THE INSECURITY SYNDROME

There is a popular theory of human motivation given by Abraham Maslow that is called the need-hierarchy theory. The theory suggests that human needs can be classified into five categories ranging from the basic physiological ones to the more esoteric higher order ones, the most coveted fifth one being the need for self-actualisation. But with change in times and aspirations, and of course life expectancy, it seems as if there is a need to revisit the hierarchy. Or maybe Maslow had missed a point. Had he been familiar with our ancient Indian literature and scriptural narratives, he would have modified his hypothesis and straight away put sixth need, the highest one, above self-actualisation — the need to live forever. That perhaps is the need that was mentioned by Yuddhistira during his famous Mahabharata dialogue with Yaksha. In the course of the tete-a-tete, Yaksha asks Yuddhistira what is the greatest surprise. The reply that the Pandava king gave was that seeing people long for eternal life despite seeing that death is inevitable is the greatest surprise. The pauranic tales of kings hoping for eternal youth and asking their sons to give their own youth so that the fathers can enjoy eternal life is in similar vein. Even the story of king Shantanu, Bhishma’s father in longing to marry Ganga has similar leanings.

Living forever, then, appears to be highest desire of man. At least the rich and famous people who have wealth and they want to enjoy it forever. The filthy rich of the America are proving that hypothesis right — the desire of man to live forever. In fact, this was the greatest boon that the demon kings in our pauranic tales always wanted from Gods. Be it Hiranyakashyap or Ravana. This is the greatest surprise that though ages after ages it has been proved that this world is a temporary abode, yet people want to live forever. In one of the recent issues of the American weekly, The Week, there is an interesting story of the superrich Americans detailed by journalist Evan Osnos. He talked to a range of the very rich Silicon valley tycoons and East Coast financiers who are all preparing for the apocalypse, the end of the world. Here are some of those plans. Stock piling guns, ammunition, tinned food, gold coins, and even motorcycles. Many have bought rural land and equipped it with water supply systems and electric generators. Some have also kept helicopters and underground bunkers with air filtration system. There is a survival condo project, a 15-story apartment complex built underground in Kansas. It contains 12 apartments, can support 75 people, with enough food and fuel to last five years. This and many more preparations are being made for an impending catastrophe. They have given a strange name to it. The acronym is SHTF that is when the Shit Hits the Fan. So this kind of survival issue is the new obsession of the rich. There are some consultants, too, offering tips to prepare for the end of the world. Death then seems to be the greatest fear, the greatest anxiety and eternal life the greatest desire. That is life, that is maya. If there is one certainty in this world, it is death. Yet people want to defy death. Even if the world ends. The billion or now trillion dollar question is who lives if the world ends.