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The violence of giving birth || Acharya Prashant
12.6K views
2 years ago
Procreation
Prakriti (Nature)
Violence
Conditioning
Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Obsession
Maternity
Life
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that the fascination humans have for children is primarily driven by hormones, a biological mechanism he refers to as a ploy of 'Prakriti' (Nature). This phenomenon is not exclusive to human babies; the young of all animals appear cute as a survival strategy. Because babies are defenseless, their cuteness ensures they are cared for rather than harmed. However, this does not imply that babies possess any extraordinary qualities. Instead, humans are conditioned to find any baby cute, whether it's a piglet, a monkey, or even a small snakelet, which one might find endearing, unlike its full-grown counterpart that evokes fear. This is Nature's way of ensuring the survival of the species. The speaker laments that this deep-seated conditioning is often not understood, particularly by women, who may have such a strong fascination for babies that they end up destroying their own lives for them. He asserts that it is everyone's responsibility to understand the biological and sexual origins of this fascination. The desire for children, he notes, has been used to legitimize and even venerate sex, with many religious schools teaching that procreation is its only rightful purpose. He urges people to move beyond this obsession with kids, explaining that the more one is fixated on them, the more it demonstrates a consciousness that is body-centered, egg-centered, and bound by Nature. Acharya Prashant argues that the entire planet is suffering from humanity's obsession with having children. People produce kids for a few years of cuddling and baby talk, forgetting that this child will grow into a fully-fledged individual who will burden the planet for a hundred years. He redefines the concept of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) for the current era, suggesting that there is immense violence in the act of procreation itself. While religions have always condemned killing, they have failed to address the violence inherent in giving birth. He finds it strange that society deplores physical assault but becomes accommodating and tolerant towards a pregnant woman, failing to see the impending act of violence. He compares the ritual of procreation to primitive practices like black magic and voodoo, questioning why this ritual continues without the application of wisdom. He challenges the belief that a life is unfulfilled without children, calling the glorification of maternity and pregnancy a deeply ingrained, almost superstitious, ritual. He states that no intellectual today would dare to say that maternity is mostly an act of great violence. He concludes by advising that if one truly wants to save life, one must first learn what life truly is. Upon gaining this understanding, one's interest will shift towards life itself, and there will be much less interest in the act of giving birth.