Transcendence, transformation and moving to the next age

Introduction

The country has been pounded by the lead politician with the word ’ TRANSFORMATION’  over the last year or so. The economic front worldwide is in turbulence and rather unpredictable. The American economy is wired with confusing messages and unintelligible numbers. Health care is escalating and inflation is like a ‘run-away train’ with no end in sight! In the midst of this when economic transformation is discussed as to how money is to be spent and what needs to be done to achieve the set targets, I worry what will become of the fundamentals of both life and the ethos of good governance. I am not sure if it was HG Wells who articulated his message in plain English as to a ‘the lecturer floundering with exquisite illumination relating to the irregular and fragmentary nature of creeds we produce’ that I am reminded of the lack of insight in young professionals I encounter today. They appear to be content with the doings of the day not caring about the fervent drive of policy makers to encounter insurmountable problems confronting the world. The haze is back as if to renew acquaintance having parted a year ago with less than expressed feeling of annoyance.  The uncertainties are compounded by war and conflict. Some nations spend huge proportion of their GDP on defense and national security. At a more micro-level this is translated by household living in housing estates as fending for oneself (having to fork out some RM 100-500 a month) for the services rendered by security companies who appear to recruit, largely foreigners!

Transformation

Ivor Chipkin discussed critically about transformation in Southern Africa ( Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, pp. 31-51/10.1353.2011.0035) where four principles were referred to: to integrate diverse governments and administrations in a single service, changing the  direction of public spending to focus on  Black majority, change the demographic character of the public service to correctly reflect on South Africa’s population and deburacratize the public service in South Africa. This was after several decades of submission and unfair governance by White rulers of South Africa. It is often repeated that the troubles of humanity is not only due to misunderstanding but due to creed and colour, an incapacity to think, to want to remain different maintaining that some men have greater intellectual power than the ordinary, the ruled and the ordinary citizen. In such an environment any form and discussion are  promptly closed with no recourse to elaboration and understanding. This absolute conclusion of effectual criticism and comment is assumed to be personal submission and consent.

Bureaucracy has been the bane of ineffectiveness if it is strictly applied overriding reason and pragmatism. This is often seen when impotence is exemplified because the problem cannot be handled by any single party as a result of delineation of duties by  fragmented regional and national divisive governing bodies. Cross border assimilation for the betterment of governance must be in place for the transformation concept to be implemented effectively. I personally have my own beliefs of religion, moral values and life at large but that matters little as it is said that a majority of men on this earth are all some form of a philosopher. What my concerns are that mature adults are failing to come to terms with the rapid changes of society evolution  and cultural mores giving in to personal pleasure and immediate gratification with minimal consideration of how their actions impact on national aspirations and worldly needs. There is clearly a need for a capacity to elaborate and discuss discursively questions that arise in life as to their form and thought. Empathy is said to eliminate objectivity and appear not inherently present in all actions of life. As an analogy one does not empathize as to what will happen to the naïve minority share holder in bursa trading when short selling is permitted. The ultimate aim is to enhance liquidity in the market!

Globalization

Two words have been haunting my life over the last two decades, globalization and ‘glocalization’. David Held and Graham Walls discuss globalization as a process which ‘embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions , expressed in transcontinental or expressed in transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction and power’. There is a cross flow of all matters related to social and transactions across borders and continents. The extensive network of transportation and communication permits rapid transfer of these processes. This extends from commodities to personal matters and cultural-religious affairs. The impact is not only severe but rapid, the velocity of the processes only determined by the mode and media utilized. The finance system has evolved so quickly that one can transfer millions of dollars within minutes to most banks overseas. The flow of trade can be sped with air cargo transfer only limited by the speed of the aircraft and its ready availability. The magnitude to which globalization is growing is breath taking. The authors summarily state that globalization is here to stay and has intensified and facilitated all aspects of trade and life making world-wide interconnectedness a sign of being a developed nation

