A CRITICISM OF MODERN LIFE

A CRITICISM OF MODERN LIFE

H

owever, science and technology bring improvement in the quality of our life in many ways; it also resulted in many new Crises. Pollution, crowding, competition, social insecurity, unemployment, violence, loneliness………are all the accompaniments of modern living. One is also subjected to prejudice, discrimination, exploitation, and torture because of one’s belongingness to a particular social class, religion or regional influence.

The development in the field of science and technology is a boon as well as a bane to us; No doubt there is development in many different fields like those of the medical science, engineering, information & technology (IT Sector). There is also a set of new emerging fields of science like biotechnology, genetic engineering, Nano- technology and so on. But what are the uses of these sciences and technologies if these are not able to fulfill our basic requirements and necessities. With the developments in these entire spheres of sciences and technologies, we are proudly saying that we lead a luxurious and comfortable life. But if we ask our self one question, “are we happy?”The answer would probably be “No”. With the growth in modern living, the world and its hoi-polloi masses are more and more attracted towards materialism. People irrespective of their caste, creed, color, race, religion, regional influence and social status are all running after materialism.

People of the present day have no time for literature and classics; rather they are in the run for

acquiring more and more not knowledge or wisdom but material pursuits. They do not care for the ways or the means by which they are satisfying their thirst for material pursuits. These clans of people running after fulfilling their materialistic desire are inadvertently the most wretched masses. As their happiness is dependent upon the amount of goods they accumulate. Thus it is accepted by critic’s world wide “it is the preoccupation with possessions; more than anything else that prevents us from living freely and nobly……..Bertrand Russell.” Consequently, modern people lead a life of “sick and hurry with divided aims” as a result of which there is degradation not only at the social, regional, national, international level; but there is degeneration at the core level, i.e. the soul, there is soul depletion which is far more detrimental. If a soul is unhealthy it will not only pollute itself but also pollute the entire society, just like “a rotten apple rots the entire basket of apple”.

There is no end to our desires, we are never satisfied with what we have and crave for more hence we indulge in a barmy (mad) race for acquiring more and more without caring for other’s. Along these lines it is rightly said by Marie von ebner-eschenbach….. “To be content with little is difficult, to be content with much impossible”.

Thus in our lives we face many changes and frustration, shocks and repeated shocks again and again, which exhaust the energy of our souls and numb their elastic powers. Our lives thus are haunted and disturbed by frequent shocks and sorrows which exhaust our energy and deprive us of our joy and buoyancy. Hence after running after more & more material pleasures when we are wearied and exhausted by our feverish activities, we think of our worn out past, our life in the past, our past attempts, endeavors, our aggravation and our perpetual new beginnings and fresh disappointment.