Why wage Energy Wars?

Why wage Energy Wars? End the Work of Evil Wants!

Image: Why wage Energy Wars? @Remigius de Souza

Work expends energy.
 

But to question the two aspects, the Work and the Energy, the logic rarely reaches its inevitable end or to its Death.
 

If all must die, why should not their logic die first or come to an end?
 
Any action or work ― cook, eat, drink, wash, bath, walk, mate, farm, garden, read-write, see TV... make money or artefacts in real or virtual world - consumes energy.
 

Some works are for mental and physical need; some are mere wants, which are transient.
 

Some actions are constructive.
 

The destructive acts too are easily called creative!

Why wage Energy Wars? End the Work of Evil Wants!

  

Mumbai.

(Wed, 07-09-2011)

Related Post: Karma-sannyasi's Self-immersion in Water (Poem)

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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

Many Avatars of Corruption

The Worst Form of Corruption: the Intellectual Corruption of the Elite

1. Congress stalwart hijacked by BJP

Power breeds Corruption; to put it other way: ‘hunger for power (and profit)’ breeds corruption.

Corruption is not limited only to 'cash and kind' as is popularly known or assumed. There is also 'Intellectual Corruption' caused by ideologies – isms, dogmas, religions, colour, race, language, regions, cults, faiths and greed for Power & Profit.

Intellectual Corruption, which is mainly noticed among the elite, is immeasurable form of corruption. History is witness; for example, ‘Holocaust’ in Nazi Germany, in the recent times.

In modern times, of course, the forms and vocabulary in these contexts have changed. For example, goons/mafias/slumlords extort money by terror from the wealthy as well as weaker sections of society.

The Intellectual Corruption of the Elite

While Food, Shelter and Clothing are primary needs of all the living beings, including humans, they are also equipped by Nature with FIVE AUTONOMOUS FUNCTIONS – WORK, LEISURE, HEALTH, LEARNING and PROPAGATION for their sustenance and survival. There is no other authority over these autonomous functions.

However, the civilized societies in general, and now, in modern times the Industrial Civilization, through its tentacles or tools (governments, institutions, legal aids, science, technologies, industry, trade and market) has taken control over these Autonomous Functions, even of the humans, to capitalize for power and profit. These tools encroach upon even in private domains of an individual and the collective.

Civilized Society by its very structure of centralized power of class/caste has the seeds of this corruption from its beginning 5000 years ago. The ruler class/caste collected taxes from the ruled – the weaker classes/castes for their protection, and the clergy class/caste performed worships, sacrifices and offerings on the altar of deity for the salvation after death of the believers — the so-called commoners.

Corruption in the Governments

If the personnel of a democratic government (legislators – ruling and opposition, executives, judiciary, law & order and other dept.), the government undertakings and institutions, planners and experts, during their duties could remember and think that they too are citizens of the nation, much of the burden, e.g., corruption, on the heads of the ‘Other’ citizens will be reduced.

“Constant Surveillance is the Price of Power.” — Alistair MacLean
Unlimited Power — Unlimited Piracy
Antidote: If people want to keep the power in their hands, they must continue to exercise constant surveillance over the governments, at least in the age of democracy.

Corruption starts at the Top rungs of societal organization. It then trickles down, like infamous theory of 'Trickle-Down Economy'.
Therefore, the movement against corruption, also, must start from grassroots – the masses.
Nelson Mandela too started the fight against corruption — the Appertained, which is intellectual corruption — at the bottom, the Masses.

But where is such a charismatic leader like Mandela or Gandhiji, who is ready to go for the personal suffering? Mandela had suggested: ‘study – study – study (the ways of the enemy)’! Who is the enemy in a democratic nation? What about Anti-corruption Law? But who shall enact such a law?

The moral of all the flashing media stories at present 2014 Election Season is: As a saying goes, one may fool many, but one cannot fool all, all the time. Politicians' Hidden Agendas (of ideologies and/or practices) is a known issue. Particularly ryot — India's large majority — cannot be fooled, though silent they may seem. Because they are witness to the ground reality they face daily.

Do the media adequately represent rural population of 833,087,662 persons living in the 638,588 villages, spread over 3,287,240 km2 area (Census 2011)? This large majority compels the power-hungry politicians to run to form alliances.

