Mental compass-In conversation (Dr.Chandrashekar)

I raised my concern about rising fundamentalism and intolerance in our society- the following was the response from Dr.chandrashekar,

Prasad, we all have a mental lense that we subconsciously acquire as we grow. This lense is  comprised of our ‘conclusions’, ‘learnings’ and ‘certitudes’, that our  process of comprehension of events and experiences creates, as we try to derive ‘principles’ that should  guide us in future situations.Our minds view, interpret and assimilate new situations through this lense, and we respond accordingly. This is precisely like machine learning.Each one of us builds his own unique lense as we go through life, assimilating experiences.However, on the basis of commonality of features in our individual lenses we do start building ‘groups’ and  ‘classes’ which become the basis of ‘cultural politics’ – apart from the Marxian classes which have purely economic basis.Politics is the interplay of all such classes.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Just as Marxian classes organize and try to grab power to serve their interest, the more general scenario is that besides economic classes, the cultural classes also try to organize and impose their views via political power. Just like economic grouse, people can suffer a sense of cultural deprivation and nurse cultural grouse, leading them to politically organize. This is what is happening to a very substantial section of Hindus, underpins the consolidation of Hindutvavadi forces.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Such cultural revivalistic movements have happened in different times in different parts of the globe.Each such movement creates it’s own myth – drawing on the culture’s prevailing mythological narratives.A utopia that is believed to have existed is resurrected as a goal. The fall of this utopia is attributed to the attacks by ‘others’, there by engendering hatred for ‘historic excesses’ by others. Internal weaknesses in that ‘supposed utopia’ that may have caused its fall are never explored and debated. The narrative focuses only on ‘others’ who are blamed for the destruction of that utopia. Avenging historic injustice becomes the clarion call of the new nationalism.Showing ‘others’ their place the mission.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Eventually, they will have to – in order to challenge the large band of Hindutva believers, who are more coherent in their objectives, approaches and ground game.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: ‘Others’ are of course not entirely blame less – propelled by their own myths.Eventually, realism must sink in and one must begin to talk of present and future, and the need to harmonize and grow. The palliative of mythical past must give in to realities of the present. That stage is yet to be reached in the Hindutva movement.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Modernizers in every faith and state have to struggle to convince their co-faithfuls that the world can no longer be ghettoized. That inter-mixing of faiths, races and peoples is new reality due to technological changes, and that we need to get used to this new world and craft it better, and not yearn for a past puritanical utopia.Those who refuse to learn on their own, would probably be taught lessons by ‘others’.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Let us see what signal the electorate sends out this time.The forces opposing Hindutva have yet to conceptualize a strong alternative narrative of India’s growth.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: My own ‘lense’ has been shaped by my birth and upbringing in an Ashram, and subsequent exposure to higher education in Pilani, and exposure to the world. I am reminded of an episode from Ashram. When asked by a disciple as to how should we describe ourselves when others want to know our sect, the Ashram swami ji said ” tell them that we are Udaar Sanatanees”.For me that captures the vision of future India – Udaar(liberal) Sanaatani(believer in the eternally evolving knowledge – neither dogmatic nor rejectionist of the past; accepting new inputs from every where on merit after unprejudiced evaluation. A scientific temper is in-built into it.I don’t know if a lot of my countrymen share some features of my lense – probably they don’t, having their own narrow lenses based on their own narrower and more limited diverse  direct experiences and readings.However, I do believe that Hindu society will come out of this phase because of the message of modernity bequeathed to us by our saints and sages over generations.[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Buddhism is facing it too[5/12, 12:11 PM] Prasad: Christianity faced this challenge much earlier. Islam is currently facing it. Sikkhism went through this phase in recent past. And Israel is perennially facing it.