Are Gandhi's philosophies of non-violence applicable in today's world?

Question

In this world where notoriety and arrogance sells, can non-violence work?

In a "judgmental" world where humbleness is treated as weakness...can Gandhian philosophies really work in such world?

If someone hit Gandhi, he wouldn't hit him back or verbally abuse him. Can it work in the modern world?

Can a common man survive with Gandhian philosophies? If someone hits you or jeers at you....and you don't hit back or abuse them violently, wouldn't you be considered weak? Wouldn't they do it again and again?

Answer 1

Hi Maddy, what a great question! Wow! I began writing my response hours ago and after I saw I had written five pages in Word, well I found I would need to start over again. Gandhi was a great man; great humanitarian and successfully united diverse individuals in his country to over throw the British governments’ foreign oppression and tyranny of his people. Gandhi’s philosophies were instilled during his childhood; they were not something he developed in his adulthood. It is true he fine tuned them during adulthood; they first were established in childhood. This speaks too many of the questions I have answered which you posted here in Answers; that it is in childhood and as such within our family structures that many of the ills of our society must be answered.

My response to your question is emphatically yes, it is possible to live Gandhi’s philosophies in today’s world. An example would be the Amish people who live lives of non violence in our current society. I don’t believe we need to put aside modern technological advancements to do so. If we were to begin addressing the ills of our families in our country, many of the ills of our society would be solved. I firmly believe this and advocate for it at every opportunity. However, it is not a simple matter; rather it is one which is very complicated and will take a great deal of change to affect real progressive change.

While I firmly believe we must start in the home, I also know we have to do something in society now which requires work with adults who have already left their childhood behind. How do we instill change in adults who have already lived their most formative years? This is a question we must answer if we are to truly affect positive change within our society. We can’t just simply begin teaching our young families and then wait until the children they raise have grown to adulthood. We have to do something now to bring hope for a society free of all the damage violence brings. However, I haven’t much of a clue how to go about affecting change in seasoned adults. Studies have shown that the most formative years are the first three an individual lives. When most of our core belief systems and behavioral patterns are developed by age three, how do we help those who have already grown past this age change set behavioral patterns and belief systems?

We hold each person responsible for his or her choices and behaviors. However, it is not as simple as this. We have seen where that brings us; with full prisons and little reformation while incarcerated. We have a revolving door and not much substantial efforts to change it. We are throwing away our children; with ever younger ages being tried and treated as adults. These children are brutalized within the adult penal system and then we wonder how they became such monsters. This is beyond sad; it is tragic, yet it is avoidable.

We have to acquire some form of humane treatment of criminals; as well as find it within our hearts to establish a real understanding of the underlying problem and as such build some real compassion for those who are broken by abuse, neglect, and abject poverty. In many ways, our own society has its own caste system and it is nearly as rigid as that in which Gandhi and his people lived under. When we begin to fully understand we are all equal we will finally begin to find our way to a sincere desire to initiate positive change.

Sadly, we have come to a point in our capitalistic society in which selfishness rules the day. We failed to learn from history and as such we are really doomed to relive the past mistakes of our ancestors. The Western civilization, which we all so happily assume is superior to any other, we put down those who are not like us or who do not live in the same socio-economical class. Even those of similar class need to find ways to look down upon one another. I do not advocate for a socialistic society as I have seen how damaging such a society can be on its citizens. Take Switzerland as an example; the suicide rate there is one of the highest in the world. Studies have shown that in such a socialized country the third who work and pay for the living of the other two thirds deeply resent being forced to do so. All in this society feel great hopelessness and a lack of belief in an ability to truly achieve. Each section lacks in ability to achieve higher levels of growth in life for different reasons; however, the end result is still hopelessness. Such a high level of hopelessness leads to a lack of desire to continue life. It is really indicative of failure when citizens kill themselves in high numbers.

