Just finished reading another awesome book by Gurcharan Das, "The Difficulty of Being Good : On the Subtle Art of Dharma". A gripping book about ethics, politics and goodness. The writer draws examples from both West and East, referring to philosophies from ancient Greece, Renaissance, Buddhism, ancient Hinduism and Modern philosophers to wrestle with the idea of goodness in day-to-day life. The book draws the base examples from Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic narrating the story of the great feud between cousins that marked the end of the third age of man. The story is complex, rich and meaningful in equal measures, but I doubt it if anyone without an interest or roots in India will be able to enjoy it fully. For any intellectual Indian with a strong interest in Hindu mythology and philosophy, this book is a treat.
The book advocates reciprocal altruism instead of either pacifism or real-politic solutions. In this it addresses some fundamental questions surrounding sticking to the merits and demerits of available choices and problems: way of righteousness, way of deceit, way of duty, the need to be recognized, the power of the feeling of vengeance, importance of mentors, role of a ruler and role of merit, among other things. It is rich, intellectual gymnastics that will help you to gain a fresh perspective about life and living without compromising integrity.
The book advocates reciprocal altruism instead of either pacifism or real-politic solutions. In this it addresses some fundamental questions surrounding sticking to the merits and demerits of available choices and problems: way of righteousness, way of deceit, way of duty, the need to be recognized, the power of the feeling of vengeance, importance of mentors, role of a ruler and role of merit, among other things. It is rich, intellectual gymnastics that will help you to gain a fresh perspective about life and living without compromising integrity.
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