Tue, 24/06/2014 Washington, United States
Religious beliefs can effect economic views. I am wondering, what does your faith say about a free enterprise system (a system in which private businesses are able to compete with each other with little control by the government), to encourage human flourishing? Also, what does your faith say about wealth creation and working for success?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In India, there has always been free entrepreneurship. Freedom has always been there.
Creation of wealth, as I said, if it follows certain ethics then it is good.
Poverty is not all holy and richness is not all sin. But if poverty is out of laziness, it is a sin, and if richness is out of greed and unethical means, it is a sin. That’s the measuring point.
How do you create wealth? Does your creating wealth cause problem to many people? Then it is no good. But, if your creating wealth brings comfort to many people, employment to many people, and solace to many people, then it is good. Go for it.
Creation of wealth, as I said, if it follows certain ethics then it is good.
Poverty is not all holy and richness is not all sin. But if poverty is out of laziness, it is a sin, and if richness is out of greed and unethical means, it is a sin. That’s the measuring point.
How do you create wealth? Does your creating wealth cause problem to many people? Then it is no good. But, if your creating wealth brings comfort to many people, employment to many people, and solace to many people, then it is good. Go for it.
You have millions of followers all over the world. What are the biggest obstacles that they face in achieving personal happiness? Do these obstacles differ from country to country, or are the same reasons universally applicable to human kind. For instance, will it be different in India and the United States?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. As many different cultures or languages are there in the planet, that many challenges are there.
Basically, you can put them into four categories:
1. Employment or work related issues
2. Financial problem
3. Relationship problems
4. Health issues
Basically, you can put them into four categories:
1. Employment or work related issues
2. Financial problem
3. Relationship problems
4. Health issues
Some people don’t know why they are unhappy. This is another issue. They are unhappy but they cannot pin point and say, ‘I am unhappy because of this reason'. These are the general issues that come up.
If a problem stays for too long people get used to it. It no longer appears to be a problem for them. Somewhere, insensitivity towards the problem itself is a problem.
For example, insensitive towards the environment. If you live in a slum and you have accepted that, it becomes a problem for the society.
For example, insensitive towards the environment. If you live in a slum and you have accepted that, it becomes a problem for the society.
Scams and slums have caused a lot of problem in India. But in USA there is classroom violence. You send your kids to school and you don’t know what will happen to them. There is such a fear in parents about their kids coming back home safely.
We hear about the gun culture. There are more gun stores than grocery stores in USA, this is what I read in the newspaper and it is appalling.
40% of the population in Europe are suffering from depression. These are major issues. Depression may not be an issue in India, but corruption and poverty is an issue.
Eroding family values is another issue in India.
We hear about the gun culture. There are more gun stores than grocery stores in USA, this is what I read in the newspaper and it is appalling.
40% of the population in Europe are suffering from depression. These are major issues. Depression may not be an issue in India, but corruption and poverty is an issue.
Eroding family values is another issue in India.
As I said, when we bring back the human values in society, people become more proactive and stand up against corruption, and that’s what you have seen in the past couple of years. People have stood up against these ills of society.
Addiction is another big problem in India. In the last three years alcoholism has increased three-folds. Drug abuse has almost consumed a couple of Northern states in India. Strict enforcement of laws is a big issue there. Whereas here the laws are very good. As far as I know, we have very good law enforcement here.
These are challenges still to be faced in India, and the big population is a big hindrance also.
Addiction is another big problem in India. In the last three years alcoholism has increased three-folds. Drug abuse has almost consumed a couple of Northern states in India. Strict enforcement of laws is a big issue there. Whereas here the laws are very good. As far as I know, we have very good law enforcement here.
These are challenges still to be faced in India, and the big population is a big hindrance also.
The world is facing unprecedented challenges on many levels today. In the wake of public dissatisfaction of political leaders, what type of leadership do we really need today to be effective in responding to the 21st century challenges?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
For a more educated society, we need a leader who doesn’t say, 'I am the leader', but instead leads from behind.
A leader who doesn’t have the mindset that I am a leader and I am going to lead you, rather one who promotes leadership from behind. A leader who works more through inspiration rather than authority, that type of leader would work more in an educated society.
A leader who doesn’t have the mindset that I am a leader and I am going to lead you, rather one who promotes leadership from behind. A leader who works more through inspiration rather than authority, that type of leader would work more in an educated society.
A society which lacks basic education needs a decisive leader.
If you go to a doctor, and the doctor says, ‘Perhaps this medicine will work. May be you can try it’, you will hesitate to try it, isn't it?
A doctor has to be very decisive. ‘This will work you take it’, that confidence needs to be there.
Such confidence in a leader makes a lot of sense where people are not that high in their intellectual pursuit. Whereas, people with wisdom, with a high intellectual bend of mind, they need to be promoted from behind. They need to be encouraged to walk the path.
So a leader first of all should know whom he’s leading and where he’s leading.
If you go to a doctor, and the doctor says, ‘Perhaps this medicine will work. May be you can try it’, you will hesitate to try it, isn't it?
A doctor has to be very decisive. ‘This will work you take it’, that confidence needs to be there.
Such confidence in a leader makes a lot of sense where people are not that high in their intellectual pursuit. Whereas, people with wisdom, with a high intellectual bend of mind, they need to be promoted from behind. They need to be encouraged to walk the path.
So a leader first of all should know whom he’s leading and where he’s leading.
Do you think world citizens are closer or further from the virtues of trust and compassion with the advent of modern technology and entertainment?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You must know that there are a lot of people in the world who have not even seen a cell phone, or a television, so you can’t generalize this.
As I said, if you move around the world you will find different types of people. They are people who are living in the 17th century even now. But one thing is common with everybody, love, compassion and a sense of belongingness. In fact, it is much more in the rural areas, in those remote areas of the planet where they don’t have any access to media. They have that humanism, they have the human values. They connect with people, there is sincerity in them.
As I said, if you move around the world you will find different types of people. They are people who are living in the 17th century even now. But one thing is common with everybody, love, compassion and a sense of belongingness. In fact, it is much more in the rural areas, in those remote areas of the planet where they don’t have any access to media. They have that humanism, they have the human values. They connect with people, there is sincerity in them.
Do you think the world is becoming a better place?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In parts yes, in parts no. You can’t generalize. If you say, 'It’s bright here', yes it is bright here in D.C, but it’s dark somewhere else in the world. So things are getting better in some places, and things are becoming bad in some other places. Now it’s for the world community to wake up and see how we can bring more harmony.
It’s happening in some way.
It’s happening in some way.
How do we put the things that we learn today, into action? We can use the wonderful avenues available to us for progress and the good of human civilization, and that’s the responsibility you’re giving all of us today. Is that our charge?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Right! We need to share what we have and reduce the suffering and pain of people who are caught up in a whirlpool of distress.
Families are breaking up in many places; we can go and bridge the communication gap that is happening more and more in society.
Families are breaking up in many places; we can go and bridge the communication gap that is happening more and more in society.
Sri Sri many people have written about India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a politician. But you’re one of the few people who knows him as a man. Could you share your thoughts on Modi the man.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
He’s a tough man with a soft heart. And he means business. Few people know that he has a soft heart. I think that says it all.
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