Hunger: An article by Mamta Marwaha

Hunger is a state of mind in which our desires dominate us. There is dissatisfaction with what we have, and this feeling is driven by the thought that happiness lies in possessing or experiencing something currently out of reach. It is often characterized by constant inner restlessness and intense desires. The desires may vary from that for food, warmth or sleep at one end, to the desire for love, social justice or self-improvement at the other. It is this extreme desire that can completely distort one's perspective on reality.

 Our collective hunger as human beings has led to widespread depletion and the destruction of our natural resources. The humankind continues to indulge in a rape of the natural world in an effort to increase the standard of material well being.

 However, hunger does have a positive aspect too. The restless dissatisfaction that can cause much suffering to an individual, is also the very energy that he or she needs to achieve something
great. It is hunger that drives and motivates us. It propels people towards research, towards new horizons, to alleviating poverty or injustice across the globe.

 Thus the real challenge of the state of hunger lies in sublimating our desires and reorienting them towards creative and valuable ends. Inevitably, this means that we recognize our hunger and
somehow, channelize it away from merely satisfying our selfish desires and somehow link it to a desire for the greater good of people at large.

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