THE LIFE WE SEEK

The Life We Seek ~ 446 ~ McGill University’s Professor Michael Brecher has written a political biography of Jawaharlal Nehru. While preparing this book, he met Nehru several times. One of these meetings took place on June 13, 1956, during which he put to India’s late Prime Minister the following question: What constitutes a good society and the good life? Nehru replied: I believe in certain standards. Call them moral standards, call them what you like, spiritual standards. They are important in any individual and in any social group. And if they fade away, I think that all the material advancement you may have will lead to nothing worthwhile. How to maintain them I don’t know; I mean to say, there is the religious approach. It seems to me rather a narrow approach with its forms and all kinds of ceremonials. And yet, I am not prepared to deny that approach... I think it’s silly for a man to worship a stone but if a man is comforted by worshipping a stone why should I come in his way… so while I attach