How to approach this essay? 

❖ Introduction 

➢ Introduce the essay with an anecdote that explains the topic. 

➢ Briefly write different dimensions covered in the essay. 

❖ Body 

➢ Write different dimensions that have shown where a situation could not be changed and there was a  change in approach. 

➢ Write a way forward, showing the change required in ourselves to change the situation.

❖ Conclusion 

➢ Conclude based on above points on a positive note. 

Answer: 

As Ashoka stood on the grounds of Kalinga post the war, he was a victorious man, the emperor of everything  that eyes could see — North, South, East and West. Around him laid thousands and thousands of slaughtered  men, their wailing families, their orphaned children. The destruction soured his taste of victory and he came  to an impasse, there was a commotion in his heart. He wanted to change the situation but could not.  Ultimately, he had to change himself and adopt a peaceful path in the form of Dhamma. 

In our history, polity, society, economy there have been numerous examples where we came to a situation  where we were not able to change a situation and ultimately, had to change ourselves only. In this context, it  is important to know, what are the changes and why is it important to change ourselves? Is there any situation  where people have not changed themselves? And what are the situations where we need to change ourselves  for the future? 

Change is the process of transitioning from one state to another, involving shifts in various aspects of life. It  can occur on individual, collective, or societal levels and be influenced by internal or external factors.  Change can encompass both positive and negative aspects, depending on its effects and outcomes. Positive  change brings desirable results, such as advancements in technology, innovation, scientific discoveries, social  reforms, improved healthcare and education, economic growth, environmental conservation, and the  promotion of equality and human rights. These changes enhance quality of life, foster relationships, create  opportunities, and contribute to development and well-being. An example is India’s 1991 economic  liberalization and empowerment of local self-governments, which led to growth, political empowerment, and  social progress at the grassroots level. 

On the other hand, negative change encompasses transformations that have unfavorable consequences, leading  to regression, decline, and adverse effects on individuals, communities, and the environment. Factors such as  conflicts, natural disasters, economic crises, political instability, social inequality, environmental degradation,  and erosion of values contribute to negative changes. They result in social unrest, economic downturns,  environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods, human rights violations, deterioration of health and well-being,  and erosion of social cohesion. For instance, rampant pollution and environmental degradation in Indian  society harm ecosystems, deplete resources, and pose health risks, negatively impacting the well-being of  present and future generations, necessitating urgent attention and action.

Situations forcing to change ourselves: 

Changing our approach to the situations in front of us is very important because Bill Clinton has said that “the  price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change”. A change in our approach gives us  a new perspective, a new dimension that expands our vision to achieve our goal with a newer method.  However, changing ourselves requires self-reflection, goal-setting, developing new habits, seeking knowledge,  practicing self-discipline, embracing discomfort, surrounding ourselves with positive influences, and regular  self-assessment. It takes time and effort, but by being patient, kind to ourselves, and persevering through  obstacles, we can successfully make the desired changes in our lives. 

If we see in our history, the example of Mahatma Gandhi stands out. He attempted to change the situation  of the Indians in South Africa as a barrister first but his adversaries were not willing to accept him and his  country associates equally. He was pushed to change himself. He donned the cap of a Satyagrahi and  successfully changed the oppressive policies of the South African government towards Indians. 

In the similar context, the example of the Indian freedom struggle is quite relevant, where freedom fighters  stood against British rule to end colonialism in the country. Their calls for freedom were falling onto deaf ears.  Freedom fighters changed themselves over the course of the freedom struggle. First as moderates, they  criticised the economic policies of the British. Then as extremists and under Gandhian leadership, they  focused on mass movement. Then there were revolutionaries who worked to throw the British out of the  country through violent means. 

The country born out of our partition after the independence, i.e. Pakistan also presents another case where we  have been forced to change ourselves. For years, we have been extending a peaceful hand towards Pakistan  but this is a country that has an ill-conceived motive of “bleeding India through thousand cuts” and has  forced India to take a tougher stand against it. A stand to isolate it and hold it accountable for promotion of  terrorism from its soil. 

