The Pacificatory Touch

Ejected

The Winter of 2004 saw an unanticipated inaugural trip to India during my final year at King’s College London, taking me out of the mental momentum of years of intense academic study. After decades, being sucked out of this academic pressure cooker in London, where the name of the game was “competition”, whether you wanted it or not, where the big questions were, will you do justice to the educational investment made in you since your primal years? Where will you rank? How quickly will you “make it”? How bright can your achievements shine? The sudden family trip to India was not only unintended, but it was highly unwelcome for me. About to sit final year exams with the highest weighting in the degree, and being a creature of habit, with an affinity to surroundings that exude authority and stability, the prospect of the trip to India for three weeks filled me with anxiety. I had heard of run down living conditions, animals on the streets, and uncertainty on day-to-day basics like hot water supply. This was the last thing I needed as I went into my final semesters. The chaos at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji airport, finding where the driver would be, was not something I was familiar with since my much earlier childhood trips to Africa. Seeing cows on the street side, and indeed on the main road too, wasn’t welcome in my mind, as I wanted stability and predictability at a time I had a lot on my mind. As the days went by, I became attuned to the expectation of food, the possibility that my stomach may get very upset, and the fact the place simply cannot meet my needs. Adopting a practical survival based mindset, I quickly began to count down the days. Without expounding on exactly what happened, subconsciously, there were things I appreciated within the chaos; the level of surrender to circumstance, destiny, whatever one likes to call it, was very evident in the people that lived there. The level of faith people had, which tied simplicity to devotion, found a special place in my subtle consciousness. I didn’t want to be like that, like them, but I valued it, I respected it, and I saw great potential in it.

Sides of London

Returning to the lecture theatres of London, a sense of “this isn’t the only reality” permeated my mind having experienced India for the first time. Quickly getting back into the exam routine, having found a deeper bond with the music I’d listen to, my contemplations were becoming broader on a sub-conscious level. Hurrying to a job offer as a natural progression after completing a masters degree, I found myself on day one in London Bridge after the graduate training programme. Standing outside the office on a brisk, sunny, summer morning in August, I could feel the energy of the City of London in a different form to the “academic London” I had grown so familiar with. Academic London was historic, it comprised vintage old buildings next to  beautiful old churches and towers. The final exams were in the Royal Horticulture Halls in Westminster. Academia had a more benevolent quest for knowledge, and excellence in this quest, it involved study for not necessarily a selfish purpose. The corporate London was different, a profit-driven quest attracted people of a different stature.  My broader contemplations and questions of conscience, weren’t so much at peace in corporate London. Always liking to be punctual, waiting outside the office, catching the atmosphere as the rush hour was about to begin, I felt more and more unease, which made me quite emotional and dejected about joining “corporate London.” We had some fantastic teammates, who really questioned the ethics behind certain things the firm did from a completely blue-sky perspective. “What do you have to say about X?” and as soon as the teammate would get an answer, he would immediately challenge again “Yes, but that doesn’t justify Y, does it?” It was clear that the ethics of business sometimes didn’t add up, especially back then. It reinforced my intuitive feelings, and made me less and less comfortable.

Evolution

I needed to find something in the firm which would bring a “pacificatory” touch to the sharp-edged razor corporate culture that permeated the district. At the LSE, we had begun doing food distributions to the homeless that slept in Lincoln’s Inn Fields just next door to the Supreme Court of Justice. If I could engage in, and even lead collaborations in this space, it would be a concessionary fulfilment of the more contemplative, broader part of my conscience. After meeting some senior folks who saw my enthusiasm as a graduate for making it happen, over the years much was mobilised. Driving it all was truly the need for this pacificatory touch that stemmed from being popped out of the academic pressure cooker, to India in 2004. The mental need to be regularly pulled out of a corporate-serving, impersonal  work environment will vary from individual to individual; their thresholds will be different based on their mental make-up, priorities, what period of life, or phase one is going through, peoples’ understandings of benevolence and balance, and so on. People are willing to engage at different levels, in different ways. Some are only mentally committed but rarely make it happen, whilst some will almost literally discover themselves in such causes beyond the call of domestic corporate duty.  As I spend longer in the corporate environment, more wonderful it is to see when people sincerely commit as seriously to causes beyond themselves, as they do to their work. Great is the feeling of freedom when we help others. Great is the feeling of expression when we put ourselves aside for others who need it. And great is our self-discovery of truly reality when we engage our minds in not putting ourselves in the centre.

Domesticity 

Almost two decades on since the trip to India, and the embezzlement and confusion over whether to even engage with corporate London, having used years of experience in CSR initiatives to try to continually renew commitments to causes that are needed on the part of beneficiaries, but more importantly for the layers of the coming generations since they will be the ones whose consciousness shall shape the world. Towards the end of the Mahabharata, there is a dialogue over the relative merits of renunciation (or giving things up) through higher realisation, or to lead a life of domesticity (continuing the hard grind of daily work life). The conclusion the dialogue leads to is that the merits of domesticity outweigh those of renunciation, whilst not admonishing the role of renunciation. The rationale of this conclusion is that lives of domesticity, provide the lifeblood of society, they provide structure to the lives of people through which they can develop and learn in multiple vocational and spiritual paths. So to continue to stay engaged on all fronts, to excel in what we do, and to keep in mind benevolence in the bigger picture, becomes a prime governing factor in what we do and what we prioritise.

“Leading lives of domesticity and thoroughly devoted to their own duties, they behaved equally towards all creatures and were endued with perfect sincerity. Contentment was theirs.” 

Kapila Muni, Section CCLXX, Shanti Parva, Mahabharata

Nature: The Unrepresented Shelter

The most one-sided equation

On a morning walk today to explore a new part of Singapore, it occurred that whilst there aren’t acres and acres of free land, there is a very rich biodiversity in the tranches of land that are guarded and kept as nature would have it. Singapore ranks number 1 in the world on the MIT Green View Index, which is a measure of tree concentration. It’s name as the Garden City certainly something it continues to live up to. ~50% of Singapore is “green” in the sense of being trees, lakes or other greenery. On the walking path today I saw a complete cross-section of the two, one moment in depths of nature with aquatic animals and lizards, and within just ten minutes, back in the typical concrete urban set up. Singapore is a good, or great example of how a City should have its “nature v man-made” ratio managed. Who sets the ratio? Who bargains? Who are the actors, or stakeholders? Well, on the one side there is the “non-human” composition of Earth, and the other side is the human. When the human, full of desire and self-serving ambition decides to “go get”, where can they get anything from? Of course, it’s the non-human Earth. Gems, oil, and other natural resources form the bedrock of the “real economy”, and are the means to humans achieving what is in their eyes, their potential. So the ambitious human, needs to get something. If I wanted a building from another human, I can’t simply walk in and own it, I need to bargain. Have I got the credit line? Am I a worthy owner? After this, the owner may or may not decide to let me buy the premises. It comes with a price tag. On walking out of the mangroves this morning, I was reflecting that it should be appreciated that the designers have given a much greater bandwidth for nature that most other places. But who bargained? Did nature name a price? Did nature check the credit line? Or the worthiness of the human race to exploit it like it’s being exploited all over the world? Nature is silent; there will be no protest.

