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How Indian Americans can emerge as a force for good
The challenge before Indian Americans is to first learn this wisdom of the ancient seers, adopt it and experience its benefits, and then spread the word among Americans at large.
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I am inspired by a recent Opinion piece, I dreamed of this many Indian Americans in politics. I'm heartbroken by the reality in USA Today wherein the author, Isha Sharma expresses deep disappointment with many Indian Americans in politics today.
Sharma said, given that Indian Americans are the most educated racial group in the United States: 82 percent of Indian Americans ages 25 to 55 are college-educated, compared with just 42 percent of white Americans who have a degree, she expected some level of decorum and morality among them.
Clearly, education is not the key. So, what is the problem and how Indian Americans can emerge as changemakers and a force for good?
The solution is to be found in the ancient wisdom of India corroborated with scientific principles. Most Indian Americans have generally not been paying attention to the wisdom of their own ancient seers and its profound significance for today’s world.
The Bhagavad Geeta teaches us that all civilizations, no matter how great, eventually decline. The rise and decline of civilizations occur due to the transformation of three components of the mindset, S, R and T which are strongly and positively linked to the two human emotions.
The S component includes truthfulness, honesty, steadfastness, and equanimity, while the R component encompasses ambition, ego, bravery, greed, and desire to live, and the T component includes lying, cheating, causing injury in words or deed and sleep.
Positive emotions include unconditional love, kindness empathy, and compassion, while negative emotions encompass anger, hatred, hostility, resentment, frustration, jealousy, fear, sorrow and the like.
On a scale of internal excellence, the maximum S component is at the top of the scale, maximum T component at the bottom and all other combinations of the three components somewhere in between. On a scale of emotional excellence, maximum positive emotions are at the top of the scale, maximum negative emotions at the bottom and all other combinations of the two somewhere in between these two extremes.
The scales of internal and emotional excellence are entirely equivalent.
During rise, the societal S component increases but the S component cannot increase indefinitely and when it reaches its peak, the T component takes over and society begins to decline. The T component cannot increase indefinitely either and when it reaches its peak, the S component takes over and society begins to rise again. Thus, the transformation of the three components of the mindset induces repeated rise and fall of societies over thousands of years.
No one knows why such a transformation of the three components should take place but based on historical evidence, we can be certain it does.
At any given point in time, there will always be individuals with varying levels of emotional excellence in society. During the period of rise, the average level of emotional excellence of society would be much higher than it would be during the period of decline.
Afterall, both Kauravas and Pandavas were present during the period of Mahabharata.
After being in the state of decline for several thousands of years, India is rising again but, unfortunately, ominous signs of impending American decline are also appearing.
In the midst of the present political divide, Indian Americans have a tremendous opportunity, and perhaps a responsibility, to emerge as changemakers and a force for good.
While, it is impossible to avoid societal decline from occurring, it is possible to postpone decline by cultivating a higher level of internal (emotional) excellence.
Cultivation of positive emotions at the exclusion of negative emotions for a higher level of emotional excellence is not an intellectual exercise. The required positive changes must come from within, and this is achieved by enhancing the focus of attention with yoga and meditation. Since emotions can be measured, progress can be achieved. Learn more about this here.
So, the challenge before Indian Americans is to first learn this wisdom of the ancient seers, adopt it and experience its benefits, and then spread the word among Americans at large.
Finally, developments in artificial intelligence are taking place at a lightning pace. Renowned AI experts have publicly stated that while AI will bring about positive transformative changes in societies, artificial intelligence, if not properly handled, could pose existential threat to humanity. Here too, Indian Americans have a very significant role to play in mitigating the risks of AI to humanity. A large number of Indian Americans must learn the basics of artificial intelligence and how to use it to solve practical problems and encourage their children to do the same.
This is the way Indian Americans can emerge as changemakers and a force for good and contribute to a better and more peaceful nation and the world.
The author is Professor Emeritus in and former Chairman of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Louisville.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)
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