Aristocracy of Culture

An Aristocrat is generally understood to be from an (erstwhile, in these democratic times!) royal family or those with wealth & status. If closely analysed, however, birth does not necessarily make a superior being, as pointed out by Thomas Paine in his "Commonsense."    The shenanigans of the few extant Royals amply bears this out. Nowadays wealth is owned even by the Mafiosi. As regards status flaunted by Captains of Industry, Senior Civil Servants & Political leaders, it is only a human variant of the despicable "pecking order" in the animal & avian kingdom.

The true goal of human life, according to Hinduism, is no less than self-realisation. However, as it is very difficult to attain, (remember the story of Dhruva, who did not attain it immediately, as he had desired kingdom first), the next best exclusively human need is the quest for culture, i.e., knowledge (books), music & other fine arts. In ancient Hinduism, a cultured person had to be learned in 64 arts! Even in Victorian society, a gentleman or lady was conversant with literature (remember Maryanne & Col. Brandon continuing the poetry lines quoted by each other in Jane Austen's "Sense & Sensibility"!), could play the piano & even sketch a little.

Even now, Murakami, the famous Japanese author, has an audio system comprising Thorens & Luxman Turntables, Accuphase & Octave Amplifiers, Tannoy Berkeley & JBL  Speakers & more than 10,000 LP records.

Unfortunately in India, even the very wealthy, cannot think beyond owning ostentatious houses & fleets of luxury cars. One iconic Bollywood star, though owning a library, was so neglectful that he had housed it in his basement, which was flooded in the Mumbai rains!

The true aristocrats now are those who can  enjoy reading great literature, listen to music regularly & appreciate great art. If they can write creatively, play an musical instrument or paint a little, so much the better.