Opinions & Perspectives

Between 1946 and 1958 the United States conducted nuclear testing off an island called Bikini Atoll. They exploded 23 nuclear bombs in the sea, 42.4 TNT of explosive power; this is more than Hiroshima and Nagasaki atom bombs combined. Prior to the tests, the natives living on the island were gathered some for testing. They were told that the work the United States were doing was for furthering the will of God, Jesus Christ. The natives firstly not knowing any better, and secondly being helpless in the midst of US power, just tried to stay as clear as they could, but of course ended up deformed for multiple generations. It was the perspective of the US that US hegemony was the way to go. The other perspectives clearly would have varied, or at least been up for debate. Were these means to stop further aggression from Imperial Japan, and the Nazis, and keep such things at bay? Certainly many “facts” were disclosed at the time to support this. Just as they were before the assassination of Sadam Hussain. Or were these things not absolutely necessary, but things you can do when you have power, just because you can? We’re only discussing this now since the United States revealed under the Clinton administration in the 1990s the secret initiatives they were undertaking since it is part of their rules. If not, we would not even know of this. 

There is no doubt that so-called facts and evidence can be engineered, manipulated, in order to meet specific ends. Lessons from history, and stories of vice and virtue can help illustrate that the recent phenomena of fake news, misinformation, is anything but new; it might be using new tools, but as the Bible says, there is nothing new under the Sun. In the Mahabharata, the devious and deceptive cousins the Kauravas had schemed to send the Pandava brothers to the forest for 12 years, plus one year in disguise, such that if they were recognised in the last year, they would have to go again for 12 years. In the last year, the Kauravas sent an army to a kingdom called Matsya where there was word that the Pandavas were hiding. The elder Kurus who hastily went to support the Kauravas on their request, they wanted to sit on the fence as they didn’t want to openly support the righteous Pandava brothers out of fear of being locally reprimanded, or have their income and support stopped from the kingdom since they were ruling. They had a soft spot for the virtuous Pandavas, but were effectively silenced. When the eldest Kaurava, Prince Duryodhana asked the elders to confirm that if the Pandavas are recognised at this time, then it would mean they would need to be exiled again. Kripa, a priestly teacher said that it is not entirely clear whether identifying them would qualify or not to send them back again. Bhishma, a more outspoken Kuru, said that it was very clear for him that identifying them now was too late as their 13th year is already finished based on the location of the planets. Duryodhana disputed this, claiming that what he says is the truth, simply by virtue of him saying it, although he had no other basis for it. In this way, you have three different views on the “truth”, which were all being contested by different parties. They had different agendas, priorities, and needs. Kripa didn’t want to burn a bridge either side. Duryodhana clearly wanted the kingdom at any expense. The most impartial could be argued to be Bhishma since his opinion was also least likely to be self-serving, but Duryodhana and his team also picked holes in it saying that he is always partial to the Pandavas from the beginning. So there will always be these three things; opinions and perspectives.

Reality is One

On an absolute level, there was a definitive answer to whether the Pandavas had really completed the due term of their exile. There was also a definitive answer to the threat that Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany posed. The issue that clouds these, are agendas, mostly selfish, some ideological, and then on top of this our imperfect ability to see the reality due to the reasons discussed last week on our several shortcomings in perception. The mainstream certainly take full advantage of our somehow inherent inability to perceive truth due to preoccupation with self-interest. Therefore, what we connect with must not be linked to this selfish side of humans. The safestay, is therefore nature. The innocence of the flows of water, the soaring swift birds gliding hundreds of meters high barely visible to the eye, the morning dew simmering in the renewed rays of sunlight. These are our safestays. We must remember that nature didn’t come to the bargaining table, but it is ever-existing. It is deeply connected with us in ways we do not have the perception to understand. Indeed we are made of it, we are part of it, and we would do ourselves well to better understand it. This connection is not serving propaganda, or other self-interests, but is serving our best interests, which are inextricably interwoven with the planet. Coming from this perspective, we will develop opinions that are aligned with the reality, and aligned with truth. 

“In valour Rama is comparable to Vishnu, and in his looks he is attractive like the moon, he equals the Earth in his forgiveness.”

Narada Muni to Sage Valmiki, 1.1.18-19a, Bala Kanda, Book of Youthful Majesties, Ramayana

To Unify or Diversify?

Nature Sports Both

Swathes of leaves a kind of neutral green, of trees of a similar height, with similar branch structures, pivoted at a similar angle all over the mountain side. As each torrent of wind blew, the trees and their leaves moved in synchronicity. A kind of telepathy, creating a beautiful movement along the mountain path. Pleasing to the eyes in a way that penetrated to depths of consciousness, leaving memories that would never fade, but become more sacred. Such was the nature of walks along the path towards Mui Wo, in Lantau. On a different tract of mountain, this time towards Cheung Sha, in the opposite direction, a different dynamic had been laid to play out over the past decades, and perhaps longer. This time tropical palm trees standing high. Below them, a layer of trees that looked almost like slightly taller bushes, sporting the beautiful plumeria flowers of yellow and white hue. In between them, medium sized pineapple trees, with fruits and their spikes. To their left jackfruit trees, with huge sized jackfruits. As the breeze whistled through, the impact on each plant so different. Some remaining resolute and not moving at all, whilst others, the palm trees with their huge leaves swaying in a slow motion. The beauty of the unified, with synchronisation pleasing to the eyes in a matter so different to the diversity of the latter with a range of at least six different types of vegetation that formed the backbone of the landscape. Nature has beauty in standardisation, and a different kind of beauty in diversification. The environment has everything to do with the make-up of it’s composition. If the environment makes it impossible for certain design to coexist, then naturally it will be unified. It is cactus plant that survive and unify in the dry heat of the dessert. Spending time working in Norway, I recall the stretches of coastal conifer forests, a breathtaking sight to behold, but that’s all there was, coastal conifer and very little else. The rich biodiversity in the topics caters for a different standard of diversification once again. Composition is a product of environment. Nature set the precedent, and follows suite by producing the composition.

