Humanity Should Progress as a Whole

Do you see this kind of compassion and kindness elsewhere?

Nobody is paying him a royalty, he is not holding on to his copyright. It is pure compassion. See the effort.

Today you ask someone to write an article on spirituality, sing a song, draw a picture – the first question is how much, I charge by words, I charge by seconds, I charge by square inch.

What would have happened if all our rishis and acharyas and sages also thought so selfishly? Thinking about one's livelihood is not bad. I am not saying that.

Where is common good, where are common goals, where is humanity as a whole, where is progress as a whole?

West is teaching us virtue of selfishness. If you think only in your own interest, then actually you are being selfless, they say. All kinds of crooked logics.

Genetically modified food is here. They are more nutritious, more healthy, more profitable for the farmer. Now they have started realising that GM food can destroy the good bacteria in your stomach or at least is not good for the good bacteria in your stomach.

So if you continue taking GM food, the good bacteria in your stomach will no longer be there. So you go to a lab, take swabs from your rectum and mouth – find out your own flora.

It is called flora – for every individual the flora is different. So you have to find out the flora of yourself, the species of good bacteria that were there in your stomach. Then start buying them and consuming them, so that your digestion becomes normal, your immunity increases.

Someone sells you something saying it is good for you. After some time someone else comes and says, no, that damaged my body, buy this, this will repair. Every time it is a product and a service.

There is no life beyond selling, buying and consuming. You want to sell your product, you want to sell your voice, you want to sell your skills. There is no life beyond this.

Someday you will have to shut your shop, when your product will no longer be in demand, your skill will no longer be in demand. Are you keeping anything for that day? Are you saving anything for that day?

I am not talking about mutual fund or insurance or fixed deposits or your pension. Some little punya somewhere, some selfless little bit of act, something where you are not trying to sell.

Our sages never had sales in their mind, and we have nothing but sales in our mind. Their compassion is what maintains some sanity in this world. Some people with a little bit of sense of righteousness is the result of what they passed on to us, not worrying about their royalty and copyright.

• What does compassion beyond commerce look like? Sharing knowledge, time, or skill without asking for a fee. Doing the job well because it helps people, not because it pays.

• Is earning from art, writing, or teaching wrong? No. Earning is fine. The point is to keep a corner of life that is not for sale and to serve when service is needed.

• How do I balance self-interest with common good? Set two goals for every project: one that benefits you and one that clearly benefits others. Do both, every time.

• What happens when everything becomes a transaction? Trust erodes, relationships feel shallow, and people start optimising for price over values.

• What can I do today that is selfless and small? Teach someone a skill, mentor for free, share accurate information, or help a neighbour without expecting anything back.

• How do I save for the day my skills are not in demand? Build character assets: goodwill, reliability, mentoring networks, and a habit of service. These pay back when markets change.

• How do I keep work from becoming only sales? Ring-fence time each week for non-monetised work: open resources, volunteering, or pro bono help.

• How do I respond to conflicting health claims? Trust peer-reviewed research, regulator summaries, and long-term data. Ignore hype, check sources, and ask qualified professionals.

• What is gut flora and why does it matter? It is the community of helpful microbes in the digestive tract. It supports digestion, immunity, and overall well-being.

• How do I support healthy gut flora in daily life? Eat diverse fibre, include fermented foods, sleep well, manage stress, avoid unnecessary antibiotics, and stay active.

• How can creators share freely without hurting their livelihood? Use mixed models: some free content, some paid work, clear licenses, and community sponsorship.

• Can markets reward altruism? Yes. Reputation compounds. People prefer trustworthy partners, which brings referrals, collaborations, and long-term stability.

• What does progress for all look like? Wider access to education, health, clean food and water, safe tech, and ethical business that lifts the weakest first.

• How do I measure my own contribution to common good? Track hours of service, people mentored, resources shared, and problems solved that no one paid you to fix.

• How do I teach the next generation about giving? Model it. Involve children or juniors in small acts of service, explain the why, and celebrate impact over income.

• What mindset resets keep me honest? Ask before decisions: does this help someone besides me, is it true, and would I do it if no one noticed?

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi