Bigger than ourselves
It is easy to believe we are supreme, till we are finally brought to our knees by forces that are more powerful than us. It took a 99-year ‘paati’ to teach me this
“Sometimes you have to shut up, swallow your pride and accept that you’re wrong. It’s not giving up; it’s called growing up.” —Anonymous
From the smallest things in life sometimes stem the greatest learning. One such example is actor-author Kirk Cameron’s new children’s book which will be released shortly, titled ‘Pride Comes Before The Fall’. The book is designed to teach children lessons on how they can live humble lives and avoid being full of false pride. Me, I am sure many of our very own global adults could also learn a thing or two (or three) from this children’s book, for quite a few of them are still living their ageing lives with self-righteous and arrogant mannerisms and hubris, leaving countless others fretting, fuming or plain disgusted, while some are simply frightened.
Why this vein of thought on a new Monday morning, you ask? You have every right to, as do I in penning these thoughts, for all around me I see historical and presentday protagonists headed the way of their ill-fated predecessors. Ironically, it took a 99-year-old ‘paati’ (grandmother) to trigger this chain of thought. Speaking with me just last week, she recounted instances from her own living memory, as she was growing up in the early 20th century, and the horrors and tragedy she witnessed or read about.
‘Paati’ lived through the Great Depression, World War II, India’s own struggle for independence from the British Raj... She saw the advent of global leaders and cult figures rising like the phoenix, causing pain and mayhem through their misplaced sense of pride, and then descending into the depths of misery when destiny eventually caught up with them. I could name Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Hu Jintao, Seyed Ali Khamenei, Muammar al-Qaddafi, Joseph Stalin, Islam Karimov, Idi Amin... It is a long list, and growing.
Democracy is in crisis Worldwide, democracy seems to be in a deep crisis. The values it has followed for centuries—the right to choose leaders through fair elections, freedom of the press and the rule of law—are being battered and are in retreat globally. Well over three decades ago, at the end of the Cold War, it was assumed that absolutism had been vanquished and liberal democracy had finally won the battle of ideology. Today, democracy again finds itself tattered and weakened.
For the 14th consecutive year, according to some reports, countries that suffered democratic setbacks outnumbered those that registered gains. Nations that a decade ago seemed like promising success stories are today sliding into authoritarian rule. Even the military establishments of countries that made their democratic debut barely a decade back, are today shocking the world through their brutal campaigns of ethnic cleansing, thumbing their nose at international criticism and outrage.
Admittedly, one big problem is that the world’s most powerful and oldest democracies are facing problems at home, such as social and economic disparities, fragmentation, terrorist attacks and an influx of refugees from strifehit neighbouring states. Look at almost all of our neighbours; they are all facing this scenario. The situation is the same in the Western World too, with the most powerful of nations with once-booming economies now all but on their knees. To be fair to the world, the COVID-19 pandemic took the wind out of everyone’s sails, crippling economies, gobbling up jobs and playing havoc with budgetary allocations, but it also exposed the absolute lack of global preparedness on the healthcare front.
Not just about politics Why single out only the political class and the world’s leaders? International Corporations and their honchos have been complicit and have for ages supported and funded persecuting global dictators despite their policies and actions. Mutual gain and financial avarice has been at the root of this problem, leading to complete global disparity in financial capabilities between the haves and the have-nots, in turn creating a chasm in our social fabric and society that are now triggering rising incidents of crime, civil unrest and religious divide.
What about the nations that do not have a democratic system in place? I shall not name any nation in particular for we know all the names, just as we know the plight of the people and the masses here. We have senseless and needless military skirmishes and standoffs being witnessed for years now, with the average Joe and Jane completely un-rooted from their daily lives, jobs, families and homes. Entire countries have been devastated and millions of once-affluent people have been turned into refugees, living in abysmal makeshift camps and holding areas on the borders of neighbouring countries.
This problem has been further exacerbated by millions of others illegally migrating into less strife-hit regions, in turn paralyzing the economies, finances and healthcare systems of many erstwhile stable nations. This has also led to repeated instances and reports of armed military action against refugees and their families, leaving thousands dead and maimed around border areas.
AI: New-age disruptor?
If all of the above is not enough to cause alarm and depression, we have a new kid on the block, one that threatens to further uproot the world’s financial and corporate systems, playing havoc with the job and employment markets and leave thousands upon thousands jobless. We are speaking of AI (Artificial Intelligence) — while it may simplify and streamline business processes and practices, leading to greater efficiencies and profitability, it is already posing the risk of becoming ‘super-intelligent’ and leading to the loss of scores of human jobs.
Why is that a bad thing, you ask? Well, consider this — if AI surpasses humanity in general intelligence and becomes ‘super-intelligent’, then it could become difficult or impossible for humans to control machines. Just as the fate of the animals and plant life depends on human understanding and goodwill, so might the fate of humanity depend on the actions of a future ‘super-intelligent’ machine. Remember the Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster movie series ‘Terminator’, where machines take control and threaten human existence itself? Well, for those not in the know, this is already happening now, and Schwarzenegger may be getting too old to come to our rescue this time around.
An anonymous quote resonates with me quite strongly — “I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient; I will get to you shortly.” We are today surrounded by influencers who are anything but apologetic; quite to the contrary, these new-age luminaries are completely dismissive of and nonchalant about the plight of the masses. History shall write about this as well some decades down the line, but our world will be a far lesser place by then.
Those defiant are still so, as are the despots and tyrants. Today, we are pummelling into an isthmus that we shall find rather difficult to get out of. Do we, as a world and a people, understand the dread we are headed toward?