The bigger question for us is - "Will Indian Billionaires Sign-up for the Gates-Buffett Pledge?" (http://secondtake.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/will-indian-billionaires-sign-up-for-the-gates-buffett-pledge/)
To make money it needs to be recycled. if the money gets blocked and there is no one to buy products then there is nothing that can be sold. so charity is a good option. Besides this there must be some genuine sense of doing something for the poor and also for feeling good about oneself. Not such a bad looter after all. Am not sure if they think of this though. Do they think of the poor as humans and equals or as incapable lesser beings and vermins. The trait of giving and charity is different from accepting full equality but still sees something in others. For us in India, each of us is an individual and paying for past karma and charity interferes in that. I can give for a temple but not for improving the lives of the people. That is God's or their own karma's responsibility. The fact is that Indian billionares inc. also does not believe that Govt can or should do anything. I am a bit confused on this so plese forgive the meander and the confused contradictions.
Using heavy guns , Hardi ! Charity is undoubtedly a good thing , simply because it is better than nothing . Charity never even attempts equity . All major world religions , except Hinduism and , intriguingly , Buddhism , started out with some or the other type of communistic principle of commonly -held wealth and this was their initial appeal to the contemporary working classes , but as they acquired political clout they were privatised and settled for some sort of calibrated charity. This is the key to repeated allure and failure of religions. Money is a more complicated matter , perhaps beyond Tota-Myna -- although I would never admit it about them , because I could be wrong .But see the archives ...
Charity, or sharing what one has with those who haven't is part of this culture. If a person has a dollar, they are encouraged to share a few cents. Part of it comes from their faith, where sharing what one has is important. It isn't about millionaires, it is not about commonly-held wealth, it is a simply issue of sharing with those who don't. Some do this because they feel good just by sharing, some do it because they have been asked to do so by their faith, while others attempt to bribe "God" to absolve them of their wrongdoings.
Irrespective of what the reasons are, they all do it.
This is what makes them the largest gross giver in the world. (Per capita Europe is larger)
I agree Hardy, it is the Indian concept of Karma that has been used to leave people to their "fates". However "Seva" as positive act, also exists in Sanatan Dharm. Like many other positive actions, it is not enforced.
The tota seems to be fluttering his wings in anticipation.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger question for us is - "Will Indian Billionaires Sign-up for the Gates-Buffett Pledge?" (http://secondtake.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/will-indian-billionaires-sign-up-for-the-gates-buffett-pledge/)
ReplyDeleteTo make money it needs to be recycled. if the money gets blocked and there is no one to buy products then there is nothing that can be sold. so charity is a good option. Besides this there must be some genuine sense of doing something for the poor and also for feeling good about oneself. Not such a bad looter after all. Am not sure if they think of this though. Do they think of the poor as humans and equals or as incapable lesser beings and vermins. The trait of giving and charity is different from accepting full equality but still sees something in others. For us in India, each of us is an individual and paying for past karma and charity interferes in that. I can give for a temple but not for improving the lives of the people. That is God's or their own karma's responsibility. The fact is that Indian billionares inc. also does not believe that Govt can or should do anything. I am a bit confused on this so plese forgive the meander and the confused contradictions.
ReplyDeleteUsing heavy guns , Hardi ! Charity is undoubtedly a good thing , simply because it is better than nothing . Charity never even attempts equity . All major world religions , except Hinduism and , intriguingly , Buddhism , started out with some or the other type of communistic principle of commonly -held wealth and this was their initial appeal to the contemporary working classes , but as they acquired political clout they were privatised and settled for some sort of calibrated charity. This is the key to repeated allure and failure of religions.
ReplyDeleteMoney is a more complicated matter , perhaps beyond Tota-Myna -- although I would never admit it about them , because I could be wrong .But see the archives ...
Charity, or sharing what one has with those who haven't is part of this culture. If a person has a dollar, they are encouraged to share a few cents. Part of it comes from their faith, where sharing what one has is important. It isn't about millionaires, it is not about commonly-held wealth, it is a simply issue of sharing with those who don't. Some do this because they feel good just by sharing, some do it because they have been asked to do so by their faith, while others attempt to bribe "God" to absolve them of their wrongdoings.
ReplyDeleteIrrespective of what the reasons are, they all do it.
This is what makes them the largest gross giver in the world. (Per capita Europe is larger)
I agree Hardy, it is the Indian concept of Karma that has been used to leave people to their "fates". However "Seva" as positive act, also exists in Sanatan Dharm. Like many other positive actions, it is not enforced.