MAKING ZENSE
THE WEEK India|December 31, 2023
The iconic book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance completes 50 years in 2024. "Why is this book important now? Why is philosophy important now?" writes Pranay Sanklecha, a philosopher himself. He also picks 10 most important philosophy books of all time
Pranay sanchlekha
MAKING ZENSE

In 1974, an unstable and unknown man called Robert Pirsig finally got a publisher to agree to publish his strange, unwieldy manuscript. And 2024 will thus be the 50th anniversary of the best-selling philosophy book in the USA of all time: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values.

But why is this book important now? Why is philosophy important now?

To explain, let me begin with Hindu cosmology. According to this cosmology, we are currently in the Kali Yuga, the age of vice and misery, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, an age of discord and strife. Is this literally true? Personally, I don’t believe in Hindu cosmology, but really, who knows?

What we do know is that a few years ago, a strange virus spread through the world, killing millions, shutting life down for years. We know that the planet is burning and that climate catastrophe is already here. We know that as I write this, and most likely as you read it, there are bombs falling in Ukraine and the Middle East. We know that innocent people are being tortured and babies are being killed.

Regardless of whether we put in terms of Hindu cosmology or not, we know that the world is troubled and that times are tough. We live in a time of profound suffering.

And it is also a time of deep uncertainty. What is the world going to look like in 10 years? What is going to happen with Artificial Intelligence? With climate change? With wars and conflicts? No one knows, and anyone who says they do is trying to sell you something.

We are living at an inflection point in human history. Everything is in play, even such fundamental questions as the future of the human world and what it means to be human at all.

In such times, what we need more than anything else is wisdom.

Denne historien er fra December 31, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December 31, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEK INDIASe alt
Use multi-asset investing to overcome portfolio volatility
THE WEEK India

Use multi-asset investing to overcome portfolio volatility

EQUITY MARKETS have been choppy during this year. After rallying for the better part of the first nine months of 2024, equities corrected sharply in October and November, before taking off once again on rally mode in December.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 23, 2025
Twist of faith
THE WEEK India

Twist of faith

Upamanyu Chatterjee is back with his wry sense of humour in his new novel, and most of it is directed at religion and spirituality

time-read
4 mins  |
February 23, 2025
THE GLORY OF SARI
THE WEEK India

THE GLORY OF SARI

Saris of Memory weaves together history and textiles, highlighting key moments from the author's collection

time-read
4 mins  |
February 23, 2025
We win together
THE WEEK India

We win together

We invented chess, which was pretty cool of us. The original game 'chaturanga'that is four divisions (infantry, cavalry, elephantry and chariotry)-was a war strategy game. When the game travelled to the Middle East, they mangled the Sanskrit and it ended up being called 'shatranj' instead.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 23, 2025
BEATS THAT HEAL
THE WEEK India

BEATS THAT HEAL

Music ignites the light within us, says Grammy-winner Chandrika Tandon

time-read
5 mins  |
February 23, 2025
Older, smarter, sexier
THE WEEK India

Older, smarter, sexier

Those who worship him regardless of where he works have continued to do so. Such is the power of Alessandro Michele, that after being the face of some mega brands for 10 years (namely Gucci and now Valentino), he remains bigger than the labels themselves. His debut collection for Valentino was presented at the recent Paris Haute Couture Week, and it has been adored by his adorers.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 23, 2025
The road to peace
THE WEEK India

The road to peace

Future political dialogues should explore means of ensuring a more robust autonomy to tribal communities

time-read
3 mins  |
February 23, 2025
Diary of a Sherpa
THE WEEK India

Diary of a Sherpa

Amitabh Kant's new book is a comprehensive account of the G20 Summit held in Delhi in 2023

time-read
2 mins  |
February 23, 2025
The annoying orange
THE WEEK India

The annoying orange

Everything is great. All is sunshine. I am an eternal optimist.\" It's the fad of our TikTok times everything is not great, the sun sets daily, nothing is eternal. If anything, everything is ephemeral, night brings darkness, and optimism often crumbles under the weight of history. British philosopher Roger Scruton warned: \"Hope untempered by the evidence of history is a dangerous asset, one that threatens not only those who embrace it, but all those within range of their illusions.\"

time-read
2 mins  |
February 23, 2025
NO SEAT, YET UPBEAT
THE WEEK India

NO SEAT, YET UPBEAT

The Congress is buoyed by its increased vote share in Delhi, and feels it can push the AAP into further decline

time-read
3 mins  |
February 23, 2025