Hyperglobalists

Ohmae (1990) introduced the concept of a ‘single global economy transcending and integrating the world’s economic regions’ and many terms were introduced as ‘The Hyperglobalists’ and turbo-capitalism. All this appears to work towards denationalize economies. Do the citizens have a say and how does this impact on the lives of the people in a nations where recourse to philosophy and humanity is cherished as the making of a fine gentleman. Some thinkers of yesteryears often have lamented that the human mind should consider metaphysical education as a means of living well and collectively residing as fellow humans. With de-nationalization of strategic economic activities, we tend to lose sight of the ‘hidden factors’ that makes us human and humane. Globalization is a means to escape from social regulatory principles and contribute to a rather irate population who focus on global financial success and economic power and wealth. The recession that Malaysia suffered in the 1990s’ was frightening. Most did not what wrong they did- they did not expect the financial manipulators to control the nation’s ringgit so badly. The government of the day was perplexed and the citizens were furious. The solution to this financial crisis by World Bank was not acceptable to the then Prime Minister. Economic globalization is not about wealth accumulation but will inevitably affect the sovereignty of nations despite the acceptance of its philosophies by most political leaders.

The SHIFT World

Just as we are coming to terms with cultural revolution, globalization and the ‘wired or wireless world’ we are moving to what is called the ‘SHIFT WORLD’. This term needs to be dwelt with considering we have just started accepting the term that the ‘world is a global village and globalization is here to stay’. David Houle in ‘Entering the Shift Age’ rediscovers the shaping and re-shaping of the world. This would be a continuous process and citizens of the world need to be moving in tandem if we are not to be left behind. The shift world is where globalization is integral to national development and accepted by one and all, but there is a need to focus on the individual too. What is it that will impact on individuals? I have a an old version of a Nokia hand phone and when I was trying to text a message the other day attempting this with two fingers and getting the spelling correct , obviously taking a longer period than a young adult, a much younger tech-savvy colleague commented that I should but the new 4 G Samsung phone with a touch pad! I felt rather sheepish as the texting apparently interfered with the proceedings of the day. In the Shift Age over lives will inevitably be affected and this will range from how business is transacted and how technology will affect the environment. The world will become a more expensive place to live in as both land lines (internet connection) and hand phones have to be paid for in most households. The TV adds on packages for us to watch and the subscriptions keep rising as if they is no tomorrow.

Conclusion

There is a need for synthesis of all the effecting forces so as to meet the needs of citizens who have been living by the rule of conduct and several factors dictating modern livelihood. Economic transformation is essential but will need to be ‘glocalized’ so as to ensure the young and old can thrive in crisis and in peace times in the country. The environment must be congenial for the ingenious enquirer and those with less than normal capacity. Man has been endowed with exceptional ethical and moral gifts through religion and family unit dynamics- these need to be enhanced and engaged in any form of transformation. A collective synthesization of all factors and forces that has come out of globalization, transformation and the ‘shift age’ customized to the individual of the country would not eclipse out the basic human right to live and live well for generations.

Sivalingam Nalliah

27 July 2013

The General Elections and My Early Schooldays

 

Introduction

I have neglected this column as I got entangled with one assignment after another. I always thought I could manage to get one article a month. The guilt of not having penned my thoughts was overwhelming –so much so that I sacrificed this afternoon on Saturday, 12^th May,  to complete the task!

The General Elections (13th) in Malaysia are over after having waited almost a year for the final announcement. My Chinese friends invited my wife and me to a dinner that night, 5^th May,  and to drop over at one of my friend’s house to watch the results. We had done the same during the previous elections. Anyway the night dragged rather slowly as we got irritated with the numerous ‘empty talk’ between the results which were too slow to come in? After all the anxiety, it looks like there is much more to tackle with the incumbent government not getting the two-thirds majority they were seeking.

As I trot along with my daily chores and tasks, I am reminded of my adolescent days and how the elections were. Much has changed and I am not sure if they are for the better.

Imperium

When I was at my daughter’s place some two years ago, boredom drove me to read an unlikely book entitled ‘IMPERIUM’. This was one of the three books written by Robert Harris, a fictional –historical novel about the life of a famous Roman lawyer and senator, Cicero. The reading was not easy in the beginning but I got hooked on finishing the book within three days, a remarkable feat by any measure, as most times these days, I tend to forget one character after another as I move through the pages leading to the frustration of having to flip back and forth trying to get the picture in order. This remarkable politician, orator and ‘manipulator’ of Roman politics reminds me of a similar state of affairs of current political climate of the free world. Harris tells of the young Tiro , the personal secretary of Cicero, who appears to reflect on the great man. The successful prosecution of corrupt politician (Verres) and the amassing of wealth while he took on the job of governor of Sicily are classic reminders of many politicians in power of today! The climax, at least to me, is the way Cicero is involved in back-room dealings that would eventually lead him to be elected as a consul.