2. Big, Bigger, Biggest (Image Source: Hindustan Times)

We Indians may be theist, atheist or agnostic. Some may or may not believe in deity-worship, yet we believe in hero-worship, by our mindset of ages. The politicians take advantage of this Indian mindset (See; Illustrations).
In the present election propaganda, BJP or NDA has fielded a prime ministerial candidate; Congress or UPA has fallen for the bet!
Imagine, among 1200 million people there are only two candidates posing themselves to be Prime Ministerial candidates! It reminds us of Team India’s 12 cricket players out of 1200 million citizens!!

None thinks about our democratic setup is for electing a prime minister from the elected MPs; it is not like electing a presidential candidate as in the US. This indeed is a bad precedent, which could lead to a dictatorship of a dogma. This is dangerous for Democracy.

The worst example of Intellectual Corruption 

Human Energy

Industrial Societies monopolize earth's resources that belong to all the living beings that terrorize life on earth. It also colonizes weaker regions. Their modern creed – Science – so far could not discover how to use Seven Billion-plus ‘Human Energy’.
Is elite India following its lessons from the West? This calls for our unbiased introspection.
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NOTES:
Illustration 1- Image Source: Internet
Illustration 2- Image Source; Hindustan Times | READ MORE >> BJP links campaign to Sardar Patel statue | 28 Nov 2013 | Hindustan Times (Mumbai)

Remigius de Souza
Mumbai
09/04/2014

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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

CRITIQUE of CREATIVITY

In Communion with Mother Nature

Constructive Criticism

Mainspring of Creativity 

Creativity: We generally attribute this action to the expressions of various arts. However, the basic force of creativity is only to conserve life. From conception of life to feed a baby and the innumerable actions onwards that follow are the parts of the creativity. Because of our mechanical way of living, we are not conscious; that's all.

Bhill youth playing bamboo flute

Bhills make their bamboo flutes by themselves. Its history indeed goes back to millennia.

2. Ancient bone flute (30,000 yBP)

 The bird bone flute was found (in 2009) by the archaeologists. It has five holes.

Interestingly Bhills too use five holes to their bamboo flutes.

Constructive Criticism

I learnt what may be called constructive criticism/critique from Anand K. Coomaraswamy. It was useful in many ways. Mainly, I left subjective reaction and moved to objective response to any event.

By the study of environment, which is the very foundation of “shelter” or architecture, I could go beyond personal and societal spheres.

My beloved Tukaram has major share in making me understand ecology: “plants vines wildlife (are) our kin”. To understand this mantra, came to help my physical labour and community participation in the fields of paddy - vegetable farming and cooking, mud house building, and cotton spinning and weaving (this under Gandhi's Basic Education) during childhood at my native village.

While learning architecture I came to understand how vary many rooms in buildings are interdependent in their planning. If a room or an element is shifted, changed or removed, the whole schema is affected. Hence it needs reworking.

Tukaram's five words also reveal how environment, ecology and energy (EEE) fields are interlinked. It helps if we meditate on simple looking work such as farming, cooking or shelter etc. to understand how the three – EEE – are interlinked and interdependent in the Nature.

This path is as much abiding and arduous that much joyous. No shortcut. No books. Only field work helps.

AK Coomaraswamy died in 1947 after Independence of India. From this time onward the change that came with British Raj accelerated in India.

The change was taking place in almost every sphere of life at large. It has affected most the majority i.e. agrarian society. Their rehabilitation should have been taken up on priority basis as soon as the British left.

The root cause perhaps is the development in Science and Technology by the turn of the last century in India. It has been taking place all over the world. The west, however, grew along with this change from the rise of Mechanical-Industrial Revolution; while in India it was imposed.

In 65 years we have not grown 'up'; we have only grown 'old', and culturally we tend to respect 'old' age - man or stone.

Indeed the change (which we tend to call 'development' is a misnomer) affected the primary needs: food-shelter-clothing and natural autonomous functions of all living beings: work-leisure-health-learning-propagation, not only in human world, but all living-beings in land-water-air across the world.

When these fundamentals are affected, then what about social, political, religious... blah, blah, blah institutions or Heaven and Hell?

Needs in Wanting Constructive Creativity

When we watch now the TV channels 24/7 throughout year that show us buttery love and marriage stories combined with crime and violence, with innovations aplenty, as if none else exists to entertain us, or rather to Think about.

In Mumbai, for example, about 200-300 movies are produced annually. But at what cost of resources, at what environment-ecology-energy cost, for what except passive entertainment, and for what social ends?

Presently millions of Indian ryot are going through crises of survival facing a billion problems of food, water, work, health, literacy, shelter etc. and scarcity of resources due to lack of equitable distribution. Who is going to answer them? Is it Government, Parliament, a trillion Rupee Bollywood-Tellywood entertainment industry, stock market, or economy?
Only ryot can answer these questions. 

