Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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CONSUMERISM-ANTI-HUMAN GOAL
superfast speed. The sea-change in economic thought clubbed with science and technology (of post- industrial revolution period) led to newer and newer and more and more attractive things for the consumer. The world of consumer articles has become so over-powering that no average person can remain unaffected by it or indifferent to it. In such a set up indifference to the world of objects is only seen in the present scenario as a psychological abnormality as a result people with limited means are developing such traits that are inimical to the individuals in particular and to the society in general. Disturbance of mental peace, envy, exploitation of others, jealousy, and sharp increase in violence and terrorism are the natural consequences of growing consumerism. Each one of the above-mentioned consequences is making its entry like gushing waters, uncontrollable by law makers, law enforcers, law regulators and even by law-abiders (since they are in such a minority that either they maintain absolute silence or become victims of the net spread by the majority). Everyone in these categories is, after all, part of the same society, so all become victims of the menace afflicting the society. Law-makers, law-enforcers, law-abiders become law-breakers. The crime rate is becoming alarmingly high; newer and newer methods and techniques are devised by criminal to evade the clutches of the law. Society is on the verge of collapse. It may be thought that this is only magnified pessimism and the number of people affected by such moral degeneration is very small. But such assessment of society in terms of numbers is incorrect and misleading. Lack of seriousness on such issues is a reflection of our mental and social state. Consumerism with its hypnotising characteristics makes people blindly imitate others, taking the shape of a kind of hysteria in people. Economic growth thus leads to psychological and moral degeneration. The developed societies have become victims of this degeneration and the developing societies in a subtle way are accepting this, since it brings along with it the so called 'development'. The irony is that instead of accepting them as serious ills, they are accepted as natural outcome of economic growth. It is like accepting heart disease as the disease of the well-to-do or affluent and disclosing it to everyone unhesitatingly - even showing off as indicators of higher economic status. In contrast, people tend to be secretive about
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