{"id":132986,"date":"2019-05-20T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=132986"},"modified":"2019-05-20T08:10:30","modified_gmt":"2019-05-20T07:10:30","slug":"apocalypse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/05\/apocalypse\/","title":{"rendered":"Apocalypse!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A Martian on reconnaissance mission to earth may well include the following in the report to HQ:<\/p>\n

Conflicts rage amongst human beings almost all over Planet Earth. At any given time, many of these conflicts simmer just under the surface, while others flare out in the open. The root cause of conflicts is always land or other resources \u2013 such as oil, natural gas, human labour, water, minerals and so on. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Rarely do humans admit that a conflict is about land, oil, or whatever. Instead, they go to great lengths to disguise the real causes of conflicts using fantastic cover stories. Their cover stories are as fantastic as the one about there being no intelligent life on Mars! <\/em><\/p>\n

Cover stories aim at maintaining collective psycho\u00adlogical equilibrium; and over short periods of time they do seem to work. So-called \u2018thought leaders\u2019 of human beings invent stories as needed.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

A common type of cover story revolves around one group of humans claiming to be \u2018superior\u2019 to the rest. That is hard for us Martians to accept, because to us all humans appear alike \u2013 with only superficial outward differences among them. Close examination reveals that such claims of \u2018superiority\u2019 are aimed only at grabbing more resources from the rest of humans.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Other cover stories are based on (a) self-serving definitions of \u2018right behaviour and speech\u2019, (b) ever-mutating economic theories to justify endless resource grabs, and (c) conveniently imagined \u2018histories\u2019 to create dubious post-facto justification for resource grabs. <\/em><\/p>\n

Purveyors of cover stories create a huge top-heavy structure within human societies, with its economic burden falling upon the primary and secondary producers who make up the real economy. This burden is sometimes tolerated by the latter, but often there is deep resentment among them. Purveyors of cover-stories seem heedless of the immense misery produced through their wrong views and actions.<\/em><\/p>\n

We must study carefully such divisions and weaknesses of human societies, in case humans get funny notions one day of exploiting us and our beloved planet. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thankfully \u2013 and possibly unknown to the Martian agent \u2013 there are also individual human beings on earth who are capable of understanding these issues far better than any Martian can. Such individuals are present in every human society \u2013 regardless of the \u2018superficial outward differences\u2019 among them (borrowing the phrase from the Martian\u2019s report).<\/p>\n

At times, such individuals may indeed be flummoxed:<\/p>\n

What on earth is going on? Why must there be no end to dehumanizing misery and conflict? Does conflict ever yield lasting peace? Or does it give rise to yet another round of conflict, war, economic devastation \u2013 yet another terrible round of misery? <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When individuals from different backgrounds debate such issues sincerely \u2013 and even if they agree on a common objective \u2013 they may disagree on the starting point of the debate. They may fail to find a common path to the shared goal simply because each individual has a different initial premise.<\/p>\n

Is there anything \u2013 even the tiniest bit!<\/em> \u2013 that all such individuals can agree on? Of course they would agree that we are all Homo Sapiens<\/em>, but then what? Homo Sapiens<\/em> is only an assigned biological label; it does not carry with it any essential attribute that can serve as a premise.<\/p>\n

Is there any other irreducible minimum<\/em> that can serve as the basis for logical analysis?<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Whatever else he might have been, Gautam Buddha was a thinking individual par excellence<\/em> \u2013 and we shall consider his views only in that capacity. The fact that a religion has been founded in his name is irrelevant here. We only need a candidate premise to serve as irreducible basis for analysis.<\/p>\n

Buddha asserted these three as fundamental characteristics of existence: impermanence<\/em>, non-self<\/em>, suffering<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Impermanence<\/em>: This attribute includes the physical world \u2013 but also our reactions to physical phenomena. As such, impermanence<\/em> is an attribute which should be self-evident. No two moments in any person\u2019s life are identical. By the laws of Physics, if the universe is at all times evolving towards increasing entropy, then no subsequent moment can be a replica of an earlier one.<\/li>\n
  2. Non-self<\/em>: However we may interpret the word self<\/em>, there cannot be any doubt that any given instance of self<\/em> \u2013 Ramesh, Robert, Maria, Saira, Cheng … \u2013 is an infinitesimally small part of the universe, and is naturally therefore governed by its laws, which may be understood as \u2018being in God\u2019.<\/li>\n
  3. Suffering<\/em>: This attribute of existence needs no interpretation; one only needs clear-eyed observation of phenomena and intellectual honesty. Even empire builders seem very desperate to attain a state of freedom from suffering \u2013 or else why go to all that trouble? It must be mighty frustrating for them NOT being the biggest \u2018don\u2019 in the universe!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    ***<\/p>\n

    The word suffering<\/em> here includes physical suffering, discontent, anxiety, depression, inner turmoil … et cetera<\/em>. Every human being \u2013 rich or poor \u2013 has that experience at one time or another.<\/p>\n

    The modern culture of unbridled materialism is based on the assumption that, with sufficient material resources available, everybody \u2013 at least in the G7 countries! \u2013 can reach a stable state of contented life. The idea seems to be that, with technology and clever management, the two existential realities of impermanence<\/em> and suffering<\/em> can be negated once and for all. HALLELUIAH<\/em>!<\/p>\n

    Naturally, in an illusory permanent state of contentment, an individual would be tempted to craft \u2013 and then peddle assiduously! \u2013 a marketable \u2018personality\u2019 for himself or herself. It is thus that the modern culture totally negates also the reality of non-self<\/em>, or \u2018being in God\u2019.<\/p>\n

    Thus we see that the underlying premise of the modern materialistic culture \u2013 based on technology and management \u2013 contradicts all the three existential realities as enunciated by Gautam Buddha.<\/p>\n

    An open-minded individual now faces a big question. Who is right \u2013 Gautam Buddha, or the PR gang of politicians, economists, TV pundits and self-styled fashionistas who dominate the media?<\/p>\n

    Unlike the PR gang, Gautam Buddha urged his listeners to accept his analysis only if it passed the crucial test of their own individual understanding. Unlike them, he had no personal agenda. Although people had faith in him, his analysis and prescription were not to be accepted on faith alone.<\/p>\n

    That crucial caveat also holds true today. An individual must reason carefully through the issues related to impermanence<\/em>, non-self<\/em> and suffering<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Looking around, it appears that one of two possible answers may be reached:<\/p>\n