{"id":1053,"date":"2025-03-01T13:04:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T18:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informedspot.com\/?p=1053"},"modified":"2025-03-07T12:21:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T17:51:30","slug":"faith-vs-fomo-the-rise-of-spirituality-in-a-material-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informedspot.com\/?p=1053","title":{"rendered":"Faith vs. FOMO: The Rise of Spirituality in a Material World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Mahakumbh of 2025 has been engulfed by an unprecedented surge of devotees, with projections suggesting that total attendance could soar beyond 60 crore by the time this colossal gathering culminates on February 26, 2025. While we were immersed in an onslaught of Instagram stories & reels depicting people reveling in the sanctity of the holy dip at Triveni Sangam, a jarring incident shook the nation’s conscience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Famous YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia was amid anguish when his video of asking one contestant an inappropriate question involving parents surfaced online. Although the show had been peddling such crassness long before this episode, perhaps it took something this outrageous to jolt India into attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much to the surprise of people, the disparaging remarks came from a person who was becoming an embodiment of how a materialistic, ambitious person could set himself on the path of liberation through actively seeking spirituality. The rise in vulgar content has escalated so much that India\u2019s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has now proposed the establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee to deliberate and legislate on such matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It provokes an existential question: How can our society be both deeply religious and unabashedly profane? How do people espouse spirituality while indulging in arrogance? The paradox is inexplicable. One could argue that this is a journey of evolution, where one may be staggering toward progress, yet something intrinsic feels amiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Spirituality<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One thing to acknowledge here is that it is impossible to describe spirituality in one sentence. However, the gist of all great personalities boils spirituality down to one thing: something greater than you, which requires transcending. Transcending what? The illusions of this world, your false beliefs, arrogance, and ignorance. Conquering yourself in such a way that you are not guided by your illusions alone, but by enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It requires questioning your intentions and seeking sensible answers for your desires and actions. IT REQUIRES WINNING THE BATTLE WITH YOURSELF. At this point, I always had the question: What if I desire material well-being and worldly splendor? Would I become weak in my spiritual journey? But Swami Vivekananda comes to the rescue, saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

It is wrong to think that spirituality means renunciation of all worldly possessions. Spirituality means making the best use of everything in life while being detached internally.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s it. You can demand anything in life, but your internal journey should remain unaffected by it. You can desire the best of the best and work toward achieving that, with one caveat: that desire should remain trivial compared to your ultimate goal\u2014which is self-conquest and liberation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now we shall come back to our original Question: Why is Society Disintegrating?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The increase in vulgar content and the daily rise of obscene video consumption cannot be ignored. Comedy under the guise of dark humor is becoming the norm, and if you don\u2019t conform to it, you are probably seen as outdated and irrelevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How have these contradictory forces coexisted? Before we look for solutions, we must acknowledge the two types of people emerging in society. On one side, there is a growing inclination towards spirituality; on the other, indulgence in materialism is increasing. However, I have also come across many individuals who talk about philosophy, yet their actions do not reflect their preaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can call this the Twilight of Consciousness. Our minds have now focused on fads, and we don\u2019t want to miss out on anything. We have been so consumed by materialism that we now wish to commodify spirituality itself. This is a bit contentious, but to understand this trend, we need to delve deeper into the question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Social Media Syndrome<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t do anything today unless we are persuaded by social media algorithms. People visit places, post about them, and then a larger crowd follows, ensuring Instagram picks up on the trend and fuels the latest FOMO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember our definition of spirituality: conquest. But instead of reigning over our impulses, we are enslaved by digital validation. People regurgitate profound quotes and share them online to convince their followers of their pious thought process, yet the conflict remains\u2014as their actions still seek validation online. According to an INC 42 report1<\/a><\/sup>, the Indian religious faith market was valued at USD 58.56 billion in 2023, with 10% of it ripe for capitalization by startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Self-Aggrandizement Trap<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you are flooded with opinions, you can\u2019t resist having an opinion about yourself. However, it will pain you immensely if your self-perception is not benevolent. We should act in ways that remain good in our own eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like in corporate culture, where no one wants to be labeled lazy or inefficient, we ensure that every trivial achievement gets highlighted to impress management. Similarly, we not only seek validation from online peers, but we must ensure our core beliefs align with our actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Article from Psychology Today2<\/a><\/sup> states that validation has the power to shape our sense of self, and that this sense of self can be responsible for either agony or ecstasy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Switching Personality<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One undeniable factor is the pendulum of human emotions. We often detach from the world when our desires remain unfulfilled. The peril lies in detachment being conditional, manifesting only in discontent, leading to a precarious spiral. The moment our desires are fulfilled, we embrace the world with open arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think back to childhood: when our parents refused to buy something we wanted, we would convince ourselves that they didn\u2019t care, leading to a spiral of neglected thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lack of Clarification<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To me, this is still a better place to be. Spirituality becomes effective when you begin to develop self-awareness. There is no shame in acknowledging that you are torn between two worlds. It is difficult, but the desire to explore both is what gives you peace of mind. This fight between two schools of thoughts can make you at ease. Remember, there are chemical and biological factors influencing your physical responses, and you can\u2019t change that. What matters is self-awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This journey will first reveal the worst in you, only to purge you from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duality: The Bridge Between Darkness and Light<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As light cannot exist without darkness, as mornings cannot descend without nights, the same applies to us. We may be crass content consumers, but often, this leads to self-rejection. The absence of peace forces us toward spirituality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where we transcend duality and become one with ourselves. Your greatest flaws can be the crucible for your highest evolution. Vulnerability leads to self-discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not about criticizing society for its rising interest in spirituality; rather, it is about authenticating our intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Buddha once said: “It is intention, O monks, that I call karma; for having willed, one acts by body, speech, and mind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If our intention is to become a noble society, then our thoughts and actions will not run parallel, but shall overlap. Only then can we transcend our contradictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source:<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

  1. https:\/\/inc42.com\/features\/decoding-the-cosmic-rise-of-indian-spiritual-tech-startups\/ \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  2. https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/intl\/blog\/modern-world-modern-mind\/202501\/validation-touches-our-sense-of-self \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The Mahakumbh of 2025 has been engulfed by an unprecedented surge of devotees, with projections suggesting that total attendance could soar beyond 60 crore by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"https:\/\/inc42.com\/features\/decoding-the-cosmic-rise-of-indian-spiritual-tech-startups\/\",\"id\":\"417298fe-bfd2-4c64-9b22-4b08628ed0a6\"},{\"content\":\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/intl\/blog\/modern-world-modern-mind\/202501\/validation-touches-our-sense-of-self\",\"id\":\"995938e5-cdab-42de-9949-cfd9e4f5ece1\"}]"},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nFaith vs. FOMO: The Rise of Spirituality in a Material World<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Mahakumbh of 2025 has been engulfed by an unprecedented surge of devotees, with projections suggesting that total attendance could soar beyond 60\" \/>\n<meta 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