Selfish Desires Research Articles

The social contract and education: Confucian viewpoints

This article explicates a Confucian perspective of the social contract and its relation with education through the philosophical thought of Xunzi. It is argued that Xunzi shares the early European social contract theorists’ presuppositions that human beings are naturally motivated by selfish desires, and therefore require a collective agreement to avoid interpersonal strife and chaos. However, Xunzi’s social compact does not originate from the people, and is instead conceived and promoted by exemplary sage kings, who need the consent from the masses to maintain legitimacy and power. Xunzi’s aim of education is to reform and transform everyone’s bad nature through li (normative behaviour). The two major educational implications are the primacy of moral inculcation and habituation for students, and role-modelling by school leaders and teachers. Both implications are illustrated using the pedagogical approach of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), which calls for a whole-school approach to support and sustain the social contract.

AUTOPOIESIS AND SACREDNESS IN THE DIGITAL SOCIETY: THE BIRTH OF THE METAVERSE

The Metaverse, as the apogee of Society 5.0, opens an iconic and transcendental horizon for exploring the capabilities of human innovation and synergy, giving the knowledge society a new, spiritually connected dimension. The article explores the emergence of the metaverse as an autopoietic entity within the contemporary risk society, arguing that digital transformation facilitates the convergence of separate social systems. In light of Luhmann's theories, the metaverse is examined as a solution to the latent risks of reflexive, late and liquid modernity. The analysis draws on the thought of Baudrillard, Durkheim and Marx, applying their concepts to assess the potential positive and negative repercussions of the metaverse. The article draws a parallel between the structure of magic - characterised by individualism - and that of religion - intrinsically communitarian - suggesting that the metaverse would benefit from following this communitarian model to sustain a collective spiritual dimension, in contrast to the hyperstimulating satisfaction of selfish desires. The conclusion invokes theologian Paul Evdokimov's vision of the limitations of cataphatic theology and the invigorating potential of apophatic theology that calls for the plenitude of the parousiac life, including in the context of interdisciplinary dialogue.

اصلاحِ نفس کا قرآنی منہج

Qur’anic complete and comprehensive teachings provide a way and methodology of self-purification for human beings. Different thoughts and civilizations have their own habits and manners but Quran provides the unique methods for the purification of human being. “The Qur’anic Methodology of Self Purification” is a research topic which leads the reader to study those Qur’anic verses which deal with the methods of human self-purification process. Some points in this regard, such as Belief on Allah Almighty, Day of Judgment and the life hereinafter, to avoid from selfish desires in religious matters, severeness of selfish desire and its negative and human destructive result, commitment to shariah orders such as prayers, zakat and hajj etc. and its impact on human training have been discussed in this study. This study will help the reader to equip himself with the habits which may save him from the devil attacks and from the acts harmful to human society and as well as to himself.

METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN NATIONAL PATRIOTIC EDUCATION IN THE CONDITIONS OF ACCELERATION OF EDUCATIONAL MOBILITY

The article is devoted to the phenomenon of educational mobility, which takes place in the options of an extreme situation and deep socio-cultural transformations of the 21st century. It is noted that modern mobility researchers agree on the possible two-fold impact of educational mobility on the life of society and a person: it can have both positive results and create many dangers and challenges. The actual problem of the non-return of a part of Ukrainian refugees who, through various international educational programs, became participants in external educational mobility, was considered. In the author’s opinion, when studying educational mobility, its nature, problems, risks of possible transformation into migration, it is worth taking into account the motivational component, mentality, and axiological factors. Attention is focused on the main models and scenarios of possible human behavior in a foreign cultural environment. It is highlighted that «real» mobility is not driven by selfish desires or mercantile interests, but by an understanding of the need to acquire new knowledge and experience for its actualization in one’s country. Therefore, the higher the level of national-patriotic education, the smaller the outflow of highly qualified specialists. Issues related to the formation of national consciousness, patriotism based on the latest theoretical and practical achievements of the democratic countries of the world are classified as acute problems that require prompt resolution. It was emphasized that an extreme situation does not automatically solve the problems of national-patriotic education. It should be carried out at all levels of national education, become the core of the humanitarian policy of the state and ensure harmonious and integral development of the individual. It is important that the content and form correspond to each other. It is emphasized that the content of national-patriotic education should include national ideas that can be manifested through culture, customs, language, history, religion, rituals, etc. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new effective forms and methods aimed at combating formalism in education, which will contribute to the formation of a patriotic person who, as a participant in educational mobility, will be able to integrate into a new socio-cultural space for him and will not become a seeker of happiness in a foreign land.

