Materialism - bane of modern society ..

How many times we have had the urge to upgrade our car to a bigger, spacious, expensive one, even though the old one is in a good condition (just because a colleague or neighbour bought a new bigger one), how many times we have looked with a covetous eye on our neighbours' house with more spacious, luxurious rooms, how many times we have thought to get more riches, how many time we have thought of migrating to a different country or switch to a new job in search of material pursuits, how many times we have coveted a higher position in our job, higher salary, upgrade our mobile phones to the latest iphone, how many times we thought we should be happier than our neighbours and so on ?? The list is never ending ..

And we shamelessly get more spiritual and religious, (with ulterior materialistic motives, trying to fool the Supreme Power) thinking that is the path to acquire more riches and to retain whatever we have illfully gained ?

How many times have we prayed to God to help our neighbours, give the sick good health, the poor a decent living, safety and security to the aged and so on ? By nature we are very selfish, we pray to God to make our life comfortable, to cure us of our ailments, give us good health and make us happy. Everything is self-centered !

We know of many people among us who in spite of having a peaceful happy life back home, are dissatisfied with their positions and jobs and being greedy to get more riches, would not mind going to the Gulf or permanently migrating to Western countries for material comfort and benefits. The curse of materialism. We never are satisfied with whatever we have. 

The more we covet others property or riches, the more unhappy we will be, leading to many an illness and mental strife. Most of the time when we find a person who wants to get more and more, not satisfied with what he or she has, will go to any extent, even if it means trampling on friends to achieve their selfish goal.

It gives us a sort of detestation to such people. We try to keep off such people, we do not entertain them. A really happy and contented person is one who is satisfied and contented with what he has, not trying to amass more ..

A step further to be more happy is to give away your riches, your material goods, give away your time and give your life to others. I am sure most of us are not yet in that group, we have many earthly goals to achieve too ..

NR Narayana Murthy house, simplicity personified ..

Here are some interesting quotes by great minds who have deliberated on this and have given us these gems. Read and meditate on them. Are you going in the right direction or are you sacrificing your life for never satisfying riches and comfort ? It is a weakness, all of us fall prey to at one time or the other in life. We are not satisfied with what we have, we crave for more and more wealth, riches, name, fame and comfort ..

Gratitude is the mother of all human virtues.(pl click here for my collection of great thoughts and quotes on gratitude). Instead of showing gratitude  for all that we have, we like to flaunt our newly acquired wealth, nouveau riche !! Narayana Murthy, founder Chairman of Infosys, even though he retired as the Chairman of one of India's most successful professionally managed company and is personally worth at least a couple of billion dollars, still stays in his modest old 3 bed room apartment where he initially stayed with his family when Infosys was growing. he could have gone for farmhouses, big mansions, buy lot of real estate and show off. The fact is he is learned and has common sense. It is the silly among us who show off ! Some lessons in simplicity and humility we need to emulate .. Our aim should be to remain humble, down to earth. We should aim to give back to earth more than what we have taken from it.

No time is too late, try to lead a complete life, let us not get carried away by the materialistic world. It is a myth.

george..

Violence breeds more violence !

A meaningful quote from Margaret Mead (1901-78) US cultural anthropologist. (this quote is likely to make all immigrants to United States and other places, from the very first violent ones to the present day selfish individuals, squirm in discomfort !)

Margaret Mead talks of how successful violence glorified and drilled into the minds of youngsters (of the history of US from the days of British settlers' "violent, bloody, gory  and brutal" colonization of North America from its original owners) can in turn make these youngsters believe that only violence can save them from the present unjust and violent predicament too ..

Governments of the world must realise that violence can only breed more deadly violence, it can never breed peace !

Let US and the west look into itself than pointing fingers at other countries and communities !

(An explanation for the continued spiral of hate violence hitting the western world, of late ..)

George ..

Why do western societies bleed so heavily ??

Why do mass killings happen in "so-called" democracies leading to so much of bleeding ? Why are the more populous countries, the world's largest and greatest democracy and third largest economy, India and the greatest single party ruled, authoritarian nation and world's largest economy, China spared of such gruesome violence ?

While the western societies claiming to be scientifically and technologically advanced, take pride that they have been able to understand and contain nature's fury, have totally been at loss to contain the divisive and destructive forces erupting from their own minds, within their own families, homes and societies. Is it any sign of development or on the other hand of degradation ? The second world war when 6,000,000 Jews were exterminated in a matter of six years is the greatest demonstration of this malady ..

The Eastern societies on the other hand, are at pains most of the time, trying to contain nature's fury while they are at peace with the turmoils of their inner self .. Let us not forget the one-off Rwandan genocide where a million Tutsi Rwandans were massacred by the majority Hutu led forces during the thirteen week period from April to mid July in 1994.

Some questions are being raised here that needs attention by the relevant authorities, medical fraternity or psychiatrists ..

1. Are individual rights of the citizens  being transgressed and violated severely in Western societies leaving individuals aggrieved, lacerated, hurt and pained at the treatment meted out to them by society. 

2. Why are not enough opportunities being provided to such disturbed people to help integrate with society ?

3. Why do western societies not have enough opportunities to cater to the spiritual, mental well-being of its citizens while all attention is being made to ensure their material well-being and comfort ?

4. How many more years will western societies take to become mature and grown to understand these failings in their civilizational lifestyle ?

