Dr. Rajesh Bhola
India
Jan 18, 2013
Many people take to the bottle because they want to escape. Quite a large proportion of the population finds it difficult to bear even one day without alcohol. There
are many instances where the male members are badly drunk everyday,
while the others in the family starve. This is the most extreme form of
escapism. The attempt to ‘destroy’ suffering in this way, however,
destroys us.
Our
Directive Principles of State Policy provide that the State should
strive to take steps to enforce prohibition in the country. But this may
be the only Directive Principle which most of the state governments
have not implemented. The reason is that a very significant volume
of state revenues is made up of state excise duty, coming mainly from
the sale of liquor. Many cases of wife-beating, eve-teasing, rape,
murder and road accident occur under the influence of alcohol. The social cost in terms of deterioration of public health may be much higher than the revenues earned.
India
Jan 18, 2013
The other night when I was in Mumbai I accompanied one of my old colleagues to a fancy restaurant downtown. I opted for coffee. My friend finds pleasure in alcohol.
We are all aware of the destructive effects of alcohol and other
opiates. He is probably slightly more aware of its bad effects, as he is
in the pharmaceuticals business. But the moment evening dawns he
reaches for the bottle, and eloquently repeats the same argument – that
“all the hard work every day is nothing but pain; and when the work is
over, the pleasure begins. Real pleasure only seems to come our way
when we spend our money on consumption. The work is just the means; it
is consumption that has become the end.”
He
further gives an interesting argument, that ‘pleasure is ‘subjective’,
that every individual finds pleasure and happiness in his own mind, in
things that please him. Thus liberty is essential, so that each can
pursue happiness in his/her own way, to find his own ‘perfect high’, or
‘personal utopia’. Law, a moral code, or social institutions are no
longer revered. However, liberty cannot be the utopia of one mind; rather, it refers to the collective utopia of all.
A
few drinks down, my friend then very candidly confessed that he was no
more in control of the situation. It was difficult for him now to live
without the ‘bottle’. Oblivion is an acceptable ‘solution’ for him now.
His drinking behaviour was also having a slow undermining effect on his
family’s well-being.
Let
us be responsible in bringing new life into the world. Let us encourage
all states in India to work on measures to reduce use of drugs and
alcohol. Let the nation live simply, and perform actions that benefit individuals, families, society and the natural world. Some basic moral precepts should be applied, in the larger interest of humanity.
This will give life new vigour. A state like Gujarat has survived
financially despite the loss of state excise revenue on liquor. It is a
matter of political and bureaucratic will. It will indeed be a great
spiritual enterprise. If the effect of human presence on this planet is
to be benign, there is a great need for the state governments to work
for the cause of great compassion, and emancipation of the masses from
the clutches of liquor and other opiates. All the energy generated by
the de-addicted and detoxified nations should be turned to the work of
creating a path for the good of the many, for the happiness and
well-being of all beings.
Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with
autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities
for more than 20 years.
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