We put a lot of our own money into Auroville and the local population.
I am personally not against money, as long as it is not abused to build up power and prestige.
Unfortunately, money has become much more than a means of exchange.
Later I understood Mother better in that respect. But it doesn't mean that the “no money” had to become a dogma. Money was needed and everywhere, call a spade a spade.
But I understand that we, as human beings, have to evolve towards a society where nobody needs to go hungry anymore, where everyone has what is needed to live a humane, dignified life.
In that sense I didn't feel there was hypocrisy.
The hypocrisy lay in the fact that other fellow citizens were blocked from joining Auroville.
I can appreciate what they have built, it was not always easy. But in that all the reason why they had joined Auroville was forgotten.
And then they started to each construct their own fiefdom.
It was wonderful to turn a semi-desert into woods and to help villagers climb out of poverty.
Sri Aurobindo says somewhere: “We have conquered the heavens, but not the earth.”
I suspect it's going to be a long road.
I don't want to judge, but I do want to get to understand why Auroville was caught in this web of narcissism. And to make sure we know how to stay out of it.
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