In between education and superstition
1. An inherent contradiction
Kerala is treated as one of the highly literate and educated pockets of India. Unfortunately, the vibes of education do not prevent us from being equally superstitious. This dubious contradiction may have to be well debated in society to come out of the chaos. Let us go through some of the aspects that might have contributed to the current state of our immensely superstitious but formally highly educated society.
2. Acceptance of superstition
There are many aspects that paved the way for the unusual acceptance of superstition in society. Rather than going after absolute reasons, understanding the contexts that nourished the silent growth and co-existence of many of the unhealthy practices, maybe more meaningful. Analyzing some of the below broader headings may be worth revealing the context.
- The decline in the spirit of education
- Dilemma of Freedom
- The general acceptance of escapism
- Thrust of capitalization
- Decline of honesty
2.1. The decline in the spirit of education
Education poses many good definitions. Through his experiments with “Viswabharathy”, Rabindra Nath Tagore showed us, how education can be used as a tool for the liberation of thoughts, wisdom, and values. With the notion of scientific temper, our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru attempted to bring an analytical mind to equip us to come out for slave mentality. There were many veterans who struggled to use education as an effective device to bring value and humanity.
Independent India, had another challenge for the spirit of education. It was nothing but one of the side effects of education called employability. Unfortunately, the more, we started relying on formal education as entry criteria for jobs, the more we were running away from the very spirit of education. This was silent, but, powerful re-definition of education. Its intent was mostly shortened to a job-finding technique, which we failed to unwind.
The destination-focused education sector was to face some traction of social responsibilities, reflection, and commitments, via the existence of campus politics. During and after the freedom struggle, campuses, through open reading, discussions, debates, and conflicts, acted as the energy hub for transformations. Like any stage of adolescence, campuses were also not immune to physical conflicts. While unplugging campus politics, we surrendered our last weapon which would have been used as an effective voice against the shift in spirit and objectives of education. It gradually fell down from building value systems and scientific temper to mere mechanical qualification exercises.
A consistent decline in humanities and an emergence of a more technical-focused curriculum across our country may be viewed as proof of the paradigm shift. The diversion is now blatant when we are entering into the era of industry-focused deemed-to-be universities that drive syllabuses pointed to specific employment needs. The shift is from knowledge to technology or tooling.
Superstitions, on the other hand, enjoy an undue place in society, under the helm of beliefs and freedom. The decline in the spirit of education is directly or indirectly contributing to the unchecked growth and acceptance of superstitions.
2.2. Dilemma of Freedom
Freedom is a tricky term, most of the time – it varies from context to context. At the time of our great freedom struggle, it was the haul for self-reliance. After the declaration of the official freedom statement, we seem to have tumbled into a dilemma. Instead, of taking up nation-building to pursue the motto of self-reliance, the majority of us focused on making ourselves free of dependencies. More than the building of a collective nation, we started building independent individuals. The new definition of freedom conveniently created “others” among ourselves and started becoming self-protective. This tendency not only brought doubts about the goals of the collective called nation but also increased the air of mistrust and fear of loss for many of us.
Independent India witnessed many attempts at restructuring like land reforms. Since the shift of freedom was the undercurrent, the actual result of land reforms, ended up in forming more independent induvial than the expected uprise in social justice. A keen observer and scholar of all times were warning us on the side effects – Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, used to advocate for declaring the farm sector as an industry and was pushing for creating state-owned land banks instead of distributing lands to equip persons. The suggestion would have been to make a more collective and interdependent society than a society as a collection of people starving for independent existence.
The over-focus on personal freedom was paving the way to a highly selfish mindset among ourselves. We have started shrinking towards our individual virtues, aims, and comfort. Our social concern, commitment, and sense of responsibility started running low in the context of over-personalization.
The impact that emerged was far-reaching, the first generation after independence was thrilled by the personal heights and often lost in its objectives and goals. While doing this, they were also effective in resource accumulation. The next generations often experienced a sense of dictation on choosing objectives in the pre-text of achievements and understanding of their forerunners. Thus, we nourished a population who were free but were piped with clueless achievements, not of their will.
The result of all these aspects is one of the other contexts for the over-acceptance of rituals and shortcuts. Having unconvinced goals, on one hand, confused mind with growing suspicion; fueled by spiritless education might have given a better ground for mechanical solutions. As the population is already termed to be comfortable with told objectives, told actions might have been swallowed without any thought. Lack of social sense and selfishness nourished by over-personalization may be seen as a reason for accepting superstition and a viable tool.
2.3. General acceptance of escapism
We have discussed the decline in the spirit of education and the emergence of individual selves in the previous sections. The erosion in the value system and rise in selfish motives makes it very convenient to disown anything. This might have led to another problem, that of escapism.