Respect The Unknown

Familiarity breeds contempt so they say. The opening minutes of bout between two fighters almost invariably consists of a minute or more of “feeling out”, or vetting. Once something is known, attacks can begin. Once strengths and weaknesses are known then they can be exploited by the opponent. It begins with respect, of the unknown. Once things are seemingly known, this opens up the avenue of disrespect. If someone knows your language, your priorities, your habits, your routine, they’re naturally in an easier position to exploit. On a recent visit to Little India, Singapore, I noticed an individual dressed rather scantily, standing in front of the temple though it was closed, with his shoes taken off, and his hands in prayer. He was serious and stout in posture and clearly absorbed despite of the commotion all around. An individuals faith is something that cannot be understood very well, as it is unique and sometimes serious. Singapore is a country that has grasped and accommodated for this aspect holistically by providing places of worship, public holidays to respect these individual needs. If someones faith is causing clear harm to others, as we have seen in France recently, then absolutely this is not the kind of respect we are talking about. We are talking about the natural tendency to respect the unknown. Recently in a wildlife preservation initiative, they had robots observe the behaviour of lions in a semi-controlled compound. The lions reaction to the robot was peculiar. It was cautious, it tested the robot. Was the robot reactive to it? Was the robot going to attack it? Was the robot afraid? There is a natural tendency of living beings to show caution or respect to the things they realise they don’t know so well. This is non-different to the workplace, and global business. In an environment where every single person is different there will be less of a tendency to impose one culture over another, to look down at anothers’ ability to grasp a language or the “in thing.” Appreciating difference creates respect. To believe we are superior is to fall trap to illusion rather than interact with reality. When we say narrow-minded, this means that rather than respect the unknown, to presume you are superior to all aspects of it. The robot could have lethal bullet being discharged from it. The lion must be cautious. Similarly, we may not know what destruction we are causing on a subtle level by disrespecting others we do not know. Ultimately we do not ever harm anyone except ourselves. Imposing superiority complexes on others distorts the extent to which we are in touch with the truth, so it is ultimately those disrespecting that are harmed.

We Decide Our Environment

The Srimad Bhagavatam, the ancient Vedic scripture, in Canto 5 talks of a mountainous region called Jambudvipa, which has dwelling regions for different groups of people, who are segregated in tern by mountains, which it cites are boundaries that would not encourage mixing of different groups. It is not always that diversity was encouraged by the scriptural injunctions, sometimes there was an abundance of diversity in the case of Lord Rama’s army for instance, and everyone worked harmoniously towards the goals set, and other times there was uniformity in the societal structure like where Jambudvipa separates the various varshas, or races, with physical formations or mountains in order to maintain harmony. Like the forest ranges on the Hong Kong mountains, some with trees almost identical for miles, and then others with complete diversity, there is rarely ever a ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer. The composition is determined by the environment. The environment in the case of trees is set by nature, as is the composition given its loom by nature. Whether it be countries, or corporates, or businesses we may be running, the environment is set by the leaders. The example leaders set is key in defining culture. Why? Because we live in a result-orientated world. If someone is capable of getting results, they are respected, and they will be accepted as leaders. If they don’t get results, they won’t lead for so long. This is the law of survival aspect in our psyche; whether consciously or subconsciously, it is something we play by. Leaders therefore need to think about what it is they want to achieve, and how. This will shape the environment, and in tern be a cause for it’s composition. How conscious we are in doing this can vary, and it is in our power to choose this. 

"Existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain, all have Time at their root. Time createth all things, and Time destroyeth all creatures. Time alone is awake when all things are asleep. Time is incapable of being overcome."

Sage Sauti to King Janamejaya, Adi Parva, Mahabharata

Lockdown Reflection: Fools & Angels

"Only fools go where angels fear to tread,” was first written by Alexander Pope over 3 centuries ago in his famous Essay on Criticism. The current backdrop of the pandemic paints an ill picture of so-called, and self-proclaimed progressive civilisation. Indeed for all the feats of the past centuries, it is staggering that a grinding halt can be called by something that is approximately 120 nanometers wide in diameter. To give some meaning to this, the diameter of a human hair is 75,000 nanometers. Nitrogen dioxide, one of the harmful gases contributing to poor air quality, dropped by 10% per week between late January to mid March. In a world full of propaganda & disinformation, much defaults to what we can see and feel tangibly. The skies have been clearer, the air fresher during periods of limited mobility for business and industry. The lessons for leaders are now clearer than ever if we are to stop going where angels fear to tread.

1. Contemplate
A forcefully imposed slackened pace of many industries has forced free time. Rigor in routine pays dividends. Those who have forsaken lethargy in pursuit of structure will gain. Like progression from school to college and university, the period has given freedom to choose our forms of engagement and productivity. Dependence on group-think and group-motivation wanes, in favor of self-discipline. We will find that when the cameras aren't on us, we will be afforded the mental freedom to do what is natural to us, what is pleasing to us. This will involve confronting both vice and virtue almost inevitably. When force is removed, we will tend do what appeals to us in our most natural form. The so-called constrained state, will bring out what we have been cultivating all this time, and have a longing for. If it is confrontation, we will find that. If it is serenity, we will find that. Seek, and you will find. I recall a conversation with one of my martial arts teachers, when I first started training and would train almost every day. I said to him, I really find it frustrating when I have periods when I can't train for whatever reason. Being a contemplative person, he shared that actually we should be OK whether we train, or do not train. In a scenario where interaction is limited, we will seek the energies that we are after, and we should be more than OK with this. We should savor this time rather than lament during it. It is a window we may never get again. A short window of pause, when access to your deeper nature is more available than ever before for many of us. 