The Impact of Faith on Social Life

In Islam, faith is the yardstick and foundation for everything. All of a person's actions, beliefs, interpersonal and social interactions, conduct, and ethics depend on their faith. If a person's faith is righteous, their actions are righteous and comply with the laws of religion. Conversely, if someone's faith is flawed, their actions yield no favorable results and do not lead to their salvation.
 On this fundamental principle, faith is intertwined with human existence and determines their fate. Happiness and adversity in a person's life are pursued based on it. When the innate call and profound intuition within a person comprehend the essence of faith and its spiritual significance, they connect with it.
 Through faith and submission to the Almighty, a person gains abundant benefits. By discovering their purpose of creation and following the guidance and perseverance on the path of truth, they surpass their desires and inclinations. By transcending their ego and selfish desires, they attain mental tranquility and the serenity of life.
 Faith places all of an individual's social interactions under its control and significantly influences the process of shaping the social norms of society. Faith awakens an individual's conscience, making them responsible. It makes them compassionate, kind, and self-sacrificing towards their fellow beings. It instills inner strength and empowerment in people. A believer becomes an active participant in the cycle of production, contributing positively to society.
 Moreover, faith shapes a society where its members collaborate, uphold one another, and strive together towards the peak of virtues, dignity, and pride, echoing the slogan: "Hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah and do not separate." They endeavor towards their own well-being and righteousness, rescuing their society from injustice, tyranny, and unknown rights.

Individuality with Relationality: Ahn Changho's Modern Transvaluation of Confucianism

Abstract: This article investigates Ahn Changho's notion of 'mutual love', the central features of which present a picture of society in which the selfish desires of free-spirited individuals can be regulated through the self-cultivation of mutual love. Specifically, first, by analyzing Ahn Changho's reconfiguration of the Confucian ideal of parent-child intimacy with mutual love, I will argue that his notion of mutual love sheds light on a hybrid imaginary of modernity that cannot be reduced to either the anti-Western rehabilitation of Confucian 'filial piety' or the pro-Western adaptation of 'individuality'. Second, scrutinizing Ahn Changho's empirical criticism of early modern Korea, which has been termed 'the absence of mutual love', it is proposed that his pragmatic vision of individuality is shaped through non-domination as an alternative to the Weberian framework of modernization in which the processes of individualization and rationalization are unduly opposed to those of cultivating a commonality in a society.

Does the Russia-Ukraine war affects trade relations and foreign Direct investment flows from Europe into Asia and Africa?

This study used secondary data from World Development Indicators to examine the implication of the Russia-Ukraine war on Trade relations and Foreign Direct Investment flows into other parts of the world. Data from 85 countries between 2012 and 2021 were analyzed using the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique. Findings revealed that the coefficients of export goods, international trade represented by external trade, food exports and fuel exports had positive and significant results from both panels and all the sub-regions, except for Europe, which revealed a mixed result. Conversely, results from food imports, military expenditure, fuel imports and fossil energy consumption revealed negative but significant results, except food imports in Europe showed an insignificant result. Conclusively, the findings of this study revealed that the current war has increased military expenditure, which has caused a significant setback to FDI and trade relations. This has undermined both bilateral and multilateral trade relations and cut off supply chains, markets, and value chains that have long existed before the crisis amongst countries across the globe. Therefore, world leaders should do everything possible to restore peace between these two countries because it will do the world better than their selfish desires. In addition, if the war degenerates more than this, it would not only be injurious to the global market, trade routes, economy and FDI but can lead the world to another world war. Conclusively, this study will help world countries, governments, leaders, policymakers, investors, and companies in various decision-making endeavors, including war-related decisions. World leaders with management crisis skills who can unite nations should help mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to restore peace. However, further studies are still required on this ongoing war for scholarly guidance as there are still limited empirical studies in the world literature regarding this crisis.