Democracy and Political Aspirations

The Americans elect a President and then form the cabinet. In most Asian democracy the people vote in a party and then pick their chief executive through the elected party. The latter method has its own advantages but does not appear to reflect directly on people’s choice. The mandate to rule has followed much like in the ancient Greek and Roman days where the head of state is endowed with enormous power. The ruses and dealings described in the book by Robert Harris is not very different from what is happening today except that the conduits to reach the people on the ground is much more sophisticated with electronic media prevailing as an insurmountable force.

The asymmetry in knowledge of the political system and the implications of electing a representative remain a point of contention and is often exploited to garner support during times of elections. The one-man-one –vote rule has been questioned especially when the voter is  illiterate and down-trodden, easily influenced by simple talk and rewards. When we discuss leadership, the charismatic leader should have little role today ,compared to one who is willing to lead by consensus. But during elections, charisma and oratory skills appeal to the audience and can alter opinions in selecting a leader.

Campaigns bring people together for a common purpose; to hear their point of view and why they should be selected. Some do it well as I noticed in one state where a power point presentation of the ‘state of the union’ was shared. ‘What have we achieved over the last five years?’ That was educative as good governance and effective management of the state  led to surplus funds that could be used to improve the citizen’s life. The speaker likened the chief of the state to a responsible manager who was running a company for the people. The transparency of the accounts and justification for the various decisions made was a welcome shift from the usual “if I am elected I shall do……’ stance.

Reflections on the years gone by………

The ALLIANCE party led by the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman was in power when I got the opportunity to go for an election rally at the Coronation Part in Malacca. I was probably 14 years of age but I knew about the election system and how the Labour Party and later the Socialist Front Party were putting up a fight against the ruling Alliance. They were supposed to represent the workers and the union likened to the working class revolutionaries of Western countries and the colonised countries like India, South Africa and Australia. Information officers used the becha (trishaw) and cars mounted with loud speakers announcing when and where the rallies were to be held. Prominent speakers I heard were the young Lee Kuan Yew (1963) campaigning for his People’s Action Party, PAP. This was after Malaysia had become a union with Singapore , Sabah and Sarawak joining the Federation of Malaya. The stage in the field (Coronation Park) was a lorry with its retaining side boards dismounted. The party logo was the backdrop and a gasoline run motor illuminated the numerous fluorescent lights on the stage.

The cunning Lee would provoke the audience and challenge anyone to debate with him. A member of the audience did come up the stage but was quietly removed by the policeman assigned to watch over as ‘the intended speaker did not have a permit’. Lee went on to tease about the slow growth of Malacca. The first Municipality flats built in town took more than several years. I remember Lee repeatedly referring to this particular construction, urging the listeners to come to Singapore and learn how to build flats rapidly!

Another speaker of the opposition much sought after was D.R. Seenivasagam. This imminent English educated lawyer from Ipoh was the leader of the People’s Progressive Party.  He spoke English with an authoritative voice raising social issues that should be improved and perfected. Later, when I was in the varsity, I had the opportunity to listen to these pundits during the ‘GREAT DEBATE’ sessions.

The Municipality of Malacca would hold its own elections to choose the Mayor and Councillors and again the opposition would be very vocal about affairs of the day. Hasnul Hadi, an opposition leader  drew huge crowds when he was vying for the Mayor’s post, but this did not translate to winning the election.

Revolution or Evolution

Last Friday , a group of nursing students were looking for a room in the Clinical Skills Unit which they could use for practising a play they were intending to put up for Nurses Day on 12^th May 2013. When I was trying to facilitate them in getting a room, I asked them what the theme was. They replied that it was ‘the revolution of nursing’. I was surprised that the nurses had revolted at some point in time!

I explored further if they knew more about the history of nursing but the reply, in unison, was Florence Nightingale who had started off life as lady of some good measure. I then spent some time asking them to further explore the subject and think of ‘evolution of the nursing profession’ rather than revolution. History of Medicine makes a lot of sense if we had some time to savour this aspect before contending with the commercialization of medicine.

My Many Firsts.

This small encounter made me reflect what I consider, now history. Again in my formative years they were many firsts. They impacted on our lives . They were the beginning of many more developments which we now take for granted.

