Mahatma Gandhi, the out-of-the-box thinker

News: Mahatma Gandhi is an important figure of history, whose thinking and qualities offer us a lot of things to learn from him.

What are the qualities of Mahatma Gandhi?

Out of box thinker: Mahatma Gandhi understood categories of people and identified himself with the weakest. His concept of just and truthful politics stressed that the weakest should have the same opportunities as the strongest.

Simplicity: Gandhi is remarkable for his simplicity and transparency. His simplicity reflects in his actions and his mode of life. Instead of being driven by the corporate mindset of being successful, Gandhi drew joy and fulfilment in pursuing less.
Gandhi was a perpetual truth seeker. People, who follow Gandhi’s ideal, are never confronted with absolute Truth.

Reversed the relationship between leader and people: Gandhi did not mask himself or Indian history. He challenged Indian history by asking lucid questions. There was moral or spiritual interrogation in all of Gandhi’s historical actions.

He led Indians to historical and civilization awareness, which went as far as a spiritual conversion to non-violence. Thus, the Gandhian method completely reversed the relationship between a leader and his people.

Method of thinking: Gandhi, like Socrates, was guided by an inquisitive method of thinking. Gandhi believed that the true test of life lies in – self-discipline and self-restraint. Gandhi’s version of community was also inspired by these two ideals. According to Gandhi, a self-realized and self-conscious community can reconcile the self-determination of an individual along with recognition of shared values.

Self-transformation: According to Gandhi, the real strength of democracy lay in the self transformative nature of citizens. This self-transformation should influence individual life and public life. Also, solidarity is not just compassion but people’s responsibility of loyalty towards mankind.

Source: This post is based on the article “Mahatma Gandhi, the out-of-the-box thinker” published in the Times of India on 31st January 2022.