Borders & Power: The future of nation-state

Sandeep Dutt’s Masterclass

To discuss global challenges, nationalism’s role, and humanity’s future.

Key Takeaways

• Three existential threats—nuclear war, ecological collapse, and technological disruption—are compounding, creating a crisis that national-level politics cannot solve.
• The solution requires globalised politics that redefine national interests to include global cooperation. This means a “good nationalist” must now be a “globalist.”
• Traditional religions are irrelevant to technical/policy problems but are a major source of identity conflict. Their role has shifted from practical solutions to post-facto interpretation, which hinders progress.
• Teachers are urged to become globalists by engaging students with critical questions about the future (e.g., nuclear war, AI) and by contributing to the Read & Lead platform.

Topics

Existential Threats & Globalised Politics

The Problem: Three compounding threats—nuclear war, ecological collapse, and technological disruption (AI/bioengineering)—create a crisis too large for national governments to solve.

The Mismatch: A global ecology, economy, and science are governed by national politics. This structure is inadequate for addressing global challenges.

The Solution: Globalise politics by redefining national interest to include global cooperation.

Rationale: Protecting citizens now requires international collaboration.

Example: The European Union’s model of shared destiny, which fosters local identities within a continental framework.

Action for Teachers:

Engage students with critical questions for future leaders:

Actions to reduce nuclear war, climate change, and tech risks?

Vision for 2040 (worst vs. best case)?

Use these questions to expand student perspectives.

The Role of Religion

The Shift: Religion’s role has moved from practical solutions (e.g., agriculture, medicine) to post-facto interpretation.

Rationale: Science provides effective, verifiable solutions, while religion explains why prayers fail.

The Conflict: Traditional religions are a major source of identity problems, not a solution.

Rationale: They often fuel animosities (e.g., Nigeria, Philippines), hindering global unity.

The Opportunity: The core message of unity in scriptures (Bible, Quran, Vedas) can be a powerful force for global cooperation if the focus shifts from divisive “packaging” to the unifying “fire.”

Call to Action: Read & Lead Platform

Purpose: To foster a global community of educators who read, reflect, and collaborate.

Platform: GSI.in (legacy domain for Good Schools India, est. 1998), hosted on Substack.

Engagement:

Subscribe: Free weekly newsletter subscription.

Contribute: Submit reflections for publication.

Volunteer: Join the fellowship program to co-create content.

Certification Program:

Eligibility: Regular participation (10–12 blog posts/year).

Process: Sign up at www.diljeeto.com.

Cost: ₹3,000/year (scholarships available upon request).

Benefit: Certificate is recorded with Learning Forward (US affiliate).

Next Steps

All Participants:

Subscribe to Read & Lead at GSI.in.

Use the four critical questions to spark classroom discussions.

Consider contributing reflections or joining the fellowship.

For certification, sign up at www.diljeeto.com and submit 10–12 blog posts.

Sandeep Dutt:

Publish the updated Read&Lead newsletter on Monday morning.

Next Masterclass:

Saturday, October 17, at 5:30 PM.

Affection vs. Rejection: Understanding Their Impact Through Examples - Chandrani Singh

 

Affection and rejection are two powerful emotional experiences that shape how we feel, behave, and interact with others. Both play crucial roles in our lives, affecting our relationships, self-esteem, and overall well-being.

Affection is the feeling of love, care, and warmth that we show or receive from others. It can be expressed through kind words, gentle touch, thoughtful actions, or simply spending time together. I would like to give an example of my own life. This incident was about 4 years ago. There was a boy whom I taught in class 4th and now he was in class 11th. He was a hostler and very frequently some of the hostlers came to me and shared many of the things with me. So this guy whom I am talking about came to me and showed me some bruises on his arms. 

When I asked him about it he started crying and said ma'am the warden has beaten me. I asked him why don't tell your parents about it, and he said that ma'am it would be of no use because his parents would blame him only. He wanted to share it with someone so he came to me. He knew that I wouldn't be able to help him but still, he wanted to talk to me. I think somewhere in his life he got that affection from me, which he wanted from his parents. I wanted to give a hug to the boy but I couldn't, since he was in class 11th. But as I talked to him, he felt quite relieved. This act of affection not only comforts the child but also reassures them that they are loved and supported no matter what.

