CURRENT EVENTS:
PROUT IS THE VOICE OF THE DOWNTRODDEN, NEGLECTED, & MUTE
Namaskar,
By now, all or most have certainly heard the news of one fallen NY
politician. The details need not all be recounted here-- just please
refer to the note at the bottom of this email.
The more unknown aspect of all this is the plight of the young lady:
What unfortunate events led her into such a horrible circumstance; what
will be her fate in the future; and, who will care for her & help her
get back on her feet? Or will she simply be exploited by various
opportunists for her new found notoriety and / or persecuted for her
apparent sins.
OUR VIEW OF THE SCANDAL
As Ananda Margiis and Proutists, our main duty is to lend a soothing and
compassionate hand to humanity. Our concern then is not just aimed at
the uncovering of facts of various scandals like most news reporters do,
but rather understanding the rifts in society that created these
terrible incidents in first place.
That way we may relieve the downtrodden-- such as young females like our
"Kristen"-- of ongoing suffering as well as prevent similar episodes
from happening again. Our thrust is to sympathetically study and learn
from the present in order to heal society's wounds and protect the
humanity from repeated occurrences in the future.
AM'S STYLE OF PRESENTATION
Here then is how Baba would like us to look at such situations-- like
one governor's repeated interludes with elite female escort services--
and how we should "report" it.
Baba says, "I am not prepared to accept any hard and fast rule that
literature must be created centering on good citizens alone, nor am I
inclined to agree to the policy that crude and mean people have to be
presented as low or vile before the readers or spectators. In my opinion
whatever artists create must have the fullest touch of their sympathetic
minds. Those who are inferior and neglected, who are helpless and
destitute – whom the society considers infernal maggots – they are the
very people who are the most unrepresented in the salons of literature.
They are mute; and so the heavy responsibility of expressing the
sentiments that are hidden in their tormented minds has to be borne by
the artist alone. The litterateur or the artist, has to take the
responsibility of enabling them to rise up and sit in the same row with
the rest of society, after dusting off the dirt from their bodies." (PNS-10)
Thus it is not that we should simply say Governor Spitzer got entangled
with a prostitute such that the ill-treated lady looks just as bad as
the arrogant and degraded politician.
Our main role is to give a voice to those who are voiceless-- to tell
the heart-felt story of the downtrodden like our 22 year-old who found
herself selling her body to high ranking officials. How did we let her
slip from our grasp and fall into such an unfortunate state of affairs.
Our responsibility is to clean the society and restore peace to the
lives of those victims, i.e. those who have been forced into
unfavourable circumstances. This is our Proutistic approach.
Of course it is not that such victims are always exempt from any and all
blame. But Baba wants that their story be told in a touching and
humanitarian way so they are not ostracised from the society, but rather
helped into recovery.
In that case scandals and daily events like one young prostitute's
dealings with a NY governor are not merely hooks for selling articles,
books, or new broadcasts, but rather stepping stones for addressing the
ills of society-- of caring for our sisters and brothers who have fallen
into undesirable ways.
HOW THE CAPITALISTIC NEW MEDIA OPERATES
Unfortunately, most of today's news agencies follow an entirely
different protocol. With their big jaws and greedy eyes they pounce on
stories with their own selfish motive in mind.
Baba says, "It seems as though they are deliberately seeking out the
dark and dirty aspects of life and, like flies, growing fat on the
secretions of society’s festering sores. It must be remembered that
flies do not heal sores – rather they exacerbate them, because the very
pus of these sores provides them with their vital juice. So the filthy
aspects of society are the only wealth on which these artists and
litterateurs subsist." (PNS-10)
So whether it be about the recent scandal, or Brittney Spears, or any
other unfortunate victim, more often news reporters see such events as
their personal gold mine.
Baba says, "If art or literature is created revolving around the evil
propensities of the human mind, people will naturally gravitate towards
it in large numbers, and the creators of such literature will earn a
great deal of money thereby; indeed, this is the only aim of their
artistic creation. Engaged in the quest of evil, obscenity and
vulgarity, they, too, lose sight of the primary goal of art. " (PNS-10)
Indeed as it is the capitalists who control the news media, never is it
reported how it is society's responsibility to watch over the needy,
destitute, and downtrodden. Never is it exposed how the leading elements
in society caused the problem. For example, if teen sex is the issue,
never is it discusses how Hollywood moguls and corporate advertising
giants infuse crude images and messages upon the society. That key
aspect is swept under the rug by the capitalist news agencies. And,
instead they callously chase after and highlight the 'mud' of humanity
for their own profit. Never do they discuss the underlying problems that
are caused by capitalism itself. They just profit from the mud that
capitalism invariably creates.
