By Jaspal Singh for Twocircles.net
Great and astonishing changes are taking placing in the world. The modern world that was brought into being by European Enlightenment, limited as it was in its scope and breadth, is being torn asunder to smithereens by the financial oligarchy. Peace, National Sovereignty, Public Health, Public Education, Social welfare are things of the past. The ruling circles have torn social contract to pieces.
Environmental degradation, devastation, destruction and crimes against nature have become the routine with the full backing of state that has been usurped by a tiny minority.
Anarchy, violence and chaos have become order of the day. Rights of people including right to life and right to be are being trampled with immunity. Mass incarceration of black men and shooting of young black men by Security State in the US is a glowing example of these changes that are taking place in the world.
The society has declared that it is not responsible for anyone; everyone has to fend for herself/himself. There is no job security of any sort. Everyone is at the whim of the financial oligarchy.
The ruling elite no longer need healthy population or growth in population in the countries of North America and Europe; they can always depend on immigrant labour for tasks they need. So no longer they facilitate growth of healthy families. It is becoming harder and harder to have a family and look after a family.
While patriarchy is alive and kicking, two pillars of patriarchy, property and monogamy are fast disappearing for majority of people. Vast majority of people has been deprived of any property by the banks and most of the young people by the time they are in mid twenties have had several relations and sexual encounters.
All these developments have created a new condition in which, long-term relations are becoming a thing of the past. Because of tremendous insecurity in society, there is a great deal of hesitation and reluctance on the part of individuals to commit to each other for longer time.
More and more short-term pairing between individuals is becoming order of the day. They can be monogamous, polygamous or polyandrous. Society does not encourage any long-term commitment, as it does not make any long-term commitment to anyone. The hire and fire culture, outsourcing, depressing of wages, does not provide security to anyone and in turn individuals are not able to make commitments in their relationships. The old social fabric is being torn to pieces of course it is taking place under the framework of patriarchy.
Within this situation, young women and men have to prepare for this new situation. Can they hope for long-term commitment and relationships? The new condition does not make it possible for them to do it in spite of their desire to do so. Their consciousness is lagging behind, the new social reality has come into being, but great many individuals still trying to operate with the notions of old times, but the new reality does not permit it or is making more and more difficult to function with those notions in inter personal relations.
There is growing resistance developing as well, but the resistance is very feeble at this time and very vulnerable. Humanity is going through one of the grimmest periods. But just as there is always light in the darkest hour, so is this developing resistance of the people of the world to transform their conditions. Just as the old dark ages were put to an end by human activity and spirit, these dark times will have to be ended by humans if humanity is to survive.
Here’s wishing a happy new year to everyone. Our security lies in our fight.
(The author is a philosopher based in Cambridge, Massachusetts)