I believe that the basic principle of liberal democracy should find universal acceptance. The grounding beliefs that mankind is born free and equal, should anchor themselves in the mindsets of modern men, women, children, the old, young, privileged and less privileged.

A belief in the modern world, that the true conservative who is respectful of the traditions of thought that formed our political environment, will be liberal at least, in the sense of accepting the convictions about universal freedom and equality and be responsible for claims of authority.

The true effects of cultural beliefs in particular, the peculiarities of unity through religion and ethnicity to corrode sentiments as crucial to a peaceful social co-existence as mutual respect and relaxed tolerance. I despair of the prospect of finding common ground with those whose beliefs prescind from civility, from the task of seeking, minimally, a convenient route or, maximally, substantial agreement.

I no longer see the task of agreed philosophy as the Hegelian enterprise of exploring and refashioning a consensus. Nowadays, we have to give as much attention to the dire task of drawing lines in sand, marking off values which we recognize that only some of our fellows deem worthy of its defence, values that are all the more crucial for being seemingly parochial.

The task ahead may seem daunting, laced with a perceived notion of great challenges but trust me, all we need is ourselves. The task of moral theory is to validate or generate moral principles, to serve as a foundation to our intellectual health having optional extras to renew the innate radiation of our capabilities.

With miscarriage of Justice, we become hostages to our collective fortunes. In doing so, we appeal for a great sense of duty with tolerance and cohibition… Where my rights stop where yours starts. Where we drag a pool of ideas to the fore front of administering our goals and agendas to every corner of our communities. A hub for group prosperity.

As citizens, we have clamoured so long by being better at claiming rights than defending them. In such a terrain of rights, I incline towards the eternal message from C. H. Spurgeon, in his connotation of the PRINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS… Which suggests that “All those who receive benefits from the cooperative efforts of others, may be required to shoulder the burden of contributing towards the maintenance of schemes that secures them – The State”

In conclusion, I borrow from the great wisdom of Theodore Roosevelt, Former American President in his autobiography. He said “We of the great modern democracies must strive increasingly to make our several country lands in which a poor man who works hard can live comfortably and honest,and in which a rich man cannot live dishonestly nor in slothful avoidance of duty, and yet, we must judge the rich and poor alike by a standard which rests on the conduct and not on caste, and we must frown with the same stern severity on the mean and vicious envy which hates and would plunder on a man because he is well off and on the brutal and selfish arrogance which looks down on and exploits the man with whom life has gone hard” (Sagamore Hill, October 1, 1913)

To the young, the time is now!

Come, Let’s talk.

Arc. Hart Bankat

3.1.18

count | 67

Opinion: To the young, the time is now! Come, Let’s talk – By Arc. Hart Bankat