To celebrate Diwali 2011, we have to learn the process of prosperity as soon as possible which start with ‘needonomics’ confining to needs only. Less the needs, the quick is process of prosperity. More needs delay it. Too much needs with greed can never make a person, a family and a nation prosperous. It is practically the gap between wealth and the needs. If the gap is less, we are prosperous. If there is no gap, we are King. If the gap is too much, we are poor. Suppose a person is able to satisfy need in Rs 01 but earn Rs10. Another person is not able to satisfy fifty percent of the needs with Rs 1000. Who is more prosperous? Obviously, a person with Rs 10 is prosperous having income ten times of the needs.
We need to learn the process of reducing our demands which should be less than the supply. The thrust of water can be removed with a glass of water and does not require sea for water which is not potable and its use can kill.
We need to spend 90 percent of our energies for satisfying our needs and 10 percent for creating and cultivation Indian culture of this great civilization of the world. We should not waste our time and energies on the undesirable activities. We need to develop altruistic culture where no body is sick for want of food or eating too much. The new culture can take birth when we are satisfied with left life with savings to spend judiciously with investment in human beings. We can always find time for creativity to contribute towards fair society with time management where there is no time to waste but utilize for the great cause.
One can certainly become prosperous but greedy person can never be satisfied. To achieve our objectives, we spend our entire life which needs to be introspected rationally with altruism and not selfish behaviour. It should be remembered that the poverty of greed is bigger than the poverty caused by lack of resources. The time has come to understand, analyze and interpret the materialism of greedonomics and must be replaced by needonomics flowing from Spiritually Guided Materialism Strategy – the only solution of the economic crisis which is a consequence of greed and irresponsible behavior of the some.
Let us change the definition of a rational consumer by replacing self consumption (selfishness) to selfless believing in ‘not me but you’ for becoming altruistic in real sense with eclectic approach of consumption. There is a case for removing consumption-investment paradox in eating food for not only living but working efficiently.
Professor M.M. Goel,
Dean Faculty of Social Sciences,
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra