Lifestyles in the 21st century

Some instances of modern philosophies of life were spotlighted in the two editorials in The Daily Star of January 2004. One dealt with the proposed increase in the number of seats in the parliament (in an LDC) to continue to remain in political power by the current regime (suspected); while the other editorial pointed to the business greed of physicians in the shameless way the local private medical clinics are operated.

There are many other instances in other sectors of society, some of which would be mentioned in the lines that follow. Stark, naked materialism is being exploited in the name of democracy and offering 'better' services to the clients in various public services.

A couple of days earlier, the DS carried an article from a Bangladeshi living abroad (Brisbane) proposing that the duties and responsibilities of the MPs in the JS be reviewed, to exclude development projects, and confine the MPs' jurisdiction to parliamentary affairs only, to avoid possible hidden business interests, to devote exclusively to public service. Of course, there can be an uproar from the MPs, but the point is that the elected parliamentarians should be aware of their place in society, and not misuse their presence for personal benefits. The way the number of seats is being increased unilaterally is highly questionable.

South Asia is a big, big market with plenty of untapped resources for exploitation by the industrialised countries, which (the latter) are facing a setting-sun scenario for the last two decades. The economy is ailing and the reserves in the fields of economic and energy exploitation have to be updated with more areas prepared for future projects. The current US stance in global politics is naked and unashamed control the energy resources anywhere and everywhere in the world, with preemptive strikes, bypassing the UN!

The Muslim world is still dozing. There are too much communication and societal gaps between the rich and poor Muslim nations, and the role of OIC is pathetic. It takes several generations to build up a new nation. Dhaka has failed in three decades, but it is not a solitary example. It is a part of the overall pattern in the third world.

The politicians have failed to deliver (everywhere), and are trying to muzzle the press. They are in the limelight and get bonus for the huge noises they make (and unmake). There is a background war between propaganda and development, and the commission agents are depriving the benefits to the masses. Politics as a tool, and as a goal (public service) have different current images the medium is damaging the message. Who cares? The messengers themselves (the governors) have negative images. The minority continues to exploit the majority of the impoverished.

The control of the mass media by the affluent west still continues. The standard of living and birth rate in the developed countries are going down (Japan, population growth rate is 0.01 per cent compared to around two per cent), causing alarm in the western Think Tanks. The Cancun skirmishes were not an isolated case. Is genetic engineering causing the dreaded chicken, 'flu, the new variation of sars and beef disease?

Anyway, it looks like that this new millennium century is going to bring major changes in the rotting civilisation of materialism. Bangladesh also has to come out of the vicious negative moral circle. One issue is sure: the world is short of genuine leaders today, surpassing frontiers.