For any planning, project, or progress, 'Ryot is the Means and the goal'.

Constructive Criticism raises the issues or context missed in the schema of any event, not only literary work, and comes up with relevant suggestions in larger interests.

Purpose of Art

Art takes place as self expression at any age or in times. Art has no definition. Civil Society may have put art in many divisions, trends or schools etc., but they are superficial.

One may express self in a spontaneous dance, song, scribble in soil, scratch or draw on a wall, make a clay toy, or tell a tale...

Civil society is fond of divisions, grades, castes or classes and hierarchies. Hence it deviates from the essentials. So let us ignore all that nonsense.

Art as self expression comes from experience of reality and emotions. The reality could be Nature, Natural phenomena, other beings - persons, plants, animals... and experience of emotions out of these relationships.

Art transfers energy created from emotions in a creative work, which arrests Entropy. It could otherwise cause mental or physical malady. Art is not a prerogative of the professional or a class.

Community Participation: Paddy farming in Konkan | Image by Pooja Rani

Farming is not recognised by the elite society, though it uses the canvas of land, works in harmony with the Five Elements, fulfills the mainspring of creative art.

Incidentally, Indian tradition recognized 64 arts, which have been life supportive, for society as well as a person and family. My favourite claim is that Farming is the highest art form, which of course, the high culture of civilized society does not support. This is obvious because of its vested interests in the centralized power rested in higher castes/classes.

Purpose of Science

'Life', too, like ‘Art’, is not defined, not even by sciences, though there are dictionary meanings. We, however, understand what Life is (by death of a being that ends 'it' in an inert matter?).

‘God’ concept possibly came from extreme natural phenomena (in the remote aborigine past) to express their power in graphics and rituals.

Scientists, now, may call it a 'God particle' - whatever they claim to have discovered. It is not Truth. The Mystery of Nature continues to deepen!

Science works with analysis, whereas, Art is synthesis, in the civil society. This division did not exist once upon a time when fire, lever, flute, bow and arrow, pottery etc. were discovered.  Art, science or technology, whatever we may call, then, was for the well-being of the people.

There was a time when art, science and technology were not separated, just as now the line between science and technology is diluted because of vested interests in economy.

Critique of Creativity

Creativity for Everyone

 The true purpose of art, science, technology, other disciplines, and also the institutions is the welfare of, not only people, but also of the ‘Other’ (humans) and all the living-beings and their habitat.

Constructive Critique should be levelled at not only art and its various divisions, but also other disciplines, public and private institutions, at a street level. They should be subjected to the Justice by Peoples' Audit, not by courts of law: Justice is above the laws of the State.

Creativity is a buzzword now. It is applied to, from arts to sciences, warheads, engineering, ET-IT, commerce, politics... Almost everything in one go, which comes under the purview of market and consumerism, whosoever their godfathers are, sitting in their plush boardrooms!

However, the quality of creative object is hardly discerned; whether it is constructive or destructive, keeping in mind the 'Other' humans and all other living-beings and their habitat, their dependence on the natural environment, ecology and energy. Keeping in mind the present fast changing scenario, we cannot remain in our protective shells! Remember Tibet!!

It is crucial to look up at Constructive/Destructive Creativity, not in the compartments made by the so called experts, but in the Holistic way of Mother Nature, where no departments exist.

NOTES:
1. Please see the paragraph - Indian Architectural Terms, Essays in early Indian architecture (Book Review)
2. Image 2, Ancient bone flute (30,000 yBP). Image source: New York Times, Flutes Offer Clues to Stone-Age Music.

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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

Catch ’em young

Creative Imagination of the Market

by Remigius de Souza

Cars and Guns: Catch them young

Cars and Guns – toys at Rs 10/- to Rs 2000/- from roadside stalls to malls!
Cars and Guns – games at cyber cafes / at home PCs at nominal cost!
Create needs wants; Create supplies: These are Market strategies. Take it or leave it.

CREATIVE IMAGINATION of the Indian ad-world now indeed is flourishing with the advent of TV, and more TV channels on the air. But what is food for one may be poison for the other. Now the children are progressively subjected to abuse by making them ad-models, and subjecting them as viewers to induce consumerism, which, of course, is far from right education, if not to pester their pampering parents.

Sophisticated Child labour

After subjecting women to abuse, for example, “Made for each other” (comparing women companions to cigarettes/stubs/butts), now they have targeted the children. A new class of sophisticated child labour is emerging. Recently this trend has gone far beyond, the not-so-famous ad “Mummy, sach kya hota hai?” (Mummy, what is truth?), though it was banned (on protest!).

