Many of Gandhi’s critics accuse him for being a hypocrite. Gandhi is known for being an active user of the railroad but also its biggest critic. Others would argue that Gandhi is a hypocrite for criticizing the West when he himself received education and drew inspiration from influences in the West. These critics misunderstand that what Gandhi is truly critiquing is modernity. Gandhi was not criticizing the West per se, he was criticizing how the West traditionalized modernity. The characteristics of modernity he disapproved of is its secular scientific worldview, technocracy, and over-organization. But, the overarching message he wanted to convey is how modernity goes hand in hand with rationality which results in the dehumanization of society. …show more content…
Gandhi was not anti-technology. He only disapproves of technology that “replaces the unique qualities of men.” In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi discusses how technology would lead to people’s loss of their need for their hands and feet: “They will press a button, and they will have their clothing by their side...Everything will be done by machinery” (Ch.6). What he was against was ‘technicism,’ the idea that all technological crises are solved by technology itself (136). It allows no escape in thought beyond that of technology. The ideologue Peter Medawar explains this modern phenomenon as such: ‘The deterioration of the environment produced by technology is a technological problem of which technology has found, is finding and will continue to find solutions” (136). Another one of Gandhi’s concern with modern technology is technocracy. It is how experts, specialists, professionals or people with the technology over the public. People seek self-realization through the eyes of other people, or in anything outside of themselves. People learn skills under the guidance of specialists and seek social relief from psychologists (139). Even standards of what people think as the ideal person or what an ideal community are like are models determined by developmentalists.
The problem with modern technology in Gandhi’s opinion is that people lose control of their own selves, physically. Gandhi critiques to bring back the body to the owner. In Hind
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Winston Churchill, one of Gandhi’s harshest considers Gandhi extremely eccentric; for one, he only wears a loin-cloth (144). The concept of over-organization ties into how modernization leads to the normalization and objectification of certain views. In chapter 6 of Hind Swaraj Gandhi’s criticism on civilization discusses how people who become known as “savages” are people who did not get into the habit of wearing boots or European kind of clothing. When encountering people with different habits, immediately they are labeled as some sort of “other.” Organization of society makes an objectified view of “right” from
Society’s norms change generation by generation. Every once and a while, someone will break the rules of society. Sifting through history, there are outcasts and rebels that went against what society thought was the right thing to do. Jesus Christ is among the most famous rebels in society. His rebellion against the religious establishment at Jerusalem created a large following of Christians after his resurrection that threatened Judaism. Christianity spread throughout all countries of the world. Jesus Christ was not the only non-conformist in history. On October 2, 1869 another great rebel was born. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was raised in Porbandar, India. Gandhi studied law in London, England but traveled to South Africa in 1893. Here, he spent twenty years opposing discriminatory legislation against Indians. Returning to India in 1914, Gandhi remained to follow his civil disobedience campaign. Even after his death, Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence is living. The next famous rebel in history, became one of the world’s most influential men to ever live. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American non-conformist during the civil rights era. King led one of the most suc...
Technology has already illustrated that it can corrupt us, for instance the ease of access to information. What reason do I have to learn the material if I can always look it up? With this in mind, Tabachnick’s last two chapters survey various responses to the limitations which we possess, that ceases our ability to grasp the need for attention and habit formation that characterizes the “phronesis revival.” For instance, Tabachnick’s focuses on the chief challenge that threatens any effort to revive phronesis in a technological age: “We have handed over our decision-making process to a range of technical experts specialists, and managers and have thus left few if any sources for relearning the practice of the virtue. He asserts that “technical innovation must be directed by the higher virtues such as those associated with family, community, education, politics, and philosophy”; and “technical production has to be preceded by the ethical mastery or self-discipline of the passions” (Tabachnick 116). In other words, a society that puts a priority on family, education, community, and law will be provided with a foundation to make good decisions about how to live a good life. Consequently, Aristotle argues that contemporary society is missing “this foundation of education and role models” (Tabachnick 115). Above
Gandhi was a well knowledgeable and unique person who found hope in struggles that he never thought would shape who he was. Gandhi was born in a Hindu family, and even though he was the youngest he made a huge impact on others (“Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi” pg 3). He had his older brother who helped him with his education when his father passed away (“Mohandas Gandhi”). Gandhi was very religious even when he was little his brothers tried to make him eat meat (it wasn’t bad to eat meat in Hinduism when you are little), but he refused (“Mohandas Gandhi”). Gandhi respected his religion and was a respectful towards others.
...es of past leaders Gandhi gained new perspective and subsequently avoided repeating the past; this lead him to attempt to embark upon a new path--one perceived as better for India. None of this would have been possible without the perspective gained through studying India’s brutal past. Subsequently his efforts and strategies were later emulated by other civil rights activists, effectively impacting the general society. Clearly, the perspective gained through looking back on one’s mistake would be impossible without adversity, which serves as the origin for remediation; society would not be able to progress without certain duress.
In Postman’s book that our society is redefining what family, religion, education, privacy, and history mean as a result of technology, known as technopoly. He proposes several theories about how our society got to where we currently are;including social, and symbolic traditions, and totalitarian technocracy. Postman compares technology to Thamus’ concern that writing would have an impact on an individual’s wisdom and memory. However, not all technology has been viewed negatively in Postman’s eyes. He has viewed some technologies as blessing to society; including technologies that once were provided as a helpful tool to society; including technologies such as, the printing press and clock. According to Postman, current technology is now considered a totalitarian order on society (Postman, 1992). These technologies brought beneficial aspects to society but did not control s...
