Business to the Buddha

Tag: Technology

  • Grass grows by itself







    For last couple of years, I have been buying stuff (mostly grocery and vegetables) from where I get a bill (invoice), even if I have to pay a bit more. Reason has been straightforward – I am fine paying more because presumably the one who gives me bill pays tax. It reduces burden on my tax and thus country can improve and prosper. Straightforward logic. However, another thought runs in mind – things are getting automated, be it agriculture or industries. Technology based jobs are likely to get automated too. This will create a scarcity of jobs. We should support roadside vendors otherwise how will they sustain their livelihood.

    Next level challenges for Governments and even for private sector will be job creation at grass root. The other thought says possibly there would not be a need of job creation. Things will happens automatically due to automation. On a philosophical level as Ramana uncle keeps on quoting – Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself. ~ Basho. This no one would require to do job, the same possibility suggested by Keynes.

    The world thus would be a kind of utopia, we hopefully wont require ruling over the other. It would be a time of soul searching, digging inside doing inner revolution. I strongly believe prosperity of each individual is the best way to reach the Utopian world. Economics, fails at such Utopian world, because where there is scarcity there is demand and supply. However, if everyone is prosperous probably no one will feel wealthy. Feeling of being wealthy at that time would be defined by some other measures – not necessarily by money. Currently too we are on the verge of redefining wealth, money is not what you have in your pockets or home is no more the only wealth. Wealth is – stocks you have, count of zeros in your accounts, may be in future we would look at bitcoins in your electronic wallets.

    Possibly, the Buddha was disillusioned by wealth – he was a prince after all, wealthiest of kingdom – when he saw a sick old man, a dead body etc. Likelihood of seeing a Buddha like person is far higher in prosperous economy. India was at peak of its economic, scientific and spiritual knowledge. The world now and in future needs to think about spirituality and economics in same plane. The world we are creating for our coming generations should have growth, livelihood, sustainability and spirituality together. This requires learning a couple of concepts of Buddha’s teachings deeper – i. interdependent co-arising ii. the middle path and iii. righteousness (speech, action, livelihood,efforts, mindfulness, concentration, view and resolve).

    I think we need to think beyond jobs creation, wealth, we need to think about a holistic development of human race because the grass grows by itself.

    Happy Buddha Purnima, may everyone become The One soon.

  • What would you do in long term?






    In the long run we all are dead – John Maynard Keynes

    I was talking to my boss. He throws interesting questions – what do you think of next disruption? Ok do not talk about bitcoins, healthcare and analytics has already plateaued! Hum! That is a challenge. Wish I knew what is next disruptive business, technology or industry.

    I asked myself, is there lack of cloths that people die of severe cold in winter in India? Is there lack of food on earth that people die of hunger in world? If there is lack of cloths or food, why are our retail stores full with cloths, and food wastage is ~33% or so (National Geographic).

    My mind goes in a very long term when such questions come to mind. I believe in next hundred or hundred and fifty years or may be sooner, we would not need money (currency) or any such thing. This is very surprising for the financial system, businesses or capitalistic mind to believe. Let me elaborate. Have you seen Uber? Has Uber made ownership of car redundant for many people?

    What if our all basic requirements are fulfilled in the same manner – for example, I have some cloths in my wardrobe, I do not wear them all in a day. I wear only one at a time. Why should I have so many cloths? What if we can just select what to wear, wear it and return at some location when we are done! You may ask a question – then how would people earn money or offer services? Uber ride requires cash, card or wallet payment. Let us think of a future – car is driven by machine, cars are run by electricity, electricity is produced automatically by nuclear power and cars are manufactured by machines. No need of a human being for anything. Remember Keynes idea of working 4 days a week or lesser. Actually our capitalistic mind does not approve of this. People must work to earn their living. The best thing is – only capitalistic approach of running for better, more, improved can help us reach the state of future which is imagined here.

    When everything happens automatically, so what would humans do to earn, or say passing time? Can you relate the first part of previous sentence with the nature? Everything happens automatically for animals and they just pass time, they do not need to earn their living. Just think the phrase “Earning your living”! Does not it sound surprising thing, you just live, is not it? You do not need to earn it. I know you might have felt offended when you read automatically and comparing humans with animals. There will be a difference – our evolved sense of self and ability to think. This ability will force us to think about our existence. Our most of the time will be involved in thinking about our existence. This may take some time, when people will get fad-up with their pleasures – perhaps the way Gautam the Buddha got disenchanted. In that world we would not need money, we would not have a lot of possession, yet we will have everything on our finger tips.

