Western Capitalism Has Completely Commercialized Human relations!
By Dr. Sawraj Singh
I just lost my mother, Mrs. Jagdish Kaur, in a road accident in Punjab. My mother’s unexpected death shocked me and made me reflect upon the changing concepts about human relations. My mother had the traditional concept that some relations deserve unqualified and unconditional support. I sometimes felt uncomfortable and even embarrassed that my mother always took my side. I felt that one should take a stand in each situation depending upon its own merits. Therefore, I could not support my children in each and every situation like my mother supported me.
Only after losing my mother, I am realizing the wisdom in my mother’s stand that some times, human relations go beyond calculations. Once my mother felt that I was wise enough to make the right decisions then she placed her full support behind my decisions. My mother felt that I had reached a level of maturity and understanding where I was able to make the right decisions then I deserved her unqualified and unconditional support. I could always count on my mother’s support. This feeling gives a sense of security and stability. So far, I have been unable to give that feeling to my children. Why is there a difference between my mother’s approach and my approach? Her approach was more traditional and more collective, whereas my approach is more rational and more individualistic. My approach is based upon calculations, whereas her approach rose above calculations. My approach is limited to three dimensions, whereas her approach had the fourth dimension. That was her faith in me that I was capable of making the right decisions.
In the modern western-dominated society, human relations will always be limited by calculations and will be limited to the three dimensions. However, the elements like faith and love can neither be limited to calculations nor limited to three dimensions. They go beyond these. For the human relations to reach their ultimate level, they have to transcend all the limits. This stage is almost impossible to reach in the modern western-dominated society. Therefore, human relations in this society can never reach their full potential. In other words, they will remain incomplete. In the modern society, we can never count on a relation that it will be always there for us, whether it is between a husband and a wife or between parents and children. This feeling makes us more insecure and unstable.
It is true that ultimately all relations are based upon principles of need and inter dependence. However, the traditional eastern concept is based upon evolution of relationship to a level where there is complete fusion of interests. The individual identity merges in the collective identity. One completely identifies ones’ interest in the collective interest. The modern western concept of relationship never breaks the individual barrier and lacks the fusion and merger in the collective. Without this fusion and merger, the relations will remain incomplete.
The western capitalism has completely commercialized and marketized human relations. People develop a business-like attitude, that is, “what is in it for me?”Each person goes into relationship to pursue and protect one’s own interest. The relations become like business deals. Such relations cannot give full satisfaction because of conflicting interests. Another problem in the relations is that ego plays a very important role in the relations. Each person brings his or her ego in the relationship. This sets up a stage for eventual confrontation. Ego is like a wall which we build around us. This becomes a jail for ones spirit and eventually becomes our own grave when the jailed spirit dies.
Sometimes we do not realize that western arrogance has affected us. We have started questioning traditional things as outdated feudal values. Is the modern man wiser than the traditional man? Not always. Some traditional concepts are still very sound. If we can cultivate and develop our relations to a level where they transcend calculations, then we have reached the highest level in a relationship. Let us bring the elements of trust, faith, dedication, devotion, and love in our relations and let them reach the highest level. Then we will understand that giving unconditional support is neither irrational nor wrong.
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].
