Is Modernity Compatible With Hindu Values?

The debate of tradition vs. modernity is now common in any society. Though the definition might not be clear to many, modernity’s effect is seen worldwide and thus every society witnesses its clash with tradition, and is in the dilemma of what to keep and what to jettison while proceeding into the future. While it is fashionable for many to argue that tradition and modernity can co-exist, the tension between the two is self-evident. In India this debate becomes more complex as India is one of the last ancient civilizations on earth still functioning as living systems.

Some scholars say that since secularism, a major component of modernity, is a product of a very Christian problem, hence modernity also has Christian underpinnings - and thus not ultimately good for Hindu society. Another group of scholars think that modernity is a novel invention of industrial revolution and scientific revolution in early modern Europe, but since it put an end to a Hindu society practicing varnashrama dharma it has been lethal to Hindu values and Hindu society. This big question will delve into this extremely difficult question and will present the view of the major stakeholders to the readers.