An expansive agenda, in a warm embrace of creation

We have destroyed forests on a gargantuan scale, across the earth. We have polluted the oceans and have exploited the marine wealth in our unending quest for food. Humans have brought destruction in their wake, everywhere.

Cruel exploitation

Humans raise animals especially to be slaughtered for food, mostly in painful ways. China has wet markets where even wild animals like pangolins, hyenas, snakes etc. are slaughtered to feed human hunger for exotic meats!

Monkeys are kept in bell jars in restaurants in the far-east Asian countries. When the patron orders, the bell jar is brought in with the live monkey, its head is sliced at the top and with some additives the patron scoops his meal from the brain portion, the monkey still squirming, before it dies an extremely painful death.

We kill animals for other reasons too. Animals are wantonly slaughtered in millions, on religious grounds.
Australia recently killed thousands of camels from the air. The reason – there was a drought, and the camels were wandering into human settlements, in search of food and water! Incidentally, the Australian bushfires in 2019 killed 25 humans and an estimated 100 crore animals.

100 crore animals! Can you even comprehend the scale of the tragedy! Yet this is no news. There is just a small mention in the news about the death of one billion animals!!!

Animals are killed for their coat, tusk, body parts etc. Hunters club seal pups for their pelt. Cosmetics industry apparently hit baby seals in front of their mother; the mother is so traumatized & sheds tears, which are harvested to be used in cosmetics. The cheese that we consume has an animal cruelty story to tell of its own. How depraved can we get?

We are so debased that humans hunt animals as trophies – not even in their natural habitat but in small enclosures built for the thrill of hunting where grandpas hunt lions, pose with their legs over the carcass & harvest the head so that a taxidermist can make it fit to adorn their living room!

Human tragedy. So, atleast are we humans living in amity?

Hardly.

We have divided ourselves based on colour, creed, tribe, country, region, religion, race, language etc. That division gives us so many reasons to feel superior, invincible and at other times, vulnerable, suppressed & neglected.

There are so many frictions among people – between countries, various religious groups, among denominations within the same religion, ethnic groups, regions etc.

Then we have tremendous inequity among people. There are still people today who experience hunger, on a daily basis. There is huge disparity among people – in their earnings & wealth. That translates into how they live and consume.

We all are primed and focused on earning money, creating wealth. Many of us are doing well and can help our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate. However, our needs seem to keep growing; no amount of money seems to be enough just to take care of our “needs”.

Infact, most of us have such less fortunate people within our own extended family and among our relatives. If we expand that to our community, we will find hundreds of such people.

But what do we do in reality? Do we lend a benevolent hand to such people?

Largely no. Many people feel that they don’t make enough money for themselves. They reckon that they will help when they have “enough”. To take care of our future needs, we keep accumulating wealth. No amount seems to be enough.

Many of us tend to think that we are not rich enough to do Philanthropy. We have this opinion that we will give when we become “rich”. But that is a moving goal post.

We all need to pause & reflect on our success itself. Is it only our knowledge & skill that has made us so successful? Without those people who have helped us throughout life, in small and big ways, could we have experienced the success, we chest-thump about?

Can we not return the favour to the society/ country at large, in whose embrace we have experienced our successes? Can we not give those less fortunate a bit of lift? Should we not help the society and the various causes that need funds? No Government on its own can tackle all that.

An expansive all-encompassing world view

We are producing enough food to feed everyone in the world. It is distribution which is flawed. Also, there is so much food wastage happening, especially in the richer countries. The waste just in the western world is enough to feed hundreds of millions.

It’s not that we are lily white. We too need to curb waste. The amount of grains, vegetables & fruits that gets spoilt is gargantuan. It is estimated that about 35-40% of all vegetables produced in India are not consumed as they are spoiled, damaged in transit / at the shop counters. Our packaging / transport infrastructure & cold storage facilities are not able to handle the produce efficiently. Nor do we have food processing facilities at production centers to convert the produce to value-added food products.

The upshot – though we are in the top three in most veggies, fruits & grain production, there is still chronic, persistent hunger among the poorest sections of the society.

There is enough & more in the world of everything ( not just food ) that we all need; but not nearly enough to satisfy Human greed!

Our rapacity & self-centeredness is so intense that we fail to notice the tragic plight of needy others. We go about our lives, living in our cocoon, nursing our pet peeves!

We are living in a land which has had an all-embracing philosophy since millennia. It is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ( in Sanskrit ) which means the entire world is one single family.

It is such a simple, yet profound phrase that nicely enfolds the entire creation, in a warm embrace. If one sees all beings as part of one large family then we would be more generous, kind and compassionate to all around.

Compassion wells where rapacity & self-centeredness mark their absence. We need that milk of human kindness to lap the parched shores of distressed humans & persecuted animals.

 If we internalise this, we would be far more willing to help those in need, give a hand to those in distress. We would then give other beings their space & respect their habitats. We would probably be more compassionate, recognise the rights of other living beings over this planet & peacefully coexist with them. We would think twice before despoiling nature.

The petty quarrels and power struggles will lose their edge. We will start seeing ourselves as trustees of our wealth, instead of the unalloyed greed with which we view them now.

 Experience sublime happiness – by giving!

 Philanthropy & compassion are important in life. Every religion talks about the virtues of giving & compassion.

There are many in the world who have realised that. The rich like Bill Gates & Warren Buffett have committed a big part of their wealth to philanthropy.

As for giving, there is this myth that it should be in big amounts. Even modest donations in consonance with one’s ability to give is fine. The intention to give is what is important – not the quantum. There are so many others with very modest backgrounds – like a dhobi who had donated lakhs of rupees to charity. Can we not do our bit?

We need to however choose the right organisations to channelise our funds. We need to check their bonafides before donating.

Better still, we can directly donate to the intended beneficiary – like supporting the education of children of one’s maid/ driver, helping them when they buy their home etc. Or go to the neighbourhood school and find out bright students, who need support. Or help poor patients with their hospital bills…

There are hundreds of ways in which we can help – with our money, time and contributions – if we want to.

Apart from exalted altruism, there is another reason why we should assist others. We can enjoy our wealth only if peace and tranquility prevail in the society. For this, all categories of people should be able to meet their needs. So, we need to donate in our own enlightened self-interest. If all of us join in, we can create a more equitable, just society where we all enjoy life in amity.

We need to make Philanthropy a part of our lives. And experience the warm glow in our hearts, which no amount of money can ever give. Don’t you want to experience such bliss? Why not give it a try?

[ Also read – The Final Step in Wealth Accumulation & Not Sure What To Do Post Retirement? ]