2. Value
There are different grades of evil, different grades of exploitation. The period highlights what has been going on much clearer now that there is a pause. Almost like catching people red-handed. An example best used to illustrate this is one of holidays. Whilst many people like the idea of City breaks, visiting Cities for a glimpse into their vibe, food & history, there is little question over the immense mentally therapeutic aspects of holidays involving the sun, sand, sea, and greenery. Natures paradises are breathtaking, beyond imagination, and completely organic, being dependent not on the opportunistic exploits of human-kind, but on its own accord with its naturally infused function. It is beyond compare, and irreplaceable. The White Rhino being on the brink of extinction for a few years, with only 2 remaining in 2019, is an example of a warning signal. This animal can weigh up to 3.6 tonnes, almost 2 meters high, and up to 4 meters long, it can strike fear into even the King of the Jungle, the lion. Yet, through exploitative practices, and the pursuit of human fantasies, this animal, which we may one day only think of as a figment of our imagination, is bordering extinction. Back to holidays. Industry is largely responsible for shaping the way most humans are forced to live, the routines they need to go through in order to survive. At the top of this human food chain sit people who have some ability to control the direction of humankind. It is not that there is no accountability. Everything that has happened, has happened for a reason. As Bill Murray infamously Tweeted, "Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes that reason is that you're stupid and make bad decisions," somewhat sums up that there's only so much that we can put down to external factors. At some stage, the buck stops with people who decided to create certain things, for certain reasons. It is those very people who are responsible for the destruction of much of the Earth to serve their own ends. It is those very people who would also be enjoying the bounty of nature that the Earth offers on their luxury yatchs, and on their elaborate island getaways. For you to be OK with mass destruction of the very thing that you enjoy, defines the next grade of evil. For us to contemplate, and to then attribute value to these immensely valuable treasures of the Earth at this time, is something that will contribute a tiny part to the hopefully gradual rising pressure to the higher grades of evil to put the breaks on their nefarious dealings.

3. Act
Ultimately contemplation, and affirmations on what we value, should translate into action. Action isn't only concrete steps, but also the mental commitment to higher-level thought. Since higher level thought has the power to change habits, which in turn has a bottom line impact. The more positive sentiment there is towards the Earth, naturally the more benevolent behaviour there will be in relation to it. We must understand the nature of exploitation. What does it mean for us to exploit? Exploitation quite simply means taking advantage. It is leveraging to gain an upper hand on something just because we can. Why? To further our own cause. What is our cause? If it is simply self-centric, then this becomes a pathway to the higher grades of evil if empowered sufficiently. It is not simply about empowering the disempowered. A poor person isn't necessarily noble just because they are poor. As the great Abraham Lincoln said, "Almost all men can stand adversity, but if you really want to test a mans character, give him power." It is about empowering those who will safeguard benevolence towards others and the Earth, and not behave exploitatively of these things. Whilst this is a very opportune time to learn these lessons due to circumstance, in one sense it does not matter if the lessons are not learnt also. This is because there is a universal balance, which auto-corrects situations. In a similar way that market shocks sometimes lead to pricing corrections in stock valuations which might be distorted for the wrong reasons, the universal force acts to re-inforce or re-instate the truth. It is far easier to make the correction ourselves, rather than have this great force of nature make an auto-correct, which can indeed shake the self-proclaimed civilised human race to its core.

"Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people." 

Sri Krishna to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita, 11.32

War, what is it good for?

Spillover

When Motown singer Edwin Starr in 1969 sang the words “War” with the proceeding words being “What is it good for? Absolutely nothing,” there was a huge mounting protest against the Vietnam War and US involvement. The US felt that the communist system threatened the well-being of the world and dominance of democracies and the so-called “free world”, and that this should be rectified. The extent to which they were willing to go to was the loss of innocent life in a far distant land. The sequence was, i) differences, ii) fierce disagreement, iii) threats, and finally, iv) killing. Differences & fierce disagreement are to do with the mental platform. The latter two become the verbal and then physical platforms. If there is not de-escalation a any stage, killing will be the final stage. Generations will then be born with those memories, and they will scar the future. So in one sense, the consequences for escalation sends echoes into the future, for better or worst. When those you harm are disconnected with the cause of disagreement, you know that the measures taken have exceed the trigger. Punishment is not focused on the cause, but ends up overspilling to those not involved, who may be entirely indifferent to the cause of disagreement, or even more ironically even on the same ideological page as the aggressor.

Philosophical outlooks

Many like to make a comparison of the histories of India hailing them as a time of nobility, virtue and truth. Such times must also be understood contextually. The time where Vedic philosophy presided in every part of peoples lives, had many connotations. One of these is the understanding that our essence is eternal; the soul. Therefore, the material body isn’t the be all and end all. This means that our so-called death, doesn’t have as much meaning since we have millions of lives, not just this one. This is a stark contrast to understanding that is held today where most people, behave like this life is the be all end all of existence; even if there is some spiritual understanding present. Indeed Emperor Yudhisthira confirms this in his dialogue with the god Dharma. Dharma asks him, what is he most bewildering phenomenon in this world. To which Yudhisthira replies, it is the fact people whilst seeing that everyone who is born dies, still think unconsciously think and act like they will not die, being so ignorant to impending and inevitable death. So a warrior in that time, who held a firm understanding that there is life beyond this one, may not have been so reluctant to part with their life in the course of their duty in order to do something they believed in. The big question is, how big a “difference, or fierce disagreement”, could lead to conflict that could end their life? Sometimes it was insult of ones wife, other times it was envy of another individuals’ dominance, sometimes it is as simple as one who is taking more space on the road than another and not respecting rank. The Ramayana is effectively a war where millions lost lives on the basis of Sita being captured by Ravana, and Rama reclaiming her.

Innocent life

The official trigger for World War I was also an assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and Franz Ferdinand's wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo, Bosnia. This eventually led to approximately 40 million deaths. The major statistic is “loss of innocent life.” Innocent life is generally regarded as non-military casualties. Military casualties are regarded as not innocent life. When a person decides to dedicate their life to a countries armed forces, they are therefore effectively opening themselves to being labeled as “non-innocent.” They might even have no vested moral, ideological interest or alignment with the country, but they just have it in their nature to engage in combat, and therefore they are labeled as non-innocent. They may be equally separate from the causes of killing from the perspective of the differences, fierce disagreement, and threats, but they end up bearing the killing. This sounds very much like the scenario of the innocent. Therefore, one could argue that even those doing the fighting are also innocent. This is indeed a huge irony and misfortune for all civilisation.

Peace in all respects

After the extent of damage in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War 2, the grave consequences of not being able to de-escalate were clear. People do not live with the understanding that there are multiple lives, they do not find causes that their governments believe in that the public will strongly enough agree with in order to sacrifice their lives. This coupled with the more dire and extensive impact of using chemical, biological and other weapons, means the stake of escalation are far higher than they have been. Doesn’t that mean that leaders have become more tolerant since there is less severe war? Possibly so, but they are also a lot more insecure of their precious lives of enjoyment than kings and queens of the past who throw themselves in the front lines of war to defend what they believed in. Stability and prosperity should certainly be treasured, and the concept of less war than before should also be considered as fortunate. Ideological differences of one group of people who want to live lavish lifestyles over another group that want to do the same, shouldn’t be the deciding factor for millions of peoples’ lives or deaths, and it is a great thing de-escalation has improved since the days of yore. However, societal misaction and cruelty towards harmless and peaceful nature and Earth, also work in a framework of re-balancing. Therefore the historical mass wipeouts whose seeming trigger were petit disagreements in the grand scale of loss of life, may be compensated for by other forms of natural reactions. Therefore peace should be considered introspectively and holistically in our daily living, not just in avoidance of wars.