Irony of a Global Village: A Spiritual Remedy for Alienation by Hindu Scriptures

This article attempts to posit that modern people are alienated and so feel sad though they are equipped with modern means of comfort. This is ironical. In this connection, this article also attempts to define the concept of "a global village," discuss the psychological problems of alienation and loneliness, created ironically by globalization, and suggest some measures to cope with them from the perspective of the ancient wisdoms of the Hindu scriptural texts such as the Upanishad, the Bhagavad Gītā, the Pātanjali Yoga Sutras, and others. Unlimited, uncontrolled, and selfish desires are the main causes of modern alienation, triggered by the ideas of individualism, capitalism, consumerism, sexism, classicism, hedonism, and narcissism. Since the problems of alienation and loneliness are psychological ones, they can be best treated with the help of spiritual ideas propounded by ancient sages and seers. The permanent solution to these problems cannot be found outside in our external world. Their solutions can be found only inside our body, mind, and intellect with our inner journey to the Self ("Ātmā"). We can practice having vegetarian food, yoga, meditation, self-control over one's body and mind, mutual help, philanthropic activities, and non-violence by minimizing worldly desires, anger, and avarice to facilitate our journey to the Self. The less desires, the more happiness. This knowledge can inspire us avoid running after the temporary happiness attained by materialistic things. By being desireless and detached, we can remain still in the center of the inner Self inside our heart. This is the process of discovering permanent peace and happiness within ourselves to avoid the state of alienation.

Historical Real Estate: Market Morality and the Politics of Preservation in the Early United States

Historical Real Estate: Market Morality and the Politics of Preservation in the Early United States

Cultural Diplomacy in Salman Rushdie’s Shalimar the Clown

Cultural diplomacy refers to the relationships between two or more countries through the exchanges of cultural activities. Its key principle is to foster common values like faith, social justice, and responsibility. Cultural diplomacy helps people from diverse backgrounds to find common ground. A literary text like a novel can express the issues of identity and culture that are relevant to the readers of different nations and cultures. The purpose of this article is to give the theoretical concept of cultural diplomacy and to dig out the ingredients of cultural diplomacy inherent in Salman Rushdie’s novel Shalimar the Clown. This paper asserts that the novel is a great literary work to study cultural diplomacy. The novel tries to justify that the external selfish interference can change a paradise-like place into a battleground butchering human beings in a very inhuman way. The novel presents Kashmir as a melting pot for all religious followers before it was intruded on by outsiders. The misuse of power by a diplomat like Max Ophuls, an American ambassador to India, causes great misfortunes in his own as well as the lives of many others. As the result of the selfish interests of the foreign countries, Kashmir becomes a battleground with mass killings, genocides, frequent rape cases, and mass exodus. This type of realistic depiction of Southeast Asia, mainly Kashmir, in the novel shows how the selfish desires of different nations create situations of chaos. The ideas that the novel uses to describe Southeast Asia, mainly Kashmir, help readers make up their minds about that area. The readers may long for harmonious relations between different nations. It happens mainly because of the literary artifact i.e. the novel that expresses cultural diplomacy. The fictional characters and the fictitious societies depicted in the novel help us understand foreign countries and foreign cultures. The reader certainly takes the novel as a work that advocates cultural harmony

When it's not easy to do the right thing: Developmental changes in understanding cost drive evaluations of moral praiseworthiness.

Recent work identified a shift in judgments of moral praiseworthiness that occurs late in development: adults recognize the virtue of moral actions that involve resolving an inner conflict between moral desires and selfish desires. Children, in contrast, praise agents who do the right thing in the absence of inner conflict. This finding stands in contrast with other work showing that children incorporate notions of cost and effort into their social reasoning. Using a modified version of Starmans and Bloom's (2016) vignettes, we show that understanding the virtue of costly moral action precedes understanding the virtue of resolving inner conflict. In two studies (N=192 children, range=4.00-9.95 years; and N=193 adults), we contrasted a character who paid a personal cost (psychological in Study 1, physical in Study 2) to perform a moral action with another who acted morally without paying a cost. We found a developmental progression; 8- and 9-year-old children and adults recognized the praiseworthiness of moral actions that are psychologically or physically costly. Six- and 7-year-old children only recognized the praiseworthiness of moral actions that are physically costly, but not actions that are psychologically costly. Moreover, neither adults nor children inferred that paying a cost to act morally required having a moral desire or resolving inner conflict. These results suggest that both adults and children conceptualize obligation as a direct motivational force on actions. They further suggest that costly choice-a hallmark of moral agency-is implicated in judgments of praiseworthiness early in development.

