By Dr. Sawraj Singh
From the very beginning, western capitalism has been creating wrong propaganda that progress in science and technology means human development and progress has nothing to do with the class structure of society. However, this is completely untrue. The bitter truth is that in a society which is divided into classes, progress in science and technology primarily serves the interests of the dominant class. Therefore, progress in science and technology may not serve the entire mankind and it does not automatically become human development. In the last two centuries, the western capitalists have primarily used advancement in science and technology to increase their profit, enslave other nations, and finish other civilizations.
Now, many people are beginning to understand the bitter truth that in the last two centuries, the progress in science and technology has actually dehumanized people. Family, the basic unit of society, has been weakened. Social relations have become weak. Many cultures have disappeared. In America and Canada alone, hundreds of languages of the native peoples have become extinct. Many cultures in the world feel threatened by the dominant western culture. Many plant and animal species have disappeared. There is a shortage of water which can develop into a very serious and dangerous crisis. In many parts of the world the land and air have become severely polluted. Can we call all of this progress?
The bitter truth is that in a class society, independent thinking cannot develop and independent development of science and technology is not possible. Spontaneous consciousness in a class society is actually the thinking of the dominant class. Therefore, the spontaneous consciousness today is the thinking of the western capitalist class. If someone wants to develop independent thinking, then he has to make conscious efforts; and if he does not want to put in those efforts, then he will acquire the thinking of the western capitalist class. Incentives for independent thinking also come from contradictions within the class society. For example, the western capitalist class is using its scientific knowledge and technology to launch attacks on other cultures. The other cultures feel threatened and there evolves a consciousness to save their existence. The aware, sincere and dedicated sections of these cultures are trying to save their cultures, religions or heritages. They are also trying to understand the philosophies which evolved in their regions. As the attack of the western culture on other cultures becomes sharper, interest in Eastern thought is also growing. Similarly, many people are attracted to the philosophies of their religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. On the whole, we can call the thinking of the capitalist class “Western philosophy” and the other alternative thoughts “Eastern philosophy.”
All of the people who subscribe to alternate schools of thought have started questioning the assertion of western capitalism that progress in science and technology is leading to human development. Smartphones and other internet-based technology are misleading our youth. They are spending hours on social network sites; downloading music, movies, video games, and software (primarily by illegal means); and watching pornographic materials there. We are seeing the ill-effects of this phenomenon. The medical technology to identify the sex of the fetus is leading to female feticide. Young children spend hours in their rooms in front of their computers rather than outdoors or playing with other children. How can these children become good citizens or good people? In the end, they will become victims of loneliness and depression. If we make a graph of the relationship between the incidence of depression and scientific and technological development under capitalism, then it becomes clear that they are running parallel. In the USA, Canada and Europe, almost 11% of the population is suffering from major depression—which I define as needing medical intervention. If we include all types of depression, then it is so prevalent that hardly anyone escapes the diagnosis. It may not be an exaggeration to say that depression is an integral part of capitalism.
Eastern thought has promoted the concept that the purpose of scientific and technological development is to serve the people. However, western capitalists have used this development only to serve their own interests. They used technology and scientific knowledge to enslave other nations. First, they developed small arms and then heavy artillery, and now modern weapons with ever-increasing capacity to cause massive devastation and destruction such as atom bombs, cluster bombs, napalm bombs, agent orange, inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), laser-guided weapons and drones. Now, western capitalists are using their computer and internet technologies to heavily influence—or perhaps control—the minds of the youth.
Technological and scientific development can only serve all people if we are guided by a universal philosophy. Man has both lower and higher centers of thinking. The lower centers are primarily concerned with physical survival. They are called “Jarh” (root). The upper centers are called “Chetna” (awareness). According to Eastern spirituality, there are four aspects of life: Dharam (Ethics), Arth (Economics), Kaam (Passions), and Moksh (Emancipation). Two of these aspects, Arth and Kaam, are related to the lower centers and are called Pirya (attachment). Dharam and Moksh are related to the higher centers and are called Shirya (Liberation).
If Shirya is above Pirya, then that is human development. The Sikh prayer states, “Maan Neevaan Maat Uchi,” meaning that the mind should be lower and wisdom should be higher because the mind has a tendency to be attracted towards the lower centers. Only if the mind is controlled by knowledge and wisdom will it then move toward the higher centers. The western capitalists have put Pirya above Shirya, mind above wisdom and economics above ethics. The sole purpose of life according to western capitalists is to make money and enjoy money. Under these circumstances, technological and scientific development will not lead to human development. Therefore, for human development to take place, we need to put ethics above economics.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
