The Cycle of Progress and Decline

The article, Can Countries ‘Undevelop’? by Santosh Desai reminds us that throughout history, civilizations have risen and fallen in a grand cyclical pattern. While we often focus on growth and development, the article raises a provocative question: Can countries "undevelop"? This concept challenges us to think more deeply about the nature of progress and the future that lies ahead.

Rather than viewing decline as something to be feared, we can see it as an inherent part of a larger cycle - one that offers opportunities for renewal and reimagination. Just as a forest fire clears the way for new growth, periods of societal change can create space for fresh ideas and approaches to take root.

The key is to cultivate resilience and adaptability. Instead of clinging rigidly to outdated systems, we can learn to embrace change and complexity. By acknowledging that decline is possible, we open ourselves to more creative solutions for building sustainable societies.

This perspective invites us to think beyond simplistic notions of linear progress. It challenges us to create flexible frameworks that can evolve with changing conditions. Rather than fearing societal transformation, we can approach it with curiosity and openness to new possibilities.

Can Countries 'Undevelop'? by Santosh Desai. In The Times of India, 21 October 2024.

Ultimately, the cycles of development and "undevelopment" remind us of our shared humanity. They connect us to the grand sweep of history and the countless generations who have faced similar challenges. By embracing this larger perspective, we can find inspiration to build more resilient, adaptive, and truly sustainable societies for the future.

Article Abstract

Comments

Human Empowerment Vs Technological Determinism

This article, Seeking truth in a barrage of biases , presents an inspiring call to action for maintaining our intellectual autonomy in the digital age. Written by J Jehoson Jiresh, it addresses the critical challenge of navigating through algorithmic biases and misinformation while offering hope and practical solutions. The author beautifully frames our modern predicament - how even a simple online search for running shoes can shape our digital landscape - and transforms this everyday observation into a powerful message about reclaiming our agency in the digital world. What's particularly inspiring is the article's emphasis on human empowerment rather than technological determinism. The article presents three key strategies for hope and change: Active critical engagement to question assumptions and challenge biases Seeking diverse perspectives to break free from our echo chambers Demanding transparency and accountability in algorithmic systems Most uplifting is the article...

Charles de Foucauld: A Universal Brother

Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) lost his parents when he was only a boy. His grandmother took charge of him and looked after him. He joined the military; but he was rebellious and a misfit and had to leave. Charles received a lot of wealth as inheritance from his grandfather. He lived an extravagant and prodigal life—full of himself, He indulged in carefree and dissolute luxury. Fast forward to 21 st century, today we proudly revere him as a universal brother. I love the title ‘universal man’. I am sure that most of us love being identified as universal. But in truth we are full of me, mine, and we, our. We get stagnated in our language, religion, region, colour, and caste. It would be very strange and rare to see a universal person toady. Kahlil Gibran’s The Madman opens with the incident of how its protagonist began to be called a mad man. One day, as he was going to sleep, he removed all his masks and placed it a table beside his bed. After a beautiful night’s peaceful deep ...

Zacchaeus’ Last Will

Zacchaeus, as we know, was a chief tax collector and a rich man (Luke 19: 1-10). He, as any tax collectors of his time would do, used to collect much more than due, even by force and violence. Now we might say, in a very self-justifying manner, that I am not a tax collector, thus this gospel does not concern my life and me. The figures of a survey done on taxes; taxpayers and tax collectors could be quite embarrassing. 72% people do not pay taxes fully or partially. They cheat the country and the government. 26% of people pay the full tax, not because they love their country and its development but because of fear of being caught and punished; they are in a search of completely safe ways of evading taxes. The rest 2% are involved in collecting taxes. They cheat the country and people by collecting more and not correctly accounting for it. That leaves us with a 100% of ‘Zacchaeuses’ in our societies. Thus most of us stand in need of salvation for our families and ourselves. Zacchae...

Fine Ways of Disregarding Vital Issues

Observing the preoccupations of Pharisees, scribes and religious leaders of his time (Mark 7: 1-23) Jesus commended that they have fine ways of disregarding the commandments of God in order to maintain human traditions and interests. They put aside weightier matters to uphold human decrees. In modern politics we hear the jargon, ‘politics of distraction’. In a country of mass illiteracy and unemployment, farmers’ suicide, etc. politicians and other key people divert public attention by discussing building temples, girls wearing hijab to college, etc. Noam Chomsky, an American social commentator says, “The key element of social control is the strategy of distraction that is to divert public attention from important issues and changes decided by political and economic elites, through the technique of flood or flooding continuous distractions and insignificant information.” The corrupt politicians must have learned this strategy from the pickpockets (or is it visa versa): they di...

Expectation Is the Result of What You Do Today

There is a sense of urgency in Luke 21: 29-36. Do it now is the command, lest that day catch you suddenly like a trap. Christian spirituality has misleadingly put too much importance to passive waiting. Perhaps it is the byproduct of Israel having to wait for centuries for the Messiah to come; or having an overdose of parables on waiting in the gospels, or it could also be that we have taken the second coming of the Lord too very seriously; not giving attention to the Lord who has already come, and is with us. This sense of passive waiting limits a lot of good that could be done. ‘That day’ is a misleading reference to an ambiguous distant auspicious time. The gospel tries to tell us that there is no ‘that day’, there is only ‘this day’. If you want to do something do it today. I came across a social media post recently that goes in these or similar words. People come to office/school/college and wait all day for 5 pm to come. People wait all week for the weekend—Saturday and...

I Am Not Worthy To Have You Under My Roof

One of the repeated expressions in the bible is ‘I am unworthy…” Isaiah, one of the greatest prophets of Old Testament, experiences a vision of God and realises his inadequacy to prophesy. He surrenders saying, I am unworthy, for I am a man of unclean lips. Paul, who was comfortably persecuting the church, is thrown off from the horse. As Jesus encountered him, he surrenders saying, I am an untimely born, I am not worthy to be called an apostle of Christ. Then we have Peter, encountering his Lord for the first time. He was a master of his trade. All that he learned as a born fisherman and a grown up fisherman did not help him to make a catch. That miraculous catch of fish, with the intervention of Jesus makes peter motionless. He recognises his God. He falls on his knees and struggles with those words, depart from me Lord, I am not worthy, for I am a sinful man. Here we have the centurion pleading, I am not worthy to have you under my roof… (Matthew 8: 5-11) and ...

Work in Good Faith

We all have talents special and proper to us; and they are means to our self-dignity. Often we hide, ignore, and reject our talents because of other, often negative, factors that play on us, like, the other does not deserve to get what he has, the other is impure, or the leader is an unjust man like here in Luke 19: 11-28. The man who went to get crowned as a king was not the people’s favourite. He was an exacting person, and he claims ownership of what is not his. The servant had enough excuses to be justified for not using the talents. But the gospel does not accept them. The servant who buried his money lost his chance to better his life. In law there is a beneficial phrase, “in good faith’; meaning, one does his work assuming goodness, and truthfulness of he other. The doer does not spend too much time in thinking and analysing; he/she just keeps doing the good that he/she can do. The piercing question of the master in this gospel passage is, what have you done with what I hav...

SPRINGBOARDS and WALKING STICKS

Search This Blog