Comments on: Why, oh why, are they so materialistic?

By: Shekhar

Shekhar — Sat, 19 May 2007 15:58:29 +0000

Hi there, Nice article.. I feel the same as how you felt in the article. But, the sad fact is that people are getting so greedy day-by-day that they are creating HELL right here on earth for themselves. I hope they would spend sometime in understand such good things and not be ignorant.

By: Sameer

Sameer — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:14:57 +0000

I am reminded of Ishavasy Upanishad:
“Ishavasyam idam sarvam yat kim cha jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktyena bhunjithaa maa grudhau, kasyasvid dhanam”

Everything that is in this world is the abode of the brahman. (hence) enjoy it with non-attachment. do not covet. (after-all) what is wealth?

By: Parvati

Parvati — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:47:26 +0000

Yes.
I think that Money, Food, Clothing and Shelter – all these are quite boring and unimportant but essential.

By: Suhail Kazi

Suhail Kazi — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 07:44:40 +0000

That Tolstoy story was nice. Reminded me of this couplet:
yaad rakh Sikandar ke hausle tau aali the
jab gaya tha duniya se donon haath khaali the

from the awesome qawwali “chadhta sooraj dheerey dheerey dhalta hai dhal jaayega”.

translation
King Alexander had grand plans and visions. But when he left the face of this earth, he left empty handed.

(Apparently Alexander had asked that both his hands be left out hanging from his coffin, so that people can know that even a man so rich, goes back with nothing. Not sure if it’s true or just a myth, but something which I’ve heard from many different sources, including my parents as a lesson while growing up).

ps: even if you don’t like qawwalis, I still recommend reading its lyrics. It’s one helluva poetic composition. Thanks for making my day by just reminding me abt it.
pps: preview button and/or “remember me” checkbox, pleaaase!

Atanu’s response: Suhail, that brings to mind the lines from the poem Ozymandias by Shelley: “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” And how can one forget the immortal lines from old Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat?

They say that the Lion and the Lizard keep
The courts where Jamsheyd gloried and drank deep.
And Behram–that great hunter–the wild ass stamps over his head
And he lies fast asleep.

Now about the preview and the remember-me features: I will ask my support people to help but I am not very hopeful.

By: Gaurav

Gaurav — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 06:04:12 +0000

I think there is a cognitive (if not semantic)difference between greed and self interest. Self interest is essential for a normal society, greed however is not.

Regards

By: Atanu Dey on India’s Development » Fragments — 1

Atanu Dey on India’s Development » Fragments — 1 — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 04:59:35 +0000

[...] om Draws Fragments — 1 Jump to comments Permalink Why are we so materialistic? Add a Com [...]

By: Prashant

Prashant — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I couldn’t find a trackback feature on this site, so I’ll just leave a link to further views on this.

By: balaji shankar

balaji shankar — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Wow…a very well written entry and a vital issue. I guess all cultures preach that we dont get hooked on to anything…cos excessive attachement be it to wealth…love /anythings brings great grief. Also thanks for bringing to my memory that story by Tosltoy…brought me back memories of high school

By: Anurag

Anurag — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Amazing!! There was a story by Munshi Premchand, called “6 Beegha Zameen” which conveys the same message in the from of an astonishingly similar story. Cultural background not withstanding, i guess the issues and dilemmas facing all of us are very similar. Moh-maaya, excessive greed, and so on. Nice post.

By: Prashant

Prashant — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Greed is essential. It is the only way materialism can survive and is the only way mankind has survived.

How much is excessive is really un-quantifiable.

By: Anurag

Anurag — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Well, i agree that greed is necessary. But I DO NOT agree that it is unquantifiable. There is something called “reason” or “logic” whatever is in defiance of objective reason is excessive. consider this–
If you get land, you want to enjoy it; if you have to enjoy it, you have to be alive; if you have to be alive, you have to know the limit you can walk or run or whatever; if you know the limit, you have to stick to it; if you stick to it, you have to restrict the amount of land you will cover. So ultimately—If you want the land and to enjoy it, restrict the amount of land to the limits of your physical endurance. Anything in defiance will be termed excessive. “excessive” might be un-generalise-able, but not unquantifiable. Simple, isnt it?