Gandhi Juu Ya Maarifa Bila Tabia

Feb 17, 2012 6 min read

[Usomaji wa awali: Gandhi on the Power of One , kutoka Januari DailyGood]

[A] Imani katika uwezo wa mtu binafsi iliunda msingi wa mtazamo wa huruma sana wa Gandhi wa matatizo makubwa ya enzi ya viwanda, pamoja na matatizo madogo lakini yasiyopungua ya dharura tuliyopata katika maisha yetu wenyewe. Matatizo yetu, angeweza kusema, si ya lazima; wao si, kama baadhi ya wanahistoria na wanabiolojia wamependekeza, athari ya lazima ya ustaarabu.

Kinyume chake, vita, ukosefu wa haki wa kiuchumi, na uchafuzi wa mazingira hutokea kwa sababu bado hatujajifunza kutumia uwezo wetu wa kiustaarabu zaidi: ubunifu na hekima ambayo sote tunayo kama haki yetu ya kuzaliwa. Wakati hata mtu mmoja anapoingia katika umiliki kamili wa uwezo huu, matatizo yetu yanaonyeshwa katika mwanga wao wa kweli: ni matokeo ya makosa ya hukumu yanayoweza kuepukika-ingawa ni ya kuua.

Gandhi aliandaa msururu wa utambuzi wa hali ya shida ya ulimwengu wa kisasa inayoonekana kuwa ya kudumu, ambayo aliiita "dhambi saba za kijamii." Napendelea kuyafikiria kama maradhi saba ya kijamii, kwani matatizo wanayoyashughulikia si uhalifu unaotaka adhabu bali ni magonjwa ya vilema ambayo ni adhabu tosha yenyewe. La kwanza—na ambalo tutazingatia hapa—ni ujuzi usio na tabia. Inafuatilia ugumu wetu wote kwa ukosefu rahisi wa uhusiano kati ya kile tunachojua ni nzuri kwetu na uwezo wetu wa kutenda kulingana na ujuzi huo.

Maarifa Bila Tabia

Kwangu mimi, kitendawili kikuu cha wakati wetu ni kwamba licha ya ustadi wetu wenye nguvu wa kiakili na mafanikio yetu ya kiakili ya uhandisi na kitiba, bado hatuna uwezo wa kuishi kwa hekima. Tunatuma satelaiti za hali ya juu angani ambazo hutuangazia habari za kushangaza kuhusu uharibifu wa mazingira, lakini tunafanya kidogo, ikiwa kuna chochote, kukomesha uharibifu huo.

Kama Martin Luther King, Jr., alivyosema, tunaishi katika ulimwengu wa “makombora yanayoongozwa na watu waliopotoshwa,” ambamo matatizo machache ya kiufundi ni tata sana kusuluhisha lakini tunaona kuwa haiwezekani kukabiliana na changamoto za msingi zaidi za maisha: jinsi ya kuishi pamoja kwa amani na afya. Katika wakati wetu wa kueleweka tunaona kwamba tunajidhuru wenyewe na sayari yetu, lakini kwa namna fulani, kwa ufahamu wetu wote wa kiakili, hatuwezi kuonekana kubadili njia tunayofikiri na kuishi.

Hii si kusema sisi ni watu wabaya. Tatizo ni kwamba bado hatujamaliza elimu yetu. Wakati Gandhi anazungumza juu ya ujuzi bila tabia, haimaanishi kwamba tunajua sana kwa manufaa yetu wenyewe. Anasema kwamba kwa sababu hatuelewi mahitaji yetu halisi ni nini, hatuwezi kutumia utaalam wetu mkubwa wa kiufundi kwa njia ambayo inaweza kufanya maisha yetu kuwa salama na ya kuridhisha zaidi. Badala yake, tunachukulia kila tatizo kana kwamba ni suala la teknolojia, au kemia, au uchumi, hata wakati halihusiani na mambo haya.

Kila siku, kwa mfano, kadhaa ya bidhaa mpya huonekana, na kuahidi kukidhi matamanio yetu ya ndani. Tunasongwa na jumbe—za sauti ndogo na nyinginezo—kwenye mabango na magazeti, televisheni na sinema, zikituambia kwamba kila kitu tunachotafuta maishani kinaweza kupatikana kwenye gari au bakuli la aiskrimu au sigara.

Ujumbe uliofichika ni kwamba kile tunachomiliki au kula au kuvuta kina uwezo wa kutujalia heshima. Kwa kweli, ningesema ni njia nyingine kote. Gari yako inaweza kuwa muhimu na ya starehe, inaweza kuwa na bar ya mvua na simu ya mkononi, lakini sio sababu ni ya heshima. Wewe binadamu ndio unalipa hadhi gari lako kwa kuliendesha. Ikiwa sio kwako, gari hilo lingekuwa hunk tu ya chuma.

