Of Dignity and Class in Times of Emotional Aridity & Spiritual Sterility

Psychology

Of Dignity and Class in Times of Emotional Aridity & Spiritual Sterility

May 6, 2024

By class I mean a person who is trained in human sensibilities, like love, affection, understanding, accommodation and being helpful to the creation around him. Parents and educators must facilitate such a breed of men, if we want the world to remain human in the coming times of emotional aridity and spiritual sterility.

Dr. Jernail S. Anand

Every object that we own, the clothes, the furniture, the house, and how we keep it, how we address each other at home, and how we conduct ourselves in the office, or in the society where we live, – all these actions are strong pointers towards our class.

The style of stitching tells the lady that we see is the master of the house, or the servant. Then, their speech. If it is domineering, it a master’s speech. If it is weak and apologetic, it is the voice of a mistress. Thereupon, there is further categorization depending on the work culture of a person. One word from his mouth declares his class.

I am not talking of social classes. What engages me in this article is class. And by class, I mean, the social, emotional, intellectual culture of a person. Poverty may subdue a man, but he will not defy his culture. His class.

Class, in my opinion, is the dignified manner in which a man should conduct himself. In the life of a poor man, or a woman, there are a hundred challenges where they can easily get derailed, and go for easier options. But, here, if they stick to their essential principles, it shows their class. Same is true of the rich also, who do not bother about principles. For whom, success is what finally matters. And so far as class is concerned, they make a misconstrued show of their class by flagrant display of riches, costly cars, and watches, and rave parties, and the freedom that is given to young girls and boys to enjoy night outs – these are symptoms of a rotten culture, and a generation gone berserk. Not class.

TARBIAT [BRINGING UP]

When I think of the word ‘class’, I am immediately concerned with the way kids are being brought up. Their ‘tarbiat’. Their upbringing. Their moral, mental, physical and spiritual nourishment. What the parents want from their kids? And what are parents themselves doing? Have they time to maintain a ‘classy’ relationship between themselves? Each one of them wants space. Can they yield space to the other person? Isn’t peace and understanding more important than individual freedom and personal enjoyment? Then, come the kids. Obviously, the parents have no time for them. They have no time to think how the kids should grow up. What qualities are needed to lead a graceful life, and are they ever concerned what qualities of head and heart they should imbibe?

All is not well. Ninety out of hundred boys and girls, and even parents will fail the test of class, decency, dignity which make a man or a woman, socially, intellectually, psychologically strong, and charming. By this yardstick, are we living in a society whose face is pock-marked? Which is rotten at heart? If we are creating a society of mental wrecks and moral weaksters, where are we headed for? What does future hold for us? Are we not afraid of our own extinction?

All is not well. Ninety out of hundred boys and girls, and even parents will fail the test of class, decency, dignity which make a man or a woman, socially, intellectually, psychologically strong, and charming

This society sorely lacks people of grace. Our education has nothing to do with imparting a sense of human dignity. Education injects in their minds, a sense of pride, arrogance, and they care a fig for social graces. When kids grow up, our system brings them up [system includes parental indifference also] as individuals who have no concern for others, be it family, or the society. n Once they are raised on the earth like ivory towers and they get high positions in life, they damn care for the people who made it possible. We do not need such young men, nor do we need such parents, who do not know their social responsibility even if they are parents of their sons and daughters. Can they afford to make their kids social outcasts?

It must be understood in clear terms that a man, no doubt is himself, and in his individual capacity, he has to grow to the greatest heights, but the tallest tree cannot be born without the soil below, without the water in the ribs of the earth, without the winds that flow. Is it possible in this webbed world to stay alone, without feeling any responsibility or gratefulness for the creation and the creator? Will a tree, in its pride, arrogance, and love for loneliness, shoo away the cuckoos who approach it for beautiful songs? We don’t want men like this. And we don’t want parents like this who do not understand their responsibility as human beings.

In very clear terms, let me state, by class I mean a person who is trained in human sensibilities, like love, affection, understanding, accommodation and being helpful to the creation around him. Parents and educators must facilitate such a breed of men, if we want the world to remain human in the coming times of emotional aridity and spiritual sterility.

Read: Lear’s ‘Dear Judgement’: Limitations of Human Wisdom

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Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 161 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honored him with the award of an Honorable Academic. Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engg and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus: The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com