We all know, human is an unfathomable one, is a widely accepted maxim. But, why do we declare and celebrate our status as an unfathomable one? Why should, unlike all the other forms of life, we possess such a destructive trait? Nobody is asking such a question, leave alone an answer, though there is nobody, who does not have a ready remedy for it. Why? Here, we go on a trip to the bottom of the issue in search of answers.
Excerpt:
All of us are treasuries of common sense. Or so, we think. For, I have never come across anyone who seeks more of it. We also hold in abundance, many other virtues of the modern world like adaptability, scientific temper, or an open mind, or at least, we try to be so, when confronted with an issue belonging to the material plane of life. We analyze the issue, weigh alternatives, formulate action plans, monitor performance, learn from mistakes and update ourselves from the experience gained. If we are not capable enough to do it, we will at least catch others if they are not doing it. And the results are there for all to see, human race is on a progress spree.
Every day we learn new things. Much of it, in fact, end up in disproving some of our earlier notions. We have come to accept this as normal to life, and a definite sign that the human race is moving forward. Or, all events and occurrences of the material world point to a great future.
But, exactly the opposite takes place whenever an issue belonging to the spiritual plane happens to come before us. First and foremost, we seek absolute submission. We also oppose with great vehemence, all who tries to cast doubts on what we call as our basic tenets. We seem to be quite at ease to continue with our concepts and notions of bygone eras.
Thus, the more reasonable, we are, in accommodating changes in any of the ‘worldly areas’, like scientific development or economic change, the more unreasonable, we seem to be, elsewhere. Like, opposing any deviations in our abstract world, or moral standards, or cultural preferences. In fact, we celebrate with abandon, this twist in our character as a unique element of human nature. Similar is our nature, also in the case of natural or unnatural entities that can’t be known conclusively to be belonging to the realm of the material. I feel, here, we are successfully hiding from our own eyes, all that is illogical.
A Close Look at the Enigma
Further, we judge all that pertains to our cultural and spiritual domains, in a completely different manner. For example, assessment of one’s performance in such areas is fairly simple. If the results obtained are not favorable enough, the deity, or some other abstract entity like the cultural priorities, was not handled appropriately. The onus of getting a favorable intervention being always on the one who is making an approach or initiating a move, there is hardly any room for anything else but total submission. There are no signs of a change, as far as our outlook on all matters other than that of the material sphere of life goes.
We welcome worldly changes like developments in science and technology, and the alterations, additions, or deletions that come along, however much, those things happen to alter our living style and circumstances, or shake the society. We willingly adapt to new systems of governance, or changes in curriculum, as harbingers of better things to come. But when it comes to a deviation in our abstract values, we never budge. Take issues like the acceptability of same-sex marriage, or the ease of divorce, we are quick to portray that as a warning of the imminent end of our race.
That is, when we observe any changes in the appearance, behavior, or constitution of living or nonliving objects around us, we are our receptive self, who revel in reacting appropriately. The aim always will be to replace the cause, study, reflect, and take fitting action. Sometimes we go wrong, but, on all such occasions, not only that others are welcome to point out our shortcomings or omissions, but also we are eager to accept and institute those tips. We also are more than ready to acknowledge, at least partially, the fact that our forefathers would have made quite a few errors in their appreciation of material objects or phenomena around them. And we are eager to toil to get those errors corrected. Thus, here, all things go towards the better, the makings of a happy life.
Whereas, when we observe any changes in the appearance, behavior, or constitution of our abstract tenets, ceremonies, or other conceptual entities, there is a dramatic shift in our reaction. We either act emotionally charged and take a thoughtless route, or take a dogmatic approach, the primary aim being to hide, discredit, or kill the cause. We also acknowledge with great vehemence, the infallibility of our forefathers and the need to correct whatever deviations that might have happened to our tenets. The strongest push always reserved for correcting or nullifying any such changes at the earliest.
The Effects of the Enigma
Look closely. We seem to be traveling farther into our dark past. All the progress we have made in our material life coming to its aid, both in accelerating that journey and in camouflaging the true destination. (I think our forefathers forgot about the ‘true destination’ many generations back, and we have come to accept its disguise, progress, as the true one instead of ‘reverting to the societal control of the ancients’, the ultimate destination.)
This, I think, is a good summary of this dichotomy: the more fastidious (while looking for conclusive proof, say, for a physical phenomenon) we are, in the material plane, the more naïve we choose to be, on matters spiritual. In fact, our natural or initial approach is one of immaturity and lack of good logic on all matters that can’t be termed as fully belonging to the material sphere. Or, in other words, only on matters that can be termed to be belonging undoubtedly to the material sphere, people are encouraged to approach with an open mind. The cardinal difference between the material and the spiritual is this: we might approach strictly physical entities rationally, but to everything else, we show a rather opinionated face, that too, with a closed mind.
