The summer fruits are ahead of time this year in our garden- Jackfruit, Cashew nut and Nutmeg !
The genetic engineering of plant life is receiving considerable attention to make plants yield fruits through out the year. As commercial value of some fruits life Jackfruit is substantial, there are engineered saplings which would yield fruits throughout the year. But the jackfruit tree above sprung up on its own, beside another jackfruit tree from the seeds that were scattered on the ground, when a ripe jackfruit fell to the ground.
The above banana bunch belongs to a native species, which is easy to grow and yields tasty fruit. But its market value of is only one third of an engineered species which yields large bunches! The engineered varieties are now popular which needs lot of manure and special attention. The market forces of economics regulate agricultural planning.
The first rose flower above is of a budded plant and the second rose flower is of a native species. The first flower has value in the market and the second one is not even tradable.
I realise that there are too many changes taking place where the market forces influence many aspects of our lives.
Sometimes we loose sight of the down side of the unregulated market forces. About 20 years ago in the rural environment, the land prices exceeded the level that people could afford to buy. Now even though the land cost has plummeted, there are no buyers, as people do not have surplus money to invest!
It was while enquiring to replace our old car with anew one, I came face to face with the reality of the 'market driving' the economy. The cost of car has gone up by about fifty percent in the last ten years; the buyers do not feel the strain of it as bank loans would fund them. It is unlikely that an employed person with a reasonable salary would be able to buy a car from his savings. The borrowing becomes the option, which then strains the buyer to refund the loan. Many get carried away to buy expensive cars which is a fancy, rather than a need and feel buried in the pressure of repayment!
Is there an alternative to live without being carried away by the market forces! I met a retired a person in the car show room, who is selling a large car to buy a small car. He needed a large car when children were living with the family. Now they have moved away to their work places. The retired couple need a car for mobility. He was a choosing an entry level car, good enough for both of them!
I sensed from that conversation an attitudinal perspective, which is an alternative. To plan according to the current needs! The trend, fashion, fancy or peer pressure do not dominate, but a personal choice to be prudent, practical and positive in orientation! The creature comfort is not the decisive factor, but compatibility with a life style which represents a wholistic view of life!
The changes around us are so many exerting pressure upon us to conform! The chance of an alternate gets obliterated amidst the loud voices calling us to conform.
I wish our life style gets modulated by the value system that we choose! If we get carried by the 'market trend', we loose the cardinal values of life to the fancies that are trendy!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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