Illiteracy and Being close to Nature
I write upon a profound observation. This is something unique and never heard before. I’ve seen people who are illiterate, being more close to nature than their literate compatriots.
How far is this true, I leave to the replies / comments of the reader. But on my part I would like to state that this observation comes after working for 5 years in rural India and spending more than 10 months in Afghanistan.
At the outset I like to say that there is no right or wrong. What we perceive is right and vice versa. So what an illiterate person does and what a literate one does is all correct. Both quote that they’ve learnt it from their surroundings, elders or in school. Basically both kinds of groups have their reasons for doing a thing.
At times the profile of an illiterate person comes to mind as that of a poor person, in not so clean clothes or generally a different personality. But this difference takes him a bit closer to nature as the nature has its effect on him / her. So when we compare a city man to a village man, the former has a better quality of life, better amenities etc. But a villager has higher life expectancy given the clean air and better amenities too, which may be his needs. At this juncture I clarify that, health care being in equal access to both.
An illiterate person goes about doing his affairs in a manner which befits and benefits him. He deals with money in a very practical manner. He doesn’t take cognizance of the net present value of money, internal rate of return etc. He is most concerned with how to maximize, utilize and save money. A literate person also goes about doing these above 3 things but in a different and at times a highly confusing manner. He takes advice from all quarters later to blame others for his loss (if any)!
An illiterate is really not an illiterate. He is a learned person in his own right. Just that he doesn’t hold certificates or degrees to substantiate the knowledge he has. Just that he can’t operate a computer, doesn’t make him illiterate. Unfortunately we see that today’s world is more poised towards being literate and being away from nature.
We get a closer to nature by going to hike, going to hill stations, taking a herbal spa etc. But this way are we really getting close to the nature? I also do not say that we all become illiterate and go back to the ages. My whole idea is we should learn from the illiterate and imbibe things that are missing in us.
It may be a great learning and a real awakening.
