If humanity was a painting, then 'Manoos,' often referred to as humanity or empathy in the Marathi language, is the vibrant brushstroke that gives it life. Originating in the rich cultural landscapes of Maharashtra, India, Manoos is the essence of human connection and compassion that takes shape every time two people decide to care or act selflessly. It is the social glue that believes in lifting others, even when modern forces try to rip us apart and tilt us towards isolation. We see Manoos thriving in bustling markets where shopkeepers remember your name, in villages where communities hold each other accountable, and in bigger cities where people still lend a hand in times of hardship. But hold onto your hats, because the modern world, with its obsession for self-interest and technological advances, is eroding this soul-nurturing concept.
First, let's address the technological elephant in the room. The advent of social media platforms, while useful for virtual connections, has often been the grim reaper for genuine human interaction. You're not being charitable by clicking 'like' on a post about poverty; that's not Manoos. The screen replaces heart-to-heart dialogues and meaningful engagements with people right in front of us. Those Reels and TikToks have turned empathy into a performative act designed for public consumption rather than genuine connection. Remember when neighbors actually stopped by for a chat instead of texting from behind hidden identities? Good times.
Then there’s the economic model that has shifted over the years. Capitalism, for all its splendid benefits, sometimes transforms humans into commodities. Manoos tends to evaporate in a culture where the bottom line often trumps the human line. In places where material wealth counts for more than human wealth, the subtle art of empathy gets confined to the dusty shelves of yesteryear. People have traded community for convenience and support for superficial success. Think about it. Who needs to know their neighbor when Amazon delivers on the same day, right?
But it's not just about screens and cents. Manoos takes a hit every time political correctness and identity politics force us to see each other as a checklist of attributes rather than as humans with flaws and feelings. The glaring lack of authenticity in interpersonal relations makes Manoos scarce. When dialogues center more on labels than on loving kindness, the warmth of Manoos freezes. Politeness becomes a barricade rather than a bridge, and offenses are tallied as triumphs of wit rather than missed chances for understanding. Sorry, not sorry.
Moreover, uprooting traditions and chasing 'progress' is another favorite pastime that proves detrimental to Manoos. Why fix what was never broken? Traditional values that teach respect, patience, and wisdom were not just pulled out of a magician's hat; they were crafted over centuries of human experience. Communities that sit together, share meals, listen to elders and participate in each other's lives know the true magic of Manoos. Traditions bind us, yet in today's world, they are conveniently brushed off as obsolete. As rebelling against 'old ways' becomes the stylish move, people forget that in doing so, they are drifting away from a shared pool of wisdom that links generations.
Manoos survives in places where people haven't forgotten the communal over the individual. Take rural settings, for example, where the entire village raises a child—not in theory, but in practice. Yet urbanization, with its high-rises and gated communities, fences Manoos out. The social divide becomes literal when living spaces are designed for segregation rather than community. People become neighbors by proximity, not by interaction. Modern architecture seems to have committed a crime of passion against Manoos by cementing walls between its heartbeat and our homes.
What's worse, the education system, which should be a cradle for Manoos, reduces it to a footnote if it mentions it at all. The focus has shifted from nurturing well-rounded individuals to producing factory-line results. Empathy and ethics classes in schools? Rare and deemed unnecessary! Students graduate into the workforce with stellar resumes but lack the emotional tools to be humane in the truest sense. This not only leaves society poorer but morally bankrupt.
Through it all, Manoos fights for its place, resilient in the hearts of those who choose to hold on fiercely to their values, advocating for everyday heroes who stop to help, who listen, who care. They cling to Manoos not because it's popular, but because it's right. We should strive to engage in acts that are inspired by Manoos, be it through charity, community service, or simply saying thank you. The true spirit of Manoos doesn't demand opulence; it's imbibed quietly, bringing warmth to a world that beckons for genuine human touch. Feel free to repel the modern trends that drag us away from it. The world needs it more than it admits—perhaps because admitting it might burst their bubble of self-serving bliss.