease. We have seen doctors succumb and patients recover; proving that no amount of intellect, talent, knowledge and endeavour can save one during a natural calamity. Finally, science may succeed in producing a vaccine to fight this pandemic, but it will not be able to stop new ones from occurring.
The virus isn’t discriminating amongst its victims, just like the universal law of causality. And so, if the vices are the root cause of the worldwide problem, then the solution lies in the adoption of virtues. The solution lies in changed behaviours and improved attitudes. The solution lies in this realisation and its acceptance. Acceptance that no material object meets all our desires and therefore cannot be depended upon. The object itself is also temporary and so are its capacities to fulfill our desires. We can understand this with a simple analogy, the house that we are currently sitting in due to the lockdown serves as a safe haven, it protects us from the disease. At another time, if there is an earthquake, this same house will endanger our lives. Our safety will be outside it. Therefore, the illusion of happiness that one finds in any materialistic object will also be temporary. Only that which is permanent can give permanent happiness. The law of causality, which we have understood is universal and permanent, therefore, accepting it and modifying our lifestyle in accordance with the laws of nature can bring about true happiness.
Human life is a privilege. Let us live it to uplift our inner being rather than exploiting other lives. This virus has brought us down on our knees, placing us in the perfect position to pray, to practice virtues. It is reminding us that our most natural state is joy and genuine happiness, so let it guide us on the virtuous path. Nature has planted us here, let’s bloom with grace.
References:
- UK, P., 2020. Coronavirus And The Deadly Meat Trade. [online] PETA UK.
Available at: https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/coronavirus/