Our World in 2018

The time beckons
By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
There is an old saying that time and tide
waits for no man. Yet, there are some
to it and there are others who have the ability
to change it. People look towards leaders to
bring about this change. Every new year they
wish for a better life and a better society to
be in.
Consciously or unconsciously, people
hold the leaders responsible for the state
that they are in. Whereas often, leaders feel
that they are not in control of the factors
contributing to their challenges. And there
goes the blame game. In this ping pong of
responsibilities, both leaders, and the society
are at a loss. What to do in this situation, is a
question that weighs heavily on one’s mind.
While greed of a few and unethical practices
have caused economic turmoil in the world;
the arms and the pharmaceuticals lobbies
are further fueling unrest and compromising
peace. Egotistic attitude of power hungry
people has caused destruction for decades
and has inflicted immense suffering in the
lives of millions. Here, the political parties,
media houses, business enterprises, and faithbased
organizations, have a great role to play.
They can make a big impact, either positive
or negative, on the human psyche. However,
some political leaders thrive on creating alarm.
A few religious zealots prey on guilt. Negative
bias in society is further instigated by a section
of media selling sensationalism. Short-sighted
and profit hungry business approaches
compromise sustainable and inclusive growth.
In this divisive and self-serving atmosphere,
there are very few who are striving to uplift the
human spirit. It is hardly surprising then, that
our population is reeling in depression and
the opioid crisis – the two foremost challenges
facing us this decade. With this bleak picture
around, the onus of bringing hope lies on the
leaders. A leader has to maintain high levels
of enthusiasm and conviction to pull people
.T
is indeed an uphill task. Leaders can only do
this, if they can tap into their inner strength.
There are many ways of doing so and I would
say making yoga and meditation part of one’s
.T
help one to start each day with a clean slate,
OUR WORLD | 2018
Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
is a revered global
humanitarian
and a renowned
ambassador of
peace.
He is the founder
of The Art of Living
Foundation (1981)
and the International
Association for
Human Values
(1997), both active
in 155 countries
and engaged in
diverse humanitarian
projects including
trauma and stress
relief in crisis areas
and for victims of
violence, prisoner
rehabilitation and
environmental
care. He is also the
founder of the World
Forum for Ethics
in Business, which
regularly convenes
in conferences at the
European Parliament
and around the
world. All three
organizations hold a
special consultative
status with the United
Nations.
OUR POLITICAL SOCIETIES
drop pre-conceived impressions, enhance
intuitive awareness and strengthen resilience.
Mahatma Gandhi had envisioned “Ram
Rajya” - a society that is just and equitable.
Education in human values, faith in nonviolence,
and creating a more humane
society are integral to realizing this. So, can
we still hold onto such a vision in the current
scenario? Can a stress-free violence-free
society become a reality? Yes, the very goal of
democracy is to provide that hope – to provide
a platform to create a just, prosperous and
happy society. For this to happen, the four
pillars of democracy, politics, media, business
and faith based organizations all have to work
together in collaboration, with the broader
social interest in mind. They all have to stay
at arm’s length and be strong pillars to hold
the roof called democracy. When all these
RR
within reach. There is another burning issue
today - immigration. Though, we live in an
increasingly globalized world, connected by
technological advances, we seem to live in
isolation of culture and civilization. Unlike in
middle ages, when immigrants wiped out the
host culture; today immigrants have to adapt,
while preserving their roots. They cannot
become a threat to society. Terrorism is yet
another problem the world is facing, which
is ideology and theology driven. It needs to
.F
in combatting terrorism. Many times, a soft
.
In my travels around the world and
interactions with people across diverse
cultures, religions and languages, I see a
lot of goodness in society. The number of
service projects undertaken by faith based
organizations, NGOs and the public is a
testimony to this fact. It is our responsibility
as the global leadership community to inspire,
.
I see our volunteers in 155 countries,
.I
optimistic and hopeful for the times to come.
Every new year presents us an opportunity
the lives of people in our societies happier,
healthier and more peaceful. As the new year
unfolds, let us resolve to be unshakable from
within. Let us be that person who can change
the times. My heartfelt wishes and blessings
to everyone in the new year.
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