후안 라몬 히메네스의 『플라테로와』나의 생태 인식

Ecosystem crises such as environmental crises and natural destruction, which have become the immediate reality of the entire Earth, including global warming, have become a reality that no one can avoid. Beyond protecting the environment with human infinite desire for development, it has reached a point that threatens the existence of all living things.<BR> Jimenez is showing us living in the era of environmental crisis a good sense of ecology to accuse capitalism through contaminated environmental criticism and to become one with nature symbolized by donkeys. It seems that modern people living in the values of materialism are urged to wake up from a deep mental sleep and at the same time respond to natural destruction and global climate change. Breaking away from values and worldviews stained with violent acts of belittling life with selfish desires and thinking nothing of environmental destruction for development, it seems to urge us to achieve happiness through the practice of reflection and simplicity on ecological problems.<BR> When environmental issues did not emerge in earnest in the early 20th century, He realized the importance of nature and showed the image of a foresight that evokes ecological consciousness. Prior to the times, it reminds humans who are insensitive to indiscriminate development and natural destruction of their importance with nature and presents a spirit of the times to escape from the goals of material abundance and economic success.<BR> Jimenez is a visionary of ecological problems, and 『Platero and I』are still loved by us, and are also a battleground of works that evoke the importance of nature and the environment. Jimenez plays a valuable role in showing deep meditation about nature, awakening the importance of life, and awakening the importance of ecosystem order, using all kinds of nature such as surrounding mountains, grass, streams, crickets, birds, and insects. It is easy to overlook because it is a simple landscape, but in order to solve human and social problems, it seems to insist on accepting the other person’s reason for existence, acknowledging its value, and respecting it further, and changing the devastating ecological paradigm within humans. The relationship between Platero and me is to establish a mental relationship, and to think of it as an object with the same attributes as mine. It is said that when dealing with the world with such perception, it can overcome the environmental crisis or ecosystem crisis.

Unmasking the Tape of Electoral Fraud in Grassroots Nigeria: Evidence from the Management of the Local Council Elections by the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs)

Abstract: Electoral fraud is identified as an albatross on genuine democratisation in Nigerian politics. The Nigerian political culture demonstrates a zero-sum game where a winner takes all and where a winner employs all amoral ineptitude to secure victory. The situation is escalated at the grassroots level in the country where the constitutional three-tier of the federal, state and local system was bastardised by the states who succeeded in emasculating the local governments under their absolute personal control. The local council polls usually turned into a charade that is perpetuated by charlatans in the name of elections where in reality, forceful imposition, selection and subversion of the process became the order of the day. The study examined how the use of SIECs aided the phenomenon of electoral fraud at the grassroots level where the local council elections are designed and arrested by state governors based on their selfish desire. The study utilised both primary and secondary sources of data. The data obtained were analysed and interpreted using mixed method of statistical tools and content analysis. The study discovered that the SIECs became tools in the pawn of the state governors that they leveraged in manipulating the local government elections against the will of the electorates at the grassroots and that has tremendously affects the democratisation process in the country where authentic institutional building remains a mirage even after more than 20 years of democratic experiment. The study recommends that the SIECs should be abrogated and the INEC should conduct the local council elections together with the national elections at the same time.

