Interview with Dr. Jernail S. Anand: MAJA MILOJKOVIC

THE PHILOSOPHER SPEAKS 

 

 

DR JERNAIL S ANAND was recently interviewed by Serbian author Maja Milojkovic for Area Felix.

The insightful questions and answers by erudite scholar Dr Anand are published here for the benefit of our readers.

 

 

 

INTERVIEW 

 

[Dr. Jernail Singh Anand has authored 175 books of which 11 are epic poems. He won the Seneca Award [Italy], the Charter of Morava [Serbia], Franz Kafka [Ukraine,Germany, Check Rep.] and Maxim Gorky Award [Russia]. His name adorns the Poets Rock in Serbia]. 

 

Maja Milojkovic:

 

Your philosophy often explores moral degeneration and ethical dilemmas. Do you believe that human society is inherently prone to decline, or is there hope for true moral regeneration?

 

Dr. Anand:

 

I think as time passes, we are moving away from the gravitational pull of the centre, and things are falling apart. From day one, we are apparently progressing, but it is a state of slow disintegration and decline. Two strains are visible. One is the progression of the civilization, the advances in science and technology. But, they are matched by decline in human values. We have lost faith in goodness, and even God. The entire focus of the modern civilization is on survival and wealth creation, and we have said goodbye to ethical values, or the ideals of mutual co-existence, which are the essential language of creation. 

 

So far as hope is concerned, yes, it is there. The moral regeneration of the society is dependent on the study of arts and literature, or say, humanities. In fact the decline is the result of our dwindling interest in humanities. The entire focus of our education and studies is on the physical aspects of human living. We believe in improving the comforts of life. But, we have played havoc with the areas which relate to the happiness of man. So, moral regeneration is possible only through arts and humanities. One has to speak the truth by which the world lives. And the man in the street, or a man who is struggling for survival, cannot uphold truth. Don’t expect your high professionals and scientists to fight for truth because they are guided and dictated by the powers of the earth  For this, we need Poets and Philosophers who are commanded by the ethereal forces. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

Spirituality frequently appears in your work. How do you perceive the relationship between the material and the spiritual world in the modern age?

 

Dr. Anand

 

The spiritual world has to have a physical identity too. Man, who is in substantial form, becomes the signature of spirituality in this world. Without him, spirituality is a mere  abstraction. Man, in order to survive, needs material development, which this civilization has been providing. From mere survival, we move to living with comfort. Living with dignity. Living with Joy. In fact, we need to discover a harmony between man and the life systems. The material world provides everything for our life. So, it is important to that point. 

 

Spirituality is the science of knowing how we belong to the external mass, and how to effect a harmonious relationship with objects that support our existence on this earth. Our education limits us only to the physical aspects of our life.  A young man has no grounding in spirituality. That is why, he takes wrong decisions, follows the wrong path, and ultimately proves a failure, in spite of the fact that he attains great material success. The real joy for man is Happiness, which is a spiritual state of mind. Worldly possessions are a poor recompense for this state of joyousness. 

 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

Many of your ideas reflect a deep understanding of human suffering. Do you believe suffering is an essential part of human evolution and self-realization?

 

Dr. Anand:

 

If we go by the idea of tragedy, the suffering of the protagonists leads to catharsis, which effects a purgation  of the emotions of pity and fear in the heart of the audience. Suffering and joy or happiness are co-existent. Just as the absence of light is darkness, and the absence of darkness is light, in the same way, the absence of suffering is joy, and the absence of joy is suffering. You cannot feel the thrill of joy if you have not experienced the pain of suffering. I sometimes wonder what will be the value of light if there were no darkness. Extending this logic further, we can say, goodness finds its meaning only in a context in which evil is persistent. So, evil and suffering are essential to the realization of good and happiness. 

 

What is the dynamics of suffering? I do not believe that a man suffers because gods wish him so. There is a fate which hounds man, but it is not the creation of gods, as Greeks believe [furies of fate, etc], but it is the creation of man himself. Fate is the sum total of man’s actions, his decision down the various  incarnations. It is an Eastern faith that life does not end with death. Rather, it is a long drawn out affair in which it is believed man has an existence prior to his birth, and he lives beyond his death too.  Fate is a thick layer of his actions, which is impenetrable, and unalterable. Once you have done something, you cannot undo it. So, you have to suffer its consequences. Lord Krishna, in Bhagwat  Gita says: Man must act according to his ‘dharma’ [duty] in a particular situation, but he has no control over the fall out of his actions. What will accrue to him as a result of his actions, is in the realm of fate. 

 

Finally, I believe that whatever we get in this life, or what we do not get, is finally the result of what we have done in our incarnations. There is no deviation. Nor any let up. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

How do you define true freedom in a philosophical sense? Do you believe absolute freedom is attainable, or are we all inevitably constrained in some way?

 

Dr Anand

 

The idea of absolute freedom is an imaginary construct. In fact, freedom itself is a highly limited option. Philosophically speaking, freedom stands for a state  in which we are able to do, or say, or live as we wish. But in socio-political terms, freedom is a restricted formulation. In case of the idea of true freedom,  a generalization is not possible because every person has different parameters to decide what he wants to do.  Let us consider these questions in relation to human freedom: Are we free to take birth when we want? Can we choose our father and mother and the time of our birth? Can we choose the colour of our skin and our life span? Finally, can we tell gods, we want to live so long or never die at all? I don’t think we have any existential freedom. Whatever we do, we are not sure what will be its end result because we have control over our actions, but not on their fall out.  In this way, our idea of freedom is highly limited. 