“The demoniac believe that to gratify the senses is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus until the end of life their anxiety is immeasurable. Bound by a network of hundreds of thousands of desires and absorbed in lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification.”

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16, Verses 11-12

Sporting our Scars

Unique Scars

Some years ago, whilst training Muay Thai, I landed a kick prematurely and I though the opponent was further than he actually was. As a result my first toe hit his body quicker than the ball of my foot which should be the body part making contact. It cracked and broke. Many years on, it still crackles. As anyone who practises sports, and even those who don’t, will know, some injuries lead to our body never “being the same again.” We learn to continue, to grow, and those things become part of us. It is the same with our experiences for better or worse. If each human being was given a unique reference every time they had an experience, and they became the combination of all their experiences, we would be ridiculously unique. We are shaped to be super unique with all our scars and imperfections, combining to make us who we are. In one sense, we alone are in our driving seat. Sometimes our car is on clear stretches of motorway, with clear blue skies, and sometimes it is in muddy terrains and we are going at excessive speeds with mud splattered all over our windscreens. The wipers aren’t working well, and we have to make do with the minimal visibility we have. Sometimes we get stuck in the mud, and have to get ourselves out. Sometimes we will be on dynamic courses, taking beautiful turns, sliding around, taking corners, and enjoying our ride. Everyone is at a different stage on their own routes. Some will never experience the same or similar terrains as someone else. Some will have the experience of one terrain to use in another. Some will not. Some will have different experiences to bring. 

Obsession with Possession

When you give a 6-month old child something, their first tendency will be to put it into their mouth. Their view of the world is sometimes that things are interesting, and then they want to put it into their mouth. We are all looking for things we can relate to. This ability to relate comes from false identities we assign every time we do something. For example, if we see someone has an interest in something we do, then we feel more comfortable around them. If the 6-month old baby example was to scale to this, it would be akin to the baby saying to another baby “Oh, very nice, I have also put that toy in my mouth!” The extent to which we identify with those things we “taste” i.e. football teams, places, people, and for that matter anything - this will shape our mental conditioning. This is exactly why therapists look for triggers. What made you feel like this? Then they look to either re-direct memory to alternative thoughts, or to initially remove one from objects that trigger negative thoughts. We unconsciously make many associations, and all of these will shape the experience we have on the next leg of our car journey. 

Beauty & The Sage 

In the Mahabharata, there is a beautiful and insightful story of the grandson of one of the great original 7 sages, Kashyapa. Kashyapa has a son called Vibhandaka. Vibhandaka had a son who was a very strict and devout sage called Rishyasringa. Rishyasringa was indeed the sage that gave the father of Lord Rama, King Dasaratha a potion which led to his wife’s giving birth to Lord Rama and His brothers. Rishyasringa was so devout and strict that the nearby King knew that if this sage resided in his locality, the gods would be more inclined to look favourably upon his kingdom. Part of Rishyasringas strictness and ability to attract the good wishes of the gods was that since birth he had instantly taken to meditation in isolation. He had never been exposed to the opposite sex, and as a result he was innocently unaware of any male-female dynamics, which in turn led to his increased single-pointed focus on his meditation. The king being aware of this, and wanting to lure the sage to his locality thought he could entice him using a woman to attract him to his kingdom. He sent a beautiful girl who was willing to do the task, to lure him. Rishyasringa was alone in his ashram when she arrived, and he greeted her with respect and offered to wash her feet as a gesture of respect to a guest who had journeyed through the mountains to meet. He was still unaware what a female was. She respectfully declined her feet to be washed saying she was not worthy of this, but instead asked if he would embrace her. Not knowing her motivation, he agreed, and it wasn’t very long before they were physically close, and enjoying their time with each other. She then suddenly left, intentionally. He didn’t know what has happened, he had been swept off his feet, and his mind went into turmoil. When his father arrived, he asked what was wrong with him since he looked so morose and downtrodden. He explained to his father how a man came to his place, and he had never seen a man as beautiful. He said he has to find this man and see him again. He described the physical features, and his father then understood the situation and explained it to him. Eventually the sage married another lady, however remained a devout sage. The story illustrates the nature of certain natural attachments that exist in this world. This is an extreme example, however the nature of attachment is that we tend to personalise things. In this story, the beautiful lady existed before the sage knew her, she existed after he met her, and in one sense they had nothing to do with each other. However, he completely personalised the experience at the time, and this “personalisation” gave rise to attachment that caused his severe disappointment. 

We can learn much from nature. Nature is impartial, it just acts as it does. Depending on how we choose to view it - whether we wish to claim it is ours, or to admire its beauty neutrally, this will determine our understanding and emotions linked with nature. Nature is in one sense the ultimate backstop we have. Nature is extremely pervasive, extremely powerful, and extremely patient. Nature has its own sense of time, it isn’t rushed by anyone, it just is, and acts according to its constitutional properties. If we apply a vision which is characterised by this objectivity, removal of self-claim, and appreciative neutrality to situations and experiences in this world, it is likely we will learn more and deepen our real understanding of things.

"Peace attendeth in all respects." 

Narada Muni responding to the gods regarding his welfare, Mahabharata, Section LIV, Nalopakhyana Parva, Vana Parva

Concealing Brilliance

 The Baby Leaf

The ongoing debate over destiny over effort is always an intriguing one; to what extent can we shape outcomes, personalities, events, and on the other hand to what extent are these innate, pre-programmed, with minimal room to maneuver. As the information age continues to deepen, learning sources continue to increase, which can be useful. It can also be dangerous as the sources of information can be flawed. Nature however, is a timeless and perfect teacher, it is self-evident reflects an unquestionable sense reality. In the juncture between winter and spring natures spectacles can be so beautiful. Trees whose leaves had fallen, whose bark had become dark and tainted, unbelievably begin to show signs of life.  One tree around 30 feet high, towering and with some glimpses of green at the top, however nothing lower down, exhibiting a very dry crusty bark in its trunk stood out. In between the puzzle-like lockings of bark, a fresh green leaf around 2 inches long struck in huge contrast to the faded darkish tone brown. The leaf was part of a twig, which was fairly robust and there were other small leaves about to sprout also. In an unlikely position, the leaf was beginning to blossom to an eye-catching level.

