Many wise men have thought about the central meaning of life, whether there is some wider sense in it and how happiness is to be achieved. One of those men, the Dalai Lama, fears the biggest problem to rise in our modern society, which –to his beliefs– makes us more and more unhappy due to loneliness and alienation. This problem is rather seen as a problem of western civilization, than one of older tribes and peoples, for they have a certain sense of common belonging. In his argumentation, western societies have built up an individual lifestyle, especially growing in times of capitalism and globalized competition, in which every single person is trying to out-compete its fellow men. This leads to collective isolation and to a mentality of needing individual belongings and autonomy. As people start relying on their selves more and more, they don’t feel needy of anyone’s help. This brings up a whole new stage of self-confidence on one side, but a huge level of responsibility for one’s own happiness on the other. Further, wealth and material standards are listed as important aspects for the achievement of happiness. With the gap between poor and rich becoming bigger, there are even more problems concerning the happiness of mankind. The Dalai Lama considers it good and intelligent in some ways to share if one’s wealthy. But he’s certainly sure that most of the wealthy people are not gifted with this goodness and this kind of intelligence, more likely they tend to strive for even more.
This very critical point has been one fundamental idea of the Indian utopia “Auroville”, a place which is not a utopia anymore, but more an already existing effort to show the world how much of a fair place it can be. With 2000 people living in this little city, “Auroville” is a model project of a state founded upon the columns of Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy, who probably founded his philosophy upon Plato’s “Ideal State”. The program excludes institutions like a police department, courthouses and prisons. It seems to believe in an ideal, righteous, peace- and happiness-determined citizen, who’s willing to follow a set of rules, for the benefit of the community. This idea probably derives from the fact that without social inequalities, there would be no need for criminality. Education is open for everyone and hospitals serve for free. Drugs, the participation in parties and the membership in sects are prohibited as well as private property. Every good produced by the society is part of a system of common, like meadows in Bavaria which are common land to the people of the community. There are the same wages for every single job, and everyone is only getting the goods, he or she necessarily needs. People care for each other and share a common property, so nobody is disadvantaged. There are 70 companies working in “Auroville”, with some of them exporting goods to other countries.
Considering the fact that unhappiness of mankind is produced by an ongoing isolation of individuals and autonomic claims, Sri Aurobindo’s model state prevents this collective unhappiness in a very good resolution, probably one of the best, yet.
“Auroville” includes a very convincing idea of an alternative lifestyle, with offering generous opportunities and with getting rid of castes and social classes, which imply social diversities and conflicts. Still there are unusual facts about this state, though, that would make it hard to realize this utopia all around the globe.
The national budget of “Auroville” profits from companies, like “Auromode” (a clothing company), which are exporting products to other countries. For running this system on a high level and for also being able to invest into progressive science and technology projects (which belong to the human nature, are –according to the Dalai Lama– improving our life standards, and therefore would contribute to the pursuit of happiness), buyers of other nations would be fundamental necessities. To realize this “Ideal State” all around the globe, there wouldn’t be chances to finance the “national” budget, due to a lack of buyers. The state would be stuck in an economic recession and there would be no life-standard bettering progress.
In the end, even “Auroville” is not able to open doors to a new world and realize our dreams of peace and happiness, but at least it makes a productive effort to change our old world into a better place.
1. „Happiness in the Modern World“(the Dalai Lama, “Ancient Wisdom, Modern World”, 1999)
2. Utopia – Alternativ leben im indischen Auroville (Cornelsen)
Photo credits:
MrPattersonSir
FYunkie
Loading ...