The Cathay theatre was completed around 1963 opposite the old bus station before the bridge over the Malacca River which leads to the present Hang Tuah Road. The latter was known as Buovana Vista Road then (of good view). The first movie screened was Rockabye Baby starring Jerry Lewis (the comedian). We could only afford the 65 sen third class ticket. This comedy was good for a laugh and worth all 65 sen.  As we cane out of the theatre at about 7 pm there was a lorry distributing free bottled drinks. This was the first time I was exposed to SEVEN-UP, a lemonade drink. Prior to that we only knew of F&N drinks which came in larger bottles and the local production by LONG CHAN.

If you walked down the opposite side of the CATHAY theatre towards Wolferston Road where the Capital theatre was sited, what is now Bunga Raya Road, there is a busy junction. It was here that the first traffic light was sited. Amazingly it drew a huge crown over the next few weeks (as it only worked at night in the beginning). People just stood there watching the lights change from green to red to amber!

My first bicycle was purchased from a pawn shop for 28 ringgit. Though it was a second hand bicycle, it was in immaculate condition. The pride in keeping it  cannot be described  in words. The first week was spent cleaning the mud guards at least daily and giving it a good wash  weekly,  polishing the steel rim of the wheels  became  ritualistic. The more comments you got from your school mates that your bicycle looks  ‘fantastic’ the more you polished it till my father said that I could not purchase Brasso for the next three months! Although the most popular brand was Raleigh, my Robin Hood soon caught up with the adolescents. What appealed to us more was that it was made in England. I remember that you could not ride the bicycle without lights operated using a dynamo which was in contact with the moving wheel. This was a novel idea as the dynamo used to last forever. This earth was kept ‘green’ then  as there was no need for batteries and there was no need to dispose off ‘exhausted battery’. After 1962 there was police statement that all bicycles were to bear an illuminated red reflector at the back. This was on top of the non-illuminated reflector that came with the bicycle. This meant we had to go to the bicycle shop to buy a bulb and case with some electric wire. It did not cost more than 40 seen then. Failure to comply resulted in a fine of 20 ringgit. Bicycle thefts were far and few. This was because all bicycles were locked when left in public places. Moreover, you could not sell your bicycle unless you produced a sales-purchase paper.

Game for anything

The other day, as I was returning from my evening walk, I caught the sight of two Punjabi children, sons of a neighbour known to me. I had not seen them for awhile but they quickly recognised me acknowledging my presence. One was 6 and the other 8 years. They were playing with a football. I engaged them by asking them to kick the ball to me. The younger one was so enthusiastic that he started chatting wanting to be the best soccer player in the world. Just then I wanted to test my own skills and if they were still there and if the joints will be kind to me. To my surprise I could lift the ball off, with my toes so as teach them how to catch it without letting it slip off. I showed them how to perform a ‘dead stop’ when the ball came rolling towards them  and how to use both feet focussing on the position of the ball on the field as it approached rather than attempting to move the body so as to stop it with the dominant foot. They kids  got so engaged that they did not hear the Indonesian maid beckoning them to return home as the sun was already setting.

That reminds me of my early life at school. Our school days were never complete unless we were also involved in the sports arena. Although I have played almost all field games I only managed to play for my house and not for my school. I remember very vividly when Mr Tan Tiek Kok was trying to select a junior rugby team I went for several practice sessions. My small build did not let me take  on the role of full backs but I was particularly quick at being a scrum-half. After four sessions came the selection of 19 students. I was quite sure I would be selected but Mr Tan overlooked me. That pained me. A stocky guy, Reddy, who had been selected to be the full back, asked why I was not selected. Mr. Tan replied that I was rather thin and may get hurt-. I was shattered.

Athletics used to be held during the mid term and all school children had to participate. Although I had run the 100 m  (110 yards) for the school invitation team , I did not make much progress in that area and thought I could develop more stamina and go for the 400 m ( they were referred as 440 yards). Some practice runs before the finals (of 8 students) improved my confidence. Almost all were about my standard. So I wanted some tips to get within the first three . The athletic teacher said I had to develop my own strategy if I was to win. I had no idea what it meant. Observing the A division students run, I noticed that the winner had increased his speed by the turn of the second round (of e two rounds of the school running track). That would be the last 100 meters or so. I adopted a similar strategy as our B division race was just after the A division. We set off well after the gun went and I sped off the main pack increasing my speed after the first round, only to realise I had started to speed much too early leaving me with another 200 meters to cover. I was exhausted by the time I had covered 300 meters and my eyes swelled with tears as I saw three of the pack behind me ,overtake me. I struggled to finish the race in fourth position and went home in despondence without a medal.

