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APARIGRAHA - THE HUMANE SOLUTION
might lead to ? The situation is gloomy. To substantiate this thesis, the views of authentic, knowledgeable thinkers and writers are cited to throw light on the dire need for putting a brake on consumerism. The practice of blind imitation or aping the West, wastage as a sign of affluence, the craze for newer and newer things and the uncontrolled spirit of competition are becoming so predominant that restlessness has become a regular routine of our life specially for the younger generation since their need to survive in such a world is much greater.
When the British came to India, the task of 'civilising Indians was the 'white man's burden', the civilising institution then was imperialism; now, it is the market or consumption that has become the sole teacher. Civilising ability is characterised as material consumption by those who can afford it, by their elegant life style, their long retinue, they alone can teach the rest of the society what civilisation means; and if for some reason they are unable to learn the art of civilisation, out of their restlessness they take to anti-social activities and thus a parallel society of antisocials would emerge.
In the euphemism of “growth', 'development' advancement and ‘modernity' insane values are being nurtured, wrong notions of economics have been supplied to regularise the ethically questionable notion of self-interest, (that too, purely material self-interest). The philosophy of consumerism is given approval, even though there are clear indications of its drastic consequences. As a result consumerism is damaging the very foundation of society.
Environmental degradation is seen here as the logical outcome of consumerism rather than as an outcome of the population explosion as is often wrongly assumed. Factors known as causes of environmental loss are the obvious pollutants such as water pollutants, vehicular pollutants, atomic pollutants, sound pollutants all of which are creating havoc. Some solutions are offered but they are neither fully effective nor is there the zealous will to implement them. Interestingly, a double game is being played, which in actual reality is superficial ecofriendliness and real ecological-degradation. Thus environmental awareness only exists at the intellectual or outer level and is nothing
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