On Human Preservation

In the post-modern age where global capitalism dominates the world. There is a stark reality where we experience a bi-polar system in place. The rift between the North and the South is ever widening. We see a select group of rich industrialized nations such as the G-8 and the vast majority of poor countries of the Third World.

The developed countries dominate the world markets, policies and politics. This global capitalism has also lead has lead to economic dominance of the world. Global capitalism along with instant communications and mass media has also dominated world culture. This universality translates into MTV, CNN, BBC, Nike, McDonalds and Levis. Economic power translates into cultural power. Ever more, the world is resembling like Americana--Mikkie Ds, MTV, Wal-Mart, Marlboro etc. Now the global corporate capitalism defines the poverty stricken Third World countries as "emerging markets" to satisfy their thirst quenching hunger for growth and profits.

What does this lead to? A world that resembles like one another--mundane. For the human race as a species to progress, diversity is required. Without diversity, evolution cannot take place. In fact, Darwinism speculates that species dissappear or start to perish as a result of lack of diversity. This new concept of a global village is the beginning of a process that will lead to the annihilation of ethno, linguistic, cultural diversity in the world.

This Western concept for the need of exponential growth will cause the demise of the whole human population. The world population is growing dramatically and the resources are depleting rapidly. Thus, what is required is a rational self-examination of the system of thought that pervades our minds, cultures and societies. This "material" philosophy and linear thinking will lead to the ultimate demise of the human species. Should we go onwards towards a hedonistic path of self-destruction or shall we fall back on the asetic ways of the past? Either way it is not possible due to the pragmatic constraints. We humans do need to live, thus, asceticism will not suit our needs by depriving ourselves. Hedonistic desires and wants are innumerable and insatiable that cannot be satisfied by depleting all the resources through exponential growth and profits which will ultimately lead to our demise.

What is required is a middle path, a pragmatic political/ethical philosophy. We as humans do need to survive. We all deserve a good life, a life of fulfillment without exessive consumption. Therefore, we all need a self-realization of what is enough and what is excessive. To fulfill basic desires to live a content life is a utmost viable life. What action makes one happy, one should do. However, if that action is attached in so to produce another desire or a chain of actions, then, one should avoid those tendencies. This ethical system is called the middle way--a method of controlling one's desires. Are human beings able to control desires as "tanha" is guided by emotions rather than rational behaviour. This weakness is exploited by the marketing industry to promote mass consumption which fuels exponential growth furthering the profits. Now Coca Cola's competition is not Pepsi, but, water. It seems that human behaviour is unable to cope with these temptations unless they are guided by the rational principle of controlling these tanhas. Only few accomplished people are able to control their consumption as it takes extreme will power. These accomplished people have reached a higher stage in their understanding of human nature that it is not necessary to consume exessively in order to lead a content life. They have reached an "enlightened state" of greater awareness of a "political/ethical bodhisattva" in which they can distinguish between a content life and excessive life.