Nadarajah Manickam

Do we understand ourselves deeply? Do we know who we are? Do we critically examine our choices? Do we compassionately examine our relationship with others? Do we realise the impact of our choices, decisions and actions across space and time? Are we in touch with our emotions? Are we aware of how much we hurt ourselves, others and Nature?

Centre for New Humanities and Compassion Studies, Xavier University Bhubaneshwar (2019), Loyola Extension Services (LES), Loyola College of Social Sciences (2021)

The slides document explores the role of social communication in constructing meaning through cultural narratives and media influence, emphasising the significance of understanding and interpreting meaning in various symbolic universes. It discusses how dominant global media, particularly transnational corporations, shape perceptions and narratives that promote commercial interests while undermining critical thinking and public discourse. The text calls for the creation of counter-hegemonic systems to foster spirituality, sustainability, and new significant frameworks that empower communities. (2004)

"When someone is harmed, do I feel upset, angry, pity or nothing? What is my understanding of compassion? What emotions and thoughts come to me? What images come to my mind? What local or global events or incidents come to mind? What emotions do I feel? Is it critical for our social existence? Can I relate compassion to spirituality? Is empathy and compassion the same?

The Crossing. These slides document questions about our preparedness to face challenges today to build a better future. (Note: It features a sequence of stock images without a credited source to convey a message of endurance today leading to progress tomorrow. The author acknowledges that they did not create the images but has reassembled them for educational purposes, similar to their original religious context/intent. 2022)

This work is based on conversations with real people over a period of time in the 1990s and 2000s. It covers a complex set of emotions and states of being that we generally like to avoid.

Exploring. The margin. The liminal. The forbidden. The space of anarchy, pregnancy, resistance and creation. "While engaging the threshold, expect the unexpected and the birth of the new social." Developed around 2014. Now it is just there.

A growing interest in human stupidity and the damage/destruction humanity is facing because of stupidity. The 'stupidity, banality and complicity' mix is a disease that will lead us toward our own destruction! Explore Basic Laws of Stupidity Seven Degrees of Stupidity  Bonhoeffer’s Theory of Stupidity