Advaitanomics!
Logic is
God; at least, logic is good!
Advaita is succinctly explained by 'ekam evam advitiyam brahmam'. The one, which has no second one, that is brahmam'. That would mean that there is no second one in the universe, which is to say that the whole of the universe is one - a clarion call for mutual concern, cooperation and coordination. Not just among individuals of a nation or not just among the citizens of all nations; but even with all other entities in the environment – vasudaiva kudumbakam!
Cicero's version on the six mistakes of man includes the delusion that one's victory is in the other being vanquished. This is, perhaps, a re- statement of the concept of advaita in the limited context of a human society. In game theory, prisoner's dilemma brings out how the optimal solution is when there is mutual cooperation. Be it game theory or the latest management thought on leadership consisting of self awareness, empathy and systems thinking, it resonates the idea of advaita. Believers take it to be a fact. Non believers could also be benefited from an understanding of the result of application of advaita philosophy – that of an optimal solution arriving from mutually beneficial coexistence.
Does this only mean altruism or charity by the winners? Perhaps not. Though it certainly entails altruism for winners, it perhaps makes a case for reciprocal altruism - as the “so called” loser also needs to practice respect for the process and the result; and not exploit the winner’s charitable intentions. Reciprocal altruism would mean that one would be altruistic to begin with, but would change the strategy to ensure that he is not at receiving end of a win-lose (non)equilibrium.
Advaita applied to economics and politics also gives us quite interesting results. It could be easily passed off as Prisoner's dilemma in game theory. For those who are not able to get over the hangover of it being something related to religion, this might be blasphemous. Advaita would not be contained in a mere religious packaging; the beneficial idea finds expression in almost all religions and in the innocent smile of a baby – a copy-left idea! Attributing advaita to be part of one particular religion would be impossible by definition as advaita itself would stand to mean that no two religions are separate – a non duality of religions!
A constant debate in political economy is that of socialism and capitalism. The philosophies have been seen to be so divergent that wars have been fought and had led to nations being "cold" to each other for long. An advaitic thought would be that these are two strategies which make some fundamental assumptions about human nature. One would succeed if humans are selfless and the other would succeed if humans are self minded (not selfish). In both, the limiting factors of environment or ego (both terms used without negative connotations) would come into play if one does not appreciate the concept of advaita, accommodating everything as one. Even in the so called capitalist nations, it is found that some externalities (not just those related to environment) are such that there is State intervention, be it in regulation or even direct provision of services as in Health. Politics and Economics could be seen as two arms of mankind which it uses to achieve its goals. A ‘namaste’ would be the appreciation of this holistic picture - an advaidic symbolism that right and left coexist to achieve completeness.
Advaita is succinctly explained by 'ekam evam advitiyam brahmam'. The one, which has no second one, that is brahmam'. That would mean that there is no second one in the universe, which is to say that the whole of the universe is one - a clarion call for mutual concern, cooperation and coordination. Not just among individuals of a nation or not just among the citizens of all nations; but even with all other entities in the environment – vasudaiva kudumbakam!
Cicero's version on the six mistakes of man includes the delusion that one's victory is in the other being vanquished. This is, perhaps, a re- statement of the concept of advaita in the limited context of a human society. In game theory, prisoner's dilemma brings out how the optimal solution is when there is mutual cooperation. Be it game theory or the latest management thought on leadership consisting of self awareness, empathy and systems thinking, it resonates the idea of advaita. Believers take it to be a fact. Non believers could also be benefited from an understanding of the result of application of advaita philosophy – that of an optimal solution arriving from mutually beneficial coexistence.
Does this only mean altruism or charity by the winners? Perhaps not. Though it certainly entails altruism for winners, it perhaps makes a case for reciprocal altruism - as the “so called” loser also needs to practice respect for the process and the result; and not exploit the winner’s charitable intentions. Reciprocal altruism would mean that one would be altruistic to begin with, but would change the strategy to ensure that he is not at receiving end of a win-lose (non)equilibrium.
Advaita applied to economics and politics also gives us quite interesting results. It could be easily passed off as Prisoner's dilemma in game theory. For those who are not able to get over the hangover of it being something related to religion, this might be blasphemous. Advaita would not be contained in a mere religious packaging; the beneficial idea finds expression in almost all religions and in the innocent smile of a baby – a copy-left idea! Attributing advaita to be part of one particular religion would be impossible by definition as advaita itself would stand to mean that no two religions are separate – a non duality of religions!
A constant debate in political economy is that of socialism and capitalism. The philosophies have been seen to be so divergent that wars have been fought and had led to nations being "cold" to each other for long. An advaitic thought would be that these are two strategies which make some fundamental assumptions about human nature. One would succeed if humans are selfless and the other would succeed if humans are self minded (not selfish). In both, the limiting factors of environment or ego (both terms used without negative connotations) would come into play if one does not appreciate the concept of advaita, accommodating everything as one. Even in the so called capitalist nations, it is found that some externalities (not just those related to environment) are such that there is State intervention, be it in regulation or even direct provision of services as in Health. Politics and Economics could be seen as two arms of mankind which it uses to achieve its goals. A ‘namaste’ would be the appreciation of this holistic picture - an advaidic symbolism that right and left coexist to achieve completeness.
This is also reason why we need to think of more
political instruments as we do about economic instruments to better our institutionalized
capacity to deliver a better life. It is in this context that Advaitanomics is
being advocated. Advaitanomics would only be plainly an application of Advaita
to every-day life. There would be no complaint if it is called Advaitics of
Advaitology. Advaita would not complain about semantics used for catching
attention and pehaps giving wings to imagination.
