Dr. A. K. Merchant*
Human beings carry within them a deep conviction that life means more than mere survival. To answer the question of purpose we must first clarify what a human being truly is. When we speak of human nature, do we picture only instincts, appetites, and emotions, or something higher that distinguishes us from animals?
While we share many material traits with other species, we also possess a spiritual dimension—what some traditions call the atman or soul. It is this spiritual aspect that reveals our deeper purpose. Individually, life’s aim is to cultivate spiritual qualities and progress toward the Divine; collectively, humanity must advance together toward that same ideal. This development cannot be achieved through passive worship or a life devoted solely to worldly desires. Realizing life’s purpose—knowing and worshiping the Divine—requires active engagement in the life of society and selfless service to others.
The growing interdependence of peoples and cultures challenges old habits of thought and action. How communities and individuals respond will largely determine whether societies become nurturing and cohesive or hostile and fragmented. Contemporary crises expose the inadequacy of current relationships—between humanity and nature, within families, and among social institutions. The relentless pursuit of wants has produced a system that fuels excessive consumption for a privileged few while entrenching exclusion, poverty, and inequality for the many.
Each global crisis—climate, energy, food, water, disease, or financial—reveals fresh dimensions of exploitation embedded in present patterns of production and consumption. The contrast between luxury consumption and unmet basic needs is stark: basic education, hunger eradication, water and sanitation needs, and public health demands are dwarfed by expenditures on nonessential goods, military budgets, entertainment, inter alia. These disparities underscore the moral and practical urgency of rethinking global priorities.
The collective purpose of humankind is to advance civilization. Civilization has two inseparable components: the material and the spiritual. Both must progress together for true prosperity and lasting happiness. Material advancement alone cannot secure human well‑being; only when material and spiritual development are coordinated will genuine happiness be possible.
Building individual capacities and strengthening institutions is therefore the central task for leaders—political, religious, intellectual—and for all who shape public life. The twenty‑first century presents an opportunity to establish an ethical system grounded in unity, a principle as transformative as the Christian ethic of love was to Greek moral thought. India’s civilizational maxim Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vedanti—truth is one, the wise describe it in different ways—points toward a unifying vision. Realizing unity will demand personal transformation and a renewed commitment to the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world as one family.
We have a twofold purpose: to know and realize the Divine, and to serve collectively for the advancement of civilization. Knowledge, volition, and action are central to both aims. Knowledge forms the foundation of civilization; the will to act and the deeds we perform propel progress. The principle of the oneness of humankind implies an organic restructuring of society’s institutions and relationships.
Because knowledge is fundamental to personal growth and social transformation, everyone should have access to learning and opportunities to contribute to the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge. Scientific inquiry reveals the workings of nature, while spiritual traditions organize insights into the deeper realities of existence. To contribute meaningfully to human progress, individuals must cultivate both scientific and spiritual understanding. This dual education is essential for humanity’s next stage of evolution.
To succeed, profound changes are needed in minds and social structures—starting with education. Capacity building must begin with a clear vision of the society we aspire to and the kind of people who will realize it. Education should encourage reflection on life’s purpose, enable learners to transcend narrow cultural confines, and foster alternative visions and approaches to complex problems. It should help people appreciate the consequences of their actions and adjust behaviour accordingly.
Aggressive behaviour must yield to gentler ideals. Dismantling the Military Industrial Complex requires a binding international agreement among all the nations on earth that fairly demarcates frontiers, and mandates a proportionate reduction of national armaments would allow weapons of war to be repurposed for reconstruction. Eventually such a bold decision would call for the complete demilitarization and redirecting resources now devoted to destruction toward education, health, environmental restoration, and sustainable development. It would produce incalculable benefits worldwide. Failure to respond appropriately to the challenges of an increasingly interconnected world risks disastrous, even self‑destructive, consequences.
Cultural shifts of this kind would strengthen the capacity for collective action, encourage people to see themselves as agents of change, and foster humility, learning, and active participation in generating and applying knowledge.
Arthur Schopenhauer observed that every truth passes through three stages: ridicule, opposition, and finally acceptance as self‑evident. Those who are spiritually minded and socially conscious—politicians, leaders, scientists, intellectuals, students, and committed workers—must persist in striving for the ideals of their beliefs and work for the betterment of the world. They should contribute to the emergence of a universal, divine family envisioned by seers, sages, poets, and prophets.
As Bahá’u’lláh, Founder of the Bahá’i Faith, taught: “The well‑being of humankind, its peace, and security are unattainable, unless and until its unity is firmly established”. He repeatedly appealed to the rulers of the world and the generality of humanity that the earth is one country and all humanity—regardless of their limiting identities–are its citizens. Brinkmanship of misguided world leaders, decision-makers, plunging our world into gloom and doom challenge our sanity and value systems.
Hence, my ardent appeal: Let this generation be the one to restore sanity and establish peace in a world that urgently needs both.
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*The writer is a social worker, independent researcher, & a member of the Bahá’i Community of India. Views expressed are personal.
