I, often times, see the top 10 lists in different contexts – in software products in a particular category, top 10 vulnerabilities, top 10 militaries, top 10 economies etc., Coming to the context of spirituality, I tried to see the current top 10 evils that has manifested in this world that needs immediate attention. Perhaps, we can take a look at the top 10 good things that needs mention in a latter blog.
1. No Gender Parity
I have tried to explain why I think gender=parity is must at -my other blog - On Equality
Please refer to the current status on equality at –UNICEF-Gender Equality-Current Status.
Even among the most developed countries, there is gender inequality in below common situations:
- Governance groups and Boards
- Senior Management
- Policy/Influencer Groups
- Judiciary
- Military Leaderships
- Fashion
- Cinema/Arts/Music
- Etc.,
I have mentioned about the need for an interlocking iron-clad constitutional framework that will enable nations to implement a sound, democratic/inclusive constitution. Ideally, at the best, gender parity should be enforced through this proposed constitutional framework. Any tier-1 jobs, be it in government or in private domain should adopt this policy by enforcing 50+- 5 % reservation for women.
Recently, one large democratic country announced 33% reservation for women in its central and state electoral seats. I think women should not accept anything lower than 50+-5% reservation. The +-5% play is just a suggestion to enable some sense of practicality, which means sometimes we can expect 55% women or 55% men in a given category of jobs.
2. No Wealth-Distribution
Again, I have mentioned earlier about inequal income distribution that is widely prevalent in the world in my blog.
I think one of the core functions of an iron-clad constitution must be to ensure wealth distribution. Programs like capping income ratios, Universal Basic Income etc., should be implemented in a sound manner to ensure wealth distribution and to reduce income inequalities.
3. Rampant Consumerism
I happen to check this website – www.watercalculator.org - water used in everyday products - The Hidden Water in Everyday Products - Water Footprint Calculator (watercalculator.org).
I faithfully reproduce a table (Table 1) given in that site below:
Beside the individual consumerism habits, I think there is consumerism bias where we see per-capita consumption of almost most essential things are high in the advanced countries.
Please refer to the links below:
1. Charts - Our World in Data (search for different consumption patterns)
2. The World's Largest Consumer Markets in 2030 (visualcapitalist.com) – This is even more shocking – Japan with a population of 122 million is in 7th place. Nigeria with 218 million is not figuring in top 20. In fact, no African countries are among the top 20 despite having 1.28 billion people.
It is very clear, that by careful observation and analysis of data, we can conclude that the major consumers are the developed and developing countries. And add to this the fact that populations are not considered too high in the developed countries and consumerism is more in developing countries only because of their high population. (China, India, Indonesia, Brazil etc.,). In case of a country like Nigeria, despite having high population, it is not being considered a lucrative consumer market! Looks like the economic resources of this world has its own mind to flow only in the rich lands!
4. Crime/Corruption
Because of the above 3 issues, – crime and corruption are on the raise. Crime/Corruption is high in poor neighbourhoods/countries and Corruption is high in the rich neighbourhoods and wealthy countries! Even crimes in poor neighbourhood pales in comparison if you would understand what a resourceful rich nation can do to a poor country with rich natural resources! (read the book – Kleptopia by Tom Burgis)
5. Undesirable Power Concentrations
Another major evil manifested in most countries is this – the concentration of power to undesirable levels. Again, the cure for this malady is the adaptation of an iron-clad constitution that is guaranteed to prevent power concentrations at any levels of the governance in any positions.
There should be more than one fail safe mechanisms to address this issue of power concentration (which is also a major cause for cronyism, nepotism, and corruption) in the new iron-clad constitution. Please refer to my other article on Dynamic Political Systems.
The writers of the new iron-clad constitution should become the Devil’s advocate and make sure to outline various methods/arrangements to diffuse power concentrations in various workings of the government and they should also outline how common man can use various means to question/correct misuse of power coming out of power concentrations.
We have to note that some organizational power concentrations can derive from political power concentrations, and they too can play a detrimental role in the national development. Some basic guidelines should be issued to private organizations on this regard.
6. Lack of All Inclusive Growth Plans
Most of our economic development plans are oriented towards the wellbeing of humans only!! But it does not mean that we are excelling in the wellbeing of humans! When are we going to expand this human centric growth plans to all inclusive growth plans?
Economic activities like, large scale fish trawling (that too in breeding season), whale poaching, excessive meat consumption, ocean explorations, Arctic/Antarctic explorations, wiping of pristine habitations for mining activities etc., are being ignored or the control measures are ineffective.
When are we going to be responsible humans who are mindful about the fact that this world is a shared space with other species?
7. Unsustainable Economic Outcomes
Depletion of natural resources is a major issue. Are we sure that we are doing the right thing in our actions, that we are converting the natural resources from its natural state into a commercial state at this pace and scale?
Can we be able to set aside the immediate human benefits and ponder - Are we using the natural resources for its intended purpose? The oil reserves, for example, took millions of years to form, and we have depleted a huge stock of it in the last 80 years just to move things and goods to various places!! Should we be a bit careful about what is left? Maybe we can drive its use towards the pharmaceutical industries or to some function that is sustainable, recyclable while supporting a large set of world population.
8. Insensitiveness to Other’s Sufferings
Recalling different news from the above points over a morning coffee and not feeling even a wee bit of recoil for the impacts is a different level of mental insensitivity that can even be termed as mental leprosy!!
I sometimes think that large scale stocking of money piles, arising out of insensitivity towards the poor is a classic sign of a new mental malady and that affliction should be assigned a new name as such.
Humans should organise themselves better under various groups and banners including government and private sectors groups to energise a mass movement perhaps under the ambit of an organization like UN and cultivate and address this insensitivity affecting billions of lives on this planet.
9. Loss of Faith
Despite having numerous temples, churches, monasteries etc., we do realise the above 8 afflictions and more as a thinking human. Why aren’t our spiritual mentors not able to correct this situation despite having immense visibility? Looks like we are losing our faith in having and being grounded in good virtues and in believing in being a responsible and decent citizen of the universe.
Please refer to my other blogs - of good and evil and on the value systems.
10. Failure of responsible Societal Groups
Please refer to my blogs on what I mean by groups here.
We are working most intensely- only as a nuclear-single unit- family. We are not well integrated as one or many groups. Our constitutions, while acknowledging the rights of the individual is completely ignoring group interests!!
Significant societal groups ignore all the above problems at ease! It is high time we re-learn what it means to be a responsible citizen of this earth and the universe!!