Worswick:
I geneuinely understand your feelings and why (based on your experience and knowledge) you may be concluding that I could be thinking of Asians being morally superior. But, I know that I say what I mean and, in particular, I do not subscribe to the notion that one race is superior to another. I was never taught that Asians are morally superior, and I did not know of Indian schools where such a thing is being taught. I grew up in a philosophy of absorbing the virtues of even animals and that no one is superior by heritage -- I still cannot fathom how, given the same opportunities, some succeed and others do not within the same race.
My main point, though, is that one cannot judge the welfare of a society or a nation by the economic yardstick. Let me narrate a parable that I tell most of my American friends:
A wealthy American was touring India and had to cross a river though the only boat operated by a man who was taking a nap on the bank of the river. Even the long noisy queue waiting to be ferried could not wake up the boat-man. The American was flabbergasted and volunteered to physically wake up the boat-man:
American: "Hey, wake up! A lot of us are waiting to be ferried"
Boat-man: "Sir, I am taking a nap."
American: "Can't you see the throng of people waiting to be ferried? You could make a lot of money before the sunset if you work hard."
Boat-man: "Sir, what will I achieve by toiling hard?"
American: "Well, you will make more money, buy a motor boat that will ferry more people at a faster rate."
Boat-man: "Sir, then what?"
American: "You will buy a house, buy better clothes, etc."
Boat-man: "Sir, what next?"
American: "Well, you will have so much wealth that you will RELAX! Don't you understand?"
Boatman: "Sir, I am already relaxing!!"
I cannot say whether or not the American's values are superior to the boat-man's. But, I think it is falacious to use the per-capita income as a yard-stick for the well-being of a society.
Sankar |