Pakistan has its all-time ally in the form of China, that aims to coerce India and halt its progress through  border tensions. India’s stand against Chinese border aggression post-Galwan valley incident and increasing  closeness and partnership with USA is an example and manifestation of our changing approach while dealing  with China, who is flexing its muscles on account of its manufacturing base and economic power. 

We have yet another example in our economic history where we were unable to change the situation of rising  fiscal deficit, inflation and ‘Hindu rate’ of growth. Then came the 1991 moment in our economy where we  changed ourselves from a kind of closed economy to a more liberalised economy to usher in growth and  prosperity in the country. 

Around that time, another important change was introduced for our local self-government with constitutional  provisions for Panchayats and Municipalities. The reluctance of state governments to conduct regular  elections, provide finance for the local governments had forced us to change ourselves when it comes to local  self-governments that have been able to usher in political empowerment at the grassroot level as well as usher  in social change through the examples of work of Nauroti Devi, Chhawi Rajawat etc. 

Not just this, if we take the example of population control, we find that the approach of forced sterilisation had a negative impact on our population control measures and we needed an approach that relies on public  education, awareness and greater public acceptance. Having learnt the lessons, our policies changed for  good towards this direction. 

In the social context itself, we have been focusing on sanitation for a long time, without any significant progress. But we changed ourselves under Swachh Bharat Mission to make it a ‘Jan andolan’ through  participation of everyone, and campaigns over social media platforms.  

The regulation of social media platforms is a challenge for the government in the event of spread of  misinformation, fake news over these platforms and when the social media platforms themselves were not  willing to take responsibility for content over their platforms. This has forced the governments across the world  to take a tougher stance against the social media platforms. 

Playing the situations: 

It is not that every time we have to change ourselves if we cannot change the situation. Sometimes we have to  play the situation as well, just to get some more time, to be better prepared. Take the example of Maharana  Pratap, who after the Battle of Haldighati regrouped with his army, took his time and regained control over  his empire after the Battle of Diver. 

We hear about the rise of China quite often, but it also presents an example where it has played according to  the situations. The policy of “Hide your strengths, bide your time” of former Chinese premier Deng  Xiaoping presents this example where China accepted the US investment and expanded its manufacturing  base. 

The pending changes: 

The present world has many problems that require change in approach. The Russia-Ukraine crisis is at the  top in this list, where even after close to 500 days of war, the situation does not seem to be going towards  normalcy. There is a need to change the rigid attitude of both sides to move towards peace and end the misery  of lakhs of people who are directly and indirectly impacted by the war. 

The issue of climate change mitigation and adaptation is another area where we are pushed to a situation  where even after so many conferences the developed countries are not willing to take the responsibility of  historical emissions. There is a need to bring change in the direction of climate justice and equity to spare a  fair carbon budget for the developing countries to take care of the development needs of their population. 

On similar lines, the new and emerging technologies have the potential to disrupt our societies and the countries  cannot remain dependent on the private firms and companies to regulate Artificial intelligence. We need to  change our approach towards handling AI for betterment of human beings with reliance on regulation of AI. Conclusion: 

Thus, the human society has always changed, evolved and progressed towards betterment, because it has  been said that “There is nothing permanent except change”. But the direction of these changes is important.  It should be based on values such as truth, love, compassion, non-violence etc. to make our society a better  place, where humanity progresses. When faced with unchangeable situations, individuals, societies, and  nations can transform themselves by reflecting inward, being adaptable, building resilience, continuously  learning, seeking support, cultivating empathy, embracing creativity, taking responsibility, staying focused,  and demonstrating patience. These actions enable them to navigate challenges, drive positive change, and  contribute to a better future. The sustainable development goals provide us a framework to work for that  progress. We should all work with a spirit of “Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam” in order to attain these broader goals  of human progress.

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