Philosopher Spinoza has said, “If you throw a stone up in the air and if the stone has a certain amount of consciousness it will fly in accordance with its own wish.”
Many of us are programmed to feel an emotion even without understanding its fundamental basics. I first noticed this when a friend and I had gone to see a film. A newsreel preceded the show as was the practice at that time. A shot of Subhash Chandra Bose flashed on the screen. My friend clapped loudly and whistled, saying that he gets goosebumps whenever he sees a visual of Subhash Chandra Bose. When I asked him why, he said that because the freedom fighter, in opposition to Gandhi, believed in violent action. I asked him whether he knew about the exact fights waged by his idol. He didn’t.
Instead of educating himself on Subhash Chandra Bose, this friend began to believe in everything I said, he wanted to be programmed by me. Thanks but no thanks, I didn’t want to become his idol, or anyone else’s.
On another occasion I was speaking to a guy who is very vociferous about his kindness towards animals. I asked him if he would kill a dog if he was given `1 lakh. Rightaway, he said, “No way!” Then I asked him if he would kill someone who is willing to exterminate the dog for `1 lakh. To that, he said, “No, because the man is a living being too.”
Fair enough. Next, I argued, “But what if that someone needed the `1 lakh to save his dying child?” By now, this man of compassion was angry with my questions, he looked as if he would kill me with his bare hands. He had forgotten that I’m a human being too. So I abandoned my attempt to de-programme him.
Then there was this man who would keep telling me belligerently that he is a patriot. When I asked him, “What do you love about India exactly? Can you tell me the names of just five people in this country whom you would sacrifice your life for? Or do you love the country for its dirty roads and the corrupt system which you keep bitching about all the time?” Immediately, he changed the subject to film gossip. So much for self-proclaimed patriotism, which has to be felt rather than announced from the rooftops.
I believe that we all are constantly programmed to feel righteous and be know-alls in accordance with pre-ordained social and religious objectives. But if we question and re-question the feelings which are fed into us, we will quit behaving like robots who must follow the herd mentality. It’s only then that we can become individuals, like that stone thrown into the air.