It has been quite a while since my last post on this blog. Strangely enough, I don’t have anything to say even now! It is so difficult to say anything original nowadays. As if everything that could be said about anything on earth, has already been said.
Come to think of it; what originality is actually left? Our thinking is predominantly based on what we have learnt, what we have learnt, is predominantly based on the experiences of other people or from books written by someone else, regarding life as they saw it. We know that red is red, because we are taught that it is “red”. What difference would it have made had one learnt to call red as orange from the very beginning of life?
Even in terms of everyday life, we end up doing what someone else has already done. I accept the fact that we end up doing it in our own special way, but there is nothing radical in it, is there? We end up filling into our boss’s shoes, we end up fulfilling the dreams of our parents... the dreams that they must have seen after seeing someone else live it.... we become husbands and wives and try to emulate the happiness and behavior of husbands and wives around us.... husbands and wives who are probably doing the same thing. Our homes either take a leaf out of Gothic, Rajasthani, Mughal or South Indian style of architecture; and even when we ‘try to break away from the rut’, we end up copying some vague modernistic design! Even, our radicalism is a product of inheritance!
I do not propose to start a movement wherein we break all the set rules and barriers and make something new... a new order..... sounds familiar?.... that was Communism, a hundred years back!... My point is... in spite of doing what someone else has already done.... we don’t seem to do it any better, do we?... so instead of setting a new world order, why not set this world into order based on what we already know or do?
Think.... Cerebrate....
Second Chances
An egalitarian would like to believe that we are all born equal with similar capabilities, strengths and weaknesses and hence, deserve to live in an equal society. But I've always begged to differ. After all, history has proved that equality has never been Man's forte. Man has always survived and flourished in a society segregated on the basis of caste, religion, gender or race. I have to admit to admit that Men are born unequal.
You see a Prince Harry or Prince William enjoying royalty in their early twenties, you see a Raphael Nadal sizing up to the brilliance of Roger Federer (case in point, French Open Finals, 2008) when he is hardly twenty, you see Shah Rukh Khan running after trains in Europe of DDLJ when he was in his mid- twenties..... and then you see, yours truly, a 35 yr old in the garb of a 22 yr old waiting for middle age to settle in at any time!..... If you care to observe you also see people in their early twenties still grappling with their graduations.... and the unfortunate many, who dont even get a chance to go that far in life.... It is tough to imagine that we were all born in the same earth in the era of 1985-1988 and yet we have all become so different from one another....
Psychology has long tried to settle the fight between innate capabilities and the impact of environment on personality development... the battle of Nature vs Nurture.... Some believe that we are already what we are destined to become, by the time we are born.... why still others believe that the environment we group up in has a louder say in how we eventually turn out to be.... But it has never been a case of either-or..... its always 'and'..... the circumstances under which we take birth and the environment that nourishes us.... both are equally important....
There is something to learn here too.... you see, if both these things are equally important then this automatically proves that nature by default has given Man a life line.... you see, if success is 100 then Nature and Nurture would be 50-50 each.... hence, even if one gets an unfair deal in one, he can always try and compensate for it in other.... so if you got on 20/50 in the birth stage of life, make sure that you get 50 in the growth stage of life.... If we carry this logic forward than it defeats the whole caste system on which our society has flourished so far..... Birth may be a water-tight demarcation.... it may brand you as a caste, sub-caste or sect for the rest of your life.... but you still have the nourishment.... you can still learn from the environment.... because environment is still equal for everybody....
And all this time, I thought that life never gave a second chance....
You see a Prince Harry or Prince William enjoying royalty in their early twenties, you see a Raphael Nadal sizing up to the brilliance of Roger Federer (case in point, French Open Finals, 2008) when he is hardly twenty, you see Shah Rukh Khan running after trains in Europe of DDLJ when he was in his mid- twenties..... and then you see, yours truly, a 35 yr old in the garb of a 22 yr old waiting for middle age to settle in at any time!..... If you care to observe you also see people in their early twenties still grappling with their graduations.... and the unfortunate many, who dont even get a chance to go that far in life.... It is tough to imagine that we were all born in the same earth in the era of 1985-1988 and yet we have all become so different from one another....
Psychology has long tried to settle the fight between innate capabilities and the impact of environment on personality development... the battle of Nature vs Nurture.... Some believe that we are already what we are destined to become, by the time we are born.... why still others believe that the environment we group up in has a louder say in how we eventually turn out to be.... But it has never been a case of either-or..... its always 'and'..... the circumstances under which we take birth and the environment that nourishes us.... both are equally important....