OR ONE OTHER WAY THEY DO
While the majority of reporters follow the above method, there are some
who totally overlook any scandalous activity in order to paint a false
picture of society.
Baba says, "These mysophobic, conservative writers will compose poems
about seas, mountains and moonlight – will paint literary pictures of
the drawing-rooms of the aristocratic Ballygunge elite – but it will
offend their pens to write about the endless humiliations, the low
standard of living and the vulgar dirtiness of the neglected, uneducated
society of the villages, because these matters are unpleasant. The
abominable life of corrupt women, the obnoxious environment of the
slums, the carnal cravings of antisocial human beasts – all these they
seek to avoid, because they are unacceptable by the standards of
“decency” and “decorum”." (PNS-10)
Verily there are many poets, authors, and movie-makers who adhere to
this approach.
OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The main theme here is not merely to point out the defects of today's
capitalistic news agencies but rather put forth our Proutistic platform
that as citizens we are responsible for the welfare of society. If one
falls, then it is the duty of the collective not to walk over that
person but to help them regain their feet. And it is the responsibility
of writers, film-makers, and reporters to sympathetically address the
downtrodden so that others may feel empathy for them-- not disgust and
revulsion.
Here Baba neatly tells how our society should be.
Baba says, "What is society like? It is like a group of people going on
a pilgrimage. Try to imagine the scene! Suppose one of the pilgrims is
struck down by cholera. Will the rest of them continue on their way,
leaving the sick man behind? No, that would be inconceivable for them.
Rather, they will break their journey for a day or two, and cure him of
his disease. If he is still too weak to walk they will carry him on
their shoulders. If some people run short of food, others share what
they have with them. Together they share their possessions, and together
they march ahead, singing in unison...I repeat that a true society is
like such a group of pilgrims who attain a deep psychic affinity while
travelling together which helps them solve all the problems in their
individual and social lives. (AFPS-6)
Thus we are to lift up and care for the fallen and then move together
arm in arm, never forgetting or overlooking anyone.
When a scandal breaks out involving one young female who was forced into
prostitution-- for whatever reason-- none should shun her as being the
cause behind one politician's fall, but rather recount her story and
pains in a way that engender tenderness for her unfortunate plight.
Then and only then can we solve the problems and build that great humanity.
BABA'S BLESSING
Baba says, "Let there be an unbarred movement of humanity, let there be
an unbarred progress of humanity. Humanity that knows no colour, no
racial or garb barrier, no historical or traditional barrier. Human
beings have got the same human legacy, and they must boldly stand upon
that legacy and move forward with the banner of universal humanity." (PNS-9)
Namaskar,
Liilavrati
Note 1: IS IT JUST THE FALL OF ONE NY GOVERNOR
OR ALSO THE UNFORTUNATE TALE OF ONE YOUTH
WHOM SOCIETY LET SLIP AWAY
The now former Governor of NY, Eliot Spitzer, also known as Mr Clean for
his crime fighting ways, got exposed for his own involvement with female
escort agencies. And the majority of news events focus on the irony of
his demise. At the same time there was a young female involved, who uses
the name "Kristen". The news media has now also begun to report on her,
but only presenting the so-called facts, as if we are examining some bug
from another planet instead of one of our own daughters. Rather than
sympathetically recounting her sorrowful plight, they continue to
highlight her as a mysterious or degraded element in society who's worth
is just that of her sensual manners. That is why her pictures are
broadcast all around, but never is it discussed how we as a society
allow for so many of our young females to fall into such depraved
states. So one of the main purposes of Prout is to give a voice to the
fallen and help them to revive their careers and lead a dignified and
glorious human life.
Baba says, "Encourage everyone to build their careers in a nice way. Let
none get the scope to think that their lives have become meaningless."
(Ananda Vanii, #19)
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Fish Eating People
Baba says, "Fish eat all kinds of things. Because of this, the positive qualities of those foods which they eat they may or may not get; but, certainly they get the negative qualities or defects of those foods which they eat. In addition, fish quarrel so much among themselves; they are quarrel mongers. They eat each other; they feel jealous towards one another; and also they have the tendency to wander around aimlessly in an indisciplined, disorderly manner. Because of these negative qualities of fish, since ages there has been the feeling amongst the general public that those who are fish eaters, they get contaminated by these same defects." (SC-20, Bangla, Disc #156)
Note: Amongst all of India, the most densely populated fish-eating area is Bengal. Indeed, Baba says that the main population of Bengal are kaevarta (fisherman community). In total there are a huge number of lakes, ponds, rivers, and water sources in Bengal; that is why fish flourish there. Thus in Bengal fish are known as water fruit. Except for very strict devoted margiis, most of them like to eat fish.
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