The evil aspect in Planning

[sravna]

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Everyone considers that to be successful in executing future actions, planning is vital. It is indeed true that without a good plan you may falter in implementation. So it indeed should be given its due importance. But I think we have started to give it undue importance.

The sad aspect of planning nowadays is that it is being used to successfully carry out evil activities and negatively influencing people's behaviour. What is an undesirable consequence of this? When you plan and are serious about it you do not want to deviate from it. Especially when so many events hinge on the success of your plan. So basically this rules out the possibility of a change of mind in the middle even if something happens which would under normal circumstances make your conscience take over. But this is very unlikely to happen when something is meticulously planned.

One interesting point that may be said regarding this is that we need to plan mainly to do bad and little for doing good.

 

[padders]

"if you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

Hi Sravna:

I'm not quite sure if I understand what you mean. Most things have to be planned- whether it is a marriage, your finances, a project,etc. These I'd classify as "good" actions. Of course, even evil actions, like terrorist activities, are planned meticulously.
I think sticking to a plan is for the most part good, although I agree with you when you say that it shouldn't be done blindly. Sometimes a change of plan is necessary mid-way.But still, for most things in life, esp. "material" things, we plan. You know the old saying: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
However, spiritual growth is something quite different and perhaps this can't be planned. is that what you mean?

 

[sravna]

Hi Sravna:

I'm not quite sure if I understand what you mean. Most things have to be planned- whether it is a marriage, your finances, a project,etc. These I'd classify as "good" actions. Of course, even evil actions, like terrorist activities, are planned meticulously.
I think sticking to a plan is for the most part good, although I agree with you when you say that it shouldn't be done blindly. Sometimes a change of plan is necessary mid-way.But still, for most things in life, esp. "material" things, we plan. You know the old saying: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
However, spiritual growth is something quite different and perhaps this can't be planned. is that what you mean?

Dear Padders,

I agree you need to plan for many events. But doing good deeds requires less planning. Your decision to uplift poor people requires no elaborate planning. How you do that may require some planning but you do not have to really worry about that. Here only you decide the course of events. On the other hand if you decide to harm somebody, not only you but also the potential retaliation of the person you are trying to harm has to be planned for. The planning is lot more elaborate.

The obsession with planning sometimes makes you think that you can stage manage any event. This is especially at bigger levels such as at the level of an organization or at the level of governments. That is the evil aspect I am talking about as it makes you feel like God.

 

[padders]

Absolutely! I agree.
On another note, I find people who plan excessively (ie to suit their own nefarious purposes) are usually caught out and fall flat on their faces. Or, at least, I like to think so! ray2: But that is an entirely new discussion!
Thanks for your explanation.
Regards,
Padders

 

[renuka]

Dear Sravna,

The human mind is as fickle as the waves in an ocean.
Yes..we all keep planning for anything.

Planning is the function of the Manas and carrying out the plan is the function of the Buddhi.

Planning is part of human nature..even when we want to drink water, we plan in our mind..and with that plan signals are carried to the brain and periphery to get up..fill a glass of water and drink it.

We need the thought process to execute a task..so planning is indeed essential for life for actions that require the brain.

For actions that are reflex for eg when an object comes close to our eyes..the eye lids close as a reflex.
When we sneeze the eye lids close as a reflex..that we can not plan.

Doing any deed which requires the brain function involves planning.

Even to pray..we need to plan to get up..take a bath and then go to the prayer room for prayers.

Planning as I said earlier is just a thought process and nothing more.

So there is no such thing as good deeds require less planning and evil deeds require more planing.

It all depends on what the action is and what scale it is..planning to do Annadhanam for 1000 people needs more planning in terms of resources,venue,recipients etc....on the other hand gossiping and spreading rumours requires less planning..all we need to do is get a good CNN/BBC type of person and gossip and the news spreads like wild fire!LOL

So I do not feel the less planning = good
More planning = bad.

 

[vgane]

In Corporate world planning is the first step before execution...Stephen Covey who is the author of best selling Management book " 7 Habits of Highly Effective people" calls it as Sharpening the Saw which is a precurson for success...It increases your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you

I do agree that Planning is being done for nefarious activities...However it will not lead to mental or spiritual upliftment of the doer...

