a moral compass

Religion divides more than it unites. It gives a sense of identity but at the same time it also uses the identity to group and pit one against the other. I am sick and tired of religion and culture being used as benchmarks for anything. I have learnt to abhor religion but funnily not yet abhor God. Also my belief has been to look inward and seek strength than to ask God for help. Hoping that God will somehow materialize and work his mircales is something I have learnt not to trust. Put faith in your hands and your thoughts and your deeds.

Oops – what with the sudden burst of philosophy. Well nothing really. Today I heard a podcast that spoke about the pope and how he was not too happy with this unchecked market economy of sorts.

When I was growing up I was a curious mix of a religious guy and a leftist. Poverty and hunger were essentially state subjects and could be solved by taking the money from the rich and redistributing it to the poor. Why should there be poverty. Can the state just simply redistribute it? Over the years I moved from left to a free market believer. And at the same time I moved from being a religious person to an agnostic. The transformation was complete. But at heart I remained a person still moved by problems of the world. I refused to accept the simple notion that people are poor because they have taken those choices in life. I would agree that in Mumbai city no one can really be poor and a complete destitute.  They is no reason to beg on the road. There is enough work in Mumbai for people who are ready to work hard. But that is a simplistic view. While they may be marginalized, there is no reason for letting them come out. The idea – in words of Jeffery Sachs is to give them a ladder. Then it is up to to them to climb out of it. I don’t believe in dole but I do believe in an infrastructure whether it is social or economic or even physical (roads rail etc). and these cannot be dictated by free market but by the power of common good.

I keep thinking. I don’t give money away to charity. I don’t trust any of these characters. I don’t believe in them. So what do I do. I know that I want to give my time and attention at the end ot something meaningful but I guess my form of charity is simply teaching those around me. Guiding them, talking to them and trying to build a happier planet – one person, one interaction at a time.

So, I believe in what I think the point the Pope is trying to tell. Free markets with no moral compass is a dangerous thing. where Only the fittest survive, we don’t give a chance or care a dam about the others. In the long run – it will create an oligopoly and the concentration of the haves will lord over the have nots in an unfettered sort of way.

Bah! But why is all this so important? Why am I thinking about it. I have always wondered where my moral compass has come from? I believe that a lot of it may have come from religion driven ethics and morals. I don’t think would have been a vegetarian if not for the fact that I was born in a Jain household. That’s the simplest example. So while I can have a source of morality (whatever form or manner), I wonder what happens to Jispa when she grows up. Even the Buddhists sects realized that a simple idea of Buddha understood as a thought and not a figure was tough and then migrated to an image of Him and in many ways worshipped him. Same so with Jainism. The god Mahavir verus The God Mahavir has been an undercurrent theme that I see in those around me. We deify a saint more than take home his principals. But then would I have been able to understand those teachings without the accompanying rituals. It’s a question I may never be able to answer.

But with Jispa we will know when she grows up. She knows no prayer and she knows almost no God. We have no image of him at home and we don’t pray not believe in rituals. We silently stay out of rituals that we are called for. So when she grows up she will have to have a moral compass that is her own. That is possibly from her parents and surroundings – school, peers etc. it will not be out of fear of God or for greater good in the next life. She will be what she is because she will choose it for herself.

Well it does sound good when I write it down like this. but the risk of not having a moral compass just because your parents were too anal about religion is a bit of a bummer. But yes. Jasmine and I still have faith in this approach. Be yourself. Be what you want to be not because of dogmas but because of your choices and your decisions. Let the wisdom passé don from centuries only be your reference for learning and listening. But do your own bit. And least of all – religion is meant to liberate not restrict. Liberate? – once it gives you a moral compass – you then free to do what you wish. Like I once blogged in the past. When you restrict a certain opportunity to yourself you are in effect giving yourself the freedom to do what you want to. The only question is where is that moral compass coming from and how seriously are you taking it. It is only a liberator not a restrictor. If it restricting – then throw it.

Just for the record – the Freaknomics podcast  - though I never figured that I may agree with the Pope (or least see his point of view - in some angular sort of way. though this Pope Francis seems to be an interesting character.

you can get his EVANGELII GAUDIUM here: though to make sense of it you may want to read some other sources.  http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.html

read here http://world.time.com/2013/11/26/pope-francis-denounces-idolatry-of-money-and-tyranny-of-capitalism/

graft

I had such a long week end. It started with my trip to Igatpuri where I bought some land. Someday when I save enough I might decide to build my small home there. I remember a Nancy comic that I read many years ago. It was at least more than 25 years ago. Nancy takes her small doll house and walks to the forest. She leaves her doll house in the middle of the forest and then walks away remarking… ‘now we too can talk about our home in the woods’. I remember that comic strip as if it was yesterday. I guess, this is the first step in that direction, though the Igatpuri land is definitely not in the woods but the feel is like a hill station.
Though one thing realy bugs me is the cash dealings that in India land or almost anything is subjected to. People like us are salaried guys with zero black money and no cash income. Hence we like paying by card and cheque wherever we go. This has ye to percolate in the innards of India. Our tax laws and system seem hopelessly inadequate for the sheer breadth of this country. But atleast now the paperwork is getting computerised and they take the photos from their webcam and thumb scans for the records. That should solve a lot of issues.
While Jasmine and me were talking about cash I was explaining to her the various source of scam cash that I have come across while working. It is crazy to see the ethics of the white collared workers. We keep coming across strong instances of people across sectors siphoning off money or asking for bribe for almost anything, right from printing, ad films, stamp papers, passing routine bills for payment, choosing vendors, anything. The sheer scale and shamelessness is shocking. I even send back diwali gifts that I think cross ethic levels. Pens, watches, silver and even pressure cookers have been on the list. Somebody once asked me why? What motivates me to do this and be clean? I told him, I want to show my face to my dad. I wouldn’t be able to do so if I did this. That my dad passed away 11 years ago des not make any difference.
On Saturday while I was talking to Jasmine explaining my position I was explaining that cash is always a bad thing. In my estimate any one in my position could have taken at least rupees fity lakhs to 100 lakhs. This kind of cash would have social repercussions. Imagine if I had this cash lying around the house. I would not know where to use it. We would end up buying a lot of stuff, gadgets, premium luxury, ostentatious vacations; we would let Jispa buy a lot of stuff, pander to her whims and what not, make a brat out of her. God knows what physiographical changes it would have on us. The cash in your pocket is always ready to go out… Jasmine and I are quite clear on the values we don’t want Jispa to have. Not having cash is not a value in itself but is an important value driver. I am so glad. Ethics have their payoff in different directions.

We also saw the movie A Christmas Carol. Nice movie, but it should have been rated U/A.