It's a famine of human disposition

Are we languishing in a famine of disposition? This is how theatre personality Mamunur Rashid thinks. He made the comment like this: 'We have fallen in a trap of' what he termed in Bangla 'ruchir durvikhha'. He elaborated, 'from this has risen a man of Hero Alam's calibre'. It is the rise of miseducation, debased disposition and perverted culture.
Here the key word is 'ruchi' which in simple paraphrase is 'taste' but can hardly convey the real meaning. Disposition goes closer as it refers to a person's inherent qualities of mind and character. Yet the Bangla word seems to have more to it because of its cultural connotation. Personal refinement and etiquette devoid of cultural mooring and ethical backing may give the impression of charlatanism.
Well, refined taste or a lack of it to a large extent expresses what a person is worth of. Sophistication may be mistaken for this precious personality trait. Agreeableness, sociableness, suavity and courtesy, though nice human qualities, are no substitute for mental uprightness and enlightenment. A person of erudition is not necessarily someone of enviable disposition. Nor is it inherent or inborn, it has to be cultivated by a highly alert and sensitive mind.
Education is necessary but it is not the type learnt at institutions. The natural world with all its mysteries, appeals and diversity continues to teach a mind to be open, receptive and humble. But this has to be complemented by a sense of social awakening and responsible response to the changing mores. The qualities of head and heart have to maintain a fine balance to give a person the power to make the right choice not just for day-to-day demeanour but also for crucial decisions involving social, political and even religious matters.
All animals have their marked dispositions but human disposition is different because here is a species that is not satisfied with its inborn qualities and bit by bit creates what is called civilisation. Many of its civilisations have perished but still it rises from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix. It inherits the stream of consciousness from earlier civilisations and go forward to explore new frontiers.
What comes into being is culture which encompasses everything from livelihood to lifestyle, literary pursuit to adherence to religions, didactic and philosophical queries to scientific exploration, creation of music to painting and sculpture (fine art) and development of games, sports, festivals and other modes of entertainment such as drama, cinema, opera, circus to name but a few. Human disposition draws heavily from its cultural milieu for its sustenance.
Rabindranath was an epitome of a highly cultured personality. Throughout his life, he continued to set a benchmark for every important aspect of human life. His mind was open to everything and accepted all that is good even if it was from the oppressive rulers. But at the same time he had the mental courage and power of conscience to give up knighthood in protest against Jalianwala Bagh mass killing. Thus a heightened moral sense rules over the oppressors' brutal power.
Bangladesh ---in fact the world at large ---is in the grip of overbearing brutal powers. Consumerism bolstered by unscrupulous wealth creation has given rise to a vicious socio-economic order where the corrupt and the ravenous rule the roost. The situation has been made further worse by modern gadgets like smartphone, computer and laptop all of which have taken the soul out of the young generation to turn them robotic to the extent where they live in a virtual world of phantasmagoria dissociated from reality.
In the absence of cultural connectedness, debased morality is taking its toll. If this continues to engulf society, there will be a cultural wasteland soon. There is an urgent need to connect the missing dots to return to Nature and rediscover the eternal bond that has sustained humanity so long.

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