I needed strength for javelin, so I dropped that; pole vault left me in the pit without as much so as even lift myself off the pole, hit my knees when I tried the hurdles and did not make it far with long jump as I lacked height. But I had not tried high jump. I got myself into the last eight and began some practice jumps. The straddle was in fashion but the fall was broken on sand and not cushion.  That was a bit painful. Initially , I did not have much hope but as they kept raising the bar I became better. It appeared to be all in my mind! I had to ‘hype myself’ and then, each time I approached the bar I got confused as to which foot I should take off with. This led to my failure eventually. Again I landed with a fourth place. I did no cry as this was a new event and I had achieved something.

When I was in Form 1 I enrolled in gymnastics and went to the sessions weekly.  My Chong taught us kiddies the rudiments of jumping, rolling, standing upside-down on our heads and various other moves. There were no parallel bars and high swings though as the school could only get enough funds for floor exercises. The enthusiasm was not sustained as I dropped out after a year.

I liked soccer and field hockey. All classes had to form teams and to encourage maximum participation the school organised inter-class competitions when I was in Form 2. That brought us all onto the field almost every Saturday in the third term. My class won the inter-class competition. The sports classes were always after hours and that meant coming back to school at 4.00pm. The high point of these afternoon sessions was the idle chatter we got involved after the games till late evening. The conversation ranged from, if anyone had ‘The Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ by D.J. Lawrence to the why my volley ball playing faulted. We discussed how soft ball appears like rounders and why the game lost its appeal after Mr. Pond, the American Peace Corps teacher left the school to go back to the United States.

Growing up in Malacca and attending the Tranquerah English School (primary) and the Gajah Berang English School (secondary) was fun and educative. The interactions with the dedicated teachers impacted on our lives. The holistic approach inculcating basic education, teaching debating skills and introducing a degree of sportsmanship was appreciated by all. The opportunities to excel in any field were huge and many exploited it. The loyalty one had for our school was tremendous.

Conclusion

The world has changed with climate change and environmental pollution affecting health and life. The politicians draw the fate of their citizens through both good and bad policies. Elections come and go and hopefully good citizenry and responsible governance will reign. Our early education in 1960s and 1970s prepared us to meet challenges and prepare for the hard crash, if and when they come. We learnt to live without race issues and discrimination. My Chinese and Indian friends were not only my buddies but also my soul mates.  We were exposed to good leadership and healthy habits.  Face to face communication was the order of the day as television only came so much later and hand phones were not heard of. Only the rich homes had telephones in their homes. Many of the current leaders have had a different kind of education and that would certainly influence how they make decisions and draw policies. We hope they will draw on the wisdom of the many senior citizens to craft good laws and regulations to continue to sustain this country harmoniously.

Sivalingam

12 May 2013

Corporate Social Responsibility: Whose baby?

Corporate Social Responsibility: Whose baby?

Introduction

Recently there was much cynicism when carbon copy ‘payback’ was given the reason for tax adjustments in personal income tax in a developed country. The contribution to preserving the green of the world contributing to overcoming the effects of climate change was minuscule, said the consumers. The philosophy behind the move is noble as citizens now are talking about the adverse effects on destruction to fauna and flora as nations clamour to become developed countries. Social responsibility is being infused by responsible governments to organizations and industry...

Corporate institutions have been reaping millions of dollars and corporate managers having been rewarded handsomely with huge bonuses and salaries that appear unreasonable to the common worker. Though these corporate organisations are turning in billions of dollars, all come with a price, whether it is related to production of a vehicle or the building of massive townships; the impact on the environment.

Corporate Social Responsibility: what it entails?

The new ‘buzz’ word is corporate social responsibility. The thrust of this new action is to improve the image and the reputation of organisations and business concerns. Most companies in the corporate world have visions and missions and core values. Core values relate to humanization of the functioning of the organisation. Human resource managers are now told to tone down in applying harsh rules in managing human capital. They have been told to re-visit standard operating policy and be practical in dealing with workers; to be flexible and tactful. This is essential for sustainability and retaining human capital.

