An idea that has dominated the global social discourse over the years, it is time that newer ideas of modernity are explored.
The decline in the hold of religion was followed by the corresponding ascent of a new school of thought-the urge to look at the world around us from a distinctly humanistic perspective undergirded by materialism. This weltanschauung was the culmination of the transformational process that had been set in motion by the Renaissance. The Age of Enlightenment led to the rejuvenation of human cognition, resulting in the unprecedented advancements in the fields of technology, health, arts, culture, literature, and other varying fields.
These developments marked the transition from the medieval to the modern period.
Western Idea of Modernity
Owing to the material and martial progress of Europe since that time, modernity has come to be understood distinctly in Western terms. Therefore, it becomes essential to analyze it.
Modernity according to Western civilization, is predominantly anchored in three themes.
The first theme is rationalism. Rationalism is an idea that argues human cognition should always be guided by science. This denotes that every phenomenon in nature is observable, explainable, and understandable. Such phenomena are comprehensible to human nature. Rationalism asserts that human beliefs and ideas be based on facts-information that has been verified and authenticated by rigorous testing and experimentation. Scientists like Isaac Newton Galileo Galilei and philosophers like David Hume Immanuel Kant are some of the outstanding figures of that period.
The second theme is anthropocentrism. It is an idea that states that humans constitute the pinnacle of evolution. They are the most important beings in the cosmos, and nature is to be subservient to the cause of Homo sapiens. It adopted a distinctly materialistic approach to life. The Industrial Revolution of the 18th century in Britain, followed by its spread to other European countries and later on to North America, is a manifestation of anthropocentrism.
The third theme is individualism. An invention of the political ideology of liberalism, Individualism contends that human beings are rational creatures who are capable of determining what’s best for themselves. In that context, the locus of a society is the individual, not the community or the nation. It repudiates the collectivistic idea of human existence, arguing that rights and liberties are vested in each individual.
Flawed Character
Notwithstanding the fact that the Western idea of modernity has been the de facto social norm globally for the past three to four centuries, it is fundamentally flawed. This is due to several reasons-
Firstly, anthropocentrism is a recipe for disaster. Treating nature as a resource and exploiting it in the name of furthering ‘progress’ has been responsible for the current ecological crisis of the planet. Unregulated discharge of greenhouse emissions by polluting industries across the length and breadth of the Euro-Atlantic region for over two centuries has resulted in extreme weather conditions. Floods, landslides, droughts, and extreme summer temperatures are becoming a routine occurrence. Sea levels are rising. To make matters worse, rising global temperatures are threatening the biodiversity of Mother Earth, resulting in the change in migratory patterns of species, inability to adapt to abrupt weather, and other serious conditions. The world as it appears today continues to suffer from this crisis, with little or no serious initiative being taken by the West in the fight against climate change.
Anthropocentrism was also the driving force behind Europe’s obsession with more material progress. This progress manifested itself in the search for new markets that would serve as destinations for European products and could be effectively exploited by them. It was this search for new markets that birthed the age of Imperialism and its egregious manifestation Colonialism. Asia, Africa, and Latin America became colonies of Europe, with West European countries competing and fighting wars to preserve and expand colonies. J. Sai Deepak in his book India, That is Bharat-Coloniality, Civilization, and Constitution has brilliantly exposed this face of the West.
Secondly, in regarding individuals as the center of social consciousness, Western modernity has undermined the organic foundations of not only its own society but has exported this controversial idea to collectivistic societies. Today, even in a highly collectivistic society like India, we find the institution of the joint family facing extinction. Individualism has led to the alienation of human against human, leading to a detached social existence that is lacking in the element of human touch.
Alternative Idea
In this atmosphere, examination of alternative ideas is the sine qua non. One such form of modernity is Indic modernity. It states that individuals are products of a society and are firmly embedded in the unique socio-cultural and socio-historical context of the concerned society. With that being said, it also considers individuals as important stakeholders of the society who influence and get influenced by social institutions and, therefore, are essential for the successful functioning of a social compact.
Unlike Western modernity, Indic modernity believes that modernity must be a blend of material and spiritual development. Material development leads to the satisfaction of the urges and aspirations of the scientific man. However, for the scientific man, a void still remains. This void is fulfilled by the spiritual uplifting not only of one’s own consciousness but also of the consciousness of others. India’s poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore, in his famous text The Religion of Man explained this idea beautifully. He highlighted that Indic modernity believes in the satisfaction of all the four purusharthas, or organizing principles of human life-artha, dharma, kama, and moksh.
Further, Indic modernity believes that human civilization has a strong connection with nature. We are a part of nature; it is from nature that we derive our existence, and it is from nature that we draw our sustenance. Hence, nature worship is an integral part of Sanatan Dharma.
In conclusion, it must be emphasized that humanity is standing at a critical juncture where we need to make the right decision. Hence, the idea of modernity the West espouses must be eschewed, and alternative forms of social existence, particularly those that prioritize harmony with nature along with balanced economic development, embraced.
Pranay Kumar Shome, a research analyst who is a PhD candidate at Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Bihar, India
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