It is easy to see the logic of advaita in altruism. It would be more interesting to discuss the presence of advaita in the capitalistic ethos of survival of the best. On the face of it a competitive environment which leaves the loser behind is antithetical to the "softish" thought of advaita. To clarify that it is not such a ‘softie’, it can be argued that advaita applies to the “vanquished” also. When someone better is winning in a stiff competition, after contributing to the quality of the competition and competitive process, a believer in advaita should not have problem in taking the role of the vanquished – as there is no difference between the victorious and the vanquished. What matters is the quality contributed to the process. Recent thought on motivation - of success and failure as incidents which have the potential of taking your attention from work at hand is an expression of this non duality.
Is advaita a Hindu thought? This is a dangerous question as it is not clear if one is taking Hindu to be a religion, a way of life or a geographic location. To my mind, to answer in the affirmative for any of the option is not free from danger. Quite evidently defining Hindu as a religion and deeming Advaita as a Hindu thought would be antithetical to the very concept of advaita as it preaches non duality. Same with geographic identity or identification with a nation State. It is an idea and it has no copy right. It is like game theory which does not have a direct identification to an individual to which the right to the idea belongs. An apple still falls on to the earth without too much of gratitude to Newton!
If Hindu is defined as a way of life, which recognises Advaita as an idea of believing in holistic inclusion in knowing the Universe (or 'Hey I'm Not Different from yoU') it would be more appropriate. The moment one believes Hindu to be a religion which can be lost by conversion, advaita ceases to be a Hindu thought. Not that the idea of Advaita would lose anything in this. What's in a name?
Elements of advaita can be seen in all that has relatively permanent success in the world. A feeling of non duality in a football team leads it to victory (or at least optimal performance). Expanding the vision to all the participants in the game helps us to play in a manner in which the spirit of the game of football is not lost in the mad rush to win a game. No ear biting in advaita! Though not a proselytizing religion, the logic of advaita would intrinsically seek to bring more individuals into a position where they are able to appreciate it. It would also justify a communicative process to clarify whenever a “win-lose” failure is celebrated as success by ‘divergent’ individuals!
Applying advaita to economics helps one to immediately appreciate the need for Green Growth - not just in having technologies of recycling waste but in reducing wasteful consumption - as in a Hindu way of life. There would be more clarity of purpose for all concerned, the broader the concept of advaita that one is able to bring into one’s thought. Yogis certainly achieve personal success by this process; but they, perhaps, make the mistake of being far too ahead of the curves for the multitudes, leaving them sufficient confusion to deal with on semantics, ending in chest thumping and breast beating win-lose bunkum on advaita (which is by definition a win-win strategy). Perhaps I should write a book on advaitanomics. Articulated better, a book should be written on advaitanomics - by me or you. After all, 'aham brahmasmi' or 'tat tvam asi'!
Note: Value addition to this copyleft article is managed on dmnstratvbrag.blogspot.in
It is easy to see the logic of advaita in altruism. It would be more interesting to discuss the presence of advaita in the capitalistic ethos of survival of the best. On the face of it a competitive environment which leaves the loser behind is antithetical to the "softish" thought of advaita. To clarify that it is not such a ‘softie’, it can be argued that advaita applies to the “vanquished” also. When someone better is winning in a stiff competition, after contributing to the quality of the competition and competitive process, a believer in advaita should not have problem in taking the role of the vanquished – as there is no difference between the victorious and the vanquished. What matters is the quality contributed to the process. Recent thought on motivation - of success and failure as incidents which have the potential of taking your attention from work at hand is an expression of this non duality.
Is advaita a Hindu thought? This is a dangerous question as it is not clear if one is taking Hindu to be a religion, a way of life or a geographic location. To my mind, to answer in the affirmative for any of the option is not free from danger. Quite evidently defining Hindu as a religion and deeming Advaita as a Hindu thought would be antithetical to the very concept of advaita as it preaches non duality. Same with geographic identity or identification with a nation State. It is an idea and it has no copy right. It is like game theory which does not have a direct identification to an individual to which the right to the idea belongs. An apple still falls on to the earth without too much of gratitude to Newton!
If Hindu is defined as a way of life, which recognises Advaita as an idea of believing in holistic inclusion in knowing the Universe (or 'Hey I'm Not Different from yoU') it would be more appropriate. The moment one believes Hindu to be a religion which can be lost by conversion, advaita ceases to be a Hindu thought. Not that the idea of Advaita would lose anything in this. What's in a name?
Elements of advaita can be seen in all that has relatively permanent success in the world. A feeling of non duality in a football team leads it to victory (or at least optimal performance). Expanding the vision to all the participants in the game helps us to play in a manner in which the spirit of the game of football is not lost in the mad rush to win a game. No ear biting in advaita! Though not a proselytizing religion, the logic of advaita would intrinsically seek to bring more individuals into a position where they are able to appreciate it. It would also justify a communicative process to clarify whenever a “win-lose” failure is celebrated as success by ‘divergent’ individuals!
Applying advaita to economics helps one to immediately appreciate the need for Green Growth - not just in having technologies of recycling waste but in reducing wasteful consumption - as in a Hindu way of life. There would be more clarity of purpose for all concerned, the broader the concept of advaita that one is able to bring into one’s thought. Yogis certainly achieve personal success by this process; but they, perhaps, make the mistake of being far too ahead of the curves for the multitudes, leaving them sufficient confusion to deal with on semantics, ending in chest thumping and breast beating win-lose bunkum on advaita (which is by definition a win-win strategy). Perhaps I should write a book on advaitanomics. Articulated better, a book should be written on advaitanomics - by me or you. After all, 'aham brahmasmi' or 'tat tvam asi'!
Note: Value addition to this copyleft article is managed on dmnstratvbrag.blogspot.in
No comments:
Post a Comment