The place or work needs to be safe, convenient and happy for efficient functioning. The Japanese are known to be practicing good working relations with employees and clients. Loyalty and productivity is promoted when employer –employee relationship is more horizontal than vertical. Valuing the customer comes with attending to his needs and reviewing his benefits and compensation. Good corporate culture nurtured over the years promotes the standing of the organization.

The Essential Components of CSR

A leading columnist in the New Straits Times (21^st Mar 2011) talks about four essential components for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Victor SL Tan summarises the four essentials of corporate social responsibility as to how the workplace is rendered conducive and convenient to employers, which would effectively reflect on the how the employer makes the workplace safe. I find the subject important enough for large organizations to follow. In fact it is good citizenry that corporations and business concerns contribute a portion of their profits to sustaining biodiversity of the environment through such activities.

Clearly the organisation should ensure the standard and reliability of its products, whether it is a commodity as in the plastic industry or educating students to be professional as in the education industry. Both internal and external clients would judge the product for its quality and timeliness of delivery.

Impact industrialization has on environment

Developing countries and developed countries are battling with the impact industry has on the environment. Profits cannot be the only goal of an organization should focus on. Environmental studies have indicated what price has been paid as a result of industrialization and large scale destruction of the forests and hills. Organizations will have to play integral roles in making the environment safe for both present and future generations. The Kyoto Declaration and several other International Instruments have yet to impact positively on climate change. Perhaps the little steps taken at organization levels would be more effective. Pollution as a result of irresponsible manufacturing processes has contributed to changes seen in the ecosystem. Regulators should be not being the only agent policing corporations and industry. It is the responsibility of all to preserve the fragile ecosystem of Earth.

Core values drawn by organisations cannot hang on walls within glassed frames. Enabling activities would be able to infuse a value system within the working environment.  This value system would perpetuate corporations to play a greater responsibility to the community. Many leading organizations have been promoting corporate social responsibility activities but it is not enough... Community projects initiated and supported by organisations have far reaching benefits in both the short and long term. Bill Gates has dropped to second place in the world as the world’s richest man largely because of the establishment of the Bill Gates- Belinda Trust. Huge sums of money from his trust are available for research in several fields including medicine and science, all for the betterment of mankind.

Conclusion

It looks like it ‘payback time’ for organizations and industry. Corporate social responsibility contributes to good citizenry. Keeping the workplace safe promotes both mental and physical health of employees and employers. Climate change is real and future generations are being threatened. War and physical conflicts prevail with little respect for human life. Lawmakers and policy advocates cannot implement the call for sustaining the environment if organizations focus on profits alone. The responsibility needs to be extended beyond the premises of the factory.

Sivalingam Nalliah

28 Feb 2013

THE CONSCIOUS MIND

INTRODUCTION

Theology in the 15^th Century or thereabouts had a huge impact on life in the Western World when Medicine took a back seat after enormous strides had made in understanding disease in combating infectious ailments and modernizing midwifery practice prior to that. The plague was seen as a curse on mankind and burning women as witches prevailed for a hundred years. However, in the non-Christian world, religion ordained ethical and moral practice and promoted scientific understanding. Eastern Medicine progressed with vigour in India, Persia and China. After the dark ages in Europe came a period of Renaissance when architecture, art and music became prominent. Colonization of the East, Africa and the Americas in the 17^th and 18^th hundred enabled the permeation of Western culture with knowledge and wisdom of the East and other nations of the Incas and Mayans.

December 21, 2012 passed by with a storm hitting our homes in Shah Alam. The sky was dark and lightening struck with such anger that it knocked off the automatic gate electrical system and the ICT modem in our home. Although the world was expected to end that day , according to the Mayan calendar, it did not, but the ferocity of the storm which struck that  evening ,punctuated with a ‘whirlwind’ warned us the true effects of climate change and the instability of the weather. The flood mitigation system fell like a collapsed pack of cards as the highways plying our housing estate was flooded causing massive traffic jams.

THE CYCLE OF LIFE

As we trace mankind’s journey through the ages, it seems to come in cycles of order and plenty during the times of the Greeks and Romans in the West and growth of civilizations not very different from that of the Greeks in the Indus Valley and Sumeria in what is now Iraq. Then volcanoes   erupted to wipe out civilizations, societal decay destroyed moral norms and disease eradicated thousands. We have heard about the ravaging effects of the plaque, small pox and cholera. A lack of identification of disease ad microbes placed the blame on spirits and   evil forces. Following such devastations often came reigns with sensible approaches to life and rehabilitation and meaningful livelihood. The cycle is repeated and life is reorganized.