Revelations of Time

Back in the office, in the lead up to the forthcoming Indian elections, a number of Banks are hosting sharing sessions with officials to give an idea of forecast, outlooks and insights on expectations and impacts. Receiving a request, I made the relevant connections back with the Consul-General in Hong Kong on the topic and connected with our India heads. Within no time, contacts were shared to the extent of “here’s the details, feel free to reach out.” We had a task, we wanted to get it done, and we went about it. It was refreshing. It is Asia, it’s growing and there is ample opportunity for those who want to take it. Market saturation is an interesting stage in the cycle. In places where there are too few spaces, and too many takers, a culture of protectionism, lack of confidence in ability, and greed can lead to people not sharing openly, owning relationships due to the risk of being exploited by others. The case to share and not to share can be argued quite easily. Either way, it isn’t optimal, because the situation is not of abundance but saturation. The saving grace is, brilliance will find a way to shine. In the story of Genghis Khan, whose Mongolian Empire was famous or infamous for having conquered in the Asian subcontinent more than any group until his, the beginnings are very telling of this principle. As a small child, in an environment where invasions and consolidation of villages, towns, and countries were a commonplace, Khan’s family was killed in front of his eyes. In one depiction of the scene, there is an ancient Chinese quote which describes how one should not take advantage with a baby tiger for when they grow older, nothing will be able to stand in its way. The extent of Genghis Khan’s vengeance was unprecedented, he could not be held back with anything that generation and a few more, could come up with. Similarly we see leaders who have experienced bad treatment, they have emerged through many tussles and turn to be victorious in what their nature and ambition led to them doing over time. In this way, time and consistency in outlook will prove over time the extent to which our resolve is fixed.

Brilliance Can’t Hide

In the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic, there is a description of the Pandava brothers who were heirs to the throne. They were ousted by their cousin brothers the Kauravas from the kingdom on a number of occasions, due to ambition to sit on the throne. Dressed not in royal clothing, but in simple cloth with matted hair in locks, the Pandava brothers were enroute to a royal ceremony, and tried to stop by the banks of the River Ganges, the celestial being who was bathing there stopped them saying that they are not royalty, nor celestial, and therefore had not right to share the waters with him and his consorts. Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers refuted and said the waters didn’t belong to the celestial and therefore he will bath in them. The celestial quickly became angered and picking up his weapon charged at Arjuna. Arjuna quickly dispatched of him in an embarrassing fashion. Later in the same journey, a King approached the large-framed brothers and said whilst they are trying to disguise themselves, it is self-evident that they are extremely powerful and of an entirely different constitution to even the average Kings in the area. The Pandavas worked tirelessly, continued to refine their skills, meeting new teachers and acquiring more celestial weapons. They did not rely on their destiny and natural constitution alone. But it did play a part. Growth requires effort, the same way the leaf from the bark required nutrients, and resilience in order to grow, however it’s growth was inevitable. If we pay attention, there is certainly in our journeys understanding this perpetual interwoven relationship and reconciliation of effort and destiny in this world. Ultimately, reality, including brilliance of mediocrity will not be able to hide for long.

"Whether it be night, day or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the sides of the Himalayas, and this river? O ranger of the skies, whether the stomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no special time for anybody to come to the Ganges. As regards ourselves, endued with might, we care not when we disturb thee." Arjuna to the celestial Angaraparna, Chaitraratha Parva, Mahabharata

Fake Plastic Teeth

Growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s there were a number of Bollywood films that even a person without much inclination in new age Bollywood, would not be able to get away from. Bollywood especially then, was quite “in-your-face”. However, one of the actors with a slightly more “tucked away” demeanor was Amir Khan. I don’t recall too much about him, other than the songs! And that films with him in them would appeal more than the likes of Salman Khan and Co. There are always back-stories and controversies that people will entertain about famous people, and I’ve also heard some about Amir Khan and how despite what he shows in the public eye, that his integrity is compromised due to scandals etc. I would prefer to either i) Give him the benefit of doubt, going with the “nobody is perfect” mentality, and/or ii) Try to see the good in what he does. One teacher mentioned that if you wanted to criticize the moon which shines so brightly in the sky, one can also say it has so many marks and craters, ignoring the fact it illuminates the night sky so beautifully. So with that context about Amir Khan set, my wife and I one evening rushed to the cinema thinking we would be in time for the showing of a Hollywood film we had planned to see, and instead found ourselves late and needing to choose whether to go home, wait for the next show in an hour, or to watch another film. My wife has a tiny bit more inclination to watch Bollywood films than I do so she suggested we watch a film that happened to be starring Amir Khan. Half-heartedly I agreed, and to my shock we found ourselves in the screen in a room full of only local Hong Kong and Chinese people from what I could see. My initial reaction was, maybe like us there was a mishap and they somehow think that this might be a good film. A few minutes in I could see that they were quite captured and following the story well despite of it being in Hindi with Chinese subtitles. They were also following the humour with great enthusiasm. I then thought maybe they actually like Bollywood films, but was kind of confused given there isn’t the greatest amount of cultural diversity in many Asian countries as compared to the West at least. Later I learnt that Amir Khan has a huge following in China and Hong Kong. It made sense, Asian culture tends, compared to Western culture at least, in general, to be a little less in-your-face “rah rah”. And Amir Khan has tended to be an actor that “could” appeal to such an audience. He’s generally been into films that highlight social issues, injustice, etc and this could resonate here. The Vedas talk about the principle of svajati, or likeness – this means we will tend to resonate with things that are like us, emotions that we relate to, behaviours we display ourselves, and so on. The principle of likeness however doesn’t mean things have to be exactly the same. It also considers how well behaviours complement each other even if they are not the same. If we study this, we will understand relationships around us; how commonality in certain aspect will lead to more “stickiness” and group dynamics that may otherwise confuse us. As much as we like to think we are in a progressive era where there is equality etc, we aren’t. Human beings are certainly a form of animal; and no number of robots or artificial intelligence will change this.

