An Educational Essay on Social Reform
*****
Change is Changeless
by
Syed Muhammad Waqas
(DG BIRF)
***
by
Syed Muhammad Waqas
(DG BIRF)
***
Everything is subject to change, for change is the most fundamental law of Nature. Nothing in the universe of being, except change itself, is permanent. Time is an omnipotent and all-pervasive force, which brings gradual change to every organic and inorganic object.
Mankind is, beyond doubt, a very tiny part of the scheme of universe. Planet Earth, the home of man, is like a thousandth part of a dot on a large wall in the expanse of universe. The age of mankind on earth is nothing comparable to the age of earth itself, let alone the age of universe. Furthermore, the documented history of mankind constitutes only a trivial edge of man’s total age. Our record of past is shamefully small and almost 99% of man’s past has sunken into ‘unknown’.
Mankind, the Homo Sapiens, has always carved out for itself a cultural life in every phase of human existence on earth. In every age, man has formed communities and framed social structures. Since the universe is too frightening and dark, man has always expressed hatred for isolation and chaos. Thus, the human instinct of collectivism and quest for better engineered a primal civilization in the present phase of human existence some 6 millennia ago. The building of civilization thence geared a wheel of civilization-engineering which, in a chain, touched every known corner of earth. For instance, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Indus, Chinese, Cretan, Greek, and Meso-American civilizations all appeared in a sequence, and mankind that once lived in caves learnt the arts of home construction and agriculture. The greatest revolution took place in the area of food, for regular food production on farmed lands became a permanent feature of civilized life. The age of food gathering was thus past.
Since change is the law that trespasses as well as governs everything from a tiny electron to a gigantic nebulae, this stage of prosperity and joy was also over in a few thousand years. The need for another revolution was, therefore, greatly felt. This time the vacuum was filled by Industrial Revolution in 18th century, and so did come into being the world as we know it today.The intermediate time, from Neolithic to Industrial Revolution, also witnessed chained minor revolutions that continued transforming human life.
All ancient civilizations had one particular feature in common, namely they were all agrarian civilizations. Modern civilization is, however, industrial and its legacy is the overwhelming role of machines in our lives. Moreover, the technological revolution of 20th century may be termed the apex of present civilization. But one important thing that this miraculous civilization of ours fundamentally lacks is the spirit of selfless affiliation and humanism. Civilization was not meant to deprive and destroy others on its outset, but only to instill among humans a sense of interdependence, civility, and peaceful coexistence. The positive aspect of agrarian civilization was its ethics that viewed and valued human beings and their relations in their own right. Modern ethics, however, values everything including humans on the basis of ‘utility’. Edward Cornish, former editor of The Futurist magazine, laments this deficiency of modern civilization, saying:
“The machine offered man a higher standard of living in return for sacrificing his traditional life centered in the home and family.”
One example of another predominant, but sad, behavior of the age of machines that has been ingrained in modern man’s psyche is our love for machines. One who owns a good car, for instance, is very likely to be more careful and affectionate towards his car than other fellow humans, his servant, and even some of kinsmen. This is unacceptable in humanism’s terms and of course such a callous behavior did not exist in agrarian civilization.
Nostalgia for the golden days of true humanism is but natural among those frustrated with overly mechanical life of today. Trends of Post-Modernism and New Age Mysticism are altogether a reactionary reversal to a rather peaceful past against the fuss and unrest of present. We must not forget that man does not exclusively need luxury, but there is also a major share of feelings in the sane creature. If the past submitted to the law of change, even present will. What will be cherished at length as the permanent joy of human beings is their mutual love and greed-free affiliation.
Mankind is, beyond doubt, a very tiny part of the scheme of universe. Planet Earth, the home of man, is like a thousandth part of a dot on a large wall in the expanse of universe. The age of mankind on earth is nothing comparable to the age of earth itself, let alone the age of universe. Furthermore, the documented history of mankind constitutes only a trivial edge of man’s total age. Our record of past is shamefully small and almost 99% of man’s past has sunken into ‘unknown’.
Mankind, the Homo Sapiens, has always carved out for itself a cultural life in every phase of human existence on earth. In every age, man has formed communities and framed social structures. Since the universe is too frightening and dark, man has always expressed hatred for isolation and chaos. Thus, the human instinct of collectivism and quest for better engineered a primal civilization in the present phase of human existence some 6 millennia ago. The building of civilization thence geared a wheel of civilization-engineering which, in a chain, touched every known corner of earth. For instance, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Indus, Chinese, Cretan, Greek, and Meso-American civilizations all appeared in a sequence, and mankind that once lived in caves learnt the arts of home construction and agriculture. The greatest revolution took place in the area of food, for regular food production on farmed lands became a permanent feature of civilized life. The age of food gathering was thus past.
Since change is the law that trespasses as well as governs everything from a tiny electron to a gigantic nebulae, this stage of prosperity and joy was also over in a few thousand years. The need for another revolution was, therefore, greatly felt. This time the vacuum was filled by Industrial Revolution in 18th century, and so did come into being the world as we know it today.The intermediate time, from Neolithic to Industrial Revolution, also witnessed chained minor revolutions that continued transforming human life.
All ancient civilizations had one particular feature in common, namely they were all agrarian civilizations. Modern civilization is, however, industrial and its legacy is the overwhelming role of machines in our lives. Moreover, the technological revolution of 20th century may be termed the apex of present civilization. But one important thing that this miraculous civilization of ours fundamentally lacks is the spirit of selfless affiliation and humanism. Civilization was not meant to deprive and destroy others on its outset, but only to instill among humans a sense of interdependence, civility, and peaceful coexistence. The positive aspect of agrarian civilization was its ethics that viewed and valued human beings and their relations in their own right. Modern ethics, however, values everything including humans on the basis of ‘utility’. Edward Cornish, former editor of The Futurist magazine, laments this deficiency of modern civilization, saying:
“The machine offered man a higher standard of living in return for sacrificing his traditional life centered in the home and family.”
One example of another predominant, but sad, behavior of the age of machines that has been ingrained in modern man’s psyche is our love for machines. One who owns a good car, for instance, is very likely to be more careful and affectionate towards his car than other fellow humans, his servant, and even some of kinsmen. This is unacceptable in humanism’s terms and of course such a callous behavior did not exist in agrarian civilization.
Nostalgia for the golden days of true humanism is but natural among those frustrated with overly mechanical life of today. Trends of Post-Modernism and New Age Mysticism are altogether a reactionary reversal to a rather peaceful past against the fuss and unrest of present. We must not forget that man does not exclusively need luxury, but there is also a major share of feelings in the sane creature. If the past submitted to the law of change, even present will. What will be cherished at length as the permanent joy of human beings is their mutual love and greed-free affiliation.