Am currently reading a very interesting book. One of my favourite booksellers - Rafique of Ensign Book stores, Bandra vociferously recommended this title - GOD WANTS YOU TO BE RICH by Paul Zane Pilzer.
The title was certainly attractive ! Rafique pointed out that the author uses a lot of logic and case studies to apparently make the point. I was sold !
I started reading the book and I was hit by the central theme - no not about God helping you with your finance - but the basic premise he talks about is that most of man's CONFLICT in this world has been about people fighting over SCARCITY. Scarcity of Resources - especially of the Natural kind ( read Oil in today's times !). Because he has always ASSUMED that these resources were scarce, he has always been INSECURE and that has led to GRABBING them from others ( or attempting to grab / always having the intention to grab !).
This had led to the countless wars and violence that we have all grown up reading about. Pilzer, the author argues that the world resources are actually ABUNDANT. Even if one resource runs out there has always been another to replace it ( Coal - Oil for example) . Or. Technology has stepped in to make better utilisation of our resources -so the same "depleting" resource if used better can last us for lifetimes ! ( more fuel efficient engines helping conserve the once rapidly depleting oil resources)
Alas, not everyone sees it this way. Many are eyeing the neighbour's wealth of resources and scheming to get it for themselves ! To help them in their scheming ways, a very powerful tool is used very successfully - FEAR !
Man has been living with FEAR ever since he can remember he was man ! Man also discovered that he could create fear in other men to get what he wanted.
Creating fear in others is a strategy that is being in the employ of man for thousands of years. And it continues. Today there is the fear of terror. Yesterday it was the fear of "Oil running out". Both these fears are of course linked !
"FEAR KEEPS US ALL IN PLACE" is the insight that a lot of people have been using to dominate the world. And who is the best ally to these scheming intentions ? The Media !
They have practically amplified Fear to a level never thought possible. Do read the wikipedia section on "Culture of fear" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_fear
Many have pondered, observed, written, made movies about this. Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore, etc.
The POINT is that one of the fears that have always bothered man has been the FEAR OF SCARCITY. "What if I cannot continue the life I am leading because of this running out ?!"
"I must do something about it" ! ( Oops - violence ?)
And the media have helped this fear to be rampantly widespread. Bad News travels faster. And if it is helped to do so by the media why not ?!
Can you remember reading a newspaper any day where there was NO Bad News ! ?
Would the newspaper sell ?
Would anyone watch CNN if there was only news on happiness and peace ? Tough - right ? !
So, that's the truth - Bad News Sells !
And it is a vicious cycle ! Bad News creates Fear. Fear creates more Bad News ! Bad News focuses on Selective information for example SCARCITY, amplifies it and makes it the BIG News !
So, utlimately coming back to Pilzer's book, this fear of scarcity makes everyone believe that ABUNDANCE is not meant for everyone. Only some will have it - sp most of us will just live in miserable scarcity. Some might do something about it ( which might not be good !)
If we actually realised that we have been living in a world and society of ABUNDANCE and see how blessed we are all and see that if we just share, there is actually enough for everyone. Everyone would benefit and the pie of resources would just get bigger - thanks to OPTIMISM rather than the PESSIMISM which we have seem to have adopted !
He gives a couple of commercial examples where having a mindset of Openness has led to everyone get richer. Eg : VHS vs Betamax. VHS was for all - maybe technologically inferior - but it had an "inclusive" approach. Today, the more "superior" Betamax is not even known which had tried an "exclusive" approach.
The Internet with its "open" architecture has changed the way World Society functions. I am sure you have chanced upon the Cluetrain Manifesto. If not, do give it a peek ! It talks about how the world actually started going FLAT in 1999 http://www.cluetrain.com/
Open architecture operating systems like LINUX has given the behemoth Microsoft a run for their money ! Have a dekko at this story from Business week ! http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_05/b3918001_mz001.htm
So, to sum it all, remember, the WORLD RESOURCES are ABUNDANT. We will all Prosper ( and we are meant to Prosper !) if we accept this and operate with openness and willingness to Share !
I hope the reactions to this are ABUNDANT !
Posts
3 comments:
It's an interesting concept - the culture of fear. Every where you go today, you need to ensure that you're there half hour in advance - to allow for the security folks (from a dance bar to infinity mall) - to strip search you, de-liquid you and more (or is it less?). The number of security people at every 'mass' location has doubled, even trebled. I'm sure the revenue graphs at these places would have shot up exponentially in the last 1 year. What if the terrorists & the security agencies are hand in glove? It's a win win situation for everybody isn't it? Did this not happen in Afghanistan?
Hey Abhijit. Welcome to the world of blogging!
Like this article though obviously I read it and linked it to my experiences. ‘Fear ‘ is a big factor that rules our life …concept of ‘Fear of Scarcity’ is so true, it takes away what we have in the moment …I lost something I thought was precious by the constant FEAR of loosing it.
I have learnt the best way to deal with fear is to stare right into its face and say SO… Now What? It obviously needs to be supported by a strong believe that all that is happening is part of a perfect plan and it’s just important to tackle the moment bravely. At least that has been my learning …
Keep blogging ..
Cheers !
Payal
ABIJIT THIS IS RAFI , DONNO WHAT TO SAY I AM DISSOPOINTED THAT YOU JUST POINTED OUT JUST THIS ONE BOOK OUT OF THE MANY U HAVE BOUGHT FROM US ,IT IS ATLEAST SATISFYING TO KNOW U HAVE READ ATLEAST ONE WITH PROFOUND CONCENTRATION WISH U DID THAT WITH ALL THE BOOKS HAHAHAHA
HOPE THEIR IS SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN UR READING HABBITS IN FUTURE HAHAHAHAHA
SEEYA
Post a Comment