The Guardian columnist Marina Hyde writes in her column of June 13, “… this is what spending too much time on social media does to you! It makes you feel like you’re being productive, and important, and “not complicit” in whatever you’ve just farted out a couple of hundred characters on. …” Of course, she was writing about the mega (MAGA?!) egoistic D and E characters who have been duelling to upstage the other and hog attention.
But, is this not true of so many folks in our ken?
Just yesterday, I had a brief but delightfully enlightening conversation with an eminent Professor of Philosophy, Ethics and Religion. He touched on faith, God, atheism and other “isms.” I mentioned being intrigued by an increasing number of people in my circle who claim that they are “spiritual” and not “religious” and asked what the distinction might be. He just smiled, shrugged his shoulders and softly said, “Each of us likes playing God. Seeking importance while projecting profundity is all there is to it. Hopefully, this too shall pass.”
This helps me rationalise why I receive multiple messages dispensing so-called gyaan (pseudo-wisdom) everyday, a lot of them repeats by different senders. Sufi and bhakti philosopher-poets and other wise souls must be wondering if they inadvertently started this tsunami by suggesting that God resides within us. Their message may have got misinterpreted through the passage of time and the multiple languages in which this was communicated. Or, as is in the nature of mortals seeking to attain importance, it could just be an attempt to being one up on the Joneses (or Sharmas or Sadiqs or Singhs or Goldsteins or … you get my drift.)
Thanks to a profligacy of these messages, I am being familiarized with rituals and religious festivals that had never before featured in 70+ years of my life on this earth. Perhaps these “devotees” are identifying (with) new-fangled beliefs to promote both their piety and their (new-found) wealth that enables them to exhibit their practices.
On the drive home after our meeting, my Apple Carplay popped up this Peter Sarstedt 1969 song from my playlist – Where Do You Go To My Lovely? Serendipity or a strange coincidence I thought, replaying the song multiple times.
For the benefit of my readers I am providing the link to this favourite, with the lyrics displayed. I urge you to listen and dwell on the lyrics. While not germane to my just concluded philosophical or spiritual discussions, I was reminded of the human tendency to be vainglorious and exaggerate our importance. In any event, just enjoy the song!
Each of us has to live with our own self. When we go to sleep, daily or eternally … we are unaccompanied by anyone or anything.
wealthisnotmoney 
Another thought-provoking Saturday morning read. I’ve always taken spirituality to mean as the distinction between being ritualistic and just good. But when, increasingly, the person claiming to be spiritual turns around and in the same breath spews negativity about “them” then I am left befuddled.
As you say, each of us has to live with ourselves and I wonder how much spirituality these people see reflected back when they look at themselves in the mirror.
Perhaps the glittering stage (from the beautiful yet brutal song you shared the link to) blinds them?
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Thanks for your “reflective” comments. In this context, Wasim Barelvi’s sher comes to mind:
“apne har har lafz kā ḳhud aa.ina ho jā.ūñgā
us ko chhoTā kah ke maiñ kaise baḌā ho jā.ūñgā”
[I will be the reflector of every word I utter … (but) how will I grow in size by reducing his/her/their stature]
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Religion uses all the words in the dictionary, spirituality is eloquent in its silence. Religion has many preachers. Spirituality has but one Teacher who is within you. So where would you go, my lovely?
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Lovely! Brevity has always been your hallmark. Well said, thanks.
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