Failure of Modern Society-2 (Majority / Minority Syndrome)

There are both national and international minorities. In the international situation there are powerful majorities – the Big Three, the Big Four or the Big Five and numerous smaller nations, demanding equal rights, equal votes and equal position. These smaller nations are afraid of the more powerful nations and of their ability to enforce their will. They are afraid of exploitation by some powerful nation or amalgamation of nations, distrustful of favors and support because of future claimed indebtedness, and unable to enforce their will or express their desires because of military weakness and political impotence. You have, therefore, in the world today great and influential nations such as the U.S.S.R., the British Commonwealth of Nations and the United States of America; you have also powers which have been great and then forfeited all right to recognition; you have other powers, such as France and Spain, who are secondary in influence, but resent it greatly, and finally many small nations each with its own individual life, civilization and culture. All of these without exception are characterized by a spirit of nationalism, by a determination to hold on to what is or has been their own at any cost, and all possessing an historical past and local tradition which condition their thinking; all have their own developed or developing culture and all are bound together by what we call modern civilization. It is a civilization at present founded on materialism and one [92] which has signally failed to instill into men a true sense of values – the values which alone can bind humanity together and bring to an end the great heresy of separateness.

All these nations, great and small, have suffered cruelly during the years of war (1914-1945) and are doomed still to suffer through the years of immediate adjustment. Some have suffered more than others and have the opportunity to demonstrate a resultant purification, if they so choose. Others chose an easy way during the war and abstained from taking sides, losing thereby a great spiritual opportunity, based upon the principle of sharing; they will need to learn the lessons of pain in other ways and more slowly; nations in the western hemisphere have not suffered in any acute manner, for their territories have been spared, and their civilian populations have lived in comfort, ease and plenty; they too have lost something and will also need to learn in other ways humanity’s great lesson of identification and non-separateness.

Great and small today face a new world; great and small have lost faith in the old ways, and few really wish to see the old manner of life restored; all the nations, great and small, are fighting diplomatically, politically and economically for all they can get for themselves; distrust and criticism are widespread; there is no true sense of security, especially among the minorities. Some of the great nations, with a sound realization that there is no peace for the world unless there is justice for all, are struggling to create an organization which will give place and opportunity to all nations but their efforts are largely based on a selfish common sense; they are founded also upon the knowledge that material security and a sufficiency of material supplies must be the result of a compromise between that which has been and the – as yet – impossible vision of the [93] idealist. Their objectives, however, are still material, physical and tangible and are presented idealistically but with selfish motives. This is, however, a great step forward. The ideal is universally recognized even if it remains as yet a dream.

As we face the world picture today, we must see it in its true colors and must realize that if the best possible steps, spiritual and material, were to be taken for the smallest and least important of the minorities, it would create a situation which would completely reverse world politics and usher in an entirely new and more enlightened cultural and civilized age. This, however, is not likely to happen; so close are the interlocking selfish interests that the use of a system of perfect justice and fairness in any one case would upset major material interests, infringe the so-called rights of powerful nations, encroach on settled boundaries and outrage powerful groups even in most distant lands.

By: Sami Saeed

Is USA the Poorest Country in the World ?

A glance of the report, recently published by the UNO about refugees held by different countries at the end of 2013, reveals that Pakistan is the richest country in the world and USA is the poorest even poorer than Ethiopia.

Or in other words, the people of Pakistan are the most open-hearted and courteous of the all nations living on this planet called Earth.

Who Says Muslim Women in Pakistan are Docile ?

Two women officers, who have emerged as superstars in the otherwise pliant and evasive bureaucracy, have made a hell of a difference in Punjab because of their bold and resolute commitment. They fear none and lay hands on the high and mighty in the business world, who are otherwise untouchables as they are well-connected and have overbearing customers to entertain.

Of the two Aishas, Aisha Mumtaz, Director, Operations of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), has outshined, and is continuing to earn kudos from all and sundry. She has been aptly described by some as a ‘dhabang’ (powerful) officer. Her daily raids and actions awfully lay bare what kind of confectionary and bakery items and overall food produced by even top class hotels and meat we are consuming. Her detections expose the repulsive and heartless minds, knowing no norms but greed. Her practical drive has established beyond an iota of doubt that the food industry is thoroughly adulterated and contaminated and even poisoned in some cases.

She has given a lie to the notion that women are docile and can’t act decisively or deliver when given tough assignments to deal with influential people. “So far, thousands of raids have been conducted by the PFA; action has been taken against the outlets found to be not following the hygiene standards,” the official said.

The way the apparently down-to-earth lady is performing her duty is akin to a movie scene and not something that is happening in the real world.