Katika kipindi cha miaka hamsini iliyopita, gari, kama vile vifaa na mashine zetu nyingi, imeharakisha barabara kuu ya kisaikolojia inayojulikana sasa kutoka kwa anasa inayohitajika hadi hitaji la msingi hadi bwana dhalimu. Hatuchagui tena kuendesha gari—lazima: kuna mambo mengi ya kufanya, wakati mchache sana wa kuyafanya, na kufikia sasa kusafiri katikati. Tunakimbia kutoka sehemu moja hadi nyingine, tumenaswa katika mchezo hatari wa kukamata, na bei ni ya juu: karibu Wamarekani elfu hamsini hupoteza maisha yao katika ajali za barabarani kila mwaka. Ajabu ni kwamba, mara nyingi tunakuwa na haraka kiasi kwamba hatuwezi kufika popote. Nimesoma kwamba wakati wa kusafiri huko Tokyo na London sasa mara nyingi ni mdogo kwa baiskeli kuliko kwa gari; na kuhukumu kwa saa ya kukimbilia kwenye barabara zetu kuu, hali yetu si tofauti sana.

Mbaya zaidi kuliko kupoteza muda, bila shaka, ni tishio kwa afya yetu. Katika kila moja ya magari hayo, kulingana na utafiti wa hivi majuzi uliofanywa huko Los Angeles, wasafiri wanakabiliwa na viwango vya mara mbili hadi nne vya kemikali za sumu zinazoweza kusababisha saratani zinazopatikana nje. Na inapofanya kazi huko kwenye barabara kuu, gari la wastani la Amerika hutoa mchango mkubwa kwa athari ya chafu, ikisukuma uzito wake wa kaboni kwenye angahewa kila mwaka.

Mambo haya sio siri. Sote tumezisikia mara nyingi hapo awali, lakini tunapata ugumu kufanya lolote kuzihusu. Miji na miji yetu imekua kwa njia ambayo tunahisi wanyonge bila gari. Na majiji yetu yanapopanuka zaidi katika maeneo ya mashambani yanayozunguka, hali inaahidi kuwa mbaya zaidi.

Shida ni kwamba mizizi ya utegemezi wetu kwenye gari huenda zaidi kuliko hamu ya njia rahisi ya usafirishaji. Kuna nguvu yenye nguvu zaidi inayofanya kazi hapa—nguvu inayoonyesha karibu kila shughuli katika jamii ya viwanda: faida. Chini ya utawala usiokoma wa nia ya faida, tumeifanya nchi yetu kuwa katika sura ya gari. Kama vile mwanahistoria wa kisiasa Richard Barnet anavyoandika, akiielezea Amerika katikati ya miongo ya karne hii.

Kununua barabara kuu kulimaanisha kununua moteli, mikahawa ya chakula cha haraka,…na utamaduni wa vitongoji….Mfumo wa barabara kuu ulikuwa mpango pekee wa kitaifa wa taifa, na zaidi ya kitu kingine chochote uliamua mwonekano wa miji na sehemu zilizo katikati. Katika kuchagua gari kama injini ya ukuaji, wapangaji wa barabara kuu na magari waliachana na usafirishaji wa watu wengi.

Uhaba wa mafuta na bei ya juu ya petroli imetufanya kujuta kufumbia macho vitendo hivyo, lakini tunaendelea kuendesha gari zaidi na zaidi, kuchimba visima vipya vya mafuta, kutengeneza na kununua magari mengi zaidi na makubwa zaidi. Katika miaka mia moja tu, tukihimizwa na nia ya kupata faida na hali ya vyombo vya habari kwamba kuendesha gari ni burudani na gari letu ni upanuzi wa utu wetu, tumetumia karibu nusu ya hifadhi ya petroli inayojulikana duniani, kuchafua hewa yetu, na kuweka bahari na fukwe zetu katika hatari ya mara kwa mara kutokana na umwagikaji wa mafuta.

Sasa, sina chochote dhidi ya magari. Nina gari, na ninathamini matumizi yake. Ninachoweza kusema ni kwamba, ni muhimu kukumbuka ni nani anayemtumikia nani. Iwapo tungekuwa mahodari wa mashine zetu—na maisha yetu—tungekuwa na magari mazuri, yaliyotengenezwa vizuri na barabara nzuri za kuendeshea, lakini je, tusingeitumia kwa uangalifu, ili watoto wetu na watoto wa watoto wetu wabaki na mafuta ya kutosha ya kupasha moto nyumba zao?

Wala sipendekezi kwamba kuna jambo lolote baya kwa mfanyabiashara kupata faida ya kutosha ili kutegemeza familia yake kwa starehe—kila mtu anapaswa kuwa na fursa hii. Lakini tumezidisha umuhimu wa faida kutoka kwa uwiano wote wa nafasi yake ya asili katika biashara. Tumekuwa waraibu wa hilo, na hiyo ni hali ya hatari sana.

