The events played in the present are a realization of the collective consciousness of humanity. The definition of the world is limited to the perspective derived from his own knowledge. Our world is not as big as the universe but as small as our minds can and have perceived. The image of our world is not a static globe but a dynamic reservoir of knowledge gained by our interaction with the external environment realized through our senses. The world is not the same for every individual. The world is as big as one's consciousness.
Framework for decision making
The importance of consciousness and its ability to eradicate hatred in form of religious prejudice, racial discrimination, gender discrimination, and extremism is understated. The ability to make a rational decision based on evidence and facts upholding the statutes of morality, ethics, and righteousness without any ulterior motive is a mark of superior consciousness. One must bear in mind that humans are instinctively selfish people who prefer to look out for whom they consider as their own or themselves. Therefore, any decision made by a human is mostly selfish and for his own good. These decisions are not inherently evil. The concept of good and bad is relative. Thus, a decision must always be scrutinized along with the context. A general framework for decision-making can be understood from the diagram below.
Figure 1 - Framework for decision making
The information is received through our senses which is further processed, viewed, and tested against our previous experiences and based upon our knowledge of the established concepts of rationality, morality, and ethics. This assessment of decision is primarily driven by the reward factor. A formed decision is not whole in itself but comes as a pair of decisions and the consequence or reward of the particular decision. The reward factor of a decision is an important part of the decision-making process because they are a function of greed. The decisions are either rational, which may or may not benefit you, or ulterior, which solely benefit you at the expense of others. A decision is as big as its consequence. A formed decision is not the end of the process. A formed decision reinforces the decision-making process earlier utilized to make the decision and the mind automatically falls back on this template for the future decision-making process. Thus, a rational mind keeps the reward factor in check while making highly consequential decisions.
Contamination of the decision-making process
Envy is defined as the painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage. Envy creates a sense of division within the class of men. The source of affluence for some and distress for others can be numerous. This creates a perceived sense of inequality in the minds of people who feel they are disadvantaged at the expense of people who benefited. This creates a desire to obtain the benefits of those who are presently enjoying it. Silos are created in the minds of the masses.
Envy creates a vacuum for greed to grow exponentially.
The reward factor of the decision is amplified when the decision maker now seeks a favorable reward that benefits him. This decision is reinforced in our framework and our senses act to receive selective information which favors the reward factor. The rest of the information is blocked. A lacuna of complete information creates an information bias that hijacks the processing of information. Since the information received is favorable to the reward factor, there is the next phase of amplification which makes the reward factor further strong in making decisions. The vicious cycle continues as long as envy is constantly fed.
Figure 2 - Envy contaminates by amplifying the reward factor of a favorable silo
The consciousness of a person degrades as a result of the constant envy that paralyzes the framework of decision-making. Every waking decision is driven by such a malicious framework. This framework is infectious and can run through entire humanity as it appeals to the basic instinct of self-preservation through greed. The masses are divided and everyone seeks to further their own propaganda which is a result of envy. This increases the information bias and further degrades the decision-making. This gives rise to a vulgar expression of envy in form of hatred, discrimination, violence, and hypocrisy.
Envy is the bedrock of modern politics
Politics is a quintessential example of creating silos, inducing envy, and creating a divide for the purpose of gaining complete votes of that silo. The mass is divided into silos based on religion, sex, race, or other factors. There is a majority and a minority. The electorate's framework is contaminated by inducing a sense of fear among the majority as to their benefits by appeasing the minorities based on the fact that the majority vote is difficult to consolidate in comparison to a sizable population but a minority. This creates a sense of envy because the majority feels that they are at a disadvantage. This envy causes the majority to consolidate. The advantage of this consolidation is utilized to gain power in politics. This creates a sense of fear and envy in the minority. They further consolidate and this consolidation continues as a result of politics. The silos become stronger and stronger. The divide deepens and makes it extremely difficult for a rational discussion. Hypocrisy tightens the grip on the populace.
This is the story of religious politics in India.
This is the story of racial politics in the Western world.
This is the story of gender politics.
This is a prologue of an impending war.
The most fearful consequence of such a contaminated framework is that the degraded knowledge is passed unto future generations. Contamination causes a loss of rational knowledge. This loss is permanent. The future generations develop themselves on the basis of such toxic knowledge. This worsens as it passes from one generation to another. It may reach a point where the concepts of morality, ethics, and righteousness become extinct. I believe we have already reached the tipping point.
Bhagavad Gita
Sanatana Dharma is not a religion. The true meaning of Sanatana is eternal and Dharma is absolute truth. Bhagavad Gita is a seminal text based on the conversation of Arjuna, the Pandava warrior, and Krishna as the supreme personality of the Godhead. It empowers people to clear their minds, understand the vices of uncontrolled desires, and how to conduct a righteous life.
Bhagavad Gita mentions how one should not be attached to the rewards of their action in chapter 2 verse 47.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
karmaṇy-evādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo’stv-akarmaṇi
Your right is to perform your work, but never to the results. Never be motivated by the results of your actions, nor should you be attached to not performing your prescribed duties.
The work should not be equated with the results as it clouds a person's judgment. If a person works for satisfying the sense of objects, he will lose his ability to make rational decisions. The person will remain in a constant state of distress, anger, and agitation. This is captured in chapter 2 verses 62, 63, 64, 66 and 67.
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho’bhijāyate
क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः ।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति ॥
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati
रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् ।
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥
rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu viṣayān indriyaiś caran
ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।
न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥
nāsti buddhir ayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते ।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥
indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ yan mano’nuvidhīyate
tad asya harati prajñāṁ vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi
By meditating upon sense objects, one becomes attached to them. From attachment, desire appears and from desire anger manifests. Delusion manifests from anger.
Delusion causes bewilderment in memory. The bewilderment of memory causes loss of intelligence and when intelligence is lost, one is destroyed.
However, one who can control his mind and senses, and is free from both attachment and repulsion, even while in the midst of sense objects, attains divine grace.
One who is bereft of self-control cannot attain wisdom. Without wisdom, one can never meditate. One who cannot meditate cannot achieve peace, and without peace how can one attain happiness?
Whichever sense the wandering mind becomes absorbed in, that sense carries away the intelligence, just as a ship at sea is swept away by a strong wind.
The purpose of controlling excessive sense of gratification is not a regressive idea. The goal is to prevent the degradation of intelligence and become a responsible person.
The only solution to all our problems, no matter how small, is to improve our consciousness. There is no other way.