International Nonviolence Day - What It Takes to Be A Mahatma

News Peg

Years ago the United Nations had declared October 2nd as the International Day of Nonviolence. On October 2nd 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born, and on January 30th, 1948, Mahatma (The Great Soul) Gandhi passed away.

When he was assassinated, Albert Einstein made the following statement: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” The greatest contemporary scientist felt the urge to say that the coming generations will not even believe that such a character could exist.

While many studies and commentaries have been written on his life, his autobiography exemplifies the quality that made him such an attractive leader for the entire world - his transparency, his vulnerability. It is astonishing that an individual who had the audacity to make the British Empire bow to his noncooperation, could be so transpicuous.

What It Teaches Us Today

We live in an era, in which leadership is defined by an aggressive, intimidating confidence. Whether it is in business, sports, or politics, the leaders we see with tremendous fanfare usually portray an aura of mystique and dominability. This, supposedly, is the mark of a valuable character. But, in “My Experiments With Truth,” Gandhi is as far from this notion as you would expect any national role model to be. In every page, you find a humble, continuously evolving individual.

This same graceful transparency is seen in “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” as we witness the intellectual and psychological growth of a national leader. Why, then, is there an obsession around a cult-of-personality in any sphere whose deepest flaws and shortcomings are unknown? Recently, in the Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, researchers provided evidence for what is known as the Beautiful Mess Effect. They argue that our notion of our own vulnerability is far more negative than other people’s.

In other words, we are emotionally moved by someone expressing their vices, but when we imagine ourselves doing the same, we see ourselves as extremely weak. 

Contrary to popular notion, self-disclosure brings about forgiveness, relatability, and empathy. Anna Burk, in her studies, found overwhelming evidence that acts of transparency, although seemingly weak to the individual, are seen as courageous to the audience.  This may be counterintuitive to grasp, as we often see egotistical leaders historically who are perceived as almost superhuman.

Psychologists argue that this may be due to various evolutionary and social reasons, involving the desire to follow someone who seems otherworldly and agrees with our biases. Nonetheless, the capability to disclose personal flaws allows others to feel engaged and in unison, says Paul Zak, a researcher who spent years attempting to understand the neuroscientific basis of human trust. 

As Gandhi authored his book and lived through the 20th century, various accounts inform the modern audience that he was always willing to express his darkest shortcomings. Furthermore, he would discuss his evolution - what allowed him to overcome his negativity, decision-making, and internal struggles.

From his guilt of lying, treating others unequally, or acceptance of injustice, he consistently explained how principles of the Bhagvada Geeta drove his pursuit of an uplifted worldview.

Maybe this is why millions of people across the world remember him as a personal and social role model on his birthday. Maybe this is why Einstein felt that generations will not even accept that such nobility could come with seemingly egoless transparency. Maybe this is why his leadership was influential. 

Often, when placing our famous athletes, artists, social leaders, and politicians on pedestals, we are attracted to a personality who does not succumb to the norm. This can easily segue into a following of those who reject any potentiality to err or previous shortcoming.

On the contrary, we have leaders who expressed their vulnerability without any attachment to their perceived image. Generational characters like Gandhi and Malcolm X may have decisions, with which we do not agree. But, their open-book evolution is what makes them role models. Neither did they succumb and neither did they explain themselves as flawless. In fact, they left a blueprint - improvement of self requires acceptance of flaw.