Life and Living; Arts and Science

(Life – A consciousness of being alive. A sum total of the perception of being alive and the feelings and emotions associated with it.

Living – The everyday practical processes done to keep the body and soul together or as a part of our social obligations.)

Science and technology have given us physical comfort. No doubt about that. But for mental comfort, we need the arts, literature, poetry, philosophy and humor.

In other words, science and technology have given us a better standard of living but for a better quality of life, we need arts, literature, poetry, philosophy and humor…..and many more things.

Think about it. Today we have better homes with better amenities, advanced medical care, better means of entertainment, modern modes of transportation and food security, all thanks to science and technology. But the human heart and mind still crave for things that excite them, touch them and stimulate their feelings and emotions. In other words, all the technological comforts cannot replace the ‘human’ touch.

We have smart TVs with HD vision and sleek computer screens. But if there is no good content, what are we going to stare at the HD screens for? We enjoy movies, series and plays on these smart gadgets for their content, the excitement that they generate and the way they touch our inner being.

Technologies like Kindle have enabled us to carry thousands of books with us. But what we seek in these books is great stories, poetry, knowledge and philosophy. If we do not find them, one day we will surely toss the kindle away as a waste of money.

Agriculture science has given us food security. But we always look for creativity and innovation in our cuisines. Just a full stomach is not enough. Even in our food, we seek newness and creativity. We want fusion cuisines and more variety.   

We have better roads and vehicles. But the journey and the destination are always about the feelings and memories that they evoke and not the time taken. We use these means of transport to get away from the crowds and go to places that entertain and excite us. In other words, in spite of modern means of transport, the most exciting journeys that we still make are those of self-discovery and self-awareness.

Medical sciences have made our lives longer and healthier. But in absence of things that touch our hearts, these will be very long, healthy and boring lives. I mean, why would we want to extend our lives if there is nothing to live for? And ‘something to live for’ means something that stirs and touches the human consciousness within us, isn’t it?

Even a scientist dedicated to science craves the joy and ecstasy of a discovery. It is no different from the poetry that breaks forth from the heart of a poet at the sight of something beautiful.

So, the real question is...

The question here is not science or arts / technology or creativity. It can be a great topic for a debate competition. (Just like love marriage or arranged marriage.)

The question is the optimum balance and combination of the two. We need both. We also need a perfect balance of both.

Because at least in the foreseeable future, in spite of all talks about it, we are far from becoming cyborgs or robots. We are humans and all technology and scientific progress is meaningless if it does not contribute to enhancing the experience of our humanness.