Even in the First World countries, where the TV was started, there are strict laws against targeting and using the children through advertisements. However this may not be true of First World India [FWI], in the waves of globalisation, market economy, freedom of expression etcetera. There is no sensor board here to nab the TV ads. Our governments and ministries are busy handling internal – external –natural – man-made calamities. But where are the cultural police gone? Who is supposed to intervene on behalf of the children: the parents, families, teachers, or NGOs?

It is known, at their tender age the children are under the burden of formal schooling and no play. They have hardly seen the ‘real’ world. At this stage if they are pushed into the dragnet of ‘virtual’ world in the ‘real’ time, the results may not be far from predictable; that they may be reduced to be robots at the hands of the vested interests that control the powers. The educated busy parents in the First World India may not be ignorant about this, though they may find some relief from the children being engaged in viewing TV etc.

Or, aren’t the people happy enough by the cinema-sports-world superstars farting in the ad-world? Or, who is ultimately paying in reality, at what price, cost, value and benefit, and for whom? Anyone could see the Geobbels’ policy is followed by the capitalist long-term agenda to catch them young.

Once the pluralistic Indian society is now pushed to polarizations, communities to be communal, and families to be nuclear. In such a situation, holistic thinking and action may prove detrimental to self-interests, or so one may think. Hence the matters of control, conflicts, corrections, cure...or care are taken over by – or given up to – various institutions, and the family, community, the collective takes the back seat. Of course the institutions work in their respective compartments. In the vigilant society it should be the other way: the family – community – the collective should take the reins / steering wheel in its hands, and the institutions (GOs / NGOs) to be used as bullocks / wheels, while navigating through any situation.

Remigius de Souza
(18-10-2006)
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© Remigius de Souza. all rights reserved.

Man And Nature (Within And Outside)

The presentation to the paper, "Architecture and Biodiversity in India : A Context to Aesthetics in Our Times", presented to PAITHRUKAM 2004: Seminar/Workshop on Aesthetics in Indian Architecture: Past, Present and Future, at MES College of Architecture, Trissure, Kerala.
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Man And Nature (Within And Outside)

More PowerPoint presentations from Remigius de Souza

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Note: 1. All the references and quotes are not mentioned in the presentation. Also, the permissions of the authors and publishers have not been taken. The author acknowledges their copyright. These are used purely for the academic purpose.

2. The paper is also published in 3 parts: 1 Garden under a Glass Cage, 2 Built Environment and Biodiversity, 3 But who will bell the Cat - the Bureaucrats?

Remigius de Souza

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© Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved

Indian Farmers' Woes and Joys

Key Word: Art, Farming (i.e. Agriculture, Aquaculture and Horticulture (forestry) collectively or separate)

Five Elements

Traditional farmers’ lives that depend on monsoon are almost identical in many regions of the world. Hence the following text is inclusive.

Very few would ever believe farmers are artists. Farmers' art is most risky vocation, among all types of occupations, professions and vocations. Even a few may not understand this fact though they may know what is farming.

Haiku by Remigius de Souza

Farmer's art takes place on real field down to earth. Like in words, painting, photography etc. it does not create virtual reality. Farmers take the colours from Mother Nature - Srishti, of five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space, and on a canvas of small or big plot of land; he works with contemplation. They are never verbose. They are fully in contact with every nook and corner of their farm; likewise the health of all the plants.

Haiku by Remigius de Souza

Farmers are not only artists, they are also planners, but not like town planners, who flatten the lakes and land, and cut it into pieces, make their 2D drawings to build 3D art of cities. Farmers use undulating land for management and conservation of water and land.

Poem by Remigius de Souza

Farmers are management experts, too! They manage land, water, seeds, fodder, weeding, manure, tools, carting, storage, other food crops, rearing animals and birds. And equally important are the repairs, maintenance, examination, improvement and policy planning in every aspect of home and farm, which is part of their homestead. All of these, they do within available resources. Many farmers may be ill-literate but are not 'un-educated' as the elite think.

Poem by Remigius de Souza

Traditional sculptors, for years, make Ganesha, Durga idols in clay. They are aware the deities are to be immersed. Yet they work with devotion, faith, without boredom. Farmers too work with same dedication. Their labour of love, therefore, is elevated to the status of 'vocation', of art. In their karma there is element of contemplation – Dhyan – hence it is 'spiritual' too. Traditional farming also involves action by Community Participation.

