Self holds key to environment

Editor:
The United Nations Environment Programme has pointed out that the present levels of consumption are unsustainable. Not only are the industrial countries consuming beyond what the earth can sustain, the Asian countries are getting on to the consumption bandwagon. Country after country is encouraging consumption, both of domestic and imported goods, under the structural adjustment programs. That is, after all, considered to be the objective of growth in the Western paradigm that we have got used to.
The environment lobby, therefore, suggests that the world move towards the use of greener technologies and re-invest more in the preservation of environment. Certainly this will slow down the rate of environmental degradation. It would be possible to produce more goods while limiting environmental damage. Such an approach, however, does not solve the inherent conflict between man’s desire for unlimited consumption and earth’s limited ability to supply the same.
Green technology gets 75 miles to a gallon instead of 50 miles previously. But, it the family acquires three green cars instead of one blue one, the consumption of gas doubles! Ultimately, there is no solution except by curtailing man’s consumption.
The question then is how to promote man’s welfare while restricting his consumption. The present tendency to ‘downshift’ - to voluntarily choose to scale back their salaries and life-styles is a step in the right direction. But it is not enough.
A person who gives up a fat salary city job for a less paying one in the mountains is still consuming. The only difference is that he seeks to consume more of meditation instead of jet planes. Since it is consumption anyway, Mr. Meditation cannot turn around to Mr. Jet Plane and say, hey buddy, will you too please down shift so that I can meditate? Doesn’t cut ice. Consumption is consumption whether of meditation or flying jets. Neither can place himself on a high pedestal.
Yet, intuitively, meditation makes sense. It is here that ancient Indian philosophy can help. Manu was first of the Sages. He postulated a four point progressive scale of desires - lowest being material consumption followed by money-making, power-seeking, and self-understanding, in that order. He said that all human beings without exception have all the four desires. The purpose of man’s life was to evolve from the lowest - consumption, to the highest - self-understanding.
Jet planes and meditation no longer remain at the same level. Jet planes are means to the lowest of man’s desires - consumption. Meditation, on the other hand, was means to the highest of man’s desires - self-understanding.
This progressive scale of desires gives us a touchstone for assessing the relevance of consumption. Only so much of consumption needs be indulged in by a person as is necessary for his evolution to his higher desires. Mr. Meditation can now ask Mr. Jet Plane, “Hey buddy, haven’t you had enough of jet planes? Why don’t you start meditation. You’ll like it.” Reduction of consumption by Mr. Jet Plane now becomes something that leads to his own good. There no longer is a conflict between Mr. Meditation and Mr. Jet Plane. The ‘downshifting’ from jet plane to meditation is sought on the basis of Mr. Jet Plane’s own revolution. By consuming less of jet planes his welfare is sought to be enhanced.
It may well be that Mr. Jet Plane wants more of jets yet. No sweat. Manu says that there will certainly be some point when he will get sick of it, provided he is conscious of such a development. It is here that Mr. Meditation needs to intervene. He has to constantly draw attention of Mr. Jet Plane that unlimited flying won’t get him anywhere. He must move on to realize his higher desires by cutting his consumption of jets.
The task of the social organizer, of Mr. Meditation, then becomes that of drawing attention of Jet-Planers to the fact that enough is enough: “Restrain yourself from unending consumption not because I get hurt in the process but because it is bad for yourself. Continuous jet planing prevents you from realizing your own higher potential.” It is only by bringing in this concept of evolution of the self that we can encourage people to desist from unending consumption.
Environmentalists argue that present levels of consumption are not sustainable therefore bring them down. This does not work because it requires one to give up short term consumption for long term one. And, unfortunately, it is difficult to get people to give up one bird in their hand for two in the bush.
The important point is to challenge consumption itself and that too as a stepping stone to the realization of one’s higher potential.
Let us not forget that most of the ancient civilizations have been created in Asia and they have survived for thousands of years. Perhaps part of their success was that their world view was not consumption-oriented. The West is running on collision course with mother earth. The least we can do is not to follow that disastrous path. Our ways of thinking have stood us in good measure. Temporary imbalances brought about by
materialist technological superiority of the West will not last very long. But, if we abandon our ancient roots we will be joining them in their quest for self-destruction.
Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala, Ph.D.

Kudos for Thailand

Editor:
I had a wonderful op-portunity to visit Thailand (Chonburi, Kanchanaburi & Phitsanulok) last month for three and a half weeks. As a member of the Cobra Gold 97 contingent, I couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding experience than being able to interact with Thai people. It truly is the “Land of Smiles”! I have never been to a place where hospi-tality and kindness is shown more sincerely than Thailand. I hope to be back next year with the same expectation - Smiles to greet me, and the unique Thai charm to keep me spellbound once more!
Ernie

Thanks to Sophon

Dear Sir:
Through your paper I would like to express my thanks to Sophon Cable TV for getting the Discovery Channel back. Now if they would consider getting a clear picture for BBC World programmes, which is technically pos-sible, their service would be much im-proved.
Yours Sincerely,
William Nevins

Another happy Sophon customer

Dear Sir,
Never let it be said that I only put pen to paper in order to moan! May I use the Pattaya Mail to say how happy I am that Sophon Cable have restored the Discovery Channel to our screens? Furthermore, they seem to have improved reception of BBC World.
Is it possible that all the letters in the Mail have actually had a beneficial effect? If that is so, then more power to the Mail!
And now let us try to get Sophon to sort out their movie channels. (Does that count as a moan?)
Yours Sincerely,
Oliver Minto

Self holds key to environment

Kudos for Thailand

Thanks to Sophon

Another happy Sophon customer