Stories of Jivavarta: Dream (Fable)

One day, a pig dreamt about a mystic land behind the mountains, where there was lots of food, and eternal happiness. Enlightened with this knowledge, pig decided to move to that land.

As he was making his plans, he saw an old tortoise. In sheer benevolence, as was his nature, he decided to ask the tortoise to accompany him on the journey.

"I am going to the mystic land behind the mountains, where there is lots of food and eternal happiness. You should come with me.”

The tortoise looked at the pig with amusement. 

"There is no land behind the mountain, just a barren desert." said the tortoise.

The pig was hurt. “I saw the land in my dreams. Don't you trust my dream?" asked the pig.

“I would, but I know for sure that the land beyond the mountains is just a dry desert. I trust my knowledge.” said the tortoise. "Don't go there, its barren desert, with no food. You will die with hunger!” he added, and slowly walked away.

The pig felt insulted. Now, he wanted to prove to the tortoise that he was right.

He went straight to the crocodile. Keeping the safe distance, he said to the crocodile, "I am going to the mystic land behind the mountains, where there is lots of food and eternal happiness. Want to come with me?”

Crocodile smiled, and said, "I don't have to move, this is my mystic land. There are lots of rats here. So much food for me, I can live here for eternity without ever going hungry."

The pig was disappointed. These fools have no idea, he thought.

He walked ahead, and saw a bunch of rats hiding under a rock.

"Come rats, follow me. I am going to the mystic land behind the mountains, where there is a lot of food and eternal happiness."

The rats pondered for a moment.

"Okay, we will follow you." said the rats in one voice.

The pig was overwhelmed. “Let’s go!” he cried, and they set out to the land of his dreams.

They met the tortoise on their way.

“Hey tortoise, you did not believe me, but look at all these rats. They all believe me. They have faith in my dream. We are all going to mystic land.”

The tortoise took a look at all the rats.

“You think they believe your dream? They know that the crocodile will eat them any moment if they stay. They are following you to escape from their miserable reality. I face the same threat here, but I know that following you behind the mountain is certain death.” The tortoise smiled dolefully, and walked away.

The pig pondered for the moment, shrugged, and started walking towards the mountain. The rats followed him. They felt relieved as distance between them and the crocodile grew.

Reflection: Sometimes, people follow false prophets not because they believe them, but because they want to get away from their harsh reality.

Key Philosophical Concepts Represented

1. Wishful Thinking (Epistemic Voluntarism)
   Belief is adopted because it is desired, not because it is true. Truth is subordinated to hope or comforting illusion.

2. Self-Deception
   The agent genuinely endorses a belief for psychological or existential utility rather than evidential support, conflating desire with knowledge.

3. Epistemic Arrogance
   Subjective revelation or intuition is elevated above empirical observation or reasoned judgment, disregarding contrary evidence.

4. Instrumental Leadership without Responsibility
   A leader mobilizes others through belief or narrative without accounting for the epistemic and ethical consequences of their influence.

   
   

   Jivavarta is a fictional land created by Shon Mehta, where epic tales of power, survival, and social upheaval unfold, as seen in her novels The Timingila and Lair of the Monster, along with many other stories and parables set in this richly imagined world.

   
   

Originally Published Here: https://www.shonmehta.com/2016/08/the-dream.html