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Credit: DH Illustration
A clearly visible feature of our present-day society is divisionism or disunity, which is based on dissent, discontent or difference in self- interests. Because of this, all social structures, from the family to the political party to the global society, are breaking down or are showing cracks. One finds that the dissent or discontent does not confine itself to a decent verbal expression but it finds expression into the form of emotional outbursts in public, destructive criticism, hate-campaigns, public scandals or censure, organised agitations, strikes and even violent confrontation and war. One grave result of this evil tendency, which is widely spreading, is that while many urgent problems threatening mankind await solutions, others get added to the big stock. The world suffers because of this single factor. So, an important question that faces our present society is how to eliminate this suicidal divisionistic tendency and confrontation and to build up co-operation? How to bring back harmony, love and unity to a world which is splitting and is developing deep cracks?
Today we see people getting united in groups, big or small, but only to protect, strengthen or improve their position vis-a-vis other groups or the society at large. This is mainly because since a long time ago, the entire approach to cooperation has been of ‘giving’ with an eye on ‘taking’ rather, ‘taking’ more. Over the centuries, it has been forgotten that there is another philosophy of life which is that of ‘giving’ rather than ‘taking’. Remember! If we give more to the community than we take from it, we shall always have a ‘plus’ balance to draw upon. The well-known law of action begetting an equal re-action applies to cooperation also. Hence co-operation automatically begets cooperation,so in giving’, getting is automatically reciprocated. Bhagwad Gita also says “Perform noble actions without expecting reward, Reward will automatically follow”. This is the Law of Karma in its simplified form. Hence, unity can be restored by giving to society the unity of purpose, i.e. of goals. Once the man and the mankind realise that their hopes, aspirations and self-interests can be fulfilled by pursuing a common goal with a sense of togetherness and mutual co-operation and that they have a common enemy which also must be confronted together, then unity will automatically come into play, bringing with it willing cooperation.