 

If we apply the idea of freedom to basic freedoms of human life, then, too, as we see all over,  the rights of people are being abridged. However, if we want to survive, we need certain freedoms, but real freedom is only an imaginary construct and those who try to exercise their freedom in real life, soon find themselves behind the bars. As an author, I would like to have freedom to say what I want to say. But for this too, we need a lot of courage, because the powers never like a writer to speak the truth. Freedom and truth are tempting narratives which however lead men to gallows. Socrates is not the lonely example. 

 

Maja Milojkovic

 

In the age of technology and artificial intelligence, do you think human consciousness can remain autonomous, or are we inevitably merging with machines?

 

Dr. Anand

 

Human consciousness is already under great strain. AI has flooded human life,  and in view of its vast potential, things are changing at a much faster pace. It is possible, very soon, the structures which we have created over centuries may be lost to the vehement flow of AI. For a man, such mechanical and electronic supports like AI are good, because it brings expansion to his understanding.  He can grasp millions of things at astronomical speed. It will bring a lot of efficiency and precision in our perceptions. But, very soon, it will come to rule over us. Already, AI is trying to usurp our perceptional fields. It is very difficult to maintain the autonomy of human consciousness. However, I would wish just as we have eroded the nature’s precincts, and destroyed our eco balance, it is time we hold sacred the boundaries of human mind also and save them from erosion. It is often said: To err is human. So long as we remain error prone, we shall remain human. And, our dignity lies in our being human. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

Your literature explores the boundaries between reality and illusion. Do you consider human perception of reality to be merely one of many possible versions of the truth?

 

Dr.Anand:

 

Life is generally considered ‘Maya’ which means an illusion. Then, what is reality? Plato gave us the theory of Mimesis according to which this world is a copy of some original model. And literature is, thus, a copy of the copy, at the third remove from reality. What is reality? What is truth? Nobody has seen it. We carry only our individual versions of truth. If we look at Hamlet, he was face to face with the divided option: To be or Not to be. I think life has grown so complex, we have many options now which lie between to be or not to be. This world cannot be characterised by simply divisions of truth and untruth. In between, there are a hundred versions, and variations, sub-truth, under truth, post-truth, para-truth, co-truth. We have to live with all this, and find a liveable structure of truth, which is true to our being. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

If you had to define the meaning of life in a single sentence, what would it be?

 

Life is an optionless option, in which one thinks I am living it, whereas it is life that is living man. 

 

8. How do you perceive the role of literature and philosophy in contemporary society? Can they still shape moral values and human consciousness?

 

Dr. Anand:

 

I look upon Art and Literature as a moral corrective for our sick society. Forces of materialism have flooded every realm of life and every person, who is under the influence of Lustus, believes that life is a onetime opportunity, and make the most of it. Essentially, it means create the paraphernalia for happiness and joy, and therefore, men start believing in wealth creation. All the subjects of study also focus on making young men creators of wealth, as wealth is the ultimate meaning of  life. If there is anyone who finds fault with this distorted philosophy of life, it is the artist and the philosopher. Art and Literature are the only two forces which can correct the blues of a society drugged with the dreams of success. But the proponents of materialism and corporate culture make it sure that Art and Literature are exiled from the school books and universities.  And artists and poets are considered irrelevant, while all the importance is given to politicians and bureaucrats, who are a part of the problem themselves. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

Do you believe humanity is doomed to repeat historical mistakes, or is true enlightenment possible?

 

Dr. Anand:

 

If we look at the previous epochs according to Hindu mythology, Satya Yuta was followed by Treta Yuta and then, Dwapra Yuga. Now we are passing through Kalyuga. In all these epochs, great wars were fought. In Treta Yuga, Lord Rama waged a war against Ravana. In Dwapra Yuga, Lord Krishana had to wage the great Mahabharata war. In Kalyuga, we have seen great wars like Troy. The simple question is: has man learnt anything from the follies of the past? I think No. Rather, his follies have multiplied. We have seen the most distressing spectacles of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we have witnessed World Wars. So, you are right in thinking that men will repeat the same mistakes again and again, and won’t learn anything from history. 

 

Now, the second part of the question: Is true enlightenment possible? We cannot expect a period of total enlightenment. However, great saints and sages like Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Swami Vivekananda, Lord Jesus Christ are sent to this world to make the people behave. After they are gone, the darkness of despair descends again. I believe that if we can give more space to art and literature, we can raise a better harvest of human minds who think right. Otherwise, the way the world is moving, we are rushing fast towards collective suicide. We may be living physically, but this will be the death of the morality, death of truth, and the death of our connection with the divine. 

 

Maja Milojkovic 

 

If you could converse with one great philosopher from the past, who would it be, and what question would you ask?

 

Dr. Anand:

 

I would like to talk to John Milton, and ask him

Why Adam and Eve could not realize that going after the Tree of Knowledge was the Demon’s wish? Were they so innocent they could not smell the designs of the Bluff Master? Unrestrained knowledge, which has now taken the shape of AI, is the result of that Fall, we are still suffering for.  I wonder if someone like Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ would come again and tell us to STOP. 

 

DR JERNAIL S ANAND

 

Dr Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 175 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was recently awarded Seneca Award by the Academy of Philosophical Arts and Sciences Bari. [Italy -19/10/2024]. He also won Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. He was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engg and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Culture, Values and Ethics at Pune.  His most phenomenal books are Lustus:The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. And Philosophia  de Anand, a work of philosophy which has under one roof, ten of his philosophical works. [Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com Mobile: 919876652401[Whatsapp] [ethicsacademy.co.in]

 

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