Today we’re talking about society and culture, so allow me to introduce to you, a human tendency that lives in us, feeds in us and grows in us. A human characteristic that affects the gigantic portion of our society i.e. the “tendency to enslave others”. Slavery has existed in almost every civilization in every part of the land. Slavery is a very ancient concept that exists in almost every society. But from where did it originate, from where did the ideology of enslaving an individual come?
So, right from the very start, from the day we were born, we want things and people to be our way for example, you want your mother beside you all the time despite the fact that she is an individual and not just your mother.This is fine because we were innocent then, but these controlling tendencies keep enhancing within us and slowly we want our peculiar choice of food toys and more. We don’t even want our friends to talk to people that we aren’t fond of; this is a controlling behavior, isn’t it? But you just don’t realize it and it keeps on enhancing with succeeding years for example, in teenage you want loved ones to not to talk to the person you can’t bear, husband wants to control his wife and vice-versa, parents want entire control on their children, Isn’t it? Controlling is just another adjective for slavery. History has facts how enslaving others was important even then. Considering Ravana the great, who tried to enslave Siya, Duryodhan tried to enslave Pandavas and their wife, despite having an entire empire of their own, British tried to enslave the Golden Bird, our India. So, it is a proven fact that humans have this particular tendency to control or enslave others.
But why do we do it? Why have these brilliant people done it? Why is it still being done?
The answers to these very intellectual questions would attract your keen interest I assume.
Well, we the intelligent sapiens love to spot flaws in others, it makes us feel better. It makes us realize how powerful we are, how much we’ve controlled it and trust me it does make us feel good. Many will agree. By doing so you feel better best powerful and you love it. Humans feel invincible by enslaving. Slavery made the intelligent sapiens feel invincible, the ultimate and he loves that. So, feeling so is totally natural and an expected human nature but what can be and had been the consequence of slavery?
Likewise, history again has proven facts about the consequence of slavery. Ravana and Duryodhan eventually died owning to their misdeeds and British had to leave the Golden Bird when they could no more control us. It is stated in The Gita “Don’t seek control, it leads to rage”. Enslaving never had been never will be an appropriate thing to do. Despite having such proven facts we’re still enslaving others, for example, husband wants to control the wife, parents want to control the child, the boss wants to enslave employee, there is still untouchability practiced in our society. We have lost ourselves in the hollow sea of greed and have forgotten that besides being just the wife or child or employee of someone, that person is also a complete individual.
No matter how much you try you cannot enslave every individual breathing on this planet, can’t capture every piece of land, though you managed to do so, you cannot direct every mind. You can leave an impact, be it good or bad, to limited place or people. You cannot enslave the world. This is the true beauty of this bemused place.
Well, if something that shall be controlled is to control the feeling of enslaving others. There lies a good and bad in all of us. One who grows the good tendencies and controls the evil is the wise person. The tendency to enslave others should be enslaved. Because knowing that you can’t control the world and be accepting the fact brings the eternal peace, moksha lies there.
“To feel something evil cannot be controlled as a human
The one who enslaves the evil tendency is the wisest of all”