Gandhians Principles to 21st Century

Relevance of Gandhian values in the 21st century
Let us first consider what really are values. These are, the general norms we set for ourselves to live our routine lives in the family, in society, in office and in the nation. In all these aspects of life, we all need some guidelines, and it is these guidelines that we set for ourselves that are called values. When we thus talk of values, we mean what are the basic standards of behaviour we have set for our lives, for, without a clear cut pathway it would be difficult to tread.
We are presently here to discuss Gandhian values, and their relevance in the 21st Century. At this juncture, I’d like to say that, there are some values of behaviour that can never become irrelevant, no matter what the scenario, and no matter what the Century. Let us find out what are the basic values which we call as Gandhian. What were these values, which were relevant in the beginning of the 20th Century, and have lost their hue in the 21st century. These values were, simplicity, merging with the common man, non-violence and prayer. As far as these values are concerned not even the hardest of criminals will call any of them bad or irrelevant but, the moot point is that, can we follow these values in today’s scenario? However there should not be any problem in following at least some of these values if not all of them. Now, let us take each of these above mentioned values and try to study their utility in the present century.
Simplicity, well, I daresay that, it is not possible to find a single person who is simple in dress, in manners and behaviour. This is not because we cannot remain in the society if we are simple in thought and deep but, it is that we ourselves do not wish to be simple. This attitude is because we are aping the west in all its entirety. It is not that simple people are not seen or that they are not liked or are shunned by society but, the fact is that they do not become centres of attraction, and, today, we prefer...