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| Friday, 13 February 2004 |
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Why can't man be more rational? by Chandra Edirisuriya Rationality is the sum total of worldly wisdom expounded by all religious teachers and philosophers, the 'gems' of mankind, who adorn the colourful canvas of human history. It has been the maintay of great civilizations that sprang up from time to time. Gauthama Buddha, Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed, the founders of three major religions have been great rationalists. The Buddha mastered and absorbed the collective wisdom of the ages and bequeathed to humanity an ethical code unsurpassed in value, based on rational thought. Jesus Christ was a social reformer who stood to reason and had to pay the supreme sacrifice for going against the wrong and the irrational. Prophet Mohammed was so rational in his thinking that he wanted the rich among his followers to distribute part of their wealth to the poor. Confucius of China told his followers, 'Do not do unto others what you do not want done unto yourself'. Even if this single principle is respected there wouldn't be crimes in the world. Great philosophers of the world from Socrates to Lord Bertrand Russel in the West and from Manu to Sir Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan in the East advocated rational thinking. It is rational thinking that leads to reasonableness. It is on reasonableness that the good of human society rests. Hinduism based on the Chatur Veda regulates life in this world in an extremely rational and systematic manner. Just as man has developed culture after the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter have been satisfied, the followers of these religions have evolved various beliefs and rituals around them which the founders would never have thought of. So much so it is now sometimes not possible to sift the grain from the chaff. Culture and ritual does not reach the down-trodden, down and out who comprise one half of the earth's population or three fourths who are on the borderline of poverty, not to speak of the close to one third who live in abject poverty. Some of the countries that are out of the global system like Cuba and others like China and Vietnam have made available the basic needs, food, clothing and shelter to all the people. India with all its shortcomings has come neck to neck with China, which has a growth rate of over 8 per cent, with a projected growth rate of 6 or 7 per cent. The only solution for the present ills of our country is for those who govern to think and act rationally. Once the wolf is kept away from every household the other problems will disappear. Economic backwardness is a fertile ground for the divisive forces both ethnic and religious to spread their tentacles across the country. The task of economic development has to be carried out in the most rational way. Those who implement programs of economic development must be free from harmful influences both international and local. It is extremely inappropriate for rulers to engage in private business. In this context, the statement made by R. A. Butler, former Prime Minister of England that a politician who has been in business should not be taken seriously, cannot be easily dismissed. Lee Kwan Yew, former leader of Singapore and elder statesman of Asia, some time ago, passed severe strictures on some of our past leaders as being irrational in thought and action and weak. It also applies to those who have foisted their 'leadership' on unwilling 'followers' and act in the most irrational manner. Rulers of people have been placed in the position of their fathers from time immemorial. They are expected to manage the income of the country in the same manner as the father would, the family purse. Wasteful, unaccounted for and irresponsible expenditure will bring misery upon the children. It is imperative that the ruler acts in the most rational manner in spending what is in the national coffers. A sorry manifestation of irrationality is risky experimentation with projects that involve colossal expenditure like public transport. During British times, both railway and omnibus services were operated with the least burden on government coffers. But now it has come to a pass when both these modes of transportation are in a mess. Several experiments have been done to see how omnibus transport could be done at the least expense and causing the minimum inconvenience to the public. The process is still continuing. Same with the railway. It is said that these experiments are like changing the pillow to cure the headache. But in neighbouring India things have been moving smoothly in the field of public transportation. The difference between rationality and irrationality. The Indian railways are referred to as "the efficient Indian railways". The story is not different in other spheres. So it is of vital importance, if the good of the country is at heart to think and act rationally. To act rationally is to plan well, be farsighted in such planning and to implement such well thought out plans, without fear or favour. It is irrational to commit what is laid down in law and accepted as wrong. This could be called sin in religious terms. To be rational is to be totally honest and to eschew all corrupt practices and bribery. This is an idea well worth aspiring to by all refined human beings. |
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