Haiku by Remgius de Souza

Politicians are like white clouds.

The educated elite class have an impression that farmers work only four months (during the season) and the rest of year lazy around. Even the experts like Amartya Sen are not exception. What about the governments and bureaucrats?

Haiku by Remigius de Souza | Image by Soojung Cho

More than natural calamities, the real cause of farmers' woes and miseries are the government and bureaucracy, market and industry, and their wrong priorities of progress and development.

Note: There is lot to learn from farmers:
1. Watering the farms: Learning from the people. Governments could learn how to save resources, particularly currency spent for development, and seal its draining at the bureaucratic level - the starting point, which consumes its major part.
2. Cow dung, Rice and Amartya Sen (a critique):Challenges of 21st Century
3. SEE: Soojung Cho’s Artworks of Inner Vision (http://www.soojungcho.com/home.htm )
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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

Non-practitioners preach Non-violence

Non-practitioners preach Non-violence
or
Violence by Proxy

Non-Violence – Ahinsa – proclaimed, preached and practiced by Mahavira, Buddha, any others, or M K Gandhi: Does it absolve ruthless 'Violence by Proxy' such as, mass destruction of biodiversity, by a few Powerful, for Industry, Trade, Power, Profit & Energy etc?

Tentacles: Violence by Proxy

Why then non-practitioners i.e. pundits, statesman etc. should preach non-violence to the poor, Rebellion-the-People, who like birds & animals, sustained for ages on Mother Nature's Gift – Biodiversity?

For (day to day) Example:
This web page / Post / email that moves from a PC through transmission – mass storage – satellite - cable - network etc to a PC. It consumes raw materials (mining), processes (industry-trade-transport) and energy, which affect ecology and environment at universal level, though may not be visible globally i.e. The First World Societies. Even if ‘not visible’, yet it affects our Natural Faculties or our natural Intrinsic and Autonomous functions: "Work, Leisure, Health, Learning and Propagation".

For (recent) Example:
How will the recent blasts in the nuclear power plants in Japan affect Climate, Biodiversity, Land, Waters, Air and Living beings on Earth? No. We are not talking of either Economy or Energy!

For (Local) Example:
Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) is in the world known Biodiversity Hotspot, a rice bowl, a Seismic Zone (close to Koyana Dam), in Konkan, Maharashtra, India. Local PEOPLE don't want it.
Accumulated Energy, by any means, in any form is never safe; that include Human Energy.
Human Energy, in individual or Collective, is dynamic entity, if not creatively directed... could wipe out civilized society itself.
People in Konkan Region don't want SEZs, mining, as well as JNPP, as these will affect rich Biodiversity of the region. Yet the State Govt. is adamantly averse to People's wisdom.
Will buffoons in high places learn ever? Hiroshima. Bhopal. Chernobyl. Tokyo... And they talk of Economy and Energy, not the1bn Human Energy?

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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

Terra Incognita Indica: Building with Earth (Book Review)

Terra Incognita Indica: Building with Earth: a notable Textbook: "Building with Earth: a notable Textbook (Book Review) by Remigius de Souza ------------------------------------------------------------- ..."

© Remigius de Souza., All rights reserves.

Emergence of The Fifth World India

Emergence of The Fifth World India 

This scene appears in a public square in Mumbai.

The Fifth World India of the marginalized and the displaced is already on the scenario. And we presume it may also be worldwide phenomena. However nobody wants to acknowledge its existence, particularly those who wield power. 

The people are marginalized and displaced for various reasons. However the primary cause is Industrial Revolution and the Industrial Society that grew with it over a period of time, and their rapid, wild and unrestrained growth, progressively.

The growth of Industrialization certainly is out of proportion to entire population on, and the resources of the planet. It has created imbalance between regions and peoples, resulting in deprivation of basic needs – Food, Shelter and Clothing – for the economically weaker section, which is a large majority.

The Industrial Society, now labeled a Global phenomenon, wields monopoly over the resources of the Earth that belongs to all living beings – humans as well as plants and other animals.

Industrial Revolution is not ‘Universal’ like Agricultural Revolution. It remains in the hands of a privileged few. The rest are denied its advantages in practice, though it may not be on paper. This is not an altruistic attitude generally ascribed to humans.

Columbus discovered ‘New World’ while searching India. It followed not only colonization of new land and faith but also annihilation / enslaving of aborigines / local people. Vasco da Gama when landed at Mahim in Mumbai, then Islands of Mumbai, there was war at Mahim Fort. On winning the war the soldiers went around Mahim village and killed the unarmed villagers to create terror; typically colonization of land and faith followed power. A known history!   

