Defects of Modern Society
Modern society prides itself on progress, yet Śrīla Prabhupāda exposes its deep structural and spiritual defects. He argues that a civilization built without the foundation of God consciousness is inherently unstable and destructive. By prioritizing material facility over spiritual culture, modern society has created a "cumbersome way of life" that entangles the living entity in the cycle of birth and death, rather than liberating them. The following sections detail the specific defects that plague the modern world.
Worship of Matter
The primary defect of modern society is its educational focus. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that people are "educated to worship matter" instead of the Supreme Lord. Success is measured by the ability to manipulate material nature to build skyscrapers, roads, and automobiles. This materialistic absorption makes people dull to the reality of the spirit. "Without the spirit, the body is nothing but lump of matter," yet modern society ignores the active principle and focuses entirely on the temporary covering.
- Instead of worshiping Lord Visnu, people have been educated to worship matter. According to the direction of modern society, men think they can advance in civilization by manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads, automobiles and so on.
- Every day the so-called leaders of modern society invent something contributing to a cumbersome way of life that implicates people more and more in the cycle of birth, death, old age and disease.
Leadership and Social Conflict
A society without qualified leaders is like a ship without a rudder. Śrīla Prabhupāda critiques modern democracy for having "no idea of first-class man." Leaders are chosen based on "fat salaries" or political maneuvering rather than the brahminical qualities of śamo damo titikṣa (peacefulness, self-control, and tolerance). Consequently, society is torn apart by the "international quarrel" between laborers and capitalists. Because the leaders are blindly following their senses like animals, they cannot protect the citizens or solve the danger of class conflict.
- In modern society there is always a great quarrel between the laborers and the capitalists. This quarrel has taken an international shape, and the world is in danger.
- In the modern society there is no idea of first-class man, what is first-class man. They take it, a minister is first-class man. A first-class man is by these qualities, samo damo titiksa. It is not by the fat salary.
Exploitation of Women and Animals
The moral bankruptcy of modern society is evident in its treatment of vulnerable living beings. Śrīla Prabhupāda argues that the so-called "freedom" given to women is actually a form of exploitation, turning them into instruments of sense enjoyment for men ("topless girls"). Similarly, the maintenance of slaughterhouses reveals a "sinful" and "demoniac" mentality. Society wants peace and prosperity but refuses to extend the right of existence to animals, who are also citizens of the land.
- In the modern society they have given women freedom. That I have already explained. In the name of freedom of woman, they are being exploited.
- Poor cows, they deliver milk, and later on they become slaughtered. How much sinful the modern society is, and they still want peace and prosperity. That is not possible.
- Modern society enjoys sex life with contraceptive methods or more abominable methods to avoid the responsibility of children. This is not in the transcendental quality but is demoniac.
Suiciding Policy
Perhaps the most damning indictment is that modern society encourages a "suiciding policy." God has given human beings extra intelligence to understand Him, but modern education misleads them to use this intelligence only for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—activities common to cats and dogs. By rejecting the spiritual aim of life, humanity is effectively committing spiritual suicide. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a "protest" against this suicidal modern civilization.
- Unfortunately, the modern rascal society, they utilizing that extra intelligence than the cats and dog for the same purpose: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is the defect of the modern civilization.
- Try to understand the philosophy (read 'Nectar of Devotion' repeatedly) nicely and spread it to your best capacity so that these suiciding men can be saved as far as possible. It is not, however, possible to check the suiciding policy of the modern society.
Conclusion
The defects of modern society are not merely superficial; they are rooted in a fundamental ignorance of the self and the Supreme. As Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes, "Modern society is in dire need of intellectual persons or brāhmaṇas who can broadcast real spiritual knowledge." Only by reintroducing the principles of God consciousness can the suicidal course of modern civilization be checked and the people saved.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Modern Society. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.