The other woman officer, Aisha Ranjha of the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), has also moved determinedly against fashion designers’ outlets, which are visited only by affluent people. What to speak of paying taxes by them, they have not even registered themselves with the PRA. This is not something unusual in a culture of bemoaning all the time over others’ inefficiencies but not doing their bit.

It is being hoped that as Aisha Ranjha will act more. Her actions have also been universally acclaimed.
“Several businesses are earning a lot of profit but not even registered as taxpayers. It is a crime, reflecting the situation of not abiding by the law of the land,” Aisha Ranjha says.

Apart from the excellent work being done by the Aishas, Punjab also tops all the provinces in having the maximum number of women secretaries of ministries. It has six female secretaries while Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have one each. Balochistan has no such officer. The female secretaries posted in Punjab include Umbreen Raza, Special Education; Irum Bokhari, Higher Education; Bushra Aman, Human Rights; Aman Imam, Women Development; Ismat Tahira, Archives; and Saima Saeed, Special Secretary to Governor.

A 33pc quota for women has been allocated in all Punjab government institutions, boards, committees and taskforces, and 25pc in the Punjab Public Service Commission. Daycare centres have been established in educational and government institutions so that married women could leave their children somewhere safe while they work. For the first time, a female has been appointed as ombudswoman. In addition, the quota of female in government jobs has been increased to 15pc from 5pc. Besides, both husband and wife, if they happen to be government servants, are entitled to house rent allowance.

Women’s inheritance rights have been strictly ensured.

Courtesy: The News International

From my diary of July, 1954

“Philosophy can do nothing which religion can not do better than philosophy; and religion can do a great many other things which philosophy can not do at all.” Said Rousseau

پڑھيئے ایک دلچسپ اور معلومات کا حامل بلاگ ” میں کیا ہوں ” پر کلِک کر کہ یا مندرجہ ذیل یو آر ایل براؤزر میں لکھ کر
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Failure of Modern Society-1 (Advancing Science Declined Humanity)

Aided by science and science-based technology, modern humanity has achieved great material success. But scientific findings also suggest that in pursuit of this achievement human society may inadvertently be putting its future at risk. In remaking the earthly environment, modern society has failed to take into account the full significance of resulting changes in the circumstances of life on earth. Assumptions and behaviors that have served humanity for centuries may no longer be appropriate. The capabilities that have enabled modern humanity to attain present levels of civilization may be insufficient to overcome the risks incidental to this achievement. Accelerating advances in science and technology have enabled humans to reshape the world more rapidly than has growth in understanding of the risks as well as the benefits of these advances.

Having abandoned reciprocity with the natural world in pursuit of command over it, modern civilization has broken an ancient covenant with nature. For centuries humans lived within the parameters of nature, benefiting from its beneficence, adapting to its rhythms, and coping with its adversities. Still interfaced with the natural world, modern humanity lives in an invented environment which appears to be developing more rapidly than have human bio-adaptive capabilities. In consequence there has been a growth of stress on the human mind and body, and on traditional assumptions and behaviors.

Although humans have created the artificial environments called “civilization,” their survival is contingent upon living within the natural system from which they evolved. A critical challenge to humanity is to learn how to live in this natural-artificial hybrid environment which it has undertaken to manage.

We cannot foresee how far or for how long humans will (or perhaps can) adapt their bio-psychological endowment to the contrived environment of human invention. Yet humans must accommodate to those forces of nature which cannot be managed beyond managing ourselves.1 Those who formulate policy should recognize that if humans pit themselves against the fundamental dynamics of cosmic nature, they are certain to lose. To the extent that natural systems and processes are adequately understood, humans may continue to “manage” nature (with nature’s cooperation). But Francis Bacon’s dictum continues to hold: “Nature to be commanded must first be obeyed.” Without a strong and governing principle of limits built into public policy, the ingenuity of humans may impel them toward their own demise. Limits hold true for all life-forms and will ultimately constrain the direction of human development. If the present widespread commitment to a sustainable future is realistic, people and policy makers must act upon the axiom that unfettered growth and unrestrained expansion in a finite system leads toward a condition of cul-de-sac which, if irreversible, could result in destruction.2

There is sufficient evidence of serious risk in the present trend of human society to warrant collective inquiry into its causes, its probable consequences, and possible countervailing strategies. If we fully recognized our relative risks and probabilities, as well as our beneficial possibilities, then perhaps we could redirect our collective efforts with greater assurance toward a more sustainable preferred future. It might be argued that war and civil disorder are presently the greatest threats to the human future. One need not minimize their dangers to also recognize that attrition of the Earth’s biosphere and life support systems could continue unobtrusively under conditions of peace until a point at which environmental disintegration led to societal disintegration.

Recent practical examples are the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq where mass massacre of innocent civilian men, women and children including infants was conducted and thousands of them have been maimed by the champions of the modern civilization and self proclaimed saviours of humanity.

By: Sami Saeed