Today we hear from Irfan – an interesting young fellow from South India. Irfan was our driver as we toured around Karnataka – a job he used to save up money for school. We interviewed him in Hampi, a historic ruins site covered in mysterious giant boulders, and home to the ancient Vijayanagara Empire of the 1300’s.
An articulate young man, Irfan had some very interesting comments to share with us. When asked how the world can be made better, Irfan replied that the only way that peace and equity could be established is through instituting a military government. When met with my look of shock at his proposition, Irfan explained his thinking further…watch the videoclip to see if he is able to convince you!
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In addition to his political thoughts, Irfan felt that the key to a better future for humankind was for each individual to cultivate love and compassion in their minds. ”People have to understand that compared to love and compassion, money is nothing….money comes and money goes, but love and compassion remains.”
Along the same lines, Irfan believes that we ought to change the means by which we redistribute money after someone’s death. He does not believe in family inheritance, for he feels this only leads to the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer. Rather he would prefer to see a deceased individual’s wealth be passed onto the government for use in social programming for the poor. In this manner the general population benefits from the wealth left behind, and the wealth becomes redistributed, opening up opportunities for all.
I suppose one could say that this young idealist did hold hope for the future of humankind. However he certainly had the most unique and unconventional thoughts of how we ought to get there – particularly in his reverance of military governments. To date we have interviewed approximately 80 people on this subject, and I have yet to hear Irfan’s ideas echoed by any others. Perhaps this could be because his ideas are a bit crazy and poorly thought out. Or perhaps he is just young enough and idealistic enough to re-imagine a world that the rest of us can dare not envision.
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