Resurrection of the Self: A Comparative Thematic Study of Rumi’s Selected Poems and Hesse’s Siddhartha

This research aims to trace a journey towards spiritual development by underscoring different stages which are essential for a mystic to cover a long distance of spiritual development and reach his/her goal, i.e. self-fulfillment, a higher state of a man’s existence in which the Phenomenal Self immerses into the Divine Self. In order to chart out the stages of such a journey, this research does a thematic analysis of Hesse’s masterpiece, Siddhartha, and Rumi’s selected poems and draw parallels in the themes projected by both the writers. The objective of the study is to make inter-generic reading of the mystical texts and derive common features from them. The motive behind the selection of these texts is to highlight the phenomenon of resurrected self from two different perspectives i.e. Eastern Sufism and Western Mysticism and to merge them to propose a comprehensive perspective to understand the Divine. Taking inspiration from Fowler, we have categorized the spiritual journey into three stages which are labeled as The Childhood stage, The Adulthood stage and The Young stage.[1] At the first stage, a person remains focused on his/her selfish desires such as the desire to achieve reputation, honor and wealth which eventually leads him/her towards different recalcitrant feelings like jealousy, anger and hatred. At the second stage when a person becomes a little mature, s/he starts swimming against the current of naive attempts to attain happiness and struggles to find the eternal source of happiness and peace. At the third and the last stage, s/he achieves the ultimate source or truth of happiness and is considered as a divine source for others.

A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF RELIGION AS A TOOL FOR VIOLENCE BY STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS

There's no gainsaying that the negative dimensions and the influence of various religions on humanity today is worrisome because most religions if not all, preaches peace, Justice and Equality, yet, same religions are used to fan embers of disunity amongst the people of our world. As seen in the various extremist attacks going on in our contemporary societies. Looking at the rise of various religious sects against one another and the society in general, some disturbing questions come to mind; ''What is the very essence of religion? If religion preaches peace, what then, is the interplay between religion and violence? In an attempt to answer these questions, hence the birth of this research. The research uncovered that the very foundations in which most religions for example Islam and Christianity was built have been perverted over time due to human selfish desires. The research however recommends that there's a need for all State and Non-state Actors to properly trace back to the very essence and foundations on which each religion was built to enhance the culture of religious tolerance amongst various religious sects.

Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough

Reviewed by: Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Brockenbrough, Martha Into the Bloodred Woods. Scholastic, 2021 [368p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781338673876 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781338673890 $18.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 9-12 It begins with two sisters, one who spins gold and one who betrays her; then there is a girl, raised in the woods and protected by her mother’s lies; then an orphaned werewolf and his human sister, desperate enough to enter the nearby town and risk revealing his true nature; and finally, there is a dying king who splits his kingdom in two, bestowing half to each of his two children, which enrages his already sadistic son to horrific violence. The multiple threads come together when Albrecht, the prince turned king, leads his men to attack and burn down his sister Ursula’s land, forcing her and her people into the mysterious woods. Brockenbrough draws on the very darkest elements of fairy tales to offer up a truly irredeemable villain in Albrecht, who, in the book’s gruesome nod to Cinderella and The Dancing Princesses, gleefully peels back the skin of his fiancé’s feet—a bloody act that is only one of many. His villainy may lack subtlety, but character development isn’t really the point here; the cast is made up of familiar archetypes, reconfigured in a way that makes them all complicit with evil, underscoring the point that best intentions are more often than not fueled by selfish desires. Especially engaging is the book’s interrogation of Ursula, who finds her brother’s methods of control disgusting but who still adamantly believes in the inherent right of the royal family to rule. Even with an ending that sees most of the characters to safety, there’s a vaguely unsettling air in the book’s final pages; readers who prefer fairy tales more for their darker origins than their happy endings will want to wander in these woods. [End Page 88] Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Assessing the Socio-Economic Impact of the Damba Festival on the Lives of the People of Yendi in Ghana