The tendency is obvious on all fronts of life. An injustice happening to a neighbor may not be attended, to because it may be disowned as the responsibility of law enforcement agencies. One may not worry about an unhealthy institutionalized practice by a religious group, as it can be disowned by priests or so-called religious scholars. The democratic process may be disowned by established political parties and leaders. While disowning everything, the attempt is to run away from the responsibility and to find someone responsible for the shortcomings.
Everyone holds beliefs to one degree or another – some may be scientific; some may be religious. The habit of disowning and escapism makes ones on beliefs untrue, without even asking any questions in fear of ownership, the dictations are seen as comfortable choices.
In this context, if we view rituals and superstitions, the ownership of the actions lies with a godman or a black magic professional, and hence the actions can be performed without any feeling of guilt.
2.4. Thrust of capitalization
Capital makes sense in the context of an exchange value. A thing or service attains capital value or can be capitalized if it can be exchanged (and not consumed) for a value. Thus, the expectation and optimism aired by any of the capital-based systems are founded on the ability to sell or service. We can not say that it is totally unacceptable; as it is the way that capitalism works.
The tool of capital is money and persons who can exchange money. A highly self-oriented society with the habit of disownment is, in fact, a result of a misguided education objective. Such a society will be more flexible for ruthless exchanges with less moral baggage.
Rituals and superstitions are sellable or serviceable commodities. In addition, it also generates optimism. It gives news value, another commodity on the fly. Hence, for an unchecked capital flow, such unhealthy practices may be inherently comfortable. We could see that the victims of such practices roam around the practitioners – event after failed goal - as the optimism it generates overrules everything, and business is involved on many fronts.
2.5. Decline of honesty
Only a brave soul can be honest. The lack of ownership and decline in the value system eventually generates a society of slaves. A mind that accepts slavery can not question it. To avoid raising questions, and facing questions, the easiest way is to learn to be dishonest. The drive of capital and selfish motives makes dishonesty justifiable and sometimes it is glorified as well.
Rituals and superstitions are dishonest from any angle. The follower is dishonest since he is afraid to understand the hollowness of it. The conductor is dishonest since he is articulating actions that he is in no way convinced or authorized.
The media in general and social media in particular acts as a messenger of dishonesty. It acts as a thread that effectively connects the dots of the doctrine. This amplifies the impact and, in a way, gives an impression that these are socially accepted practices that are there for some time.
3. Coming down to the problem
While reviewing these aspects we could easily relate that all of these aspects or contexts are tightly coupled and interconnected. Almost all of them give strong indications that as a nation or as a society we are derailing from collective ownership and objectives of nation-building.
3.1. Be the change
All of us have to think about the reasons from one’s own viewpoint. I have tried to lie down, and some of them found logical to me. The first step towards a change is to be convinced that a change is needed and the change will follow. The more we are aware, the more we will be capable of adapting to positive change.
We can be more reactive as well as proactive in the contexts or aspects we discussed.
3.1.1 Be Reactive
We have to bring back thoughts and ideas and have to challenge cold-minded repetitions and rituals to come out of this impasse. The below-listed objectives may be more realistic than forming rules to ban, and probably glorify, superstitions in particular and rituals in general.
- Realign the objectives of education to the building of a value system, social commitment, and scientific temper
- Social responsibility and a sense of collective growth need to be established
- A general sense of ownership and bottom-line responsibility may be emphasized in the social fabric
- The system should not be aligned with the capital flow, rather it should be brave enough to play a vital role. Nehru was trying to take the middle path, later it seems we have lost track.
- Need to insist on the value of honesty and the amount of happiness it brings
3.1.2. Be Pro-Active
The transition of illogical practices to false truth is most probably well represented by one of the all-time favorites of Keralites, none other than “Kumaranasan” - “Yesterday’s mistakes may be misjudged as today’s rituals. They may be treated authentic tomorrow; do not give them a space”.
He rightly said it, say no, or avoid, if we are finding some illogical things evolving in front of us.
4. Part of the wave
Humanity might have gone through many relative ups and downs. The show goes on…
It may sound unrelated – the solution may have to start from a cultural renaissance! Various forms of arts and literature have to emerge with the known, unknown, direct, or indirect goal of advertising the context of the decline in the commitment we are facing on different fronts.
In fact, it happened in past, many times – freedom struggles, literary booms worldwide, movements of veterans of various religions – Krishna, Jesus, Muhammed, Sree Budha, Kabir Das, Sree Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Sree Narayana Guru, etc. – if we are mindful.
Let us be part of the next one or the ongoing one!
NB: Written for Srishti 2022, the literary fest conducted by Prathidwani @ Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
https://prathidhwani.org/node/13035
https://prathidhwani.org/guidelines-srishti-2022
