Feb 15, 2024

Cave to City and Back

Once upon a time in a little known Hyderabadi (Deccan) Urdu daily I read two couplets by a little known Pakistani poet whose name I have forgotten, probably because he is little known:

شکوہ بے جا تو نہیں دنیا کے اس کمرے میں
کس طرح مختلف افراد کو رکھا جائے

شہر بنتے گئے مگر انساں
آج تک غار سے نہیں نکلا

शिकवा बेजा तो नहीं दुनिया के इस कमरे में
किस तरह मुख़्तलिफ़ अफ़्राद को रखा जाए।

शहर बनते गए मगर इन्साँ
आज तक ग़ार से नहीं निकला।


Not baseless is this petulance
In our global nursery
How diversity can make sense
In a single soulful tapestry

The urban jungle pervades life 
From cradle to the grave
But Man has not emerged 
From his primordial Cave

Some say that those who leave the cities for the Himalayas and other wilderness, walking into icy climate in a loincloth, through foothills infested with cobras, leopards and tigers, and competing for real estate with predators are surely escapists. Others say they just got fed up of playing pretend and wanted to confront existence. Many urban sadhaks won't even bathe with cold water these days.

Here I am, sitting in my mancave in the basement of a home in the exurbs of a large city, close to farmland and not too far from wilderness. Threw together some thoughts in the table below. Criticism welcome.

 

Hunter-Gatherer

Transhumance

Agriculture

Professions

Freedom and Success

Winner takes all; Freedom to overcome any obstacle by any means

Team with most possessions wins; Freedom to migrate and set one’s own borders

Winner society assimilates loser society; Freedom from unpredictable pain

Promotion to greater stability, enjoyment and rights

Cultivation

Instincts and intuition through observation; Parasitic = take what I can whenever needed

Balance and harmony through control; Husbandry = cultivate, manipulate and enjoy cyclically; optimize ownership for richness and mobility

Innovation; Maximize gains; Plan for adversity; Diversify society

Relationships; Skills; Giving and receiving help

Defense and Offense

Pack mentality

Herd + Sheepdogs + Herder mentality

Hierarchical specialization

Individual contributor

Law and Ethos

At any point in time, one becomes either a predator or prey; Every relationship is based on need; An individual is at the mercy of Nature; All individuals and groups are parts of a whole

Herd must trust and obey the shepherd, and sheepdogs help enforce that; Certain mysteries are not to be questioned; We as a group are different from others

Sharing, fairness, compassion, questioning, innovation, freedom from excessive punishment and threat; Signaling virtue is important; Our group is better than others

Clear role definition; Honest work; rules-based competition; Procrastinator; doing the minimum of what's needed

Conflict and Cooperation

Conflict is eternal, cooperation is provisional; Big fish eat small fish; Bodies are expendable but the life force is priceless and not to be wasted; Power is in always being prepared; Sudden strike or snatch when need and opportunity intersect

Conflict and cooperation are in balance; Incrementally amass wealth and power; Be hardy,  stoic, enjoy simple things, live long, don’t develop attachments

Cooperation is paramount, conflict is to be contained or avoided; Incremental progress; Creature comforts and conveniences are a sign of power and prosperity

Competition helps refine skills; Cooperate to learn and share knowledge and benefits; Enjoy life; Bear with adversity

Power

Survival

Heroism

Prosperity

Progress

Religious Mode

Shamanism

Legalism

Tolerance and Non-violence

Honesty and diligence

Autonomy and Community

Each one responsible for himself; Survivalist ethic

Loyalty and contribution to the tribe is paramount; All are equal in the tribe, but some are more equal than others; Sacrifice oneself for the tribe

Fractal localism; Birds of a feather will flock together

Desires facilities to proudly work as a cog in the machine

Mother Nature

Everything is controlled by one’s individual relationship with Her

Organize, learn from and work with Nature

Nature is nice to look at but painful to be close to; Conquer and benefit from Nature through innovation and organization; God is beneficent

Not close to rhythms of Nature but may believe in “God”

Sexuality

Undifferentiated; Likes and dislikes almost irrelevant; The act matters when needed; Polyandry also acceptable

Specific likes and dislikes; Polygamy, the more women the greater you are; Consent not that important and abduction is macho

Specific likes and dislikes; Monogamous ideal but polygamy exists; Consent is important

Stable or serial monogamy by consent

Value

Knowledge of (or rather connectedness with) the whole

Honor

Social status and prosperity

Knowledge of the parts, work and pleasure; Circumscribed empathy

Release

Unimpeded Existence

Glory and Heaven

Wisdom, command, accomplishment

Security, aesthetic entertainment and indulgence

Vedic Archetype

Rishi

Deva

Arya

Bhakta

Varnic Model

Brahmin

Kshatriya

Vaishya

Shudra


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