Contradictions in Modern Society: Balancing Values & Development Goals Amidst Environmental & Health Concerns

Contradictions in Modern Society: Balancing Values & Development Goals Amidst Environmental & Health Concerns

The paradigm that these people have is more or less often in serious contradiction to the norms of moral development.

Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj jiUpdated: Thursday, June 08, 2023, 12:15 AM IST
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Contradictions in Modern Society: Balancing Values & Development Goals Amidst Environmental & Health Concerns | representational picture

We live in a contradictory world, where on one hand some people show a lot of interest in building a value-based society and they talk of strengthening the value system as all of them realise that the present malaise is due to deterioration in the moral standards of society. On the other hand, there are people who talk of scientific and technological development, economic development or rural development. The paradigm that these people have is more or less often in serious contradiction to the norms of moral development. For example, industrial development aims at producing and marketing more and more cars, scooters, jeeps, trucks, etc. and such other things without caring as to what effect it will have on the environment, health of the people and their habits and life-styles, etc. They don’t realise that a large addition of motor vehicles every year would also add to the smoke that is hazardous for the people and it would badly affect the health of the people. 

Similarly, those who are concerned with social welfare, open more charitable hospitals and add more beds without caring as to why more and more diseases are spreading and the number of patients visiting hospitals is increasing. Again, the cities are now expanding and the villages are being transformed into cities. As a result, the agricultural fields are being converted into residential, commercial or industrial buildings. This also is called development. But people do not realise that this raises many problems. 

Not many realise this fact that the majority of our problems come from high growth-rate of population as well. Because as the population goes on increasing enormously, more and more vehicles for transport, houses for residential accommodation, hospitals for treatment, etc. are required. This nullifies all development. People think that a country which has many hospitals, doctors, courts, judges, etc. is a developed country. But they hardly realise that a developed country in real terms, is one where people commit very little or no crime and where a very large number of people are healthy. 

So there is a need for a proper paradigm in which the constituting elements are not in conflict with one another. Presently, the society is based on a paradigm which reeks with inner contradiction. Hence, human-kind now needs a model that is simple, inspiring, uplifting, natural and without any inner conflicts or contradictions. It is the model of a value-based society in which all kinds of development is at its peak and is in harmony with development of other aspects.

The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com

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