Uraibu mwingi huanza bila hatia vya kutosha. "Saidizi moja zaidi, bakuli moja zaidi ya aiskrimu, sigara moja zaidi, kinywaji kingine cha barabarani." Hivyo ndivyo inavyoanza—moja tu zaidi: “Hebu tuuze gari moja zaidi jipya, tutengeneze dola moja zaidi, tusukume galoni moja zaidi ya gesi.”

Tunapokubali tamaa hiyo mara kwa mara, kwa msaada wa pili, moshi wa pili, kinywaji cha pili, au kunusa mara ya pili, inakuwa mazoea—sio moja zaidi bali moja kila siku: “Wamiliki wa hisa wanataka kuona faida za robo hii zikipanda zaidi ya robo ya mwisho. Mwambie meneja mkuu kwa simu na umwambie aongeze uzalishaji, aongeze mahitaji, na aongeze matumizi. Na fanya hivyo jana.”

Kwa mazoea bado tuna chaguo ikiwa tutakubali au la, lakini tabia inapoendelea kwa muda wa kutosha, tunapoteza uwezo wetu wa kuchagua. Hisia yetu ya usalama inahusishwa kwa ukaribu sana na kitu tunachotamani hivi kwamba ni lazima kiwe nacho, vyovyote vile gharama. Tabia hiyo imekuwa ya kulazimishwa, na tumekuwa watumishi wake. Tutafanya chochote kwa faida, hata ikimaanisha kuwanyima watoto wetu bahari, hewa na ardhi yenye thamani. Hivi ndivyo Gandhi anamaanisha kwa maarifa bila tabia—ukosefu wa muunganisho kati ya kile tunachojua kuwa kwa manufaa ya muda mrefu ya kila mtu na uwezo wetu wa kutenda kulingana na ujuzi huo. Imekuwa msingi wa mengi ya biashara yetu na maisha yetu.

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8 PAST RESPONSES

Krishna Panjiyar Apr 13, 2017

Wow!!! Thats fabulous, but as our mind set on that target that ou society goes or going. In our cities nobody have the time to think on all these topics including me also, I'm also not perfect.😞

Mildred Nov 25, 2014

This is absolutely true. In this day of age, so many people are like this

Milind Feb 22, 2012

Yes its the cruel reality of our time that highly knowledgeable individuals are being found indulging in acts amounting to moral character degradation. It is important to understand that wealth in whatever form be it knowledge, progress, prosperity or any similar thing for that matter is dangerious if it is not backed by sound moral values and sincere love for humanity.

Don Khan Feb 18, 2012

Know the truth and the truth will set you free. But never forget it act upon it. There is still time.

Word Positive World Feb 17, 2012

This is a reply to everyone who might be interested in this kind of researches.First of all Ihave in my previous post meant on all these: Livestock andClimate Changehttp://www.worldwatch.org/n...!!!!Livestock Long Shadow!!!!ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fa...Dr.RajendraPachauri,Head of IPCC:"Global Warning: the impact of meat production &consumption on climate change"http://www.ciwf.org.uk/reso...Meat'sCarbon Hoofprinthttp://www.control.com.au/b...!!!!Climate benefits ofchanging diet!!!!!!http://www.pbl.nl/en/public...Andabundance of others scientific based materials and interwievs which you canpeacefuly watch on:Animalproductionhttp://suprememastertv.com/...Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. ~ 1st Corinthians 6:13, Holy Bible“Since you...cannot bring killed animals back to life, you are responsible for killing them. Therefore you are going to hell; th... [View Full Comment]

Noor a.f Feb 17, 2012

that is wise facts and including me we had been on the interest.
the shiling to increase or dollar to increase. I saw so many people doing that and I asked are they right?

But the fact is that the more had been on everyone but small number of people do the right thing.
if charges, police, businessmen, doctors, nurses, politicians, homemaids, middlemen and students are the most corrupted then what can we expect the high levelled people like presidents, ministers and MPs.
you can't see anyone refusing money or caring the world except me and a few others who recently turned a new lief over.

I agree with Gandhi that we need to have character.

Hunygun Feb 17, 2012

"We rush about from place to place, caught in a perilous game of
catch-up, and the price is high: nearly fifty thousand Americans lose
their lives in traffic accidents every year."
just because it's called a traffic accident, that doesn't necessarily mean people were involved in a perilous game of catch-up at the time. Actually, your logic doesn't even make sense. It's a complete non-sequitor from 'people are in a hurry' to 'and the evidence is the number of traffic accidents in America.'

Word Positive World Feb 17, 2012

I do absolutely agree.Modern science, research from IPCC and Worldwatch Institute plus numerous others clearly shows that raising of livestock is a major contributor to climate change and it threatens our very survival. But what has being done so far? How many people are correctly informed and have cheap subsidized vegan products to buy in their shops? What do we need as a humanity to be awakened? Dead planet?