Global Institute for Tomorrow

In coming across CEO for Global Institute for Tommorow Mr Chandran Nairs analytical discourse on the challenges facing Asian economies,I find his ideas very insightful.He offers ideas on glocalisation in which instead of depending on expensive imports,Asian economies should create domestic industries to be more self reliant,designing solutions suited to local contexts such as ventilators that do the job without fanciful electronics IT or sanitizers using local ingredients like neem maybe.In reflecting on his ideas i always go back yo my reference book The Asian Future Dialogues for Change published by ZED books.Public intellectuals like Sulak Sivaraksa of Thailand,Tu Wei Ming a confucian scholar,Satish Kumar and Vandana Shiva are Gandhian thinkers,Abdulrahman Wahid Indonesian,Samdhong Rinpoche Tibetan Buddhist all strongly identify the issues of Asia from perspective of Asian cultures " At best the Asian economic achievements are amixed blessing,for they are based on the stimulation of grred,competition,violence and individualism.Traditionally in Asia, these characteristics are regarded as the root causes of unhappiness.They are responsible for all kinds of other problems in modern society. People are compelled to search for more money,wealth,power,recognition and sensual gratification.The cycle never ends.Hence the high rates of suicide,mental illness,stress,alcoholism,over consumption and drug addiction in those "successful sectors" of Asian society There is much to be done to heal the deep,spiritual and political crisis that came with colonialism.We must fight to regain our spiritual and intellectual integrity in defining and redefining who we are and to recover our long lost self confidence rooted in our ancient cultures,traditions and indigenous wisdom.It means we have to reject the notion that we belong to a lesser race,class,gender,religion,culture or civilization,whoever we are,what ever we are. so on my bucket list to do is attend a course at Wongsanit Ashram in Thailand to learn more about sustainable Buddhist practices.I dont wanna live to a ripe old age regreting "oh,I havent done this yet" or"Oh,I havent done that yet." Its never too late to keep on hoping and dreaming.