 

[sravna]

Dear Sravna,

The human mind is as fickle as the waves in an ocean.
Yes..we all keep planning for anything.

Planning is the function of the Manas and carrying out the plan is the function of the Buddhi.

Planning is part of human nature..even when we want to drink water, we plan in our mind..and with that plan signals are carried to the brain and periphery to get up..fill a glass of water and drink it.

We need the thought process to execute a task..so planning is indeed essential for life for actions that require the brain.

For actions that are reflex for eg when an object comes close to our eyes..the eye lids close as a reflex.
When we sneeze the eye lids close as a reflex..that we can not plan.

Doing any deed which requires the brain function involves planning.

Even to pray..we need to plan to get up..take a bath and then go to the prayer room for prayers.

Planning as I said earlier is just a thought process and nothing more.

So there is no such thing as good deeds require less planning and evil deeds require more planing.

It all depends on what the action is and what scale it is..planning to do Annadhanam for 1000 people needs more planning in terms of resources,venue,recipients etc....on the other hand gossiping and spreading rumours requires less planning..all we need to do is get a good CNN/BBC type of person and gossip and the news spreads like wild fire!LOL

So I do not feel the less planning = good
More planning = bad.

Dear Renuka,

My point is that the capacity to harm others increase because humans can to a certain extent influence future events. This is done by planning.

A good deed is done when you are able to access truths that are deep and they come to the surface spontaneously. Even in the implementation you go by the same spontaneity. May be evil thoughts come naturally to many persons. But planning for bad deeds requires lot more attention to details. That is what I was trying to convey.

 

[V.Balasubramani]

Sir, Proper Planning and neat execution is a must for success of any event despite 'Murphy's law'. Diligent people foreseeing hindrances/bottle necks in execution, will have two/three plans for a single project and when something happen to Plan A they will switch over to Plan B as a matter of smooth process. Planning is a good weapon but deends upon the handler. Planning for nefarious activities, will yield penalty at one point of time. Penalty for what? Penalty for meticulously planning such a nefarious act. Mundaka upanished says Sathyameva Jayate. I have seen few who never plan and when questioned simple answer that 'Let us cross the bridge when it comes.'

Vazhga Valamudan

 

[renuka]

May be evil thoughts come naturally to many persons. But planning for bad deeds requires lot more attention to details. That is what I was trying to convey.

Dear Sravna,

Yes..for some people evil thoughts come naturally even without planning.
It all depends on our mindset.

One incident I can never forget is when I was a trainee doctor..there was one more female doc who used to try to project herself as the best and try to land others in trouble.

She was told by the consultant to bring patients to the ultrasound room for ultrasound.

Then when I entered the room..she asked me politely to hold a file for her as she was holding many other files.

Then all of the sudden the consultant took the file from my hand and said "who brought this patient? this is the wrong patient"

Before I could say a word that female doc who had given me the file earlier told the consultant that it was Renuka who brought the patient and thats why the file is in her hands and the next moment the consultant yelled at me!

I tried telling him that it was not me who brought the patient but he refused to listen saying the file was in my hands ..so it has to be me who brought the patient.

So I realized that very second that the other female doc had realized that she brought the wrong patient and cunningly asked me to help her hold that file and put the blame on me.

This did not even take 2 minutes..she planned it so fast.

So those who are evil actually think fast to execute their evil plans.

For such people planning a good deed might take a long time or might not even be possible.

 

[sravna]

Dear Renuka,

As a rule of thumb I would say the good focus on the big picture and the wicked on the details. Both may be necessary but I am talking about the focus. So, the (d)evil is in the details

 

[renuka]

Dear Renuka,

As a rule of thumb I would say the good focus on the big picture and the wicked on the details. Both may be necessary but I am talking about the focus. So, the (d)evil is in the details

Dear Sravna,

The good also look into details but the details do not have bad intention.

Ok I will give you a simple example:

I am not trying to say I am good but this is just a example.