Now the 20th century and its extension the 21st century have seen faces of Power, Colonization and Faith changed. They are now faceless entities, not a picture of personalized Maharaja, Map or Mother Goddess. Now they are Money (economy), Market and Machine (the make-believe-idol-of-salvation – Science and Technology). 

In India, tools with sexy and sugary names such as, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are coined to facilitate the First World India, and to allure people at large as if it is boon for heaven of happiness. As if it will work like magic wand to bring progress and development to the majority second-class citizens in 600,000 villages (by “trickle-down” formula).

Perhaps it may work for the First World India of yours and mine who live in Virtual Reality, for the Presidents, Prime-Ministers and Political Party-leaders who reach their “level of incompetence” (The Peter Principle). The peasants, of course, don’t believe in their antics. Hence they have been electing “hung” parliaments and legislative assemblies for decades; but politicians don’t learn their lessons. 

The obvious fallout of development of last six decades in India is the increasing number of the marginalized and the displaced from the rural areas. They have been migrating in hordes to mega cities and urban areas to earn their daily bread in the hope of survival.

From Nehru down till now the Government of India follows the priority of progress and development on the western model, rather than facilitating knowledge to and educating the agrarian society in six lakhs villages to face the Challenges of Industrialization, particularly in farming (agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, horticulture and related fields) and Market. This should have been the primary task before a government of any brand – right/left/centre, religion, language, caste, religion, colour and dogmas.

Slum-dog Millionaire Mumbai 

Stone Age humans must have been working in this manner!

Mumbai, said-to-be financial capital of India, has population of 110+ millions. It attracts the Global Capitalist Corporate; of course, to market their unsold / surplus goods & reap profits. Their primary interest is Indian Market, not Indian People. The First World India welcomes them.

People of The Fifth World India, the legitimate citizens of India, marginalized and displaced from their homestead, are the victims of many / different causes, including the Action., Non-Action, and/or Failed-Action by the Government/s. They are the slum-dwellers and squatters, 60%+ of Mumbai's population.

The First World India's elite citizens in Mumbai have different reactions and responses to their presence in Mumbai, which is mostly negative and hostile, very few empathize.  However, now, the landmark slum at Dharavi is a target for redevelopment, for its Land at Prime Location to mint money, by land-sharks the Real-Estate Corporate: They, too, are not interested in the People. 

It is best symbolized by Mumbai City's land use plan: Typically this 'Grey Area' of 60 plus million habitants is not shown on the map. It is as if city land is a market commodity, not for humans use. Industrial Civilization turns land-water-air-space... everything including humans into market commodity.

Government floated ‘curative’ measure called ‘free housing’ under slum rehabilitation & put the slum dwellers in high-rise concrete slums. This cannot be called the Rehabilitation of the Affected People. It is a poor planning action, either long-term or short-term. (This requires a separate chapter for evaluation.)

The Fifth World is a Global Phenomena 

Hindustan Times News

                                        Instead of strengthening autonomy of the peasants, the thrust has been on the development of industry and necessary infrastructure it required. The language of farming is Universal; therefore, Agricultural Revolution could spread across the continents, when there was neither urbanization (civilized society) nor institution of government.

As a saying goes, ‘wherever civilization stepped, it left desert behind’; now in modern times, it is Industrial Civilization. Interestingly emergence of The Fifth World is not limited to India alone; it is now a Global Phenomenon. 

Industrial Civilization, in the name of ‘Social and Financial Development’ (H G Wells, The Short  History of the World), leaves irreversible desert in the human world by effecting slavery (earlier physical, now intellectual), destitution (by constant wars), poverty – hunger – starvation – malnutrition – marginalization – displacement (by monopolizing resources – land, waters, forests, minerals, on which Peoples led, for tens of thousands of years,  Sustainable Living) and complete disregard for their cultures): Now it coins a new verbosity – Sustainable Development!   

India, in the frenzy to bring Industrialization, made several Laws and Acts (which also include Development Projects, such as dams, cities, expansion of cities…) without Enacting Rehabilitation of the Affected People, by design or default. There is no effort to scrutinize the obvious fallout of previous/existing/defunct Laws and Acts, their success and failures. Neither India does learn from others’ mistakes.

Following the draconian British-made law of ‘Land Acquisition Act’ the government took over lands. The compensation came by way of Cash that had no tangible value. Our learned leaders, bureaucrats and judiciary never thought of how people live and survive, or their Ancestral Right to land. Now with few amendments the law remains!  

