In an age of social media, materialism and individualism, we are increasingly feeling self-made if we are popular or successful. Influencers, celebrities and start-up billionaires are public heroes, while teachers, journalists, nurses, carers or cleaners are made to feel like second or third class citizens.
It is almost as if takers are celebrated, and givers are forgotten or ignored. When a writer uses their pen to educate and inform, or a teacher awakens the hunger to read and the joy of learning, it is often a quiet act away from the media gaze.
In truth everyone is influenced by their upbringing, the family and the local community or neighbourhood where they went to school. For those who are lucky to belong to a faith and a heritage, they have the chance to connect the present to the past and understand how their values and beliefs were shaped. Even when they do not have a belief today, it is often the case that their values are shaped by religion.
As a writer and lecturer whose work often is in the public eye, I feel the RISK of being a celebrity. In many ways I would prefer to be anonymous and quiet, but today’s landscape and global crises require people to have courage and act publicly. It is helpful to speak from a place of wisdom and tradition, especially when we have a heritage that is as rich as Dharma. Here we can show a continuity with the past rather than an ignorance or misrepresentation of it.
MORE LIKE THIS…
The more I research and dig into this history, the more I feel the beauty and richness of this inheritance. When I meet people with this drive and determination to reveal traditions, I feel an instant connection and discover a support group which nourishes me. The nostalgia of age also takes me to my childhood in Mombasa, Kenya, which now feels rosy and blessed. I was immersed in faith and community and developed social, cultural and leadership soft skills from an early age. I now realise that in so many ways it was an abnormal childhood, and a very fortunate one.
The next time someone claims to be self-made remind them of the support they had along the way and how interdependent the web of life is. If they are rich and over-wealthy, help them to understand the criticality of purpose and meaning in life. That is what is sustainable – all else will come and go, sooner or later. Assist them in cultivating humility and enjoying anonymous charity. Encourage them to share their success generously. Teachers, nurses and farmers have always known that it is in the joy of others that we discover our own.
MORE LIKE THIS…
Professor Atul K. Shah [@atulkshah] teaches and writes about Indian wisdom on business, culture and community at various UK universities and is a renowned international author, speaker and broadcaster.