ሩህ ሚዲያ – Ruh Media

Habtamu Girma, Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics, Jigjiga University, Ethiopia

Excerpts

This piece was first developed six years ago, but its essence and content seemed to have remained untimely to get it publicized. Perhaps, the reason was because those days were when the rule of the game in Ethiopian system of governance has been less human-centered. This time, when the pillar of governance in Ethiopia has reverted somewhat humanistic, apparently with the onset of PM Abiy Ahmed’s rule, articles like this one are absorbing the attention of state politics. The publicity of this piece is inspired most following the recent symposia hosted by Abiy Ahmed (PhD) at his office in the National Palace, themed on how to cleanse Ethiopia from a tide of negative energy upsetting dialogues on national agenda . This piece can be considered a personal contribution on why and how upholding natural laws is a way to clean minds and cleanse spirits to make for civilised dialogues on public affairs. Enjoy full readings!

Nature Calling

When I listen to the calls of nature, I hear a scream from all creatures. May be, we feel and hence lend our ears to the human grief only; the suffering of other life is however far from the table of discussions often times. However, unable to speak out their suffering in words doesn’t mean the fauna and flora are passive; a deeper look into the world entails they rather are showing their sufferings in action, calling for a fair world where no life flourishes at the expense of the other; a world which is just not only for humankind, but also for all life; calling for pretty fair allocation of resources in a way that may not affect the health of other living things: big or small, born or unborn, of all the present and future generations.
I would say, we can realize such a world, at least in Ethiopia. We can make for Ethiopia a land where a fair world for all creatues- be it human kind or other lifes, the fauna and flora. We can realize Ethiopia a land of universal happiness and prosperity.

Why to Cleanse Our Minds & Spirit?

Once again, I would say dreaming for Ethiopia free of social, economic, political and environmental woes is not mere wish. As our Ethiopia is our common land, everyone shall have a say in the whole process of towards its construction. And let me say mine (in new paragraphs)
To realize an Ethiopia where joy, hope and prosperity in abundance requires every Ethiopian on the following two: first, I takes to understand nature – its rules and working principles. I consider this a necessary condition. Second, Ethiopians ought to get ready to sense life to the fullest. And I dubbed this a sufficient condition. The former takes only endowing a deep sense of affection and readiness to lending the required time and energy to make inquiries into nature and its laws. Such a critical look into nature enables to draw a clear depictions of nature: about its purpose, governing rules, and how it works in general. The latter requires lust and determination to practice the dictations of nature and bowing down to its rules, which should be considered as an essential virtue of human being. All in all, a path that takes to our utopia requires us to understand nature; in this regard, two issues are worth remembering: re-defining what life means; and re-statement on civilization.

An Attempt to Draw on Natural Laws

What is nature all about? If I may to speak about nature is in a single word, I respond ‘nature as a reality’. Nature is a supreme force meant to keeping the healthy workings of the world, where all life fetches fair share from natural peace. The fact that understanding nature and natural order requires an in-depth look into the visible and invisible world begs the fact that humankind, the only animal with a reasoning power, is endowed with an ability to understand nature and hence privileged with all power and wisdom that enables it control its environment, and govern all other life on earth. When human kind is privileged with these powers, it is not without some strings attached, that is readiness to learn on nature and natural order, which I rather to dub as one virtue of human characters.
Through its interrelated and sophisticated rules and principles, nature defines and governs the whole aspects of life, of all creatures. The most important governing rules of nature are: ‘extremes are bad’, ‘self-interest is inherent in human nature’, ‘believe in natural justice’ and ‘existence of every creature (species) is for purpose’.
In our drive towards that dream land, where all life can live in harmony, all it takes is to understand nature, and lend our respect to its rules. This in turn takes redefining life.

Life Redefined

Lets for a while, ask ourselves: What life really mean for us; if we are living life to the fullest. No doubt that there is no a commonly shared answer, and it is highly likely that at least every one of us come up with a unique solutions to these problems. If I am supposed to say mine, I say that ability to breathe in and out do not justify one as alive. I understand living as the ability to sense and respond to our feelings: to be able to smell the fragrant or bad odor; to see not only the bold, also the tiny, even the invisibles. In its breadth and width, Life is to cry when one is supposed to cry; to laugh with what makes one laughter; to shout on what one considered as unfair, to suggest for right when one feel an action is wrong, and ultimately to be a voice for a voiceless. I call upon for a revision on the conventional life-death definition, which considers ability to inhale and exhale of oxygen and carbon dioxide respectively. For me, alive are those who are genuine for their heart beat. In alternative words, living is to show a will to accept the reality; understand nature and its rules. It is only when we are in such state of mind, meaning when are really alive, that we make inquiries on the nature and naturalism, and better understand the rules of nature. People are not the same in their understanding on nature, though they are equally endowed with a tool to do so, a reasoning power. As such, peoples state of living shall be stated in terms of degrees. Considering life and death as a ceiling, we have to define other states of living, depending on the extent of ones intelligence over nature and naturalism, the level of ones courage to live by the rules and principles of nature.

