RELIGION is an institution invented by men. Every institution in society is created by them, and also dominated by them. They control power and strength. And their strength derives from violence. The necessity of violence has been justified, variously, in the name of love, peace, religion-really anything at all. The idea that violence is necessary to protect humans from other humans is gradually becoming common, and many ordinary people are buying into the belief that violence is essential for survival. Some consider war is necessary for restoring peace, even when that involves the deaths of thousands of innocent people and leaves multiple generations ravaged and depressed in its wake. All this is born from a dominance-mindset. It is common to hear people say that if we are not ready to attack, then we leave ourselves open to attack from others. This gives every group a justification to increase its strength. But what does this strength really mean? It means an increase in the power or capacity to commit violence. Creating the power to commit violence to resist violence is also part of this. Historian Yuval Noah Harari, writing in his book, Sapiens, about how men established their dominance the world over, says that this was made possible because they increased their ability to inflict violence. Thus their power kept growing until finally they controlled everything. As part of this process, they incorporated, from time to time, the use of new techniques of violence.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 21, 2024-Ausgabe von Outlook.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 21, 2024-Ausgabe von Outlook.
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The 'Invisible' Dalits
The debate over sub-categorisation of castes is likely to shape the political discourse in the upcoming state elections
Caste Census: To Conquer Or Conserve?
The caste census is generating heated debate, but even its most ardent proponents are not able to articulate a plan about how to use the resulting data
THE FATEFUL COMEDY
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Mad Hatter
When a leader takes off his topi and holds it in his hands while appealing for votes, it signals something extraordinary
Circle Within Circles
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Backward March
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The 69% Exception
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United Indifference
The perils of tweaking tribal identities
Two Nations, Two Destinies
The widely differing balance of power between the military and civilian leadership in India and Pakistan has significantly impacted democracy in the two countries
Crème de la Crème
The mainstream society thinks reservations are against right to equality. It’s high time they are seen in the context of right to justice.