Age of disposable things
By Suneeta Chahar

THIS is the age of disposable things. Be it syringes, pins, plates, glasses, napkins, clothes, or even relations, everything is disposable. The thinking is — use and throw. The result of such an attitude is that none of us is attached to anything. This detachment is certainly not a step towards nirvana but towards degeneration of human kind.

As a child, one remembers watching one’s mother doing the evening pooja. It gave one a sense of security. One never thought of discarding God once He had fulfiled our wishes. One also saw things being handed down from generation to generation. The idea of discarding things such as furniture, clothes, chulhas etc. never occurred to people earlier. People did not show-off. There was a kind of association between ‘things’ and human beings. One became attached to them and looked after them as if they were of flesh and blood. What an irony! Today, even human beings are treated as disposable trash. The sense of belonging is lost en route so-called civilisation. The sense that made us so secure is no longer there. We do not belong anywhere. Under the excuse of moving to greener pastures or better avenues, we suck the place dry and when there is nothing left, we look for something else and move away. Where is the sense of belonging? Where is the bond between the place and human beings?

If we stop and ponder, we will realise the our culture has a special bond with everything that we use or come into contact with. For example, fire, rain air, sun, moon etc. have real names such as Agni Dev, Indra Dev, Varun Dev, Surya Dev and Chanda Mama. We did not worship them out of ignorance but to create an atmosphere where one could feel secure. Nature looked after us so we preserved it by not doing anything which would in any way destroy the life circle or the ecological balance. Hence, children were taught to worship these gods and do nothing to invoke their wrath.

But today’s man is has become "very intelligent." He has walked on the moon. He believes in science, technology and computers. He has no time to ponder over such trivialities of life such as belonging, bonding or attachment. According to him, one should not waste time over such things. He wants to go faster than the speed of light. In the process, he is running so fast that he has no time to think where it is leading him. Is he getting contentment? What is be working for? What is he running after? Is he happy discarding people after using them and getting discarded by others? Is there not a vacuum created in his life? Does he not think where he belongs?

We have forgotten to form a bond with our fellow beings and our environment. Animals are much better than human beings in this respect. We have adopted a ‘disposable culture’. It has become a part of us. We are now inseparable. It is so obvious all around us that as we step out of the house we come across imperishable disposable things littered all over. They are everywhere making the place look dirty and untidy. They are a health hazard,too. This makes one wonder where were all these things so many years ago when we were young. One never saw such hideous sights near garbage heaps. In fact, after every few years the site of the garbage heap use to change because with time it became good manure. Now even the manure is different. It manufactured in factories.

Today, we have shortcuts for everything. Everything is made for utility. When its utility is over, it is thrown away. The disposable culture has set in and it is here to stay.

This is the most painful thing as it has changed the outlook of man and is threatening his very existence. It is playing havoc with his emotions. One remembers one’s father or an elderly member of the family keeping a pen, a pair of spectacles, a watch, or footwear with great care. The children did not dare to touch them. They formed an integral part of the personality of the person who owned them. One look at the thing and the image of the owner would come before the eyes. There was an association between the animate human being and these inanimate objects. One remembers owning a pen in Class X and writing one’s L.L.B. exams with it. It was almost a ritual cleaning it after every few days. But this ritual can no longer be enjoyed by the present generation because pens are bought, used and thrown. No association is formed between the inanimate and the animate.

The most frightening thing is when this disposable culture is transferred to living beings. It indicates that the society is corroding. One forms a relationship on basis of utility alone. The moment the utility is over the relation ceases. Under such circumstances where are we going to get emotional security from?