EP 268 . 05 Apr 23
Design of Peace
With Rajni Bakshi
In the episode
- What does nonviolence (Ahimsa) mean to you? Tell us a little bit about “Ahimsa Conversations”. How and where did all of it begin?
- Isn’t violence part of nature – “survival of the fittest”? Also one fights with oneself to perform better (an athlete for eg.) How do you see violence with this lens?
- How do you respond to criticism that non-violence is ineffective or idealistic in the face of oppression and violence?
- How do you see using non-violence as a means of social change? In your view, what are some of the key challenges to promoting and practicing non-violence in our communities and societies? Gandhi is the biggest example of changing the power structure through non-violence. Do you think it’s possible today?
- What is the long-term future of violence as a concept?
About Rajni Bakshi
Rajni Bakshi is an Indian author, researcher, and activist. Her work primarily focuses on issues related to non-violence, economics, ecology, and peace. Rajni is the founder and curator of Ahimsa Conversations, an online platform for exploring the possibilities of nonviolence. More about her in the show notes. I have been to Vipassana a couple of times and found that peace is an outcome of a war. This made me curious to have a conversation with Rajni on understanding the design of Peace. A small note before we start. These are complex subjects of a lifetime. As I and Rajni spoke about this before the recording, we are all exploring the right questions for the given answers.