Amir Khan along with his co-stars for the wrestling film Dangal based on real-life story about a girl who medaled at the Sydney Olympic games, had to go through a grueling training regime to fit the various characters they played. Amir Khan who directed the film, had to play a young character and then the older version in the film. As a national level Indian wrestler this required him to gain and shed a staggering 22kg. So after this news, India and the Bollywood followers all over the world were going crazy about this weight fluctuation and the heavier and/or unhealthier people were using this as motivation to ask how long it took him to gain and lose 22kg. 9 times out of 10 when people ask this kind of question they ask it with a mentality to compare it to how hard they would find it. After seeing the videos of his training, the discipline it took etc, an American fitness expert broke it down. He explained how Amir Khan was extremely fit before gaining the weight, he gained it in a structured way, and lost it in a structured way. For most people who read the numbers, they are not at the level of fitness of Amir Khan. The other cast who were his daughters in the film had an even great amount to do in terms of making themselves look like professional world class wrestlers in the film. They had various national coaches, as well as Olympian Sushil Kumar help them train. Indeed the lead actress broke her bones during training for the film. Training to look good and training for combat are two different things. There are many world class fighters who don’t look particularly muscular or attractive in the terms of being super well-defined etc, which the media and society try to advocate. Having a beach body vs having a combat body may well have some overlaps but there is a clear difference in focus. Many animals who are kept in captivity away from their natural wild habitat, cannot survive when released since they do not work with the natural ecosystem that leads to sharpening of skills they are born to develop. The tigers in the zoo look ferocious on the outside, but when released into the wild they are far less likely to survive than those who have been hunting, defending and surviving their entire lives. A human being is made not only for fighting, but cultivation of meaningful intellect. When the mind and body is actively channeled then we can argue that we are robust human beings who are in touch with their ecosystem. Otherwise like the tiger in the zoo, the look and feel will resemble “the real thing” like the beach bodies, but reality itself is able to tell that all that glitters is not gold.

Amir Khan’s ability to dip in and out of “fat” or weight is a testament to a mental strength that comes from practice and experience, and his inclination to highlight social issues to do with injustice show his desire to expand his intellect and use his abilities to try to make a change for the better. Georges St Pierre, of the best mixed martial artists, and a true gentleman said that what comes out under pressure will be what you practice – not something else. One who likes only to enjoy, misses out on the liberating detachment that comes from finding joy in the process and not being so anxious over results; which is a mentality that in its irony attracts the best results.

The Hidden Whisper

Entitlement

For the first time, I’ve found myself living at the very end of a train line. Naturally one of the attractions is that there’s a good probability you will be able to get a seat, even in the rush hour. Indeed some people will even miss a train if it means they can be in the front of the queue for the next one where they will guaranteed be able to get a seat. Observing peoples behaviour on trains is always fascinating. Levels of irritability, entitlement, lack of consideration for others, and management of personal space are amongst the most common issues. In the train we often experience greater levels of physical proximity than is normal throughout the day. On the train the rush hour, you are physically much closer to people you don’t even know, than you probably have ever been with your work boss or colleagues who you spend all day with. It therefore makes for a very interesting set of psychological dynamics. A lot of this article is based on assumptions which may or may not be true, but it is how I see the situation. “Entitlement” is responsible for most of the conflicts in the world. Land ownership, entitlement to bigger bonuses, access to more rights, etc are at the crux of most tension in the world. So back to the train scenario, is it natural for people who get on the train first to feel a sense of entitlement and right to a seat more so than someone getting on the train for just a couple of stops?  If someone has waited for 3 trains in order for them to get a seat, do they then feel a greater sense of entitlement? If a person who works for the MTR and is a train driver gets on the train, should they feel a greater sense of entitlement? Should locals over tourists or foreigners feel a greater sense of entitlement to the things in their country? Whatever the case may be, this sense of entitlement is probably the most common cause of serious conflicts in the world. The challenges of the world are more often than not up-scaled versions of micro-challenges that we all face every day. The feeling of entitlement to a seat is the same feeling in essence as the cause of most wars. In Britain, there was recently a documentary about how migrants are 10 times more hard working than locals. This is leading to their being more successful, and over time I believe will have a bearing in the countries distribution of wealth like it has done for decades. This creates more challenges around entitlement. Is something yours through birth-right, or through hard work? All very controversial questions that will trigger sentiment in a lot of people. It is indeed the same sentiment that is responsible for much of the political flavour in the past years, and there’s no reason to believe why it won’t be going forward either. On the other hand, times are changing at the top and in successful people in their empathy and outlooks on the world. There are some strong and positive role models who are following a more open manner of leadership with humility, as we can see from some of the UK’s royal family.

Beauty of Humility

The problem with powerful positions is that they fuel the entitlement complex. Hard work whilst also an essential ingredient in building substance, can also give rise to entitlement. It is unfortunate that those ingredients required for greatness can also so easily give rise to this damaging complex. How this entitlement-complex is managed is down to character. If a person is humble and empathetic by nature then they will not like the entitlement-complex, and will continue to be humble even in external success. However, if a person starts to believe their own hype, then it can easily give rise to the entitlement-complex and more so as they become more successful externally. The internal vs external success factors are therefore different. There is a story that Alexander the Great appointed an advisor who would whisper to him constantly throughout the day “You are Mortal. You are just a Man. You are Mortal. You are just a Man.” This was to help Alexander the Great manage his entitlement-complex. Unfortunately most people aspiring to be great don’t want this whisper, however if we live in reality then the whisper will be most welcome. The reality is that if we don’t play back this whisper, then the laws of nature will. In a world of so many differences, the greatest undisputed commonality is that of our human mortality. Therefore, instead of focusing on our greatness as a goal for ourselves, we can indeed pursue greatness for the betterment of others, in a spirit of giving whilst knowing the reality that our existence in this world is far more futile than we care to accept. This is indeed why children are the most inspiring people in terms of internal attitude; their absorption in the moment rather than the result of greatness for themselves, is commonly the focus. Before schooling etc, this is their natural mindset. To pursue results in a spirit of living in the moment is far more conducive to a healthy mental state that contributes positively to society and those around us, than to continually hanker for that which we do not have or own.  

Humility is therefore the most beautiful jewel in any Throne of Success.

Fame, Leadership & Incentives: giving the dog a bone

When back in the UK, I had time to people-watch more than usual. Once when I was in a park, I was watching a dog owner with a short piece of bark, waving it in the air, pretending to throw it. The dog jumped up in harmony with the direction of the bark, trying to do its best to anticipate the direction it was being thrown in. The dog was swaying majestically, sometimes mid-air, its eyes fixed on the bark. When the bark was thrown, the dog at full pace, athletically built, ran, caught the bark, and bought it back to its owner. In the same park, I later went to feed the pigeons, and ducks. From being on one side of the pond, or perched on one tree, they would selectively gravitate towards where the food was being distributed. After they had enough, they stopped moving in that direction, and continued their activities.

 

At the airport, we often see a section of shelves full of books on business, economics and self-development etc; mega-trends for even the next 20, 30, 40 years sometimes. People are often hungrily looking for ways to fulfil their incentives. Whether this is to become President of a country, or in the form of money. The swaying of the dog, is called understanding the market, the running is called execution. The recent corporate scandals, continue to amaze many. However, even as mature as adults seem, their behaviours are extremely comparable, often times the same, as animals and children; although manifested in a slightly different way. Yet humans have a big superiority complex, and tend to put ourselves at the front of the queue in terms of what the Earth provides for example.

