Columnists
On Philosophers and Plumbers
by I.J. SINGH
"A society that believes philosophic pursuit to be more important than the art of plumbing will have neither good philosophers nor good plumbers, and neither its theories nor its pipes will hold water." A progressive, successful society needs and values both.
I wish I had made up this elegant homily, but someone I forget said it. His words, though, have stayed with me. They tell us that we need to respect those who explore the world of ideas and ideals, and at the same time equally respect those who adapt them to the not so clean art of living.
Critical analyses and creative thinking lie at the heart of philosophy. Plumbing consists of living the philosophy and putting it to the test. And there is theory, a philosophy, to everything - from the most esoteric discipline to the most prosaic, from nuclear physics to leaky pipes, as well as to the art of living.
When I look at the minds that we often label divine, such as Buddha, Jesus and Nanak, we see that they gave us a philosophy of living -- a value-based system in an examined life, so that we leave the world a bit better than what we inherited. Our lives then become our footsteps in the sands of time, our legacy to future generations. The rituals, practices and the symbols of a faith that we practice and display, serve to reinforce the message. But, the philosophy is the message, which is continually emphasized so that it becomes an inseparable part - scaffolding, if you will - on which our lives take form.
Many of these founder-prophets of religions, including those of Sikhism, didn't just give us a philosophy, but also demonstrated by their own lives how a living community is built around the ideology.
Now the onus is on us. There isn't going to be an Armageddon, nor will there be a second coming to judge us or to redirect us. We are the only plumbers to fix our leaky lives. How true to the message are our lives? How well does the message resonate within us as we navigate our way through life?
How then to construct societies such that even though our heads soar into the clouds, our feet remain firmly planted on the ground?