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Can the West Learn from the Rest?
Certainly, there is a lot for the west to learn from the rest in order to create a better balance in the world.
The problem is that the rest is fast becoming like the west thanks to technology. This is not surprising with 300 years of domination based on the famous words “Cogito, ergo sum” - “I think, therefore, I exist”. We need to understand the history of all this in order for us to reorient our thinking which may enable us to learn from the rest.
Rene Descartes separated mind and matter and said that the world has to be described objectively. Here, he provided no role for the human observer. He wrote; “All science is certain, evident knowledge. We reject all knowledge which is merely probable and judge that only those things should be believed which are perfectly known and about which there can be no doubt”. Isaac Newton, John Locke and other thinkers built on this philosophy to seal the fate of our modern world. In effect, the mind rules and the heart lost its place.
The dominant notion is that the universe is a machine and has no spirituality and conscience attached to it. With the heart playing second fiddle, the rational human can manipulate and exploit the universe to meet its own ends using science and technology.
This Cartesian philosophy based on scientific truth seems to dominate western culture. Not understanding the limitations of this has created the current imbalances in nature and society. Certainly, the modern conveniences and longevity we enjoy can be attributed to Descartes but it has fragmented and divided our world.
The human ego has been given prominence, which has led to a separation of our mind with everything around us. So we continue on our consumerist binge without realizing the harm it is causing our society and environment. This disconnect is extended to everything in our life whether it is healthcare, energy, transport, education etc..
Western philosophy has encouraged us to neglect our intuitive nature in place of technical skill, intellectual power and scientific knowledge. Money has become the currency of this power and we have neglected the power of wisdom, spirituality, good values and ethics.
So naturally, we will ignore all consequences of a lifestyle based on money as it has become the value with which success is measured.
I witnessed this stark reality as I visited Canada for a few weeks in July. Many people live in a kind of upper middle class bliss worrying about when to buy the latest technology ridden car, computer or the mobile phone when they have a perfectly good one already. They are cajoled by the media into a life of consumerism which keeps the economic cycles moving in circles. Most are unaware or unmoved by the realities of much of the rest of the world eking out a meager existence living on one dollar a day.
This is not much different in developing country urban areas too now, thanks to globalization and westernization.
What value can the west get from the east to enable change ?
Eastern philosophies are based on notion of interconnectedness. We are all a part of one system interdependent on each other, be it humans, animals, trees, water, the sky, sand, rocks – in fact the entire universe. The human is not at the centre of this universe.
We are only a tiny part of the system and we cannot manipulate it using our mind and technologies without having consequences and an impact on the system.
However, we have an ego that helps to give us a sense of security, however falls it is. Recognizing and dealing with this ego is a part of the mental development process that eastern philosophies promote.
So how can we learn from the east ?.
One thing the eastern philosophies teach us is to become mindful and aware of ourselves in what we say and what we do. Be present to the here and now. One way to do this is to take control of the mind which at any time is a hive of activity.
Meditation is a practical way to taking control of our runaway minds. It will help to focus our mind and to realize what is and is not important. When we can control our mind, we can look at what we fear in a different light, as fear motivates us most. We are afraid of change. By controlling our mind, we begin to accept that life is impermanent and that change is imminent. One day we will be no more.
Taking control of our minds may help us to control feelings of jealousy and hatred that arise every so often towards other people. Then we realize that fear is the root cause of those too.
Taking control of our mind will help to open up our heart. That way, we can learn to be more tolerant and understanding as we realize that we are but a tiny part of the universe. When we realize our insignificance, our egos will be humbled. Then we may realize that all the money, the nice houses, the cars and gadgets in the world will not bring us true happiness. True happiness comes from an open heart - being grateful for what we have, being generous, having love and compassion towards all that lives around us.
So, certainly, the west can learn from the east. West can learn to focus on self not to hoard in the name of liberty and freedom but to become mindful of thoughts, words and deeds and realize that we have to balance our heart and the mind. This fusion between the west and the east is bound to bring peace to this world.
Therefore, the new world should be based on another saying “I think, therefore I am mindful”.
Lalith Gunaratne
5th September 2007
Colombo
Sri Lanka
I like the approaches and insights of "Can the West Learn From the Rest." I enjoy the way the author thinks, and the heart brought to a complex topic. There is not much that I disagree with in the reasoning, and certainly not in the article's intentions. There are so many thoughts expressed in this piece that are deeply insightful and hopeful. Ego vs. mindfulness, the harmful impacts of fear, the need to understand our insignificance, money as a distorted measure of success - there are wonderful insights that I savor.
I might not look so far as the "east" to find a counterbalance to what we call "western" thinking. How about our own native traditions, our American Indians and other shamanic perspectives around the world? Native Americans experienced the insanity of the rigid, technology-driven groups of Europeans who exploded onto the American scene. They knew that all of life was sacred and that the land and sky can not be owned by individuals. They had traditions which placed long-range decisionmaking in the hands of elders who were charged with protecting future generations.
Some see life in the "east" as uniform, mellow and life-affirming. Yet, Confucianism and Maoist Communism are also found in the "east." I do not believe that geography dictates wisdom. As I understand it, confucianism is a construct of organization, science and power, just as our dominant systems in the "west." Taoism, on the other hand, is a construct of individualism, nature and emptiness, which are familiar attributes of American philosophers like Emerson.
Taoist, along with Hindu sensibilities, gained much popularity in the 1960's, and I do not mean to imply that there is nothing to be learned from the "east." When I was an adolescent, there was a unique television western show, "Kung Fu," with David Carradine, that brought taoist temperment to the "old west." Just imagine a "western" in which the hero walks from town to town rather than riding a horse. Just imagine a "western" where the hero walks away from fights and refuses to use a gun. Mindfulness in the old West. And more recently, I have studied with teachers in the Hindu, Himalayan and Buddhist traditions.
So, just as there is foolishness and violence everywhere, there also is wisdom to be found. Even television can occasionally live up to its potential to educate and enlighten. I have read a couple of writers who believe that Descartes' real theme was not "I think; therefore I am" but rather "I doubt; therefore I am." My own take is that Descartes was more of a genius tinkerer who somehow advanced theories that made it easier for scientific method to proceed without opposition from the Church.
In a sense, a deal was made between civil society and the Church. The realm of thought was divided between them, with reason given to Science and government, and the human unconscious/soul given to religion. History shows that this bargain may not have been in our long term interest, as the unconscious human mind is so easily conditioned and manipulated. Religion has changed, but it continues to be a primary force in American life, and in politics. The separation of Church and State created by our deistic founding fathers, as a result of the Age of Reason, has unfortunately been eroded once again of late. As a result, science is under attack and is manipulated to reflect idiosyncratic theological instincts of a largely non-rational administration.
I would hesitate to blame our excesses of consumerism on Renee Descartes. The Age of Reason did, indeed, change the balance between old and new, opening the imaginations of future generations. However, what of the institutions that were created and intended to maintain balance? The rise of the corporation and multinational corporations undermined traditional ways of life. The industrial revolution transformed people into cogs inside of massive machines as the family farm went into decline. The family unit was fragmented by the overdue empowerment of women. Yet, was empowerment the driving force, or was it the economy's desire to exploit a talent base deemed inefficiently utilized by undervalued tasks such as child care, family cohesion and community service? Riane Eisler's recent book, The Real Wealth of Nations, has interesting perspectives on these issues.
In the end, I believe that the insights presented in "Can the West Learn from the Rest" are valid and can encourage us along to more productive and balanced approaches. I hope this thread may engage some discussion.
posted by Earon on 11/ 8/2007 10:28 pm