There is something to learn here too.... you see, if both these things are equally important then this automatically proves that nature by default has given Man a life line.... you see, if success is 100 then Nature and Nurture would be 50-50 each.... hence, even if one gets an unfair deal in one, he can always try and compensate for it in other.... so if you got on 20/50 in the birth stage of life, make sure that you get 50 in the growth stage of life.... If we carry this logic forward than it defeats the whole caste system on which our society has flourished so far..... Birth may be a water-tight demarcation.... it may brand you as a caste, sub-caste or sect for the rest of your life.... but you still have the nourishment.... you can still learn from the environment.... because environment is still equal for everybody....
And all this time, I thought that life never gave a second chance....
The Maximum City
I recently finished reading Suketu Mehta's "Maximum City"... I must admit that I read it, not to learn anything new about this wonderful city of Mumbai... but to reiterate my faith in its beauty..
Mumbai has everything going against it... It is bursting at its seams due to a dangerous heady cocktail of Pollution and Population... There seems to be a rather "parochial" (I dunno who quoted this word first, but the media has been lapping it up and regurgitating it again and again.. and I suspect if many users actually even know what it means).... so where were we??.... ah yes... there seems to a rather parochial tension flowing underneath the fabric of the society... Mumbai invites many, It cant handle any... It has a lot of money to flaunt, but none to give...
So what is so great about this city?? why is it that inspite of being reminded about the grim realities, a farmer leaves his acres and settles here in square foots?.... Why is it that inspite of all the complaints, nobody ever says that enough is enough... why doesn't anyone want to leave this city?...
Every person who lives in this city has his or her own reason for being here... so in a way, Mumbai is a city of close to 15 million reasons... some come here to satisfy their needs, some to satiate their greeds... some have nowhere else to go, while some have everything here...Mumbai shows a hope and a dream to everyone who comes in.... Contrary to what some "popular" parochial (there, i used it again!!) leaders might want to think, I find Mumbai to be one of the least biased cities in India.... I have seen Mumbai give a fair chance to whoever is willing to work... irrespective of caste, creed, religion or even nationality.....
If you look at it careful, there is not much difference between Mumbai and any other city in India... they have common problems of slums, poverty, dirt, pollution, electricity, water, roads, roaches and politician (the last two can be used interchangeably).... the difference lies in perception... while other cities with all their incongruences, give a sense of despair... Mumbai, with all its limitations, still manages to shine a ray of hope... a person walking on the street (quite literally, because the sidewalk is probably dug up!) will look at all the Audi, the Mercs and the BMWs and will feel invigorated... He'll try to go an extra mile so that if not the Merc, at least he makes enough to afford a BEST which would at least take him off the road....
Mumbai is a cruel place... and hence, it is safer.... it robs you off all your ignorance and innocense and makes you street smart... Here, you fight against the criminals, by having a criminal streak of mind... women are safer, because they know how to fight, and know how and which expletives to use on whom....
Mumbai, as a city, is greater than the combination of all the people who inhabit it.... Mumbai is the summation of their aspirations.... aspirations, which are not quantifiable.... Mumbai cannot be the domain of a few... It is as much of the poor, as it is for the rich.... I thank Mr. Mehta for giving it the sobriquet of "Maximum City"...... It has a maximum of heaven and hell, on offer... It is up to you as to what you take from it....
P.S.:
Parochial: adjective
Relating to or supported by or located in a parish
Narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
Mumbai has everything going against it... It is bursting at its seams due to a dangerous heady cocktail of Pollution and Population... There seems to be a rather "parochial" (I dunno who quoted this word first, but the media has been lapping it up and regurgitating it again and again.. and I suspect if many users actually even know what it means).... so where were we??.... ah yes... there seems to a rather parochial tension flowing underneath the fabric of the society... Mumbai invites many, It cant handle any... It has a lot of money to flaunt, but none to give...
So what is so great about this city?? why is it that inspite of being reminded about the grim realities, a farmer leaves his acres and settles here in square foots?.... Why is it that inspite of all the complaints, nobody ever says that enough is enough... why doesn't anyone want to leave this city?...