The Governments in India, at Centre and the states, while following various divisive policies, which results in pushing India’s plural society to polarization and further weakening the weaker section – a large majority, unilaterally followed to develop Industry (where there is Money), and conveniently ignored Gandhiji (who ironically appears on Indian Currency).

More on this issue:

1. THE OTHER INDIA in THE OTHER WORLD (Review) 
2. Urban Renewal in the Regional Context 
3. ‘PRO-POOR’ – Election slogan by UPA-2004

Note: 1 Image, "Mumbai's Slum Population" Source: Hindustan Times, e Paper 17-10-2010
2. Images of squatters in Mumbai by Remigius de Souza 


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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

The Planet in balance

Isn’t it better while speaking on personal, collective and institutional matters to keep it on objective level instead of getting sentimental? Institutions occupy major part of our personal and collective life in space and time. It is often noticed people bring in personalities in the matters of institutions rather than looking at the issues in the larger context of ground realities of people, land and waters.

This is not healthy either for an individual or the collective for holistic growth; growth on all the planes – "Work, Leisure, Heath, Education and Propagation";  growth in quality not in quantity as is in industrial mass production, whereby to have firm roots in self-sustenance and self-reliance. Institution is a faceless entity, an instrument which needs overhauling, servicing and even replacement.

Look at the family! It is an ancient institution, which is not a faceless entity alike the institutions established by civilised societies. Family, therefore, also community, appears in other species as well as among humans. Family is breaking up in modern times: orphans, the destitute women – widows – the aged, the singles, and the single parents. It is inevitable fallout of industrial society. What is the point in shedding tears on the dead and the dead matter?

If industrial society needs babies science and technology can help. It could go for cloning, while annihilating, through several means and for several reasons, millions of humans and other species. One of the reasons is endless consumption (and waste) for profit and power. Until recent times there have been intellectual clones (or zombies? Or morons?), earning their daily bread by discourses.

Now, physical clones are started, beginning with plants and animals. Clones have neither pedigree nor posterity. If any sense(s) – sensuality – that is characteristic of ‘natural’ beings is still left in them, then any clone could mate with another clone at fancy, like picking up ready-to-eat-food packets at departmental store or supermarket. No side effects, no after-effects! As and when felt the clones will produce more clones also at labs.

They (the clones) also will die faster than ‘natural’ humans like the broilers born in incubator, if not by killing each other, either for ‘fun’ or ‘revenge’;
Come rising temperature, green house effect, depleting ozone, melting glaciers... either by industrial society, or by Acts of gods; 
And even if the intellectual hominid continue to profess the Future, to make their dough for the day; 
Or even if human species vanish like other species in the Past:
The Planet, without remorse, remains in Balance.

Remigius de Souza    
11-03-02(07-10-09)
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 © Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.

LCM-7: Propagation or Survival of the Species

Arithmatic of Life

LCM-7: PROPAGATION or Survival of the Species
1
Propagation, hopefully, now, is not an outcaste subject from the public discussion in the polite society, in the times of world population explosion. We take it because it is one of the five autonomous, vital intrinsic functions of all the species.
2
Among humans there are some eunuchs, some impotents/ barren. Some of them certainly must have discovered their creativity in arts, not in Atom Bombs, which you can’t call a Creative Work!
3
Propagation, among mammals, is generally connected to male-female genitals, yet the “uterus” and “breasts/udders” besides other vital parts that relate to propagation. In the modern times of aesthetic hedonism, even some of the educated women need to be told, “Breast feed the babies; it is healthy”.

Mother Godess

4
The organs of propagation give “Sex-Sense” and “Mother-Sense”, both, which is giving birth to and bringing up the offspring. There are matriarchal communities among humans too, not only elephants. There are worshippers if Fertility Goddess, just as those who worship “Lingam”. When “sex” (a function of a species), when identified as “need”, which is rather a “want” like all other “wants” of civilised societies. It results in perpetuating prostitution. Among the aborigine communities there is no prostitution.
5
Some government functionaries, politicians and bureaucrats, here in Maharashtra, have been toying with an idea of “sex education” in the schools, so that their families are spared from educating their children in the matters of “sex”? Indeed, the Authority does not want to spare even your personal domain! What a noble concept!