Reinventing the Concept of Civilization

Human`s control over its environment, which we call it civilization, is nothing but understanding nature and abided by natural order. The right parameter to rely on to rank people in terms of intelligence and societies in terms of degree of civilization is the extent of intimacy they developed with nature.
Disrespect to the rules of nature is the mother of all woes, in all departments of life: social, economic, political, and ecological at all levels. So we can cleanse ourselves from all these evils once we get nature right: show the will and courage to live by natural laws.

How to Achieve Social Peace?
Social chaos that filled our country, Ethiopia would get a cure by understanding the principles of nature. The most important rules of nature that appeals in this respect are: ‘extremes are bad’, and ‘natural justice’. The former calls every Ethiopians be moderate in their social transactions; while the latter connotes that everyone of us rewarded based on our effort and effort only. By offering incentives and courage to behave in a modest and consistent manner, surrendering oneself to ‘extremes are bad’ balances our intra-personal as well as inter-personal relations. By invoking for ‘tit-for-tat’, and the principle of “do not do anything on others what you yourself dislike to happen on you”, belief in ‘natural justice’ is a force behind shaping human conduct as it helps develop moral and ethical values, which are paramount in curbing social problems like jealousy, malfunctioning & corruption, practices of stealing & robbery, and other social malades.

Towards Just Economic Order

When we seek for a just economic order, it takes to draw on the righteous motives of economic agents on their material life. A pursuit for fairer economic order also requires to formulate a proper rule of the game in economic transactions, in other words mapping for a proper economic system.

What ought to the behaviors (motives) of People in their Economic Life?

In molding the behaviors of people in their economic transactions, people better enjoy their material wellbeing if they cater to the principles of rational selfishness (individualism proper) and thenomics (business simplicity). Understanding the concept of individualism is paramount to guarantee wellbeing of people. Individualism proper is a revisit on the conventional individualism so as forward to people principles to maximizing their material and spiritual gains or restated maximizing happiness. According to individualism proper, the way to achieve happiness is through material- spiritual calculus instead of pleasure-pain calculus, a philosophical line that makes up a conventional individualism. Hence, in contrary to the conventional definition of individualism, which focuses only on material assets, individualism proper connotes for both material and spiritual assets. Therefore the motive behind individualism lies not in the realm of material gain only, but also in spiritual elements too.
In the process of realizing a happy society, thenomics or business simplicity is another important philosophical line that people ought to adopt to achieve material and emotional wellbeing. Thenomics is how people embrace teachings of holy books like virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice and humility in their economic life.
Business simplicity means a new kind of economy is growing in the world with healthy and sustainable products and services of all kinds (home building materials, energy systems, food production, and transportation).

What should be the Economic Philosophy?

Alternative modals of production relations we know in history- collectivism, slavery, feudalism and socialism failed to work, in a sense of bringing about the welfare of the mass, for their workings was divorced from the inherent nature of human kind. For instance, take the case of ideological continuum: socialism versus capitalism. By requiring people to be selfless, socialism (communism) underestimated and crushed the competitive force inherent in human nature, and that explains the collapse of socialism. Capitalism, with all its limitations, survives as a dominant economic philosophy for it better acknowledge the psychology (behavior) of human being, which is self-interest.
However, it takes to understand that the philosophical line that the theory and practice of capitalism built upon has not been in conformity with the dictations of laws of nature. It is undeniable that the actual working of capitalism often passes the natural limit of self-interest (individualism). Not to forget some of its merits, it is my conviction that the whole evils of capitalism are the by-products of corrupt understanding on the concept of individualism.
Hence, renovating the philosophical roots of capitalism is a milestone towards realizing an economic order that promotes collective happiness. A system of economic governance that appreciates the very nature of humankind, and takes into consideration of changing realities and/or unique features of people and communities (including socio-economic, political, ecological or environmental and technological aspects) is one which better promotes better wellbeing.