Every person who lives in this city has his or her own reason for being here... so in a way, Mumbai is a city of close to 15 million reasons... some come here to satisfy their needs, some to satiate their greeds... some have nowhere else to go, while some have everything here...Mumbai shows a hope and a dream to everyone who comes in.... Contrary to what some "popular" parochial (there, i used it again!!) leaders might want to think, I find Mumbai to be one of the least biased cities in India.... I have seen Mumbai give a fair chance to whoever is willing to work... irrespective of caste, creed, religion or even nationality.....
If you look at it careful, there is not much difference between Mumbai and any other city in India... they have common problems of slums, poverty, dirt, pollution, electricity, water, roads, roaches and politician (the last two can be used interchangeably).... the difference lies in perception... while other cities with all their incongruences, give a sense of despair... Mumbai, with all its limitations, still manages to shine a ray of hope... a person walking on the street (quite literally, because the sidewalk is probably dug up!) will look at all the Audi, the Mercs and the BMWs and will feel invigorated... He'll try to go an extra mile so that if not the Merc, at least he makes enough to afford a BEST which would at least take him off the road....
Mumbai is a cruel place... and hence, it is safer.... it robs you off all your ignorance and innocense and makes you street smart... Here, you fight against the criminals, by having a criminal streak of mind... women are safer, because they know how to fight, and know how and which expletives to use on whom....
Mumbai, as a city, is greater than the combination of all the people who inhabit it.... Mumbai is the summation of their aspirations.... aspirations, which are not quantifiable.... Mumbai cannot be the domain of a few... It is as much of the poor, as it is for the rich.... I thank Mr. Mehta for giving it the sobriquet of "Maximum City"...... It has a maximum of heaven and hell, on offer... It is up to you as to what you take from it....
P.S.:
Parochial: adjective
Relating to or supported by or located in a parish
Narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
Conundrum of Hopes and Dreams....
It is funny to see how close poets come to understanding life. Considering their tendency to being utter quirks, we never expect them to even care of life, let alone know about it. But they do... they really do.... Why else would Robert Frost have said "two roads diverged in a yellow wood"...
We all have our own proverbial private forks in the roads... It comes at different times for different people and means different things to different people.. My fork has come.... there was a time when I was fond of quantifying the number of forks, I've been through... but frankly, it was just taking a lot of my time and patience..
A very long, pampered, excessively dependent period of my life is coming to an end... In the words of DJ in Rang De Basanti, I'm going to the other side of the college gates.... and I can get a feeling of everything thats about to change.. one of the biggest change is the strange confusion of hopes and dreams...
Previously, all dreams were safely classified as dreams... things which could be obtained only by some freaky change of events.... but now, dreams seem so achievable... its like previously i thought, I'd buy that car some day.... after cashing in on the provident fund cheque or something.... but now I have the tenacity to assume that I may be able to get a loan for it or something after 4-5 years of hard "meaningful" work!!.... that is of course discounting the fact that I'd have to save every penny of my earnings and would not be able to spend on luxuries of life like food, water, clothing and shelter etc!!..... but thats a small price for a car, isn't it??...
There was a time when the land acquisition rates in Mumbai were exquisitely meant to quote as trivia.... "Do you know that a flat at NCPA, Marine Drive, went for Rs 98,000 a square foot?!"... but now, my heart skips a beat everytime there is a talk of tweaking in the home loan interest rates!.... all this, when I'm not even elligible for a two wheeler loan for next 6 months!!...I know that I'm still thinking in raving discordant thoughts like Raskolnikov of Crime and Punishment... but I can see that the tenacity has increased...
If you look at life in closer details, you'll see that at any stage of life, we are as happy as the ratio between dreams dreamt and dreams achieved.... the closer this fraction comes to One... the better off we are and happier we are with ourselves.... I'm starting out this phase with many tenacious dreams.... only time and future blog posts will tell me how happy I am....
We all have our own proverbial private forks in the roads... It comes at different times for different people and means different things to different people.. My fork has come.... there was a time when I was fond of quantifying the number of forks, I've been through... but frankly, it was just taking a lot of my time and patience..
A very long, pampered, excessively dependent period of my life is coming to an end... In the words of DJ in Rang De Basanti, I'm going to the other side of the college gates.... and I can get a feeling of everything thats about to change.. one of the biggest change is the strange confusion of hopes and dreams...
