RajeshA wrote:johneeG garu,
Ramsay and Theon scenes were some of the most impressive writing and portrayal that I have watched in Game of Thrones. It is perhaps a vivid display of an extreme Stockholm Syndrome, where one's psyche has been completely destroyed and restructured.
Humiliation of other faiths and societies is to achieve just that. Not just converts, but Indian Seculars too, with whom I have engaged with on various Pak forums, have displayed many characteristics of Theon, even though they have not completely converted as yet. They are completely taken in by the strength of the Islamic man, inferiority of Indians, envy of Islam, etc.
Thanks for sharing the videos in an appropriate context.
RajeshA saar,
there is something which is strange in this world: some people seem to respond better when they are mistreated. The same people will respond badly when they are treated well.
This is actually quite strange because why would anyone want to mistreat those who treat them well and why would anyone want to love someone who treats them badly?
I think the answer to this is found in the basic qualities(Gunas) which make up the universe.
According to Hindhuism, there are 3 basic qualities(Gunas):
a) Satthva
b) Rajas
c) Thamas
There is a lot of conundrum about what exactly these qualities are and what they lead to.
Broadly,
Satthva seems to be about mild/caring/sensitive nature. It is also based on knowledge. The implication seems to be that those who are knowledgable will be kind and caring. Why? Because they understand that all beings are same same. Also, they believe in Karma. If you hurt others, then others will hurt you. If you don't want other to hurt you, then don't hurt others. So, this knowledge makes the people satthva into kind and caring people who don't like to hurt anyone unless there is no other choice. This quality is necessary because it leads to knowledge or seeking knowledge.
Rajas seems to be based on power and fame. The word 'Raja' means 'glowing' or 'shining'. So, rajas is a quality that distinguishes ordinary from special. This quality drives people to seek fame/respect from others. Respect or fame is obtained through power, valour, money, creativity, ...etc. Basically, Rajas drives people to seek respect.(Good old, Honour and dignity in the baki language). This quality is necessary because this quality drives creativity. The drawback of this quality is that it leads to jealousies, ambition, greed, fights, ...etc.
Thamas seems to be based on total ignorance. The word 'thamas' means 'darkness'. The idea seems to be that just as a person cannot see in darkness, similarly people of thamas are totally ignorant. It is as if they are blind even though they have eyes. This quality drives people to be lazy, ignorant, sadistic and unconscious. Total thamas is sleep or unconscious. The drawback of this quality is that it leads to sadism.
Now, all three qualities exist in all things in the world. The difference seems to be in proportions.
The qualities are linked to actions. This is called as Guna-Karma vibhagashaha in Bhagavadh Geetha.
Basically, it mapping the Qualities(Gunas) to Actions(Karma). Please note that Gunas are tied to Karma. So, the qualities exhibited by a certain object or people will depend on the actions performed by that object or person.
So, if an object/person is used to doing Satthva actions(Karma), then that object/person will be satthva.
if an object/person is used to doing Rajas actions(Karma), then that object/person will be Rajas.
if an object/person is used to doing Thamas actions(Karma), then that object/person will be Thamas.
So, the Gunas are not permanent features of any object/person. But, it takes time to change from one Guna to another Guna because of inertia(Vasana).
If you have performed satthva actions for 10 yrs, then you will be a satthva person even if you perform Rajas actions for a day or two.
Now,
coming to the topic:
Ideally, one would expect people to treat others just as they treat them i.e. tit for tat. If someoene treats you well, you treat them well. If someone treats you badly, you treat them badly. This is the general expectation.
But, this does not happen in the world because of the presence of the Gunas.
Satthva people treat everyone with respect and kindness. Even those who hurt them will be given a long rope. Because Satthva people are kind and knowledgable. They put themselves in other person's shoes and try to be forgiving. Satthva people admire goodness or knowledge or good knowledge.
Rajas people seek fame/respect. They admire power, money, valour, creativity, ...etc. They admire these without caring whether that power, money, valour, creativity, ...etc are obtained by good methods or not. They don't mind how power, money, valour, creativity, ...etc are used. They are only interested in one thing: specialty. If something is distinguished, then they like it. Infact, they like it if someone shows power. They admire it when someone show might.
(According to Hindhuism, supposedly women have more Rajas then men because women have creativity i.e. they give birth. So, they have more Rajas for the creativity. But, it also means that they have more of 'admire the specialty' thing in them. Thats why women fall for the 'bad boys'. They fall for them because the 'bad boys' show confidence and assert power/might. This attracts them. The same can be seen in the animal world where female species are attracted to dominant males. They are attracted because of the 'distinction'.)
