Think about it...
- Globalisation - brought about the technological advancement, globalised trade, increased mobility of labour...etc. However, despite the beneficial outcome of the effects of globalisation, prosperity is not shared EQUALLY! The rich are getting richer and poor being worse off.
- Competition - just take education for an example, everyone is being educated! Gone are the days when finishing high school is sufficient for us to progress in our professional life. We (man) is a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. EDUCATION alone and cause it to reveal its treasures and enable mankind to benefit there from. (Bahai Writings) Doesn't that illustrate beautifully the importance of education? That without education, without knowledge, how are we to truly able to develop our spiritual self (i.e moral values/ virtues)? On the other side of the coin, people aren't using knowledge for the betterment of the world! Look at the Doha Round! What came out of that? Only that the US being the dominant "person" taking all the benefits from developing countries and not giving back any...Medical advancement doesn't reach developing countries like Africa who are not financially able to purchase the cure.
- Environment - Whenever you are with nature, it takes your breath away!! I'm not sure about you, but it does for me. I cried once...when I was visiting the rural areas of Malaysia - Sabah, two friends of mine plus myself stayed in a longhouse far far far away from the city. During the night, the stars shone so bright and clear that I could not stop my tears from falling...Nature...isn't that a more than sufficient proof of the existence of a Higher Being? BUT, look and mankind has done to it? When we have it, we do not appreciate it in fact we vandalised it ! What's gonna happen when we do not have the privilege of its beauty?
- Security - Do you trust people? Let me give you a scenario, I used a public toilet and let my mobile in the cubical. Before I left, I remembered seeing a male cleaner cleaning the toilet. Half an hour later, when i realised that my mobile was missing I ran back to the toilet but couldn't find it!! I panicked! -- what do you be thinking if you were in my shoes? -- Well, the first thought was, Yay! An excuse to buy a new mobile! But then, there is that hassle of the contact list...then automatically, I thought, probably that cleaner guy took it! The chances of him admitting that he took the phone would be a million to one. However, contradicting to those thoughts, that guy actually called some numbers on the phone so that he could return it to me! Isn't he a NICE guy? I never would have thought that this world would still have honest and kind people like him! This shows that I did not have faith and trust in people. Sad isn't it? I mean, if everyone lived in fear that someone might kill or rob them...what kind of life would we be living? Hence, the part about education comes to play. I'm not talking about material education alone, I am referring to spiritual education which teaches us how to become a better person, to be beacons of light that guides or attracts others to the good side...
