Interconnectedness :- A lacking initiative of the youth?

Interconnectedness is and always has been crucial to survival, but it is not something that just exists; it only develops through initiative, and all initiative has reasoning. Explore the opinions of Abhinav Jain about his two predominant reasons behind the lack of interconnectedness present among societies today.

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What are the two reasons?

As per me they are the insatiable and ever growing wants of the individual, and the exertion of national power.

The wants of the individual.....

Human beings are selfish by nature, and deep-rooted patriotism only fuels that selfishness. What is patriotism? What do countries, chain-link fences as borders, and physical divides determine? Why are we so loyal to one place; one among 195 others just like it? What good has this place done for us, that we are wiling to pledge our lives to it? Patriotism is essentially a population only willing to only look after itself and no-one else; the conviction that only they matter and they are superior.

........exertion of national power?

Patriotism is an important cause of interconnectedness (not the good kind) as a patriotic individual feels it is not only their need but their requirement to demonstrate their nations ability, power and dominance over everyone else. This demonstration is so deeply set in them that they stop for nothing on their course to alert everyone of their nation’s brilliance. Examples of this are littered throughout history; from British conquests to US involvement overseas, everyone seems to be driven by an insatiable desire for personal gain.

This inset selfishness spreads to not only narcissism, but demand; an individual who believes themselves to be affiliated with a country wants not for the collective, but for the country or rather for the individual and their direct surroundings. Here comes slavery, exploitation, theft & fraud at international levels, and conquering of land among other crimes. The most fitting example of this criminal desire to occur after the slave trade is of course Germany during the second world war.

The obsession with the idea of ‘Germany the Aryan state’ became so great among its people that they refused to question the morality of their actions, or rather they dismissed it in the name of the motherland. They spread their system and their beliefs all round, and where they were not accepted they forced their way in. Patriotism and a belief in national superiority in this case led to genocide and the invasion of other countries purely because they spoke the same language. There are of course positive examples of demand as well; the silk trade, tea spreading from China to the rest of the world, but even then selfishness and greed get the better of us, prime example being the Opium wars.

Another example of the sheer uselessness of patriotism is the current Indo-Pak divide. A false dedication to an abstract cause pushes us against one another, and for what good? Pakistanis are people just like us, as are Afghanis and Nepalis. What divides them from us? Two fences and a trench guarded by an army dedicated to protecting the dirt they stand on. This is probably one of the only aspects of humanity left where we are no different from much simpler creatures; we find it necessary to mark our territory and defend it.

But without patriotism, nations will lack basic interconnectedness?

Patriotism in essence limits inherent connectedness between communities, but also promotes it. If countries are depicted as athletes in a relay race, the finish line is global progress and the running shoes of each athlete is the patriotism beneath their feet. Ultimately the shoes don’t matter; its the fitness of each athlete and their capability to work together. Individualism doesn’t matter in a team game, but the fact that each athlete is competing against one another means they begin to understand each other. It may limit them in the long run, but in the short term competition drives people, or in this case countries, to improve and grow. Therefore, I would say, the only benefit of patriotism is the drive it provides countries with; to enhance economic growth, bring up literacy rates and life expectancy and improve the quality of life for the people. Most of all, though patriotism may drive people apart, it also brings people together.

All in all, interconnectedness has played a crucial role in the development of society, and has shaped as well as been shaped by our actions historically and in newer times. Those without it live in their own clusters; close-minded groups known as countries, with the will to explore but an overwhelming sense of righteousness in who they are. Interconnectedness in a way is self-propelled. It is caused by certain natural human traits, and beyond that, it has the ability to power itself until it infiltrates the conscience of every individual. It is the root of our behaviour, and it is the key to our survival.

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Written By Abhinav Jain