Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.
-M.K. Gandhi
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
These were the words of Mahatma Gandhi, whose 142nd birth anniversary, is being "celebrated" today. Mohandas Gandhi is considered the father of the Indian independence movement. He created his concept of satyagraha, a non-violent way of protesting against injustice.
Recently, the Egyptian masses made Hosni Mubarak resign from office through a non-violent movement. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil disobedience, and labour strikes.
But what is this non-violence, why does it work, how can powerful people be forced to act through Satyagraha? While the basic premise of a non-violent movement is using no physical force, there might be a hidden element of violence in it. One viewpoint is that the aim of non-violence is to change opinions, to win hearts. Is it really the case in all examples of non-violent movements that we look at? Why did the British leave India? Why did the Indian government seem helpless in front of Anna Hazare's anshan?It was certainly not because of some moral pressure that they felt due to a non-violent movement.
The strength of such movements lies in the numbers. More the number of people supporting it, more is the pressure exerted. But it is not moral pressure, certainly not in the recent case of the Lokpal campaign. It was the threat of violence that did the trick. The pressure comes from the fact that the non-violent movements had the potential of becoming massive violent movements. Gandhiji's and Anna's fasting worked because it posed a threat ofcreating a law and order situation that nobody in political power had the guts to face. It was like a strong army of rebellious youth, ready to go violent if anything unfortunate happens to their leader.
Thus it seems that while the philosophy of non-violence condemns violence, the effectiveness of a non-violent movement might depend on its potential to become violent, in case the objectives are not met.
Happy Gandhi Jayanti!
“Democracy don't rule the world, You'd better get that in your head; This world is ruled by violence, But I guess that's better left unsaid.
Recently I came across a discussion on the TED group on LinkedIn. It starts with a simple looking question asked by Henrietta Decruz:
Do you think living by values and having integrity is a thing of the past?
We live at a time when scams are just too numerous and ever increasing. Corruption has spread its tentacles everywhere. It has affected every area of our lives... Do you think living by values and having integrity is a thing of the past?
This thread has attracted more than 2000 comments within a time span of 6 months and is still active. It shows the universality of the issue. Reading this thread exposed me to variety of opinions about values and integrity from people all around the world. Like many Indians, my thought process was recently agitated by Anna Hazare about similar issues. I would like to share what I posted there.
I think that "living by the values of the past" should be avoided. Values change. Some might change in 10 years. Some might change in a 1000. The important thing is not to have blind faith in whatever our forefathers told us or wrote. Our scriptures are one of the sources of our "values" but they have been interpreted differently by different scholars at different times and places. Rethinking and re-evaluating our values is very important. A value does not become irrelevant just because it is old, but it can surely be re-read, re-thought upon and re-interpreted. Our ancestors applied their minds while defining those values, and we should not refrain from doing so.
Some of the responses I got:
I agree we reinterpret values, and bedrock values remain unchanged.
Redefining what we want and what we value is important if we are to grow intellectually. ... As in the case of the institution of human slavery, values can, and do change. Even entire belief systems can change (though with difficulty) thus bringing about paradigm shifts in what some of us think about "bedrock values."
And another Interesting comment.
Even bad values are values, corruption is just a sign that the value we teach each other the most is that money is the most important thing.
FLAVIUS:
Hence! home, you idle creatures get you home:
Is this a holiday? what! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day without the sign
Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? First Commoner:
Why, sir, a carpenter. MARULLUS:
Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
What are the common signs of profession that people carry with them today? First thing that comes to my mind is the civil/mechanical engineer's cap:
Others might think of a carpenter's screwdriver/pencil, a plumber's wrench etc.
Being an engineer myself, I tried to imagine how a computer science engineer might be identified when you see him/her on the streets? Carrying a laptop? Wearing glasses(!!)? I almost started to think that we just do not have a proper sign of profession. But then true light dawned:
If you see him too much on the streets, then probably he is not a computer engineer.
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."
Henry Ford
So I think I am better than others around me. I am destined for something greater. Maybe. Maybe not. What have I been doing to achieve your greater goal? Believing that I can do something is important, but that's not the end of it. Unless I move my muscles to make an extra effort, I can only manage the regular run-of-the-mill success. Even if I feel I am destined for something, if must make an effort to make it happen.
It is obvious that believing in oneself is the thing that keeps one going through hard times, but it is not the only thing.
So I think I am better than others around me. I am destined for something greater. Maybe. Maybe not. What have I been doing to achieve your greater goal? Believing that I can do something is important, but that's not the end of it. Unless I move my muscles to make an extra effort, I can only manage the regular run-of-the-mill success. Even if I feel I am destined for something, if must make an effort to make it happen.