Last week a relative gave us some sweets to eat.
They had bought it when they went out station.

After eating the sweets me and mum both got mild sore throat.

Ok this relative also has a small child at home who loves to eat sweets.

So I was thinking that I should tell the relative not to give the child the sweets cos the child also could get sick.

But you see I had to stop and think..telling a relative that the sweets they gave can make one sick they might take it wrongly and think we are blaming them.

So how to handle this case??

So I had to say it in a different manner.I had to tell the relative that I felt the sweets even though it tasted good might not that be real suitable for a child to consume it cos its can give the throat a mild inflammation most probably due to the coloring in it.

So you see if one does not think of the details a whole relationship could be spoiled.

So I feel even the so called good also pay attention to minute details.

 

[sravna]

Dear Renuka,

Exactly. The details in a plan of the good are driven by the big picture. Everything is seen as a whole. The evil or the perverted on the other hand can derive happiness out of isolated and silly events. The point is that even the details by themselves could make them happy. So the reason for focus on details.

 

[sravna]

Dear Renuka,

In the incident that you cited, if for example I assume you were not a good person, and also assume that you needed a favor from the relative. You plan to impress her by saying that the child should not eat the sweets because she might get sick. Here your focus is not on how to prevent the child from getting sick but to somehow impress your relative. So when we do something phoney the outward behaviour and hence the details take precedence.

But actually you did not worry about all such things because you had a good intention. For the good, the focus on the big picture comes naturally and for the evil the focus on the details come naturally.

 

[vgane]

Dear Renuka,

In the incident that you cited, if for example I assume you were not a good person, and also assume that you needed a favor from the relative. You plan to impress her by saying that the child should not eat the sweets because she might get sick. Here your focus is not on how to prevent the child from getting sick but to somehow impress your relative. So when we do something phoney the outward behaviour and hence the details take precedence.

But actually you did not worry about all such things because you had a good intention. For the good, the focus on the big picture comes naturally and for the evil the focus on the details come naturally.

Dear Sravna Sir,

I am unable to resist comparison with Corporate world again...When we use to compare Leaders with Managers, we say what differentiates the 2 is that Leaders have the big picture and possess the long term vision while Managers are supposed to focus on the details and the short term

 

[Raghy]

Everyone considers that to be successful in executing future actions, planning is vital. It is indeed true that without a good plan you may falter in implementation. So it indeed should be given its due importance. But I think we have started to give it undue importance.

The sad aspect of planning nowadays is that it is being used to successfully carry out evil activities and negatively influencing people's behaviour. What is an undesirable consequence of this? When you plan and are serious about it you do not want to deviate from it. Especially when so many events hinge on the success of your plan. So basically this rules out the possibility of a change of mind in the middle even if something happens which would under normal circumstances make your conscience take over. But this is very unlikely to happen when something is meticulously planned.

One interesting point that may be said regarding this is that we need to plan mainly to do bad and little for doing good.

Sri.Sravna, Greetings.

This is an interesting OP and an interesting discussion. In a recent conversation, my sister-in-lawa's husband said " we are trying to take credit for the successful completion of many events undertaken by us, but any event can't take place without God's grace and ancestor's blessings!". Well, I had no intention to debate with him.

But in reality, we don't just expect one plan to succeed. We Do have option A, B, C .... So on. Often times if someone is stuck with just one plan, their chances of success is a bit limited. My point is, most successful persons do provide for flexibility in any planning. Rigidity in a plan is not desired too much.

It is interesting to note about your mentioning ' evil activity' and ' good activity'. I don't think there any thing like that. We just have activities. The effects of activities vary and there are times we may not even have any control over that. I can think of few examples.

In my experience, I found it very hard to establish one's innocence on the face of accusations. I faced them few Times in my life.

I have not planned too much in my life. Most often than not, I did not have the luxury of choices. Few times I had the insight about my own vulnerability due to lack of choices too.

Since I consider a decent plan should have flexibility, personally I think planning is not a bad idea. But like my sister-in-law's husband mentioned, success may not just depend upon our capacity only.

Cheers