Needed - A New Paradigm Of Development

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced human civilisation cannot continue on our present path of development for too long. The paradigm of development we have, which encourages and is sustained by limitless and conspicous consumption of everything - including the animals that co-exist with us on this planet - is inherently flawed. We are leaving too much toxic debris around for us to continue far this way.We may invest in cleaner fuels, we may shun plastics... but all that is not going to do much other than postpone the inevitable for a few more years or, maybe, decades.
There needs to a new paradigm of development, and there needs to be strong political will to enforce it. Enforce it because there is no way a people bred on a culture of greed and self-aggrandisement can be made to wilfully adapt such a new paradigm for the common good.
There are several obstacles to achieving this. First, the new paradigm need to be drawn up by someone with enough foresight and perspicacity. Second, the political will cannot come from our current political system, with the leaders who rely on appeasement of the masses and who have mutualistic relations with businesses, which would be highly interested in continuing with the current paradigm.
If we can overcome these obstacles, then we can say with confidence that human civilisation will survive the crisis it is creating for itself. But it is a tall order, and if we fail, we are eternally doomed.

A New Educational System For India

Violence of various hues and forms are sweeping the world, apart from the floods and quakes that have claimed lives by the thousands in Myanmar and China. Today's papers carried news of India's home minister saying immigrants from Bangladesh would not be confined to camps, even as Muslim terrorists from that country are under the scanner for the recent blasts in Jaipur. The fact, is you can argue for both sides in this issue. Yes, Bangladeshi migrants in India are human beings too and we cannot just put them into concentration camps - that militates against humaneness. Again, we cannot let terrorists among them roam free and target Indian citizens with bombs at will. The only way to solve this is to incorporate the migrants into the intelligence gathering process. Recent reports say they are a very closed group, refusing to divulge any sort of information to intelligence agents.
If that is so, there is a clear case for them to be collectively held responsible. But I doubt if that version of affairs is actually true; there could be many well meaning Bangladeshi immigrants who want a secure future for themselves in India, as some news reports quoting some of them made it clear.
So why is this happening? The answer is politics, and corruption. These two are eating into the very fabric of Indian society and culture and, if let alone to continue, can bring about balkanisation of the whole nation.
It is sad that Indian democracy, which could have brought about justice, equality and prosperity to everyone in the country, is being held to ransom by thugs and robbers posing as politicians. But I think this was inevitable. Every institution will reflect the development and perspicacity of the individuals who are in it; and our political rulers have failed to put in place an educational system that instils values and helps the new generations aware of and practise the the messages of the Himalayan masters. Without such practical moral and spiritual teachings, it was inevitable that our society and politics deteriorated into the current state of travesty and moral turpitude. Yes, India needs to revamp its educational system - not just to create more quality engineers and doctors, but better men and women who understand and practise the teachings of the sages.
I think sooner or later I have to do my part in that effort.