Rejection, on the other hand, is the feeling of being pushed away or excluded. It can be expressed through harsh words, neglect, or ignoring someone’s needs or feelings. As I gave the example above if the boy had not been rejected by his parents, then his feelings would have been different. Over time, this repeated rejection can make you feel unwanted or undervalued, potentially leading to feelings of loneliness or insecurity.

The Impact:

Affection nurtures positive emotions, fosters close relationships, and builds a sense of security and self-worth. When we experience affection, we feel valued, loved, and accepted, which encourages us to be open and trusting with others.

Rejection, however, can have the opposite effect. It can lead to feelings of sadness, anger, and isolation. Repeated experiences of rejection can harm self-esteem, making it harder to form and maintain healthy relationships.

Conclusion:

Understanding the difference between affection and rejection and how they influence our emotions is crucial. By being mindful of how we treat others, we can choose to express affection, fostering positive connections and contributing to a more supportive and caring environment. Recognizing the impact of rejection helps us be more empathetic and encourages us to be kinder in our interactions, ensuring that we don’t inadvertently harm those around us.

Chandrani Singh

Sunbeam School Indiranagar

Hiroshima Day 6th August - Ajay Vijayvargi

Hiroshima Day 2020 - On 6 August 2020, Hiroshima Day is observed to mark the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan by the United States of America. The day aims to promote peace politics against the war. Hiroshima day aims to raise awareness about the threat of nuclear weapons and the dangers of nuclear energy used for the destruction of mankind.

On 6th August 1945, more than 9,000-pound Uranium-235 bomb was loaded on a modified B-29 bomber, dropping the world’s first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This happened during World War II, that is, 1939-45. The explosion wiped out 90% of the city. It immediately killed 70,000 people and tens of thousands later died due to exposure to nuclear radiations. The bombings ended the Second World War. After 3-days, on 9 August, a second nuclear bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The second bombing killed an estimated 40,000 people. The then Japan's Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s unconditional surrender in World War II on 15th August citing the devastating power of a new and most cruel bomb.

During the Second World War Japan was against the United States America and its allies like Britain and the Soviet Union. The allies were winning the war and Japan was pushed back from several locations. During the war, several soldiers used to die every day and Japan had been at war for so many years. Later, Japan and China teamed up and attacked America. The then President of the US Harry S Truman wanted to surrender Japanese soldiers as quickly as possible and save lives. He permitted the nuclear bombing with a view that the Japanese will surrender after the destruction. The United States wanted to avoid the invasion of Japan through the land and by the Soviet Union. So, America dropped a nuclear bomb in Hiroshima, Japan.

A few years after the bombing, there occurred an increase in the incidence of leukaemia among the survivors. After a decade, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and other forms of cancer were also observed at higher than normal rates. The other effects included Pregnant women subjected to the bombing experienced higher rates of miscarriages and infant deaths. The children who were exposed to the radiation whilst in their mothers’ wombs were born with intellectual disabilities, impaired growth, and an increased predisposition towards developing cancer.

The detonation of the plutonium bomb led to radioactive dust particles falling out of the sky around the site of the explosion. Water and wind currents carried the radioactive dust across a much larger radius, effectively contaminating the ground, water supply, and the food chain. The contamination spread among agricultural plants, aquatic creatures, and terrestrial animals. Scientists also expected the effects of radioactive contamination to remain in the environment and the atmosphere up to decades. At least 66,000 people were killed and around 69,000 more were injured in the explosion alone.    

Hiroshima Day is observed annually on 6 August. Hiroshima Day 2020 marks the 75th year of the attack on Hiroshima. It reminds us of the bombing attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States during World War II in 1945.  At 8:15 am on the morning of 6th August every year, people mark the exact moment when the atomic bomb was dropped. At that moment, bells ring out at temples, sirens wail throughout the city and the citizens of Hiroshima observe a solemn moment of silence in remembrance of citizens who died in the attack.

Ajay Vijayvargi

The Fabindia School

avi@fabindiaschools.in