Gandhi did not advocate socialism but rather self sufficiency. He encouraged each individual to make their own clothing and to spend an hour or so a day weaving cloth for the welfare of the less fortunate. He advocated social welfare, but not socialism. He also advocated “satyagraha” which is the resistance of tyranny through mass civil disobedience founded upon “ahimsa” or total non violence. He achieved a great deal in his lifetime, not the least independence from the domination of his country by the British. He also advocated for the end of the caste system, equality for women and the end of poverty. He inspired Dr. Luther King Jr. in his civil rights movement in our country. While it ended in Dr. Luther King’s assassination, he still accomplished a great deal before his death. Gandhi also inspired the civil rights movement of Steve Biko of South Africa and Jung San Suu Kui of Myanmar.

I firmly believe each individual has the ability to initiate personal change in how one choose to think and behave. It is, IMHO, a cop out to blame one’s childhood on a life time of poor choices and actions. With that said I do believe childhood has a huge impact upon how an individual will perform as an adult. However, we each have responsibility in our own choices, behaviors and actions. I personally have overcome a difficult childhood and several serious issues in adult life. I do recognize that some have a higher probability of successfully initiating change depending upon the skills, gifts, level of intelligence and the affects life has had upon emotional growth and maturity.

I do believe we can live a life of non violence successfully in our current environment. However, the degree in which an individual has the ability to do so is highly dependent upon many differing factors. I do feel we need to be less judgmental of each other. I also believe we need to find compassion for others.

Regarding whether or not a person can live Gandhi’s philosophies and not experience urges to retaliate when victimized by violence, it is our choice how we respond. We do have choice in every aspect of our lives and we need to recognize we can select how we respond to how we are treated. I don’t believe we have a right to strike out in retaliation. I do believe we have a right to defend ourselves; however, this too is a choice and not a matter of cause and affect. When we make a choice in how we will respond to what happens in our lives, regardless of what initiated it, we take power over our lives. It is truly empowering to consciously choose to not strike back regardless of the provocation. I have seen first hand how powerful this can be. So, yes, I do believe we can live non violent lives and be better for it. I also believe we can forgive those who sin against us and become stronger for it too. Forgiveness is more for the individual doing the forgiving, rather than for the person being forgiven. Also, when we refuse to forgive we are really harming only ourselves. When we hold grudges or repressed rage or other negative emotions we hurt only ourselves and those who must deal with us on daily basis. We poison our own lives and the lives of those nearest and dearest. When we hold rage we usually take it out on those we feel safest with, which is usually the ones we should take the most care with; our family.

I always like your questions Maddy so please keep them coming. I try to get here at least once a week, but am busy with so much these days. I realize we are all living busy lives, so I really appreciate the time you spend, as well as the effort you put into your questions in this forum.

I wish you a great day and a wonderful upcoming weekend.

Answer 2

No Peace ... actually the Mahatma's morals are fairly completely above tiniest reproach and todays guy lacks the integrity and braveness to maintain on with them .He replaced into unfinchingly righteous and moralistic. plenty that he could motivate human beings to undergo even poor actual torture with intense persistence and finished ahimsa.It takes a individual made up of iron to have faith and save on with such in todays worldwide. Mahatma Gandhi did that which he preached in spite of each and every little thing and until ultimately this date he's abused with the help of his own countrymen yet few others could have the affection for morality, actuality and the braveness So he's named mahatma meaning super soul and it takes a super soul to maintain on with all tht philosophy and huge souls are uncommon Its achievable for an the two rigteous individual- so its achievable at a individual point yet no longer in any opposite direction- i mean no longer on a bigger scale.Todays worldwide is plenty too full of decadence 4 that

Answer 3

Absolutely. I try to the best of my ability to live the way Gandhi did everyday.

No one likes arrogance and hatred. People respond to love and respect.

People have a huge influence on the world around them. The way they live comes back to them. Very few people are direspectful to me, because I give them the respect that I want from them.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Thats the essence of it all.

Answer 4

it was a much harsher world that gandi lived in.