The Naked
Revelation
- By Mohnish Nair
I am on a
journey. A new found exploration triggered by my quest for the real secret to
living a life by choice rather than compulsions. And in this voyage of self
discovery and the reasons why things happen to some so favorably while many
struggle for the basic needs of life has led me to believe that everything that
happens to us and is happening, everything that we think, feel, do, act and achieve
are driven by extremely raw and basic instincts. I have realized that there are
two basic needs that drive human behavior. These two instincts that have driven
the human species to rule this planet over the other apparently “intellectually
weaker” species have proven to be the source of all power, fulfillment and even
misery. So what separates the haves from the have nots. There is no pseudo intellectualization
here nor do I claim to have found the real truth. This is merely my
interpretation of what I have observed which for all reasons may be a figment
of a delusional mind.
All I have understood
and interpreted from my limited understanding is that humans are slaves of two self
obsessed needs, i.e. firstly the need to survive and secondly the need to
gratify. Just look back at your life, everything you have done, learnt, thought
of was to somehow move forwardly in the thread of time to either survive or to
gratify a desire. All your relationships are created at the core to either help
you survive or gratify. Your marriage, your kids, your friendships, your
profession, your hobbies, your interest everything has been part of you to fill
a void created by the need to satisfy these two needs.
Even though our
scriptures and saints have led us to believe that humans are born with a deeper
purpose and meaning in this cosmos. And as much as I have been made to believe
in karma and its consequences, I have off late seen a naked truth staring right
at my face. As much as I was brought up as a child to believe in selflessness,
righteousness and tolerance, I am increasingly observing selfishness, self obsession and
self centeredness around me. Now I am in no way advocating that this is right
or wrong. Maybe we have been designed and programmed to be survival oriented
and to care for ones own like all other species. My argument is if we are
supposed to be self centered then why are we expounded and preached to become giving and selfless by the so called “Holy” men. Do they themselves believe in
it? Do people who propagate the philosophy of brotherhood and “being human” do
so because it sounds right and that they fear repulsion from the society if
they do not agree with populist beliefs? Are we as a race afraid of being
ostracized by the community and hence blindly follow and preach what sounds
“right”? Now isn’t this behavior again rooted to the need to be accepted for
SURVIVAL?
Now you may argue
that this is merely my unfortunate exposure about life and that I have a cynical
world view. I may also sound myopic and pessimistic in my analysis. I am not
trying to generalize and color everyone with the same paint. As much I would
like to believe that humans are equipped with the power to be compassionate, tolerant
and selfless. My experience and my learning as time progresses has been more
revealing about the not so pleasant side of the human face. May be this is the
real truth and may be all these years I have been living in a bubble. All we
care about is ourselves. And even if I do help, care and support the other, that
too stems from the desire to gratify ones own need to feel guilt free and
accepted by others.
I really don't
know if I have lost the plot or found the truth. But this is what stares me in
my face and I am afraid I can't ignore it. My understanding of the purpose
of human existence is still incomplete and my journey continues to search for
the meaning of life. I would want you to observe what I have written in your
daily life and then tell me if what I have found out is for real or not. What
do you think???
- Mohnish Nair