A way for Harmonious Social Order

The social order in an ideal society where happiness and harmony of people preserved is one which opens little space for social evils. Such a social order involves with rewarding and punishment mechanisms in line with keeping calm and order in a particular society. More specifically, uncluttered simplicity is what matters to promote social harmony, where people avoid of lives that are too busy, too stressed and too fragmented and hence cutting back on clutter, complications and trivial distractions, both material and non-material, and focusing on essentials-whatever those may be for each of our unique lives. In those societies social chaos would get a cure by understanding the principles of nature.
The most important principles appealing in this regard are ‘extremes are bad’ and ‘belief in natural justice’. The former calls every one of us be moderate in our social transactions-be it in family business, marriage market, social life, or companionship. By offering incentives and courage to behave in a modest and consistent manner, surrendering oneself to ‘extremes are bad’ balances our intra-personal as well as inter-personal relations.
Belief in natural justice connotes that everyone is rewarded based on his/her effort. That would be crucial in setting accounts on the reward and/or punishment mechanisms in any relationship defined for whatever reasons. For example, as it invoke for principles of ‘tit-for-tat’ and/or “do not do anything on others what you yourself dislike to happen on you”, belief in ‘natural justice’ is a force that greatly shapes human conduct as it implicates for moral and ethical values that would be interpreted in implicating such traits powerful enough that help balance in case of overlapping interests or antagonism among individuals (groups of people) like: tolerance, make compromise, value for mercy, denial of revengeful actions, cooperation, loyalty, trustworthiness, and integrity, among others. The end result would be regulating relationships so as to give them pacific and enduring, creating harmony of interests while undertaking any social business.

Towards a Pacific Political Order

A political system is perhaps a number one determinant of the well-being of people. In the process of building the economic and social order that makes up a happy society, it is up to the keen interest of political governance. To promote collective wellbeing of people, the political governance shall be structured in a way that promote Good Governance Government. With the end objective of the political system is realizing a good governance government, the philosophical lines may vary depending on a number of circumstances including, but not limited to the following: i. the mindsets of governed; ii. Unique socio-economic and socio-cultural institutions; iii. Historical realities and contexts that in one way or the other conducted the nature of relationship between different segments (social classes) consisting the larger mass of the population to be governed.
Having those mentioned elements, the political system has to value for the following three: value for free society; second, value for knowledge; third, enlightening the society. As its primary responsibility, the political system is one which one which promotes free minds, as it necessitates from the very nature of human kind, which is self-love. Political systems that deviate from those mentioned lines would be responsible for making peace scarcer and human grief abundant.
The second aspect of a political system that promote collective harmony of the ruled is value for knowledge. When I say knowledge is valued, I mean the principle-knowledge is power-get strictly adhered in running the state machines and hence shape the course of public life. Hence, the political system should be committed where the education system is an instrument for behavioral change; also it should free education from getting politicized. The political system has to be dedicated for meritocracy prevails to run the state machines, its institutions and the bureaucracy at large.
Under a system of political governance meant for collective harmony is mass enlightenment. The manifestations of that is public investment in endeavors that enhances the consciousness of citizens. Hence, the end objective of education would be beyond acquainting students’ skills of writing and reading to make them understand subject matters. As such, the purpose of the education goes to make students value for the following: virtues of intellect like skepticism, sense of belongingness to societal and national affairs, cherish the principles of global citizenship, stand firm to defend the public quests, develop such skills like culture of reading. The education system is also one which discriminates the workings of moral laws over positive laws, so as to hold people morally and ethically responsible and disciplined accordingly. This in turn is paramount to promote traits of good characters like loyalty, integrity, tolerance, sense of brotherhood, loyalty to ones causes and public interests. Moreover, the education system would be structured in a way students grow up by exploring, understanding and bow down to natural laws; informed of their cultural and historical backgrounds, among others.
In an effort to promote enlightenment, the government should commit resources so that art and artistic works get value. As art plays key instrument in enlightening societies, the government, apart from investing public resources, should provide special incentives for art sector and those involved in it.
In line with the aforementioned goals of the political system, the objectives of government under the natural political order are three. The first would be working for the natural political order to prevail. Second, cultivate the ground so as naturalism hold. This is through fulfilling the preconditions prevalence of natural order requires, like advocate for natural laws, awakening the society to explore, understand and abided by natural laws. Third, as citizens are not equally literate and consciousness, narrowing this gap among citizenry should take key task of government.

Making for Ecological Order

To promote ecological order it takes to live by the principles of ecological simplicity. Simplicity means to choose ways of life that touch the earth lightly and that reduce our ecological impact on the web of life. Hence, simplicity encourages us to connect with nature, the seasons and the cosmos. Ecological simplicity feels a deep reverence for the community of life on earth and accepts that the non-human realms of plants and animals have their dignity and rights as well the human.

Once we Get nature triumph, once we accept and bow-down to natural laws, once we accept the reality, then we are on the right path to achieve our dream land, an Ethiopia where joy, hope and prosperity in abundance in all aspects of life: social, economic, political and ecological.
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