EVOLUTION IS PRESCRIBED

The world did not end on 21^st Dec 2012. We are now edging on in 2013. Geopolitical changes will carve out new patterns for living things and humans will need to take stock of lifestyle changes. Why confuse climate change with people and theology. This perplexing problem haunts me and as we grow with age we begin to philosophise, re-visiting the facts and myths and their origins. While man has made huge strides in understanding the universe, he also confuses us. When Copernicus delved in Astronomy and his discoveries he was scorned upon in the beginning and then we started accepting his views. Later physics took the forefront of new discoveries with Newton and the like explaining gravitation, matter and velocity before the Quantum theory came into the equation in the early 20^th century. Do we have all the answers? Do we accept Darwin’s ‘Origin of the Species’? The National Geography series simplifies many facts based on the evolution of living things.

Recently I watched a program where the commentator eloquently sets the scene with the whale, a mammal electing to lose its limbs, converting them into fins and remaining a huge animal with its carnivorous habits. The deep seas permit such an evolutionary change. The sea lion on the other hand, takes on a dual habitat depending on the deep seas for its food and learning to live on land! The penguin is a bird that elected to lose its ability to fly and walk upright staying on land in the Antarctic.

The Gods must be crazy to create   diversity in both the plant and animal kingdom. But do we not see the adaptation to survive, procreate and preserve with the change in the environment. The ‘Dark Continent’ of Africa has some severe living condition even without poverty and war. The skin colour adapts the people to the hot dry weather of the sub-Saharan desert. As one moves up the Mediterranean Sea the skin colour changes to that of the North African, Greek and Roman-light skinned.

Move on further up north and the fair skinned blonde looks of the Scandinavians becomes apparent. Adaptations will continue to prevail with environmental changes and food availability. A simple example is how the dead body is disposed. If a death takes place while on a ship, a sea burial is in order. When wood is available, cremation appears to be in place. Many of these adaptations are justified by custom, religion and circumstances clearly indicating an alternative means of accepting life. The malleability of the human and animal is integral to its survival and we need to bear this in mind. Rigidity of practice, inflexibility of thoughts and dogmatic adherence to archaic way of life would pose a barrier to revolutionary and evolutionary thinking deterring adaptation and improved living.

FACTORING THE CONSCIOUS MIND

Hinduism remains a mystery to even those who practice the religion. After 35 years of both formal and informal worship, I understand that Hinduism is not a religion, by conventional definition, but a way of life. When  empathy erodes because all and sundry are judged by others and measured using societal standards that can be questioned we begin to fall back on the thoughts that not all actions and thoughts can be explained by scientific understanding where a hypothesis needs to be generated and an experiment done so as answer the primary question. Many continue to ponder what happens after death and if there is a soul. When a the first heart transplant was done in South Africa , an old aunt of mine was perplexed; what would happen to his ‘soul’ assuming that the soul resides in the heart, a functional component that perpetuates our very being! Saints and theologians have delved in this subject in depth and have explanations and views. The subjective truth is not to be discussed here but as long as religiosity remains a part of society we need to live in harmony with the views of those who profess the soul and empathy. There must be some truth in this non-tangible feeling we have (not just the functioning of the autonomic nervous system of fright and flight).  Why are some so very empathetic and then there is the ‘animal’ who maims and disfigures other humans? The horrendous fatal gang rape of a young medical student in India recently is a classic example.

WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

The wonder question I now ponder over is what life is. When does it begin and what happens after death. Google the subject and up springs a volume of literature far too much to read. Does life in humans begin with the successful formation of the embryo?  Does it begin with ensoulment even before birth? These questions have been answered rather convincingly by theologians and those concerned with the sanctity of life. Cells that are known to exist in its fundamental form are ‘alive’. The single cell organism continues to thrive exhibiting all the characteristics of living i.e it respires, reproduces by cleavage, excretes its by-products and gets its nutrition by engulfing what is available and suitable. If this is what being alive is, then the embryo stage is way up the evolution ladder. It then is comprehensible that current terms like ‘living and the soul’ have outlived their meaning and one needs to look at subatomic definitions for being alive. This way of redefining ‘living’ ultimately leads one to consider energy binding atoms and subatomic parts as being alive!

