How is traditional
culture threatened in age dominated by science and machinery?
In the
article Reflections on the Re-awakening East, Bertrand Russell pinpoints the
differences between the older and newer cultures in the world. He emphasizes
that in the present era mechanization and industrialization go hand in hand
with progress and prosperity. Though machinery, in essence, is ruthless and
destroys beauty but those countries that do not adopt these lag behind.
Traditional
cultures have beauty, poetry, arts and human values. He warned the Asians, heir
to glorious cultures and civilizations, that if they adopt the culture of
science and machinery blindly, they will destroy their beautiful culture as age
dominated by science and machinery doesn’t need traditional and conventional
values. It has a tendency of devouring everything, good or bad. Therefore to
avoid the danger of the sweeping away of the rich traditional cultures, the
Asians must preserve what is good in their cultures and not let it be destroyed
or replaced by something bad.
What should
Asian countries accept from the west and what should they reject?
According to
Bertrand Russell, the Asian countries should acquire science and technology
from the west because these two elements have helped the west in their progress
in past centuries. But in acquiring these they should keep their glorious
culture intact; furthermore, they should not harm or attack other nations, like
the west did. Russell hopes that the Asian countries would not follow the west
and would not try to have control over other nations. The Asian countries would
respect other nations and make this world a happy place.
Why does
Bertrand Russell consider it useless to resist industrialism?
According to
Bertrand Russell, modern civilization is based upon science and machinery. He
gives the example from the past as well as present to emphasize the importance
of industrialization and mechanization. England in the early nineteenth century
gained supremacy over many nations due to its monopoly of machine production.
In the present days, the United States of America and Russia have the same
supremacy; so it is useless to resist industrialism. The countries that resist
it lag behind in the march of civilization, and sometimes have difficulty in keeping
themselves free.
What are
Bertrand Russell's desires and hopes for Asian countries?
Bertrand
Russell's desires the Asian countries to make use of science and technology
because it is the need of the present age; however, these countries should not become
wholly mechanized. They should not let their culture and traditions be
destroyed by the western influence, because the cultures of the East are very
ancient and glorious. Furthermore, he desires the Asian countries not to follow
the mistakes of the west by putting all their energies to making weapons of
destruction. He hopes that the Asian countries would remember that to make
human life tolerable softer elements that is poetry, music, art and simple joys
of life will be given due place in life. He further hopes that Asian countries
would live in peace with other countries and respect each other.
Why is it
insular for European historians to term the centuries after the fall of the
Roman Empire as 'The Dark Ages'?
In the
centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, the East predominated over the
West both in culture and science. Many parts of the Roman Empire were conquered
by Islam. The countries of the east, which were Muslim, as well as Spain, which
was Muslim too, became powerful. Science, philosophy, poetry and the arts also
flourished in China and the Muhammadan world. During all these centuries, the
West was backwards (sunk in barbarism). Since the West was not making any
progress so, with great selfishness, the European historians named this period
as 'The Dark Ages'. However, it was only dark in the west; the east was
flourishing.
What, in the
author's view, has been the most serious flaw in the character of the West over
the last few centuries?
The most
serious flaw in the character of the West over the last few centuries has been
the desire to have power over other human beings. The west has violated the
right of freedom of many African and Asian countries. Though it has put its
extra-ordinary energy in the exploration of the world from pole to pole and has
made life of man extremely comfortable, but along with it, it has made use of
scientific technique in the preparation of weapons of war and used these
weapons to impose its regime upon other countries of the world. Thus, it has
made the lives of others miserable.
“If human
life is to be tolerable, it cannot be wholly mechanized. It must continue to
contain poetry and music and art and love and the simple joys of life. These
are the things that tend to be forgotten in a Machine Age.” Explain the lines.
In these
lines Bertrand Russell pinpoints the aesthetic part of human life. He believes
that although technology and machinery keep dominant position in man’s life but
one’s whole life pattern can’t be governed by machinery. No doubt this element
has a large place in the modern world, it has become a ‘decisive factor’ for
survival and stability in today’s living, there are some other elements
necessary for life. The delicacy of human sentiments needs music, poetry, love
and simple joys of life. Science and machinery can’t satisfy the unquenchable
thirst of human passions. On the contrary, technology disagrees with man’s
delicate and sentimental needs. Russell refers to the Victorian material
prosperity which totally neglected the spiritual side of human personality.
Modern
cosmopolitanism is based upon science and machinery. These two new elements in
civilization have been superimposed upon older cultures and have shown
themselves such powerful solvents that they tend to put an end not only to what
was bad but also to what was good in the culture of the past. Explain the lines.
In the
lines, Russell pinpoints one of the important facts of the globe that it is
based on science and machinery. He believes that they have become essential
parts of today’s civilization. These two new elements are so vital and
assertive that they have diminished everything in the culture is emerging based
upon science and machinery. As the writer has a soft corner for the Eastern
nations, he advises them to make their hard efforts in order to stand perfect
on their own legs. Taking into account the significance of science and
technology for their survival in today’s world, they should achieve
accomplishment in their sector. Russell states that the driving force behind
Western supremacy was their search for knowledge and better know how in
science. It is appropriate for the developing states to devote their energies
for the achievement of required talent and skill in the sphere of science. This
will enable them to enjoy complete freedom, independence and decorum in their
countries.
“If the world is to be happy, energy and
ingenuity must no longer be expended in the exploitation of those who have less
of these qualities.” Explain the line.
Russell, in
these lines emphasizes upon the need of mutual respect among the nations. He
states that every country has a right of free and autonomous living. Russell
realizes the great potential of science. He is deeply impressed by the rapidity
of its working. But at the same time, he has a fear of its alarming and harmful
after effects. Keeping in view such a point, he expects all the nations of the
world to use nuclear technology for constructive purposes only. He heralds a
note of warning to all the countries that they must not exploit their
scientific know how and energy. If this energy is put on the wrong direction, the
humanity will have calamity and destruction in store for itself.
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