Recently when teaching children, I’ve found it important to recognise when others are ready to lead. This is important on many accounts; including for growth and encouragement of the individual; and helping pass knowledge. Sometimes we see when people are handed responsibility, the ego kicks in quickly, and their lack of ability to maintain a balanced and selfless consciousness, results in various forms of abuse of power. If leaders incentivise shows of power and fame over and above valuing human values such as humility, truthfulness and compassion; we will have a fast growing momentum going in the wrong and a very dangerous direction. In such scenario, there may be much success also, but it will tend to come at a steep price either now or in the future. It is better to sacrifice such success if there is little confidence in the current values, and ensure that fundamental values are secured and maintained. Then success will come with meaning and depth, attractiveness, inclusion, substance, and longevity. Jumping up and down at incentives that are flashed at us on a daily basis, without ensuring human values are first and foremost prioritised, doesn’t show a trajectory to fulfilling the potential and values that human minds and brains have been designed for.

“Wasting time is one thing, but wasting your life is another thing.”

His Grace Chaitanya Charan Das

 

 

Irony of the Island

“Leave, leave, leave” is what I heard at the train station this morning overhearing a conversation of a few people on their way to work. How to make a decision which is right not only for the now, but for generations to come? What will safeguard our own, and also broader interests of the world. As Boris Johnson put it, this is our ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to put our future in our own hands. In whose hands? There is clearly no silver bullet when it comes to governing a country. If the UK leaves the EU, the business world is already warning of tip over into a ‘technical recession’. Whether this is founded or not is under debate, and how it would automatically cause a recession is also to be seen. On the economic front, whether businesses and the nation would be able to agree multiple bilateral trade terms with foreign counterparts as easily, is the primary determinant. The ‘EU Passport’ which the UK holds and now many UK branches of banks use as the basis of having a European HQ in London, may or may not be available as easily. Either way, work would need to be done on the part of businesses to plan for this should the UK leave; and arguably should have been researched to the full extent in order to give the voters a definitive view on impact and not a speculative one. It isn’t something they want to do for understandable reasons; capital is low, another feasibility analysis which doesn’t lead to profits, may not be so appealing. The claims that the sterling will drop by 15-30% in value if we leave, again is an estimate; the basis for which is yet to be made clear. Savings made from less regulation, and less payments to fund other parts of the EU have been cited by the leave camp also. The UK has coped relatively well with terrorism given threats vs incidents, therefore anything that may affect the way we are kept secure, scares the average person and understandably so. Are there any ‘un-mitigatable’ security threats arising from leaving? The UK’s membership of NATO and the UN secure a baseline of involvement and intelligence, and agencies would have to ensure continuity of the current measures in order to mitigate. Is this impossible? Probably not. Immigration is the largest topic for many voters, and its impact on social security, healthcare and so on has been large of late. It’s clear given the current economic condition, various kinds of inefficiencies in public services, that large numbers of the types of migration we have experienced are difficult to justify.

 

Economics v Politics

 The EU has its roots in the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and then the European Economic Area (EEA) in the 1950s. Before we knew it, human rights, justice, and freedom think-tanks on a supranational level were in place, and regulations ratified in those domains. There are almost ½ a million EU bureaucrats employed. Essentially no aspect of a country is entirely managed out of Brussels, and highly likely never will be. Nor do they go out on peace missions like NATO or the UN. What have these ½ million people been doing? Facilitating the trade, which they say the EU is responsible for? Trade between nations has been happening perfectly well for millennia. Human desire for control is so strong that where there is avenue for it, it will generally be taken. Children, when in an active state of mind, if they have a toy rattled, they may likely try to clasp it with their hands. If you move the toy they may try to follow your hands again, until ultimately you hand over the toy. Once the child has the toy, they may start waving it around, look at it and analyse it, or just start playing with it. For a kid to just sit there and let the toy be, may not be so normal. The reality as history often has shown is that people prefer personal legacy over pragmatism. The mentality that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, often doesn’t prevail, and people want to do things to leave behind their own legacy can also come into play.

 

 

Responsibility

In a team sport such as football, a loss is often difficult to attribute to an individual. Therefore exacting lessons may be more challenging. The smaller the team, the easier it is to identify where the shortcomings were, and with an individual sport, it is yet easier to identify individual actions which led to defeat. Being part of the EU and having directives driven by a central body, has given the avenue to place blame and say certain rules are out of the UK’s hands due to majority voting. Leaving the EU would firmly place responsibility back to the UK government. Making decisions on issues such as immigration may be easier. Regulating a competitive financial market, and controlling it may be easier. Realistically, the world is still suffering from the financial crisis that dates back before 2008. An economy where the only indicator on the rise is house prices, and everything else going down, is not promising, nor easy to manage. The number of double edged swords increase in such a situation, and it is unfortunately something symptomatic of irresponsible behaviour that creates a cyclical effect. Taking responsibility would mean to be extremely bold, weed out the root causes, not be afraid to address them, and uncompromisingly progress towards eliminating them and replacing them with sustainable processes that don’t give rise to high volatility cycles as we have seen, in a way that is entirely transparent.

 

Truth

 The issue with doing the above is that politicians are often more concerned with their own beliefs, success, and well-being rather than the objective, collective good. I recently came across a note between a spiritual teacher and his students where the teacher was outlining what was important to him. He said “truth.” There are many aspects of ‘the truth’. Truth means what is reality in terms of our position or situation, our strengths, and our weaknesses. There are a few obstacles that result in a blurring of the truth. These are i) people’s self driven agendas, ii) the willingness to go to great lengths to secure these. We have seen many campaigns where statistics have been selected, moulded and presented to back up particular bias points of view on either side of the campaign. Where both parties have such strong personal motivations, they will not care for the audience and what situation they are put in by having contradictory sets of information put in front of them. When own agendas are on the line, the primary concern is the motivations of the politicians, and not those who they are supposed to protect and govern. Bhishmadeva, the great ancient warrior said in his treaties on leadership that a King should know his subjects like a mother knows a child. There is supposed to be care for the children. In this presentation of data which is incorrect, contradictory, and just serving agendas, care is the last thing on their minds. At any stage, it is never too late to salvage something. However, the first step to turning a situation around is to take stock of the truth. Telling one lie, requires more lies. If the truth is then systemically lost, it becomes very difficult, and sometimes even undesirable for those benefitting, to disclose it. We hope that voters will be able to decipher what is being presented, and diligently weigh this up in order to make an informed decision free from bias views.