Whenever I think of the present-day humanity, I’m reminded of two stories. The first is that of a farmer who lived by the side of a big pond. He could not sleep peacefully because of the loud frog croaking all night, every day. It seemed that there were many thousands of frogs in the pond. This has been continuing for years. He decided to clear the pond. Also, he thought that he could make some profit by selling them to some hotels. He signed an agreement with a resort according to which they will be buying 100 frogs each, every day.
He bought a small boat and net first; and then arranged enough men. But what he got from the pond were only just two frogs – there were only those two there. The media many times leads us to misophonia, sometimes through hot debates on irrelevant topics. All these media men have the same mind. The hue and cry they cause is great, but there need not be any substance in it – there could only be half a frog. Go through the breaking news boxes and realise it personally.
The next story also is that of a frog. The myth says that if you put a frog in a pot of tepid water, it will continue playing in it. If the warmth is kept increasing very slowly, it’s also easy to boil it alive. By the time the heat becomes unbearable, the frog would have lost all its energy. The media keeps pumping a variety of philosophies into subscribers’ minds slowly. When it comes irresistible, they would have spoiled all the energy necessary for an escape. This is very common these days.
A combined study of Temple and Villanova Universities (1977) illustrates the illusory truth effect, according to which a lie repeated creates an impression that it could be true. What many religious leaders ask us need not be what Gita, Bible or Quran directs us. Though we enjoy the cosy water in the bowl, the fact is that we are being boiled.
When a sexual assault happens, how can we forget the media which creates enough subscribers asking for similar news and information? It is what we intend that manifest. Either we agree to it or not, what we experience outside is the reflection of what we have created inside.
How many hours are we spoiling, reading stories and watching video clips in mobiles? Ask ourselves, how much this information from social media has contributed to our growth. It is a fact that every invention makes us more slavish. Unless we can’t live without a car, a mobile or wi-fi it only means that we are chained to these standards. What else shall we do? According to Gita, complete our karma with equanimity. The traditional Jewish/Christian greeting ‘Peace be to you’ refers to the necessary inner calmness.
When we get attached to something, it creates joy or sorrow which disturbs the inner calmness. Gautam Buddha stresses on equanimity. A man disturbed by emotions never attains a realm of peace. This state of equanimity is possible only through continuous practice. We need another independence struggle to release ourselves from the clutches of the world.
