Thinking CapThinking as
the weapon of survival
Palitha Senanayake
Man is a ‘thinking animal’ and hence the world today is what man
thought what it should be, a few centuries ago. It is due to these
faculties of reasoning in man that mankind has been able to assume
control of affairs in this planet and regulate it the way it wishes. But
having accepted that, the question then is, is the world today the ideal
place the human civilization would have wished it to be?
There is enormous physical development, unimaginable prosperity,
technology beyond belief in this world. Yet simultaneously there is
mayhem, devastation, abject poverty and sheer helplessness in this same
world. It is a bipolar world of ecstasy and agony. But then should
things be so if it is human thinking that brings this about? Should part
of humanity gloat with unbridled consumerism while the rest should
languish for want of basics? Is it because some have been thinking well
while the others have not been able to think just as well?
Scientific investigators, often in the teeth of ignorance, suspicion,
prejudice and even persecution, have, by their laboured thoughts during
the past three centuries, immeasurably increased our knowledge of the
resources and powers that rule this planet. Moreover this knowledge has
been ingeniously and empirically applied in the service of mankind to an
extent where we have now taken the benefits of science for granted.
The irony however is that we have not witnessed progress in the same
scale as in science, when it comes to a host of other social and
economic issues that the world is besotted with. Poverty, internal
strife, and catastrophes have been rampant and what is strange is that
these have never been successfully addressed with the same logic of
reasoning and tenacity.
The important thing to remember of science is that scientists, over
the years have been unflinchingly probing into the ultimate truth in
their chosen sphere. There is no room for conjecture in science and even
a hypothesis will have a limited life. That is to say that there has
been clear and purposeful thinking in science and therein lay its secret
of rapid success. That then explains why science has progressed while
other issues stagnated.
Clear and analytical thinking therefore is the need of the hour if we
are to comprehend the nature of a problem, national or global, with the
view of overcoming it. What then prevents these decision makers from
viewing these issues from a clear and non tendentious perspective? The
answer to that will probably explain the difference between the
scientists and a politician. It is simply that those leaders who can not
solve their own problems are the ones who are incapable of thinking
clearly because they allow prejudices, interests, pathos, and ethos to
bear and cloud their thinking. That is to say that they bringforth the
‘animal’ part of this ‘thinking animal’ into focus.
Just observe these countries that are mired in some problem or the
other; they are led by leaders who are selfish, myopic, whimsical and
petty in their thinking. They just can not see beyond the confine of
their self, family and friends. That then is the difference between some
countries reaching their development goals whereas the others not.
What then of the ‘international problems’ that persist with no end in
sight, such as global warming, arms proliferation and cross boarder
terrorism? Aren’t those clear thinking leaders of advanced countries
capable of solving those for the good of mankind? The irony is that even
these ‘global leaders’ do not stretch the limits of their clear and
analytical thinking beyond the borders of their nations. When it comes
to thinking on international issues they too are prejudiced, suspicious
and tie themselves down with their own vested interests. They think
nationally and act globally whereas the right thing should have been to
think globally and act nationally.
What is even worse is that these ‘international leaders’ are so
obsessed in preserving the current world status quo, that they, with the
enormous power of propaganda, aid and trade at their command, would not
hesitate even to twist the arms of less powerful nations to prevent them
from thinking clearly and acting accordingly.
The recent terrorist problem in Sri Lanka is a cogent example in
sight. They would rather have you in their fold than to let you prosper
and become independent.
Therefore, for all that talk about ‘human civilization’, it is the
law of the jungle that still reigns in the human world.
The difference is that because the humans out-think the others they
have created a concrete jungle for themselves where the weapon of
survival is ‘thinking’. Those who think well and clear would survive and
proper while those who can not, will perish and decay. |