This study focused mainly on the socio-economic impact of the Damba festival on the people of Yendi, in Ghana. It also looked at how the festival is celebrated among the people of Yendi and finally, examined the extent of its contribution to national development. Damba, as a festival by Dagomba, means ‘Big Dance’ in Mandingo word and in Dagbani, it is ‘Danbahi’ meaning ‘shake yourself free’. At first, the festival was not celebrated by Dagomba until during the reign of Naa Zanjina in the sixteenth century when it was decided that it should be used to replace their old harvest festival with the aim of linking it up to the birth and naming of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) for its commemoration. The methods used in the study were interview and focus group discussion with the help of instruments like questionnaire and interview guide. From the study, it was found out that the elders dominated the various activities carried out in the course of the celebration. This practice does not make the youth to learn the cultural heritage of the traditional area. Therefore, I recommend that the people particularly the youth should be well integrated in all the activities of the celebration to be more conversant with its celebration. Secondly, it was realized that the celebration occurred through the main streets of the area and finally staged at the king’s palace which is not extensive enough to accommodate everybody and, this poses security threat to the feeble ones especially children since stampede could be caused. Therefore, it is recommended that a wide area, if even it is outside the king’s palace, could be secured for the celebration of the festival since that can help provide enough security. Also, the study showed that the celebration sometimes results in misunderstanding between couples which can bring about divorce since the couples accused each other of being morally weak and using the festival to satisfy their selfish desires. As a result, it is recommended that law should be passed banning married women from attending the festival since this can minimize the accusations. Finally, it was observed that the festival can play a major role in the cities and local communities; it develops local pride and identity for the local people. It could also play an important role in the national and host community in destination planning which could enhance and link tourism and commerce in the area.

Can Women Have It All: Marriage, Family, Career, and Good Health?

Women in the U.S. have been earning more education than their male peers since the mid-1990’s. High power career positions that have historically been dominated by men are increasingly being filled by women. At the same time, since 2000, the U.S. workforce participation rate for women aged 25 – 55 has leveled off and begun to fall. Called the “mommy-wars” in the media, a heated debate has ensued between those women who feel that the role of mother should preempt seemingly selfish desires to engage in career work, while others firmly believe that it is possible to have it all; work, marriage and family. The purpose of this research project is to determine the health implications of each lifestyle for women later in life. Using the Health and Retirement Study, I compare self-rated health trajectories for the subset of women who are married, have children, and have attended college – those who are most likely to have the option to “opt-out” of the workforce for a stay-at-home mother lifestyle. Controlling for income and childhood health, and using growth curves and multivariate regression, preliminary results indicate that educated, married women who work full-time and raise children are the healthiest after age 50, while educated, married women who stay home with their children and do not work are the least healthy. In addition, these health trajectories have changed little since the 1950’s, even as cultural expectations for women have shifted.

The Abyss, Detachment and Dreams: Thomas Müntzer’s Reception of Medieval German Mysticism

ABSTRACT Thomas Müntzer was one of the most important inaugurators of the Radical Reformation. The paper opens with a brief biography comparing his career to that of Meister Eckhart. The paper then examines sources in the German mystical tradition with which Müntzer was familiar. These sources included the sermons of Eckhart’s followers Johannes Tauler and Heinrich Seuso, and even several sermons by Eckhart himself. The heart of the paper examines several key components of Müntzer’s thought for evidence of the ways in which this mystical tradition influenced him. It takes up Müntzer’s notion of the birth of the inner or living Word in the soul, the deepest part of the soul as an ‘abyss’ in which it is necessary to confront one’s fear of God, the importance of detachment from selfish and material desires in order to attain contact and union with God, and, in the final part of the paper, Müntzer’s theory that certain dreams are sources of divine revelation and mystical experience.

Reconsidering Ecological Civilization from a Chinese Christian Perspective

As part of the global effort to alleviate the ecological crisis, ecological civilization has become a dominant movement in China due to the state policy. Within this movement, the Chinese culture is said to be highly ecological and is thus an important asset to environmentalism. This paper seeks to offer a critical evaluation of this view by inquiring into its cultural and religious dimension with reference to Confucian and Chinese Christian thought. It argues that the construction of ecological civilization in China cannot rely only on the official discourses but requires a deeper cultural and religious investigation that helps realize the ecological potentials of the Chinese culture. In particular, it contends that the Confucian concepts of qi 氣 and li 理 can open up a way for humanity to attain unity with the cosmos and live in a path in harmony with nature through spiritual cultivation. It also suggests that the Christology and soteriology of Chinese Christian thinkers can strengthen this path of personal and social transformation by addressing the tendency of human beings to conform to selfish desire rather than the well-being of others. Both the Confucian and Chinese Christian worldviews are indispensable to the construction of ecological civilization by offering substantial insights into the cultural and religious dimension of the movement.