Aparigraha the Humane Solution

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 33

CONSUMERISM-ANTI-HUMAN GOAL
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Thus there is a marked change in the social-value system. The aim is just to procure more and more wealth and the means of procuring it is not important. A general moral degradation becomes imminent. Attraction for objects of consumption and urge for imitation become overpowering, so much so that self-control and freedom from temptation become very difficult. When this state of society continues for long it becomes more and more difficult to curb it specially in a democracy (functioning with its vote bank) where drastic reforms cannot be easily brought about on the decisional level itself. Thus, the vicious cirlce of social imbalance and corruption has become a matter of great social concern.
The problem of population explosion also throws light on the importance of controlling consumerism. Population control is one of the most difficult areas for social reform. The enforcement of a population limitation policy at national and/or international levels is like a dream project. Stringent measures soon become unpopular to the extent of being attacked by the people and become the targets of fanatical opposition; softer measures become ineffective and die a natural death. Maybe, some day some technology could evolve to change man's reproductive behaviour, but as of now, population control programmes are extremely difficult to implement. Discussions on population control between different nations will not be able to spell out the numbers for different countries, they will not be able to establish the limits of various populations. So such discussions will be scuttled even prior to the possibility of a mutual agreement. Nor does there seem much hope for a consensus on this issue since agreements on comparatively easier problems like disarmament have not been possible. However, some self effectual devices like education and female literacy do bear fruit and therefore, are always welcome. The state of Kerala is a remarkable model that has attracted the attention of the world, but the rest of the country is far behind in achieving this goal.
A commonsense approach makes it clear that it is important to have a limited number of possessions and make them last longer, to avoid wastage and maintain the things that we have, so that the total