5. Which eastern societal practices, like yoga, can help western societies become more regulated, disciplined and emotionally self-contained ?

6. Why do western societies need to denigrate and deteriorate to such deplorable levels as to make themselves highly susceptible to the dangerous and often fatal repercussions of petty social imbalances ?

The most recent high casualty shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June '16  and the recent mowing in Nice, France, two days back, point to the basic flaw affecting societies in developed western nations. Do we see a new strategy here where future attacks and shootings will be targeted at high density locations to cause maximum damage ?

It does not help attacking symptoms of the malaise affecting society, instead all efforts should be to find the root cause that needs to be addressed with all urgency and sincerity.

Why are western societies looked at suspiciously by immigrants from developing or less developed nations ? Why do some immigrants find integration with their adopted culture difficult ?

Are there no inbuilt societal mechanisms to address such grievances within society and prevent it getting blown up to unmanageable proportions?

The challenge is great and there are lessons from these for all countries of the world on how to guide inclusive growth and development within their boundaries, integrating all sections into mainstream  society.

The four quotes given in this article, mingled with the text, given out by influential individuals in the 20th century highlights

1. the failure of materially advanced societies to integrate all sections of society with itself,
2. unevenness in the perception of privileges and principles meted out to societies and individuals
3. denial of developmental opportunities according to the individual and
4. the unforgiving negative impact of violence, however noble the end is, have great unfathomable impact on peace and well being in society.

The future will be interesting to watch how developed and developing nations respond to these challenges thrown at them.

George

How to walk smartly into old age ..

Active Living

Most of the people living on planet earth who have crossed fifty years of age are all concerned about two things, how to gracefully age and how to be active even into old age.

This morning while waiting for a faculty member at the NS Palya campus of Alliance University, Bangalore, after taking a morning class for the executive MBA students, I met an elderly person, who was enquiring for another faculty member. I casually entered into a conversation with him, enquiring where he was coming from and what is the purpose of  his visiting our University.

Mr. Subramaniam, is a faculty member teaching Finance subjects in Bangalore University colleges on visiting basis and told me that he retired from Life Insurance Corp of India as a Divisional Manager. Causally I asked him what his age was, I was expecting him to say something around 70 and there with a bang he proudly says he is 80 years old !!

I was taken aback !! I asked him how he kept himself so active at this age. His three word reply was, "keeping myself busy !!"

His secret to good health was very simple, just three secrets :

            1. keeping an active and positive mind and body,

            2. practicing yoga on a daily basis and

            3. doing something good for society and young people.              

He told me how he is on the board of at least four NGOs and finds great satisfaction and pleasure in helping the needy, aged and less fortunate people around him.

Keeping oneself busy with a positive life, (no smoking, drinking etc..), philanthropic actions benefiting society, practicing yoga, eating in moderation and trying to teach others Financial Management, he gets great satisfaction in using his talent to enrich the society around him.

Recently I was reading a Harvard Medical School document on how to keep one's mind sharp at any age. I was quite exhilarated to note the following five points from the article, an eye opener, which will help keep our minds sharp at any age.

1. keeping learning at whatever age we are, 

2. using all five senses for our everyday activities, especially learning, 

3. believing in ourself, being completely positive and not allowing small issues to pull us back

4. training the brain to remember important events by means of calendars etc

5. repeating remembering, recollecting and reading what we want to remember or want to know and finally

6. spacing out periods of study to master complicated thoughts or actions, for example writing a document and editing it after some time again, once or twice, will help make the document a rich one. 

I am reminded of my father aged 92 (a B.Com graduate of the 40s from SH College, Thevara, Ernakulam) who even to this day keeps reading The Hindu newspaper in great detail, a practice he started at a very young age. 

Even to this day, when I engage in some conversation with my father, I am delighted to know the authority and command he has on the subject and knowledge in the area. The extra reading and learning is helping him keep young in spirit and thoughts even though he is running 93, has physically reduced his food intake much. He does not smoke nor drink, consumes less non-veg food except for occasional fish, with regular and daily exercises and short noon walks.

Some of my earlier writings on benefits of walking which is a form of mild exercising ..

        Why walking is so healthy 

        Philosophical insights of walking

        Benefits of mild walking 

        A pictorial on the benefits of walking 

In short, 

      1. be positive in thoughts and actions,

      2. engage in some activities benefiting society for example, helping an NGO,

      3. do a little bit of yoga or walking exercises,

      4. control your food intake,

      5. keep your brain active with some reading and writing or even teaching,

all these will make your old age much more healthy, jolly, pleasant and beneficial to the society.

george..

Cow and calf at Nandini, HO, Dairy circle, Bangalore..

I was surprised to see this cow and calf at Nandini, HO, Dairy circle, Bangalore.. So real !!

Green buildings ..

Green building (also known as green construction orsustainable building) refers to both a structure and the using of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout abuilding's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

Interesting Youtube video 

Some details about LEED certification 

Click here for Tata Housing Green initiative ..

LEED projects .. youtube video .. What is LEED and why is it important ..

Nestle supply chain case study weblink ..

MBA Jan batch students Logistics and Supply Chain management subject, pl go thru this case and come prepared for discussion in the class tomorrow morning.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rlK88WtVkC5UnBCG4ss_FisPjVwH2zYw9q2ea5dDJa4/edit?usp=sharing

george..