    Just look at housing in Tier-1 cities in India. There are many unused inventory kept, most is out of budget for many people to afford. I see a future where whole world will be a rambling place and a type of hotel, where you can stay when you end your day. These houses will be built by machine and thus we would not need to buy or rent them either. Money as a concept will vanish. When you would have whole world at your feet, you would not steal, you would not look for possession. You would be lighter as Mirdad said in ‘The book of Mirdad’ “Less possessing – less possessed”.

    Here in above paragraphs we spoke about basic needs – cloths, food and shelter. I am sure humans will evolve to self-actualization phase – of Maslow’s need hierarchy – if the above happens (Ok give and take few carnal desires). In the short term, I would want to make that type of world envisioned above. In the longer term, I would want to be self-actualized or say enlightened in this life itself.

    What would you do in long term? was the topic for the week for LBC (Loose Bloggers Consortium). I had suggested this to the group where – Maria, Rummuser and Shackman also write. You can read other LBC authors opinions on their respective links.

  • Monk with mobiles!







    Can mobile phones / smart phones make us more spiritual? I asked myself this when I another question stuck my mind – has my ‘attention span’ reduced? This ‘attention span’ question is intriguing. What is the problem of attention span? Well, we lose interest in things happened yesterday. We may just ‘move on’ from any significant hSadhuappening one hour back. The lack of attention span is blamed to the technology and in some cases to the smart mobile phones.

    Before digging this topic further, attention span means – “the length of time for which a person is able to concentrate on a particular activity or subject (without being distracted)”. So in one way it is a problem that we lack concentration. What if we flip the coin and say that is a good thing – why not live in the present.

    A case in point of the same is US presidential election. What I read in news is – whatever frivolous news comes in the forefront, becomes obsolete within few hours. The word ‘frivolous’ in previous sentence is calculated and selective because of the most talked about candidate in election. It is interesting that this ephemeral nature of the news or short attention span can be observed in twitter trends. Any breaking news stuff becomes “what was that?” after few hours. No one seems to care about any ethical question, event or comment. In no time we have a new entertainment (breaking news). The problem is such that grave questions are buried due to short attention span.

    An example in Indian context – ‘Corruption’ was a huge point of discussion three years back. A political party came into existence due to the same. Apparently this party is not willing to take case of corruption seriously now – be it case against former CM of Delhi, CWG, talking about prominent political family or the political party or any other cases of corruption raised by the people associated with this new political party.

    This seems to be true that technology has put us into a situation when we lose interest in everything happening around us in no time. I’m sure in future the duration of lose of interest will be few seconds – sooner or later. Since technology is growing at fast pace, ‘later’ is likely to happen soon, who knows?

    Well does not it mean we – humans – will become more meditative? Because in meditation our effort is to be in present moment. Since, meditation is not ‘doing’ therefore will technology make us so helpless or so efficient that we will effortlessly be in the present moment?

    Effectively, mobiles or the problem of attention span is a two way sword, isn’t it? It is upto us to maximize the utility from it. Would we or the next generation be monk with mobiles?

    Image source – unknown old Google search.

  • Generation running behind Technology







    Over the weekend I was talking to Rummuser uncleji. We were talking about many things one was – “uncleji you dont call me, its only me who calls you!”. So he said “Pravin  I am a generation old and for me internet, mobile etc are new age things and not necessary to communicate.” In fact he told me that he even receives inland letters from some of his friends. What? thats history right? But yes  STILL that is also a mode of communication.

    I happened to read the following, copied as image some time back (source unknown now). I was thinking that it is true, my father must be thinking, this is too much what these guys and the kids do. This is complex and where all would this technological running around go and end?

    Convergence of Social Tech
    Convergence of Social Tech

    The question I asked myself was is it generation, running behind the technology? That is Latest things and fashion introduced and the young one’s running behind them. Or is it Generation running behind, technology? That is generations left behind the technology evolution and just trying to catch up or sit and relax. Older people who use technology as and when required.

    Perhaps 30 years from now I would think the same manner. Technology would be even more evolved and kids of that generation would find it cool, ok and obvious. At times those kids would think – how our forefathers survived without such gadgets?
    I think if my father is thinking something about technology and how far would it go? He is right, there seems to be no end. Step back and ask yourself – do you need a tweeter or a facebook to have a “Social Network” or to be “socially connected”? Do you think you need a mobile to Communicate? Do you think you need a TV or movie for Entertainment? I dont intend to say that we dont need many things; the question is how much is needed? and when is it needed?

    World would keep on evolving but there would be something that wont change and time and again a few people would think about it. Should we just stop and look within now? Is not it enough of running around?