Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Of beliefs and faiths - and their conflict and shift

Strange world that we live in. Our existence is wholly dependent on relativity and in absence of reference frames we just get lost. I don't know who, what or where I am unless I have another lost soul around.

In such a world our belief and faith can not be universal since it is frame dependent and we all have different frames, different views, different aspects etc. If there are 'n' number of people, there would be 'n' number of perceptions to an event.

But, as a society, it is not possible to move with scattered or fractured belief. Therefore, all social animals have a hierarchical structure. Elders and wise men of the societies, define standards, norms, protocols and rules based on past experiences and assumptions. These beliefs are passed on to generations after generations by parents, teachers, religious leaders and schools. And we live by these paradigms, which are fully endorsed by the respective societies we live in. A strict discipline is required to maintain law and order in the society and any infringement to the expected way of life is considered unlawful and anti social.

However, there is nothing rational about any of them. It's our mutual acceptance and obedience, which make them so real that most of the times the societies suffer from paradigm paralysis.

In a more rational world, new flow of information and experience should give rise to paradigm shift. But usually, the individual perception conflict faces stiff resistance and inertia before becoming evolutionary paradigm shift. It took ages for man to universally accept that it was actually the earth which revolved round the sun and not the way, God(Bible) perceived it.

Notwithstanding anything said above, adherence to the rule of the society, we live in, is paramount. Any conflict of opinion must be resolved patiently and peacefully. Changes will keep on taking place because change defines time. If matter is to inertia, life (time) is to change. And time is the boss... not matter.

For the bottom line, I maintain, Ignorance is bliss and matter is as irrational as the time itself.