Look at western hemisphere of the globe; you would find that most of it is more developed, in terms of being modern and advanced, than eastern hemisphere (leave Japan and Australia out of the discussions for the time being). Go down to Continental level say Europe. Western European countries are more developed than East European countries. Now, move down to country levels. Take United States – western states like California, Washington etc. have been the first to bring scientific and technological advancements not only in USA; but also in the world. West of Russia is far more advanced than its eastern side. Western India is much more developed than its eastern counterpart.
Now, I want you to take you through amazing coincidence – western side of Mumbai Local railways had been strikingly richer, more advanced and developed than east side! It is only because of saturation and rising costs in western suburbs in Mumbai, that attention now is getting focused to develop east side.
A caution in this analysis – please do not split the hairs. Look at the overall scenario and trends at levels of masses and major areas, to understand the synthesis of this article. The notion of east relative to west just comes from the direction of rotation of earth and how “zero or starting time line (arbitrary) for a new calendar day was fixed somewhere on right side of New Zealand on 2-Nov-1868”. By that token, New Zealand (NZ) becomes the first eastern country; but if the same zero time line was to be fixed on left side of NZ, then NZ would have become last western country on earth! So, these notions of east and west are just human made; not absolute in any sense.
In short, every place, which we call as “eastern” could be west of “western” in one rotation of earth. So, please do not be surprised that at many places, east part is more developed than west!
Now, you would also notice a diagonally opposite feature of east. Eastern side is generally richer in culture, art, literature, traditions and spirituality. It beholds old values. On the other hand, west is more modern, materialistic, rationalist, propagator of new values, which may not have linkage to traditions, culture or spiritual values!
What is beneath such a great contrast between two hemispheres of globe to two opposite sides of a railway track – East & West? Is it a mere coincidence or a causal phenomenon?
It is not a coincidence!
Did you watch spectacular millennium celebrations in NZ and at Sydney Harbor in Australia at 12 midnight of 31-Dec-1999? They were among first to celebrate! Now, authorities or group of individuals watching these in San Francisco, USA could have improved upon and done even better, as they had nearly 24 hours in hands for their millennium night to come!
Moral of the story is West has got at least more than 52,000 opportunity days per person till date since year 1868, compared to East to improve upon ideas and develop more in relative terms. But, it is not that East was completely blind to what West was doing during that period. So, we can say West had better possibilities to develop on net-net basis.
What is the Secret?
Have weather, geography and natural resources i.e. natural factors in general helped West as opposed to East? It does not seem to be the case. Moreover, these would be frivolous, when we consider this phenomenon for the same city or state!
Evaluate the following:
Note – we are talking below of overall behavior of large section of population at a given place and not individuals yet!
- Psychologically, when we start a new calendar day, we tend to focus fresh on new or older ideas/thoughts.
- As the calendar day progresses, our focus shifts to things, issues or events, that have occurred in immediate past or just before.
- Towards end of the calendar day, we usually get time to brood over things of previous day and prior time! But, by then most people run out of time or energy or both. Even if new information or events occur at that time, on an average, people tend to lie low, as the day is getting over.
- What has been happening in East –
- Behavior pattern in East has been predominantly centered on point 1 above, as it sees and is subject to calendar day first. It is like a fresh start with less recourse to prior info!
- Above, over decades and centuries, has led to development of new and consolidation of old culture, art, traditions, spirituality etc.
- Modernization and rationalization took a relative back seat, because of split focus on point 3 above. Point 2 has kept East engaged with current and on-going problems.
- What has been going on with West –
- West has a unique opportunity of knowing longer history of a calendar day during their part of the day! For example, USA is able to see and evaluate events of the whole day in East as well as witness their own on the same very date; Europe and U.K. do it partly.
It is like a start with substantial prior info!
- Therefore, actions of West shifts more to point 2 as compared to 1 and towards end of its day, West has the possibility of knowing new and early events in East for the next Calendar day!!
- Above has enabled West to learn better lessons from what had happened in East, better prepared to make improvements, innovations and add new values. This also resulted in their shunning older order, seeking new and making them more rationalists.
This is one single biggest factor for scientific and technological advancements coming from West!
Note – One could always counter argue against above by saying in East, one or several individuals can or actually do work very long and in night to beat the effect of a calendar day. But, we are talking of behavioral pattern and efforts of several million people over decades and centuries, which have impacted development of countries and regions!
What needs to be recognized is how an Arbitrary Line for start of a calendar day on right side of NZ and effect of day’s cycle on human psychology has made all the difference in different regions of our planet!!
Now, coming to why above secret has not applied to Japan and to some extent to Australia/NZ. Do not be surprised, if I say the Secret does apply to them also. Look at closely the behavior and work culture of Japanese people. They have been functioning as West side of West, even if it has meant to be one day’s cycle latter. They have stuck to it; working harder, longer and disciplined to reach 2nd top position, even after ruins of World War II. Australia and NZ have followed Japanese example; but only partly.
So, what is the Message?
Contrast between West and East clearly proves that if you can learn from the past in every day’s cycle and then, make efforts to improve and innovate, you would bring terrific technological and scientific advancements. If you like to look fresh at new or older ideas at the start of every day cycle, you may not discover new or get stuck with old ones.
And, this becomes a precursor to redoubtable and reassuring revelation of a new subject of the next post on CYI!