Previously, all dreams were safely classified as dreams... things which could be obtained only by some freaky change of events.... but now, dreams seem so achievable... its like previously i thought, I'd buy that car some day.... after cashing in on the provident fund cheque or something.... but now I have the tenacity to assume that I may be able to get a loan for it or something after 4-5 years of hard "meaningful" work!!.... that is of course discounting the fact that I'd have to save every penny of my earnings and would not be able to spend on luxuries of life like food, water, clothing and shelter etc!!..... but thats a small price for a car, isn't it??...
There was a time when the land acquisition rates in Mumbai were exquisitely meant to quote as trivia.... "Do you know that a flat at NCPA, Marine Drive, went for Rs 98,000 a square foot?!"... but now, my heart skips a beat everytime there is a talk of tweaking in the home loan interest rates!.... all this, when I'm not even elligible for a two wheeler loan for next 6 months!!...I know that I'm still thinking in raving discordant thoughts like Raskolnikov of Crime and Punishment... but I can see that the tenacity has increased...
If you look at life in closer details, you'll see that at any stage of life, we are as happy as the ratio between dreams dreamt and dreams achieved.... the closer this fraction comes to One... the better off we are and happier we are with ourselves.... I'm starting out this phase with many tenacious dreams.... only time and future blog posts will tell me how happy I am....
Time is of the essence...
Ah! what a luxury it is to waste time!.... specially when you know that you really cant afford to do it... The high is comparable to igniting a 5 buck cigarette with a 10 buck note.... It proves nothing to anybody (except of course that you are spoilt li'l brat!)..... but somehow, it still gives a high..... a higher sense of being.....
Wasting time comes naturally to me.... I've wasted precious time in all crucial situations in my life.... writing poems a day before the physics paper in board exams, watching movies while preparing for exams, getting a luxurious 8 hour sleep before the exam day, making presentations 1 hour before giving them..... but still, I am here..... no love lost, no ATKTs fought... a good clean academic record...and mind you, a life well lived...(hopefully*)....... but sometimes it makes me wonder, what I could've done had I worked harder instead of wasting time on frivolous activities..... then again, I would'nt be writing blogs.... coz my blogs are usually my way of laughing back at misery....... case in point, this post is 3 days prior to my submission of my MBA grand project....... I rest my case!
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is supposed to have said once that for him, time is of the essence... I wonder if I'll even get the privilege of knowing as to when time will actually become of essense for me..... till then.......
An after thought: Please do not try to ignite a 5 buck cigarette (or any cigarette for that matter!) with a 10 buck note..... other than the fact, that its an absolute mean and inhuman thing to do, its also a blatant disrespect towards our nation..... Please treat the currency as a symbol of the nation.....
* Every fool is entitled to a private paradise.... my paradise took a somersault when I realized that I've used the word "hopefully" in a wrong manner, all my life!!......Hopefully is an adverb. It's not a verb as it is most commonly used. Using the word correctly as an adverb means to substitute it instead for the phrase “full of hope” or "in a hopeful manner." ...... stop smirking, su......
Wasting time comes naturally to me.... I've wasted precious time in all crucial situations in my life.... writing poems a day before the physics paper in board exams, watching movies while preparing for exams, getting a luxurious 8 hour sleep before the exam day, making presentations 1 hour before giving them..... but still, I am here..... no love lost, no ATKTs fought... a good clean academic record...and mind you, a life well lived...(hopefully*)....... but sometimes it makes me wonder, what I could've done had I worked harder instead of wasting time on frivolous activities..... then again, I would'nt be writing blogs.... coz my blogs are usually my way of laughing back at misery....... case in point, this post is 3 days prior to my submission of my MBA grand project....... I rest my case!
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is supposed to have said once that for him, time is of the essence... I wonder if I'll even get the privilege of knowing as to when time will actually become of essense for me..... till then.......
An after thought: Please do not try to ignite a 5 buck cigarette (or any cigarette for that matter!) with a 10 buck note..... other than the fact, that its an absolute mean and inhuman thing to do, its also a blatant disrespect towards our nation..... Please treat the currency as a symbol of the nation.....
* Every fool is entitled to a private paradise.... my paradise took a somersault when I realized that I've used the word "hopefully" in a wrong manner, all my life!!......Hopefully is an adverb. It's not a verb as it is most commonly used. Using the word correctly as an adverb means to substitute it instead for the phrase “full of hope” or "in a hopeful manner." ...... stop smirking, su......
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