In a world where fake news is taking over the real one, it’s time nations introduce mandatory spiritual practices for people to not let such content affect their mental peace, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj Ji
We all remember the terrorist attack on the office of the French satirical weekly newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in 2015. The worldwide media was shocked and in awe. There was hardly any media organisation that did not express its opinion on the subject. A lot was said, discussed and deliberated on the potential reasons for such an event.
Of course, the views vary widely and due to that, many nations even snapped the diplomatic relationship between each other because of their differences of opinion. However, one thing that the incident surely reflected is that the power of the written or spoken word is tremendous! In today’s world, where means of communication are growing faster and are highly developed, opinions easily take rounds over the internet and are capable of grabbing the attention of the masses. This points towards the increasing need to use one’s freedom and power of expression, after applying a sound judgement.
The newspaper’s piece of caricature was adjudged as derogatory to a particular religion and its founder. And hence, the followers of that religion, at large raised their voice against the publication. However, there are many other publications or books or magazines, which may not be against any community in particular. This might lessen the chances of large-scale protests against them everywhere. There could be many writings or lessons, which, though not so glaringly and grossly opposed to the teachings of a particular Prophet, could exert a negative influence on the mind of large sections of society. Similarly, there could be a lot of content online which affects the minds of a high percentage of people who might interpret it wrongly. It could also include a lot of violence, sex, anger, etc, in them. The repetition of such material in one film after another sooner or later corrodes the moral fibre of man and corrupts his mind.
As a result, man’s thinking processes are polluted and subsequently, the whole society reels under its damaging effects. Since it doesn’t seem like mind-poisoning to people, they hardly raise any strong objection. Instead, the makers of such content always believe that the masses like it even though the fact is that it is these makers who have actually vulgarised the taste of the masses by means of their bizarre content. The same can be said about many written works, novels, adult magazines, films and such things that are viewed by a large number of people. For some, it might definitely affect or influence their certain intentions or even morals. Especially, in a world where fake news has become such a prominent player that it is becoming harder to differentiate between the real and fake one now, it’s important that such content does not affect our mental peace.
It’s only a process like meditation that can provide relaxation to people and have a health-promoting effect on all their physical and mental systems. Something as negative as such violent content is certainly injurious to one’s mental health. It also could be dehumanising emotionally for many. And yet, we pay very less attention to how our actions need to function in cooperation with a healthy mind, body and heart. A control over emotions is the only way which can help the world understand humanity better and avoid making impulsive decisions like the terrorist attack at Hebdo.
It is high time that countries around the world pay attention to meditation and make it mandatory for everyone to devote complete attention to this problem lest all their efforts to establish values and to give a spiritual touch to people’s lifestyle would go in vain. They would just be carried away by the typhonic effect of such a reading or viewing material.