Friedrich Nietzsche and Mahatma Gandhi, two mammoth political figures of their time, attack the current trend of society. Their individual philosophies and concepts suggest a fundamental problem: if civilization is so diseased, can we overcome this state of society and the sickness that plagues the minds of the masses in order to advance? Gandhi and Nietzsche attain to answer the same proposition of sickness within civilization, and although the topic of unrest among both may be dissimilar, they have parallel means of finding a cure to such an illness as the one that plagues society. Nietzsche’s vision of spiritual health correlates directly with Gandhi’s image of industrialism and the self-sufficiency. This correlation prevails by highlighting the apparent sickness that is ubiquitous in both of the novels.
A dependence on technology will not create a utopian society. Relying on technology for everything can create disruption of people’s bonds and love towards family members, disruption in people’s emotions and feelings and disruption to people physically.
...Because of Gandhi’s power, his flaw, and his catastrophe, one would say that Gandhi fits the model of a Greek tragic hero. Gandhi’s power was his heightened goodness, proven by his innumerable civil disobedience acts, where he continued to fight even while he was regularly jailed. His flaw was his tolerance and acceptance of everyone which led to his catastrophic assassination by Nathuram Godse. Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolence and peace still live on today, as they have inspired many other human rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Gandhi’s teachings are responsible for the successes of civil rights movements in other countries. He not only helped free India from British rule, but also gave people new thoughts about violence and imperialism around the world. Even today, India continues to live and remember the tutelage of Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi, a nationalist and spiritual leader was perceptive and objectively so, perhaps most eminently when he instructed his zealots, “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win” (Mahatma). Gandhi has a remarkable sagacity at a young age and strengthened it throughout the succession of his life. Although the aforementioned quote merely previews the extent of his intellect, it effectively summarizes his political approach. After becoming a member of the Indian National Congress Gandhi had the potential to become a most influential leader for the Indian people, and he did. Gandhi committed his political title towards fighting against the unlawful oppression of British rule. His method of fighting, however, was a politically innovative, mental type of fight. As a firm believer in the value of Pacifism, Gandhi developed the theory of non-violent civil protest and vowed to prevent his followers from succumbing to the allure of bloodshed. The irenic nature of Gandhi’s leadership won him the admiration of many Indian people, and is now considered to have political genius prestigious enough to be studied today (Mahatma 2). In some instances, studying Gandhi’s political strategy demonstrates the benefits of an actively participating governed majority. In today’s society, many people tend to make uneducated political decisions and sometimes even refrain from making one completely. In a variety of circumstances, related to any category of politics, from the election of a new president to the enactment of new laws, a group of Americans remain unrepresented because of their refusal to exercise their right to vote. A topic such as gun control would be a fitting example of a subject that while put ...
Tavani, H. T. (2007). Ethics and technology. Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc. (Ethical theories in the introduction)
Technology allows culture to evolve by creating solutions to problems by removing constraints that exist. Every invention and concept is expanded on to create the utmost perfect solution. Although this process can take decades, or even centuries, to actually develop a proficient resolution, the end result is what advances society industrially. There are conflicting views, however, if these advances are beneficially or maliciously affecting society (Coget). There are three kinds of people in regards to the attitude toward technology: technophiles, technophobes, and those who aren't biased in either regard (Coget). Technophiles understand that the world adapts to the advances in technology and uses them to improve their lives (Tenner). Technophobes observe technology as damaging or are uncomfortable in using it (DeVany). It is undeniable that technology is ever-expanding, thus peaking curiosity to uncover what fuels the fear behind the technophobes. Our focus is concentrated on the technophiles and the technophobes . I will begin with the latter as they contribute greatly to the ov...
When the world was created, there was no technology but yet man survived (Opara). As time moved on technology began to revolutionize the world. Man kept creating ways to make every life easier for themselves. I don’t see a problem with what man has created but what a man has become of it. I agree with Peace Chinwe Opara when he states in his article, “Technology has been implanted into people's blood. Man cannot do without technology. If technology is taken away, man will die. Imagine this world now without electricity. Do you think man will survive it?” People without technology will go crazy just like a chicken with its head cut off. Once upon a time man relied on their own strength, hard work and ideas to carry on business and complete everyday tasks. I’m not against technology but I can assure you that the direction of modern technology will only bring negative effects to society and the world.
According to John Horvat, an author in The Wall Street Journal, " The proper use of technology is that it should be a means to serve us and make our lives easier. A key requirement is that we should be in control." Although, the problem with today`s society, is that we are not in control. Instead of technology serving us, it is now the other way around. Society has been more dependent on its technology in recent years, than it has ever been in the past. Those who are against the up rise of the technology industries, believe that technology has taken away ...
Mannoia, Jim (1997, May 15). A philosopher looks at the effect of modern technology on our view of human life. At http://www.houghton.edu/offices/acad_dean/Techpap.htm.
The standard 21 year old adults have exchanged 250 thousand emails, spent 5 thousand hours video gaming and 10 thousand hours using their mobile devices (Lei, 2009). When people hear the word technology, they think of microwaves, televisions, cars, NASA, different types and transportation and more. For all that, technology has occurred long ahead these discoveries. Technology is an arguable matter amongst people. .In the old days, people lived an extremely simple life without technology. They used candles to light their houses and lanterns at the dark to travel, they used fire to cook and used newspapers and mail to share news. On the other hand, technology has seized an important place in our society. People are living in a stage of progressive technology. They are using all natural reserves applicable for making their lives better and easier. The society cannot picture life without electricity since it allows them to live through their everyday life. This paper argues that technology positively impacts people’s lives.