Satyajit Roy on Liberal Mind

Seventy-eight years ago, we gained independence. But is that really true? Does a country gain independence, or do its people? A country is a political region, what we call a map—but that region will never be significant if it has no people. Without people, the concept of independence for that place doesn’t even arise. Where people are free, they must preserve that freedom and understand its true meaning. And to do that, we must first prepare the individual. If the individual is not prepared, then independence has no meaning.

To build that individual, their mind must be liberated in various aspects, such as education, health, and the freedom of women and children. The people of a country can only create a good society when they possess a free mind, free from any form of mental enslavement.

To make this concept easier to understand, I’d like to discuss it in more detail. In English, the mind is referred to as ‘MIND’—M, I, N, D. ‘M’ stands for Mature Judgment, ‘I’ for Individuality, ‘N’ for Nonconformity, and ‘D’ for Dynamic Thinking. If a person’s mind is developed with these four qualities, they can possess the free-thinking mind that will guide their future.

In the context of freedom, mature judgment refers to being involved in various environmental projects. Everyone talks about climate change. But have we ever reflected deeply on why climate change is happening? How much is our lifestyle responsible for it? We need to consider these matters. By evaluating the surrounding conditions and our own experiences, if we can develop our own judgment, we will demonstrate mature judgment.

Individuality means having one’s own original thoughts. We are all different. I will not blindly follow others or imitate them without judging any event or matter through my own perspective. My work will be active, not passive. If everyone can bring activity into their work, they will add value through their actions. If we keep doing the same thing over and over, we won’t progress. To advance, we must bring originality into our thinking.

Individuality is shaped in various ways—through the surrounding environment, education, and experience. Individuality depends on when, how, and to what extent I accept something, based on my judgment. This process is something I need to learn and also teach the next generation so that they can think independently.

For mental strength, a courageous mind is necessary. Many traditional rules have been so deeply ingrained in our society for centuries that we hesitate to oppose them. Have we ever considered whether it is truly right to follow all these rules? Is it the absolute truth? If not, then how can we challenge these entrenched norms? How can we examine these rules against our own thoughts? This type of thinking defines a courageous mind. If we can protest against unjust norms, we will move toward progress.

Life is always in motion. When it interacts with the surrounding environment, evolution occurs. What I believed to be true yesterday may not be true today. I won’t remain confined to the traditional ideas I believe in. To be progressive, I must elevate my thinking to understand the future and enhance myself—that’s what dynamic thinking is.

Through this virtual meeting today, we have been able to share our thoughts with about 500 people, something we might not have been able to do individually. We must acknowledge the progress of technology, the advancement of civilization, and prepare ourselves by staying updated for the future world. The emergence of progressive thinking will happen in this way.

An open mind is created when we learn to break and rebuild ourselves repeatedly. In this endeavor, our elders, guides, environment, good books, and education can all help us. The true success of progressive thinking will be realized when we can instill this process of new thinking in our future generations.

Freedom does not only mean the independence of a country; it also means the liberation of the mind—the freedom to become a good human being. Therefore, freedom speaks of values, it speaks of universal education. This is what we want to pass on to our future generations. Stay well, stay healthy—on that note, I conclude my speech.