Potter’s Wheel, Passé !!
Many moons ago, probably in my early teens, on a typical fish-soaked afternoon, in a reasonably unremarkable middle-class Bengali household, my father asked me, “What was man’s greatest invention ?”. I probably scratched my head, and some other body parts (!), and mumbled something to him which was received with a nod of disapproval. He allowed me a few more attempts, before he answered it and explained the answer to me.
“Potter’s Wheel”, was his answer. And he went on to explain to me that how the caveman struggled with the idea of harnessing energy and putting that energy to work. Till, viola, man (or caveman, maybe) hit upon the Potter’s Wheel. A device that allowed man to harness energy and then shape it into various creative implements which were useful for him. (For more history of the same you can ref to Wikipedia, I don’t intend to bore you with that here). From that led to the harnessing of energy via various principles, devices, implements rotary in nature and then to the Industrial Age. Looms, Locomotives, Steam Ships, Aircrafts and various other technologies which were either used in combination or sole application of various scientific principles.
You broadly know all this. So why this now ? I write this towards the end of Mar-2020, when the world is faced with an unprecedented existential crisis. While we are reasonably sanguine that we will survive through this. To put it mildly, COVID-19 will leave us with scars, changes that are unimaginable, unfathomable as I write this.
Over the last few weeks, months borders have meant for little, as the virus has rampaged through land, sea and air. There is no place for us to hide. The enemy lurks under your finger nails, on your shirt button, on railings, in your nostrils etc etc. I cannot even think of a place where you are unlikely to find the virus. Individuals and families have been ravaged like never before. Stranded across continents, where all the passports, currency or bullion in your pocket counted for nothing and couldn’t get you from A to B. For the infected, they do not know who will fight for their survival, their anti-bodies or drugs. Very little is known or understood of the virus, so we are all in huge guessing game. Trial and error. Hoping that a rise in temperatures might challenge its survival. Maybe. Just hoping.
While we squabble amongst ourselves, blaming the other. The simple fact is that all our collective resources, massive by any accounts, wealth, intellect, science, management, zany power points etc are a naught. Because they are unable to alleviate a ‘viral problem’ for mankind. (So much for the pride we take in ‘viral videos’ and TRPs-Television Rating Points in India which make or break TV broadcasts). We can also be reasonably sure that we will soon be able to find a solution, if not a cure. This too shall pass.
But when we emerge on the other side, it will not be the same world as we have known it. Thankfully, the mountains, oceans, rivers, deserts, forests will (hopefully) be intact. Woefully, I cannot say the same thing for manmade things. Families torn, businesses kaput, business models in ashes, our beliefs, relationships strained (or better, perhaps) etc.
Before we sink any further in the doom and gloom, care for an anti-dote ? Isn’t this our sole opportunity for redemption ? A chance that we are being afforded to rethink, recalibrate, redraw. Where no one ever goes without a certain minimum of food, clothing, shelter and a chance to heal. Where 1% of the population doesn’t lord over 99% of societal wealth. Where 1% of the population is unable to invent ways and means to keep the remaining 99% of mankind in vicious cycles of one kind or the other, and also invent lofty theories of justification that keeps winning them Nobels. Where the common good reigns supreme.
Thus my point about the Potter’s Wheel. The old Potter’s Wheel got us our locomotives, looms, aircrafts etc. Yes, once we get to the other side locomotives will still pull rakes on rails. Aircrafts will continue to cruise the skies. And ocean liners will continue to sail the seas. But we have a unique, unmatched opportunity to reinvent the Potter’s Wheel. New business models, new enterprises, new services, new systems of pedagogy etc which will place the cardinal principles of human well being and existence at its core. Not just the well being of a select few by design.
I can already hear the rumblings of the nay sayers. Yes, I know that in these times of lock-down a huge majority is just itching, salivating to romp back to the old ways. Bite that hot, cheesy pizza at your neighbourhood Deli. And most probably that will happen too, because this complex web of EMI-slavery (Equated Monthly Instalments that one pays on the various loans in India) is designed to push you to the abyss. To make you undertake actions and behaviour that aren’t necessarily of your own volition. And our Ivy League (or Macaulian, take your pick) education trains us to very effectively mask all this as perfectly normal. Entrapment for the masses, Viola ! To the credit of these masquerading global marauders (read States and/or Corporations), most of us don’t even come to know while we are being done. But there is, I am sure, a sliver of the population (10% or even less) this time which understands this game bandied and branded about as The New Deal, Trickle Down etc etc. There lies our opportunity, your opportunity to reinvent the Potter’s Wheel. In all walks of life. Your gender, nationality, employment status, caste, colour, creed, profession doesn’t matter. Reinvent your own Potter’s Wheel. In the most micro or macro manner. In your backyard. On the pavement. Wherever you are. The old rules don’t matter. They failed to serve you, your family, your community, your Nation. They failed mankind.
So has the Potter’s Wheel failed ? No, it hasn’t, because it follows the laws of energy. Which is constant. Cannot be created. Cannot be destroyed. Only its shape, form and storage can change. There lies your reinvention.
Thus, the old Potter’s Wheel, Passé !! QED.