Not a hypothetical Rawlsian veil of ignorance but a very real one obstructs our viewing of the future. Simply we do not know what is there in the future for humanity. The aggressive reassertions of the old values and the entrenched forces though give the impression of the return of the old twentieth century order, rather that may only be the last bright flickering of a dying order. The present is anything but about the past but it is the big take off point for a new future with massive build-up of forces happening right now, that we live with not to realise their criticality. The new norms, practices, institutions, instruments and their absences are getting into our lives thick and fast.
This makes the times critical for studying the unfolding of new realities with most care as the future is going to suck us into its unknown belly. This is the time for renewing contracts as people may not be sure of what may be in store for them in the future, and they would consent for a fair order with relative ease. The tasks we have before us are much more daunting than Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau had in their trying times. However, the bursts of technological innovations only contrast with the dumbness of collective minds. We are faltering badly and we may be inviting lots of pain when the new takes us along anyhow.
Niraj Kumar Jha
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