Thamas people are simply indolent/lazy or sadist or ignorant. They just don't get it. They just can't help it. The only way is to keep them in line using dhandam(punishment). Thamas people don't admire power or powerful, but they fear it. (In contrast, Rajas people will admire power and powerful).
Dealing with Satthva people is quite easy because they are quite accomodating. But, mostly, Satthva people are not found in abundance.
But, dealing with Rajas and Thamas people can be difficult.
So, what to do when confronted with the Rajas and Thamas people?
I think Deterrent works to some extent with Rajas people. But, even they will ignore deterrence when they believe that they can get some special distinction by confronting the deterrent.
With Thamas people, one is dealing with ignorant bunch. They just don't care. Deterrence doesn't work with them.
The best way to deal with Rajas and Thamas people is to establish the dominance and continue to assert it once in a while in a public manner.
Establishing the dominance will involve defeating and punishing the others in a public manner i.e. making an example. These steps are required to gain respect from the Rajas and fear from Thamas.
We find this generally a lot in animal world because the number of entities with rajas and thamas are very great in the animal world.
One also finds this behaviour a lot in nomadic tribes because they have to deal with such circumstances. Nomadic situation puts constraints and makes it difficult for people to be in the satthva mode. People in nomadic situations have to compete for resources of all kinds constantly. So, their entire culture becomes based on Rajas. Even the rajas is of the raw kind i.e. brute force or raw power. In nomadic cultures, people can't be lazy/indolent. So, Thamas people become violent/sadistic.
In settled civilizations, satthva people get a chance to prosper through their knowledge or spirituality. Rajas people also get a chance to acquire distinction through higher methods like business, literature, creativity, ...etc. In settled civilizations, people can afford to be lazy/indolent but the culture and laws stop anyone from being violent/sadistic. So, thamas people in settled civilizations become lazy/indolent.
Most of the malsIc culture is based on nomadic culture and pirate culture. So, satthva people are very few(if any). Rajas people try to earn distinction through brute force and raw power. Thamas people are violent/sadistic just for the fun of it.
How to deal with this bunch?
Well, the opponents of malsI will have earn the respect by establishing the dominance. That means the opponents will have to punish publicly malsI. They have to make malsI apologize publicly. The more dominance that the opponents of malsI establish, the more malsI will love/fear the opponents. This seems counter-intuitive to satthva people. Satthva people can't understand why the others being mean to them, when they are being nice to them. The reason is lack of dominance.
Rajas people understand dominance or distinction or honour and dignity or respect.
Thamas people understand fear.
Bakis and their four fathers understand fear(bhayam) and respect(bhakthi). They can't understand kindness and knowledge. If you show them unnecessary kindness or respect or love, then you will earn their contempt. They will look down upon you.
If you look at all the tactics of the malsI, they are aimed at humiliating the opponent and establishing the dominace. They occupy the others' places of worship and turn them into their places of worship after making changes to it. They abduct others women and turn them into their wives/concubines after making changes(like name change...etc). The idea is simple: humiliate the others and show them that you are the dominant one. This is rajas.
At a lower level, its pure sadism. Many of the foot-soldiers are of this level who are just totally ignorant.
So, how can dhesh earn the respect(bhakthi) and fear(bhayam) of the malsIs?
First, one has to understand the internal hierarchy of the malsI.
In the malsI world,
african malsI < dheshi malsI < baki < middle-east < Turks/Arabs.
Turks and Arabs jostle for the top dog position.
If you publicly dominate the dheshi malsI, then you earn the respect and fear of dheshi malsI and african malsI.
If you publicly dominate the bakis, then you earn the respect and fear of bakis, dheshi malsi, african malsI.
If you publicly dominate the middle-east, then you earn the respect and fear of middle-east, bakis, dheshi malsI and african malsI.
If you publicly dominate the Turks/Arabs, then you earn the respect and fear of Turks/Arabs, middle-east, bakis, dheshi malsI and african malsI.
This is similar to training dogs, specially badly behaved dogs. First, the trainer has to establish the dominance. He has to establish the rules of engagement. He has to show how things will be. He has to lay down the red lines and give punishment if the red lines are not respected/feared. He has to find the top dog and tame it. Then, all other dogs will be easier to tame.