Be the change you want to see in the world  

“Change is the only constant”

-Heraclitus

Change is all pervasive in nature & every aspect of life. Everyday phenomena, of daylight & darkness, yearly variation in season, growth of human from child to old age daily rise in sea level due to climate change etc. shows it is always there sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes desirable, sometimes undesirable, it is ever going phenomenon. Everyone More importantly, it is seeked by every human being. As without it life become mundane, uninteresting. Of course, no one wants to live up to the same routine every day, Do year? So, since change is a natural phenomenon, one must important question arise is what should be the change, how to brought it up bring it about and how to utilize it enhance happiness & life quality of all the ultimate aim.

In the essay we will talk about, some important charges that happen in past, guiding force behind them, and what should an individual / society should aim to change for & have to bring up that change.

Changes that changed the world

Some changes are beyond human control. Human have little ability to effect the rotation of earth, intensity of sun, activity in the nucleus of atoms. But being the most superior species on this planet it has a lot of potential to considerably affect & bring about the change in social, political, economic, cultural & environmental spheres

“Rise of Harappan civilization, if you change nothing, nothing will change”

Rise of Harappan civilization along coast of Indus River from the ancient lithic of period required change in settlement, agri practices, habitat from mountains region to planes. Again, to form large empire all over the Hindustan, Nanda & Mauryan dynasties required careful army planning, detailed administration, etc.

Muhammad Gauri got defeated from Prithiviraj Chauhan 16 times swift changes in cavalry which overpowered the mundane infantry of Chauhan. Brit In modern Indian history, fine cotton exports from India flooded the British market & put them under heavy debt. But Britishers developed the zeal to turn the table, began the renaissance period, brought up industrial revolution, developed naval power & hence controlled the colonies spared all over the world.

Rise of democracy after the French revolution principles of Liberty, equality, Fraternity led to the self  rule in Americas. People got inspired from it all over the world. Learning about it started the reformist movement in 19^th century in India which later took up the form of independence struggle.

In modern times, ICT revolution changed the territorial boundaries, brought peoples from across the countries together. Green revolution in agriculture is to R & D by seed companies led to food security. Rise in AI, Big data analytics technologies are fuelling the 4^th Industrial Resolution.

Be the change

To bring about a change in your surrounding require a consistent effort from an individual. Most of the time it require the individual by himself have changed his personal traits and values and subscribed to the change by himself. This brings apart legitimacy in his effort and also ensure that individual can walk past the lag struggleful part of change. May historical exprbles only prac the above observation.

In Ancient India, Prince Siddhartha by himself enunciated his leisure life, abandoned in the family & wondered in forests in search for truth. To propagate the principle of happy life is simple life without worldly desires; he himself had to be the charge. This made him great Buddha

Ishwar Chandra vidyasagar while fighting the evil of sati practice himself get married to widow. This brings a great faith of his followers in him. On the other hand KC Sen While fighty against child marriage married her 12 yrs daughter to rich king. This led to the down fate of his Brahmo Samaj of India by mars unsubscription. His actions had legitimacy no more.

Gandhiji while advocating the principle of truth & non violence himself lived his life based on these values. He kept continuously demonstrating the power of these weapons which led to huge mass fallowing & he becomes true people’s leader.

Nelson Mandela while fighting the apartheid never himself hated the white. He fallowed the principle that of we want whites to love & respect us, and then there has to be the reciprocity in it.

How to make the change Happen

The Golden rule of nature

“One must behave in the same way to others, which he wants others to behave him like”

Thus, if an individual wants others to love him, he must start loving other & reciprocity will blossom. The rule can be applied to every action in world. Corollary states that a stable govt. can’t be established by a revolutionary Movement or radical changes. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Venezuela and live example of political crisis. What it requires for a stable state is consensual democratic process.

India, largest democracy in world aspires for lot of changes in domestic as well as global arena. It envisages dream of becoming a global superpower, Permanent seat in UNSC, stability in neighbor countries, human development of its large population.

But all of this can’t happen fortnight. It will require sustained effort, changes in structures of economy. Upliftment of marginalized sections, realizing the women agency. Tactical treaties, diplomatic efforts, investment in demographic dividend. Without changing the fundamental structures, larger aim will hardly be realized.

But there is one problem with change, it can be evil. Nature of change depends on intention of actor. He can aspire to be a terrorist & destabilize the social fabric or he can aspire to be a carrier of peace. Also, for the same aspiration he can choose different means to achieve it. Deontologist & utilitarian theories only dig up on this aspect.

It is the highest responsibility of an individual to work for peace & happiness in society at large and for this he has to put effort deep down from his heart, body & mind. Gandhiji right quoted.

“To believe in something & not work for it is a sin”

World at large is facing the large problems of climate change, terrorism, refugee crisis, hate crimes, radicalization etc. Solution to all problems lies in the change at individual level. Once the individual behavior changes problem will be no more. Just start by planting a tree, educating the deprived, helping the needy, loving the sinner and you will start seeing the change. And, as rightly pointed out by Aristotle, whole change will be much larger than sum of parts and in this way we can change the world to a sustainable & peaceful path.