Water lettuse

6
Nature, just as has created various species, so also the designs for propagation. Some fish give birth by their mouth, some lay million eggs. Cow gives birth to a single calf, dogs and cats produce litter (their eyes are closed for first few days). Deer’s calf starts to jump and run soon after birth. Koel lays eggs in crow’s nest. Water lettuce (See: Illustration) multiplies in numbers like amoeba.
7
The designs of propagation also indicate the life span, the numbers, and the survival rate of various species. Some species live for few minutes/hours, some for years. Grasses, wheat, rice live for few weeks, a banyan tree lives for more than hundred years. In the natural environment, the life span of different species, their possibility to survive, and their numbers are interrelated, to maintain ecological, environmental and energy balance. (Big fish eat small fish.)
8
By the extensive use of modern chemical insecticides, the insect population is increasing, because they develop immunity to chemical insecticides. This of course is according to Nature’s Law for the “protection to species”, to keep ecological balance. Humans, particularly the industrial society intervenes Nature’s schema at an unprecedented rate. Whatever may it result in sooner or later; Nature is ruthless unlike gods in whom humanity believes.
9
Greed of capitalist Industrial Society has reached to such enormous heights that it has assumed a role of worst predator since the beginning of time. It does not only annihilate plants and animals, defile land and waters and air on which all living-beings sustain, but doesn’t even spare its own species – humans – directly or by proxy, under some pretext or other – religion, energy or Peace – for power and profit.
10
Vasco de Gama with his army attacked Fort at Mahim in Mumbai. He won. But he was not satisfied with the victory. He went along the village streets, and butchered the peasants just to terrorise them. On his heels the missionaries came with the Good News. Columbus did similar thing when he found the “new land”. And what about the British Rule? Jallianwala Bagh massacre is enough of an example. The story does not end here.
11
The late Mr. Morarji Desai was trained in the Indian Civil service (ICS). He was no lesser democratic person. He shot dead 105 unarmed demonstrators during the Movement of Sanyukta Maharashtra. He was indeed a Khadi-clad pseudo-Gandhian. Since Independence of India there have been many similar examples.
12
When the powerful annihilate, trample, exploit, suppress, marginalize and displace the poor and the downtrodden, Nature’s Fundamental Law empowers them to propagate for the survival of the species, thus the population grows.
13
“The World Population is exploding” is a lie, big lie like that of Joseph Goebbels, propagated and repeated a million times by the powerful and their puppets, to fool the world, to hold their powers. They don’t have any ethical obligation either to fellow humans or the posterity. Altruism then is only an idea to earn tax rebates, and for living room talk.
14
The real life India, however, presents a disturbing picture. Bride-burning, dowry-deaths, sex crimes, gender atrocities and discrimination… take place, where the victims are women. Besides there are other atrocities that relate to religion, castes, language, regional territories, sharing resources… which of course are initiated by the powerful. The society fails to resolve them.
15
With the so-called progress and development, wealth and means are our Nature-given Senses becoming blunt?
_ _ _

NOTE:
(1) In all the discussions I do not stick a gender to the word “Nature”, just as “rta” – Sovran Good – is not an adjective but a noun, unlike God who is attributed male gender? Nature manifests in and around us that we can witness with our senses and intelligence.

(2) Illustration: Mother Goddess:
A 35,000-year-old ivory carving of a busty woman unveiled Wednesday, is believed to be the oldest known sculpture of the human form. Whatever way the scientists may interpret this artefact, there wasn't any civilised society, and possibly there was matriarchal system, which still prevails among many communities. And particularly the aborigine communities continue to worship Mother Goddess or Fertility Goddess. (Source: Mumbai Mirror, Dated 15 May 2009. See Link)

(3) Illustration: Water lettuce, a floating aquatic plant: Once after moving among the tribes of the Dangs, I came down to Songad, on Surat–Bhusaval Railway line. I climbed up the hill nearby, where there was a fortress. In the campus was a pool of water, almost covered with the water lettuce, a floating plant, which I saw for the first time. It looks like rose flower with dark green petals. At the same time a Bhill reached the place. He came walking nearly thirty miles to collect some of these plants for medicinal or as nutrient for his pregnant daughter who had come for her delivery, as is the custom. Adivasis – the aborigine – have a wealth of knowledge flora and fauna, which may not have been recorded. Later on I saw the plant in a village pond in Vasai taluka near Mumbai. (Graphic by the author)

(Links to Privious Posts: 1. Arithmetic in Real Life, 2. Dharma or Fundamental Law by Nature, 3. WORK - Breaking the Mind Block, 4. Leisure - Perpetual Crave for Rest, 5. HEALTH or Forgotten Nature Within and Outside, 6. Learning to Learn
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©Remigius de Souza, all rights reserved.