July 15, 2004

I believe it was the philosopher known as Descartes who said “I think, therefore I am.” As a student of philosophy this made a lot of sense. But today I would argue that “I feel, therefore I am” is equally important, if not more. Another philosopher Plato argued that the intellect, ‘Reason’, is far superior to ‘Emotions’ that belong to a “lower passion”. With all due respect to these great thinkers, how can there be life with only a brain and no heart?

We complain incessantly about how the world has gone wrong and there is no salvation in sight; we remain vulnerable victims. We moan and groan about the electricity breakdowns, the water shortage, the horrendous prices of wheat and petrol; and above all the violence, destruction, carnage and death of innocent bystanders, even those who are only deep in prayer, perhaps asking for mercy.

Invariably, the criminals go scot-free. Don’t be fooled by the so-called violators who are shown in print and electronic media (with their faces covered) as having been caught by the oh-so-efficient law enforcers. It is a farce; the powers that be remain enshrined and ensconced in their rhetoric and nonsense.

They will have you believe that it was sectarian violence, for instance, and they will get to the bottom of it. Some conspiracy theories claim that the powers themselves instigate the trouble, one political party/faction against the other, each fighting for a bigger share of the pie.

Whatever the cause and source of this may be, whether it is those spreading hatred and venom, or those who are already so embittered and full of anger that they readily resort to turning existence into one of terror and anguish, the question remains: is this what life has come to, are people so fed up and so frustrated that they see no wrong in taking lives of those no different to themselves, do they somehow believe that resorting to violence will change the world?

We are exposed to so much negativity day and night that we’ve involuntarily trained our brains to switch off, so the heart remains protected. As a result you’re left with those who have no heart and those who keep theirs safely tucked away. Regrettably, there is some truth to the fact that to have a heart often translates into having it bruised or broken.

Is it any wonder that never before have psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, psychologists, counsellors, etc., done such roaring business/practice? Every human relationship is in dire straits. Between genes/chromosomes, hormones and neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) coupled with our lifestyles, we are basket cases.

Stress levels (the number one cause of so many ailments) is constantly soaring. This curse has afflicted everyone across the spectrum; no wonder there is so much substance use/abuse in all its various forms, be it nicotine, tobacco, niswar, glue, alcohol, marijuana, heroin, cocaine and the other synthetic drugs. Lack of exercise and entertainment only compounds the need to turn to these ways of relieving stress, and getting a break from life — or rather — getting away from life.

Clearly in the 21st century, medicine, science and technology are at their zenith; therefore we have global warming (ozone layer), people are reverting to organic food, water is purified and packaged, medication comes with serious sideeffects. Now we require yoga to put us in touch with ourselves.

While there are still those evils that have been around since time immemorial — war, sex crimes, famine, disease... what does this say, how far have we advanced? Clearly we seem to be engaged in a war against nature, and this seriously calls into question what can now be termed normal, or for that matter abnormal, or paranormal.

In a BBC documentary “The battle of the sexes”, two interesting findings were mentioned. One was that gender is not determined by chromosomes (XX and XY) but hormones (testosterone and oestrogen).

The second was that love is chemical not cosmic, which would mean that neurotransmitters/brain chemicals i.e., dopamine and serotonin determine attraction, compatibility, passion and bonding. This puts a completely different spin on things it would seem.

Everyone of us at some point in time must wonder about the meaning of our lives, about what makes us who we are, what it is we are living for. Despite the world being a global village and the incessant information being bombarded our way, most of us still do not have answers to the most basic questions.

As far as I’m concerned, introspection is key; it is the best method of self-analysis. Despite the drudgery and monotony of our existence, the injustices and the failings, we must not lose sight of our reflection in the mirror. It is important to remember that although everything is transient and at times quite meaningless, there is always one constant: survival — the ability to not lose your mind and to have a heart.

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