“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities.” — Charles Bukowski
I like to imagine him smiling as he would have written the above lines. Bukowski had it rough. Roughest among all the humans? Of course not. However bad your life becomes there would be someone on this planet having it worse than you. This, however, is not the point of contention.
Was it all beautiful back then?
There has been no time across recorded history when humans shied away from terror and being a slave of trivialities. From Ashoka, Alexander, Babur, Maharana Pratap, Hitler, or British colonialists, war and killings were a reigning phenomenon. It was not all brutality. There was love for their own subjects sharing the same belief and similar ways of living. Many took a step ahead and even entertained subjects from differing faith. Pledge allegiance to their rule and there was no need for bloodshed but the emotion of preserving one’s culture and identity did not allow many to surrender without war. The societies were not foreign to rapes, abuse, discrimination, and inhumanity in general. There was love, for kids, for families, tribes had it for nature and still do, Shah Jahan had it for Mumtaz Mahal and Meera had for Krishna.
Why is it puzzling today?
Modern-day societies are built on the foundation of inclusivity and cumulative growth. Today, we as humans strive for love across boundaries forgoing our disagreements. Governance systems were conceived after it was understood that every human and their group must have the freedom to grow and creatively express themselves. Religion, race, language, culture, history, gender, etc. must not be ground to commit atrocities by one group or person on other. Hence, to establish a love for humanity.
What happened?
Hate crimes against different races in the Americas. Mass shooting and terror incidents In Europe, the Americas, Asia like 9/11 and 26/11. Constant armed struggle in Afghanistan, Syria, Jerusalem, etc. Crime against women, children, transgender, and elderly. Atrocities on the poor and downtrodden. There is a never-ending list of all the wrongs that happen today. Most of it has a complex net of various interested groups each changing narrative for their purpose, it presents a picture where all vested parties are ready to go to any lengths for imposing their vision.
Love has not vanished; it perhaps has reduced its meanings. Among families, friends, lovers, it still survives, though doubts, deceits, and jealousy have found cracks. With progress, we expected more affection, respect, care, independence, and recognition but what we have found is state surveillance, cut-throat competition, suicides, in different organizations, and the excruciating struggle for survival.
Even the superstructures have fallen short of love. Economy, politics, society all seem to favor one group of people at the cost of another.
Now what?
love was there and still is. There is a looming misconception that one’s existence and experience of life would be doomed if one does not become part of the rat race. Genuine insecurity that one’s culture would be eroded or religion destroyed by those systematically pursuing so. Perhaps it’s time to break the boundaries we have built for love. To stop binding ourselves to thoughts and beliefs which make us insecure of others’ existence. To stop painting people in black and white based on their opinions on social media and real life. Time to give people the opportunity to change without reducing them to nothing. A constant struggle for survival, while hoping to experience life to its fullest is what keeps us going for the short period we have on this planet. Be kind and grateful. May we live and let others live.
