ARE WE HEADING BACK TO OUR ANIMAL SELVES?

                              — Dr. Kritiranjan Nath
  

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 Man is a social animal. We differ a lot from our primate forefathers. Not just in food habits or the way of living but in each and every other minute details. Today’s Man has reached the pinnacle of success in terms of Science and technology. He has travelled the world, explored new places and has even hoisted flag on the universe.

   This miraculous feat is not something which comes overnight. Centuries of continuous changes have evolved him into what he is today. The possessor of the most extraordinary mind of the universe has surely a lot to travel, much to explore and much more to win over, but side by side, a bit of introspection is also needed.  Science and Technology has armored Man with latest and extraordinary inventions.  While on one side it’s  super power has rendered us with the latest luxuries of all kinds, the other picture also shows that because of that we are even prepared to erase our species altogether owing to the nuclear power we now have.

   So, what’s the point then? Should we abandon the wonderful and amazing valley of science altogether and return to the stone age once again? Absolutely not. But one thing is to be taken care of. Science cannot be held responsible for the circumstances we face. Man creates  his own destiny, shapes it by his own will (not just wishful thinking), When this mixes with his own blood and sweat, that gives birth to a discovery or an invention. It is Man who executes and controls. But,  today’s world shows a clear picture of moral degradation. Human values make us man. They constitute us. Without values, what difference is there between us and the animals in the woods? The only thing uncommon is that they kill with claws and we with bombs! All the religions of the world speak of this same basic truth. The scriptures teach us the same lesson of humanity, of course, each according to the time, place and circumstances. But the opposite is found to be true. Our newspapers are flooded with the news of the inhuman acts of the humans all over the world. It is not at all astonishing to note that Man is counted as one of the world’s most dangerous animals. People kill each other in the name of religion. Countries are divided, Houses are burnt. People are butchered everyday. Which creator would want His own creation to be destroyed like this? In the early age, when gradually Man started thinking and exploring, He understood that he can not live alone. For maintaining the fundamental principle of life and growth he must take shelter and take proper care of his immediate environment. In earlier days, the massive beasts like Sabre toothed tiger and wooly mammoths were hunted by group of Men. Man killed them. Not just for food, shelter and clothing but also for self defense. Those hunts taught him that we can not live alone. Then he learnt agriculture and once again, the impact and need for a social system was seen. Those doctrines which we feel proud in rejecting, are actually years of experimental facts which played a pivotal role in binding the society of contemporary times together. 

   Time has changed, so has our mindset and everything around us. But the thing which still stands true is our humanity, our values. History is evident that whenever a species has lost it’s values, it’s innate distinctive characters, it has become extinct from the face of earth! The evolution due to which we are humans, of which we boast so much is a resultant of a large number of processes which are governed by the values, the morals, and the innate hankering for life and growth.

   In absence of that very hankering, the scenario of death and destruction prevails everywhere. Which makes us question…..Are we not de–evolving into wild beasts again?