Universal Message of Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Dulichand Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 53

Non-Violence In Today's World
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stopping animal killing help to induce a greater respect for all kinds of life.
Consumerism The spread of consumerism is rooted in the western thought that more and more production is the solution of all problems and that this will bring economic and social advancement to all people. To enrich one's own life, one should increase his possessions and accumulation of goods. Today, people in America own and consume twice as much as they did in 1950. The question arises whether they are twice as much happy as they were in 1950. This philosophy of consumerism is based purely on amoral principles, where self-interest is predominant and social welfare occupies secondary place. Environmental de-generation may be attributed to the population explosion, but an objective study will reveal that it is also because of the consumerist behaviour of the wealthy.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says in its “Living Planet Report 2000” that at today's level of economic activity, the human race is operating at 30 percent above what the earth can provide without suffering serious damage." It further says that if people in the developing world consumed as much as those living in the richest countries, the human race will need another two planets like earth to cope up with their demand. Chapter four of Agenda 21 of the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 points out: "The major cause of continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, particularly in developed countries.”