A new paradigm for living - Dharmic Capitalism

In our modern world governed by patriarchal capitalism, we compete to work at jobs that ostensibly pay higher wages yet many of those jobs contribute to environmental destruction and the dispossession of populations.

Take the steel industry, iron ore is extracted from lands from which the indigenous populations have been evicted, transported across oceans to be smelted to create products. The original purpose was to facilitate greater human well-being but that has now been corrupted into greater shareholder profits and the end products have an increasingly short term usable life.

There was a time when things were made to last, electric cars and scooters appeared 100 years ago to be pushed out of existence by the oil corporations. But now we live in an era where most things are made to have little more than a year's shelf life and be non-repairable and non-upgradable.

Work for the joy of serving
is the most noble work

However it's been exploited
my the modern capitalists.

These things need to change along with the modern economy that relies on an insecure and underpaid workforce that equates to a form of slavery. Under the scheme of modern economics, money flows to the top of the heap in a grand pyramid scheme with the primary capitalists being absolved from crimes against humanity in an age where their bad behaviour is clearly to be seen and this trickles down to the masses her figure that it's very reasonable commit the same crimes as our government and corporate leaders by dispossessing others.

The foundation for a new paradigm

Suspending beliefs: we must recognise that we don't have all the answers and we are for the time being confined to planet Earth and that our activities are in fact destroying life on this planet which is vital to our continued existence.

Instead of believing in some imaginary heaven, we must accept a more scientific way of living and as individuals seek to appreciate the nature of existence as our primary reason for being here.

Such a quest would take the imagination into the realm of Vedanta and quantum physics, the seekers would appreciate that life is eternal yet governed by our behaviour. There would be a degree of realisation that we are part of life, part of existence and that our continued well-being and our continued existence as a species is dependent on everyone of us moderating our behaviour to be more generous, kind and accepting of others although not accepting harmful behaviour.

The economics of change

Patriarchal capitalism creates a society with a dominating hierarchical (class) system which is apparent within all modern societies. A first step could be introducing a universal standard income for example everyone earns $1000 per month and within the democratic structure we have, politicians are reminded that they are in service to the people and have no mandate to serve vested corporate interests.

Ultimately we could have a world without money, as part of their celebrating life, the results of every individual is work would be gifted and every individual supported by the gifts of others. The new concept in economics would be human well-being and sharing.

A new social Paradigm

Instead of seeking entertainment we could be seeking solutions to our hardships and seeking to understand what is life and how we can better participate in life. Entertainments would turn from being generating the fear of what if to the inspirational tales like Jataka and dear I say spiritual pursuits.

We may look to the Auroville community for a new design on living, instead of building as we are in the West over some of our most productive farmland, we could be creating more sustainable hive -like structures that eliminate the need for personal vehicle ownership with improved public transport and access to areas of occupation.

Temples could once more become community centres managing the long-term storage of food supplies in conjunction with governmental agencies though the most important aspect of temples would be to provide an energy focal point where people can refresh and recharge their sense of spiritual being as was the function of the ancient Hindu temples.

Such a new paradigm would not alleviate everyone's fears and it would not alleviate the physical hardships, earthquakes, famines and pandemics but it would make these things more manageable.

I am not prescribing any form of socialism or communism, more of a communalism as intended within the Israeli kibbutz. There is no need to change any government or administrative body regardless of its flavour. Governments would as a first priority be charged with serving the needs of the people and not permitted to accept bribes. The biggest challenge for a government would be determine the people's greatest needs which are obviously well-being but not necessarily economic though the new concept in economics would be human well-being.

What would this new world look like?

By taking a sensible and pragmatic approach to change, we would still have all our technology and creature comforts. Those who live in suburbia may live in slightly more denser housing units and spend a little time gardening every day or participating in some form of communal activity and thereby 'earning their daily bread'.

Instead of celebrating the Western public holidays, we would be more likely to celebrate the changes of the seasons and various astronomical phenomenon. Everyone would be encouraged to engage in some type of spiritual exercises as in yoga or meditation. Most importantly life would be appreciated and celebrated.

For this change we can look to an ancient India for guidance because they understood the nature of existence in a way that modern scientists are only beginning to learn. Are you ready to exchange your misery and suffering for a joyful life where you have a choice to be a fully autonomous person in a world that offers the greatest of all freedoms?