The gods (small g) of the world in which we live
I know that once you start talking about gods, you are on dangerous ground. You will be labeled immediately as fanatic or liberal or following a particular religion.
But I am not talking about God here, but gods. If you look at a psychological definition, the word points to an ultimate reality, but the nature of that reality varies widely. So, what I am talking about are so-called ‘ultimate realities’ we hold on to and that replace God.
One – Me, mine, and my own.
I am the absolute reality. Or my community, my nation is the absolute reality, and I am my own god. All that I do and engage with must have a reciprocating impact on my ends. This could be for me, my family, my company, or my nation.
At a global level, we see megalomaniacs and oligarchs working out geopolitical issues, based on this underlying assumption. Their god is their nation! Me and my feelings are what is true and real, and there is no longer an ultimate truth. And there is no end which we can go for fulfilling my Dreams and Desires.
What is the tool used for this – manipulation, social media, and false truths, including false images of self on social media. But then we do not talk about large numbers or millions of populations or challenged nations who are far from these dreams. The media talks about only these “megalomaniac dreams.”
Two – Money.
Underlying all these me, mine, and my own, is the belief that money is the way to my fulfillment. Or Mammon, as the good book says. The economy should say it all. The GDP, inflation percentages, economic growth indicators at a macro level should be what we focus on. If these are good, we are good! All is well if the numbers are well.
The tool used is data, sometimes fudged and manipulated too, to communicate what we want to communicate. But then what is not said is that 90% of the money is in the hands of 10% of people. Or 20% of nations hold 80% of the world’s ‘economic resources’. Or a few multinationals or big national corporations hold 90% of the money.
Three – Religion.
Undergirding my nation and nationalism also is my religion. Religion has replaced God. Religion is a good tool that many leaders use for a common end – political and/or nationalism. God of the religion is only a tool, not the ultimate reality. Religion is the ultimate reality.
Tool used here – is religiosity and not spirituality or relationships to God and each other. Loving God and loving each other is a thing of the past. Loving your religion’s people and hating the others is the dominant message the leaders want us to believe. But we forget that in these manipulated messages, minorities live in fear.
Four – Machines.
And supporting all this is the machine and technology age we are in. AI and technology are promoted as the answer to all our problems and are seen as the god of this age. Of course, they are feared too, as we feared the gods of yesteryear.
These gadgets (not instruments – I control instruments, gadgets control me) are used to support the above gods we have enthroned in our hearts. Fearful at times wondering if the tools will destroy us, but with grandiose dreams otherwise. But we forget that there is a majority population across the globe for whom daily sustenance of food, housing, health, and employment are still a dream. Gadgets and technology are still way far from being their primary need. The knowledge workers and technology driven community rule the media and the messages.
Having enthroned these gods, we have become the anxious and fearful generation. A generation that is perpetuating enmity across nations and people groups. A generation that uses technology to its fullest as we know today, not only to build but to tear down too.
Unless we dethrone man-made gods and re-enthrone God, who is the creator and sustainer of each of us and the universe, and decide to live lives of loving God and loving each other, beyond our national, religious, or any other divides, the future is bleak. Will we have the sense to love beyond ourselves and our own?