The new age that is coming upon us

Despite what Sri Aurobindo tells about the intricacies of yoga and allied esoteric matters, the academic tone of his justifications for writing is very interesting as can be seen from his following comments on the ARYA.

• "We have been obliged in our first year for reasons we shall indicate in the preface to our August number1 to devote the Review almost entirely to high philosophy and severe and difficult thinking."
• "Its object is to feel out for the thought of the future, to help in shaping its foundations and to link it to the best and most vital thought of the past."
• "Our idea was the thinking out of a synthetic philosophy which might be a contribution to the thought of the new age that is coming upon us. We start from the idea that humanity is moving to a great change of its life which will even lead to a new life of the race,—in all countries where men think, there is now in various forms that idea and that hope,—and our aim has been to search for the spiritual, religious and other truth which can enlighten and guide the race in this movement and endeavour."

The present intellectual scene in India is no different and a ruthless approach towards all domains of knowledge is necessary. Let young people decide what they want to study without interference from elders. Let the Universities provide a plethora of short-duration options to choose from so that students experiment with different subjects. Language teaching should be dropped by the educational institutions and left to the voluntary sector. [TNM55]

References:

1. Essays in Philosophy and Yoga

2. The "Arya's" Second Year

3. Appendix: Passages Omitted from "Our Ideal"

4. The "Arya's" Fourth Year

5. Savitri Era Devotees: Sri Aurobindo's Journal "Arya"