BEING CONSCIOUS

Philosophy, Psychology and ancient spiritual teachings frequently visit the state of awareness of either internal or external stimuli by referring to the mind, ego and superego. The branch of metacognition, which later got incorporated into ‘thinking processes discusses in great depths, layers of consciousness. The Hindu mantras relate consciousness to the universal sound’ AUM’. The deep thinkers go further to discuss seven levels of consciousness. If we were to apply the spiritualists’ teachings to science we begin to understand how much we do not understand. I discussed earlier that science and mathematics are based on proving a theory correct by equations and observations. Einstein brought us to the edge of uncertainty by introducing space and time through the theory of relativity. If two trains were moving at the same speed in the same direction each of the observers in opposite trains would have the illusion that they are motionless! Time and space are relative to the observer.

This stubborn illusion stays within our conscious mind and makes us think that there is a force beyond simple scientific explanation, yet to be discovered.  But the basic principle we have to bear in mind is that without consciousness, time and space comes to nothing, nought! The quantum theory underscores this notion; particles exist even if we don’t persist’. What does this mean? The mystery begins when we enquire if there is life after death! I am pondering if the energy released from the body after death remains as consciousness (or is consciousness, energy that is to evolve and be incorporated into new cells!).

BIOCENTRISM

Robert Lanza, a scientist and theorist, introduced the concept that physics and chemistry cannot explain in entirety everything unless it was threaded through with biology. He uses the term ‘Biocentrism’ to explain life. Life creates the universe and not the other way round. It is quite gratifying in seeing some sense in this revolutionary way of thinking. Neuroscience of today underscores the primary theme of consciousness that creates reality. The schizophrenic patient and those with intense depression hallucinate, even normal people have illusions and inexplicable dreams haunt the ‘unconscious’ mind. Just as time and space depend on perception (they are not physical in the true sense), consciousness becomes a critical part of the universe.

A common event I see in the clinical wards is the ritualistic ward round when an intern scribbles away what he perceives as ‘reality’; not what actually occurs. The ‘animal observer’ creates reality and not the other way around. Most of what has been discussed during the ward round is not captured in the patient‘s bed head ticket, only what is perceived as reality by the illusionary views of the intern.

 Lanza’s  (with Bob Berman)  theory of biocentrism appears aligned to the ancient teachings ( Vedas etc.)  that consciousness not only generates but  governs, and becomes a physical world. This brave new re-look at life is perhaps not new but puts in perspective what we have not been able to do, weave the basic principles of ancient teaching zooming down to consciousness in explaining the very tenet of life and its existence. Biology meaningfully builds on physics and chemistry. Biocentrism unravels the confusion we contend with when we pretend to understand the puzzles of science (Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the double-slit experiment, gravitational forces, and laws that shape the universe as we perceive it). Though there is radical opposition to what Lanza theorizes, he tries to convince the audience that the 200 or so parameters of physics governing the universe remain as such, orderly and ordained, so as allow the existence of life and consciousness.

CONCLUSION

I was quite surprised and disillusioned when I learnt that Pluto is not to be considered a planet in our universe, after I had firmly encrypted in my mind all the planets (Venus, Mars, and Jupiter etc.). It became even more unsettling that some of the planets are not solid! If you Google for more information, one would come across more inconsistent information which we have taken for granted for many years; what makes the core of the earth?

With age comes wisdom, so we say; but it also beckons questions about the beginning of the universe and what reality is. The human has evolved over the years and has become a complex organism. With this evolution comes intangible process of life and consciousness. If we break down the body we will eventually talk about subatomic particles involved in wizardry of reactions using and dissipating energy in some form (ATP, ADP etc.). A knowledge of physics and chemistry helps explain events and signalling pathways. But when illusion and hallucination are thrown into the equation of consciousness, we become perplexed of the complicated circuitry that needs further elaboration. What is time? Is it the inner sense that animates still frames? Appreciating spatial orientation needs energy and consciousness. A dear sister of mine was in ‘coma’ for two days. When she came out of her stupor she described a ‘beautiful garden with flowering plants and chirping birds-so serene, that she warned us not to wake her up should she go into yet another stupors state! That is the conscious mind, the beautiful mind. Time and space are but tools of the mind and we need biology to explain the intricacies of life and consciousness.
We will be continuously applying science and mathematics to explain the parameters that govern the universe. We are yet to be convinced if we can explain life, soul and consciousness.

Sivalingam Nalliah

13 January 2013