(Asian Independent)- Greetings on the occasion of #WorldHumanistDay.#Humanissm is an idea whose time has come now when we are witnessing war against humanity, growing majoritarianism and prejudices against minorities and marginalized people. We all know theocratic societies dont take us anywhere and religion based rules have often reduced human beings into mere puppets of the undemocratic regimes. It is time, we should also think that neo liberal and so called democratic systems too are bringing the right wing hate mongers into power. The hate propaganda is winning because of the unequal system and huge digital divide. The right wing today is controlling the digital system and building up narrative.
The problem is not the hard core religious man who speaks from his ‘heart’ as he or she may not have the ‘sophistry’ but the ‘modern’ looking tech savvy English speaking ‘experts’ who are controlling our narrative from the Western world. Our colonial bosses ensured that the political and ‘intellectual’ opinion in our societies actually flowed in from London, Washington or New York. Our elite shifted bases there. Many went for jobs, many had the luxury but after many more years and even citizenship, this elite, which enjoy freedom and democracy in Western World are actually promoting exactly the opposite back home. Most of the digital experts or anonymous hate propagandists are located in those capitals that gives them the right to ‘offend’ while they are unable to take the same offense if somebody does the same.
It is important for ‘liberal’ ‘democratic’ societies to put such digital propagandists in the watch list and ask them questions whether they support hate speech and hate propaganda back home while enjoying liberty there.
On World Humanist Day, we wish for a world free from hunger, malnutrition, prejudices, and superstition. Can there be any bigger superstitions than #castesystem and #Untouchability which still are part of our society? That so-called caste supremacists can spit on the face of a ‘food delivery boy’ just because the latter belong to a so-called lower caste, reflects the nature of society. These degrading things must be declared highly offensive and outrageous.
When we celebrate world humanist day, it is our duty to take humanism to the common person and share with them the values of humanism which actually are there in our constitution too. In India, the core idea of humanism is part of the thought process and philosophy of all great thinkers such as Buddha, Kabir, Raidas, Basva, Nanak and later period Joti Rao Phule, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, EVR Periyar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rahul Sankrityayan. Ofcourse, legendary M N Roy defined it in a much more articulative way but that remains out of bounds for a majority of our population where book reading is limited.
Again wishing you all a wonderful humanist day. Our task is difficult but not impossible. Wishing you strength and success in your endeavors to bring changes and enlightenment.
June 21st, 2022
