The Good and the Bad

The truth, of course, is that all countries deserve to become modernized. How can we deprive the people of its benefits? From assuring basic needs like having three meals a day and advanced medical care, to providing richer opportunities like access to education, the ability to actually choose your job (and have a variety of fields to choose from) and improve your life.

It's just that with these benefits, life becomes more complex. There is a push and a pull to each benefit and only the most skillful can balance the two sides successfully. How many people have lost sight of what life is really about and become dedicated to material possessions? Gaining goods is alluring to all humans, but it's also a trap that keeps us wanting more, and becoming less fulfilled as we attain it. Or, how many people become daunted and confused by what to do with their lives? (ahem). The developing world is sadly deprived of opportunity. So why, once we have it, does it become a source of stress rather than gratitude?

True to Vijay's comments in the last post - the lesson here is balance. (1) Knowing the bad aspect of something as well as the good and (2) the ability to stay in balance. The problem is that so few people, let alone entire societies, are good at balance. The human response to good is to give me more of it. Yes, this is the fire of capitalism which has enriched societies worldwide. But look at what happens when we don't look after the greater system: "unfortunate" downsides occur like damage to environment or loss of culture. Or perhaps, in the race, "minor" details are overlooked, like the fact that many mortgage-backed securities weren't backed by much at all. From individual effects, like childhood obesity to greater effects like the financial crisis occurring today, we can't just accept modernization (loosely termed) with open arms. The bad must be recognized, accepted and accounted for.

Can we really expect the next soon-to-be-modern country to see through modernization's ills and stay balanced? Interestingly enough, the principle of accepting the bad and staying balanced is central in Buddhism, the dominating religion of the people here. Maybe, if nobody else, these people stand a chance.