Of late I have earned the distinction of being a "Shaddi ka Photographer" due to my habit of dragging my camera along for seemingly trivial occasions. It is time I justify the habit.
I have never been a very emotional person ( at least externally), I do get pretty riled up sometimes but over the years I have learnt to hold back my emotions as I have learnt that shortcircuting my brain is not a viable option. Flashback!! My last day in school was the day when almost all the girls and some of the effeminate guys were in tears. I felt no such all encompassing pain for some reason and was rather bemused by people getting their shirts filled with signatures and crying like the Titanic just sank.. hilarious. There were many people who had brought cameras and were taking photographs, I was the least interested and spent most of the time actually taking the snaps rather than trying to be in them. It has been 12 years since that time has passed and I can safely say that I am still in contact with most of my classmates as compared to the camera wielding friends. However, when I look at the pictures that were taken then and find everyone else there but not me it somehow bothers me.. it is as if history has somehow forgotten my existence.
I have spent many a wonderful time with my family in fairy tale like settings in Arunachal, Sohra and other off the map locations. These were places that were hard to reach but once there it was hard to complain about the nerve wrecking journey. I have seen crystal clear rivers, enchanting wildlife, majestic mountains and all at an arms length away. The images are etched in my heart but I have no photograph to share. Is it selfish to hide away such a wondrous part of planet Earth in my mind? I have no option, my literary abilities cannot do justice to the imagery in my mind.
Now I am young and my mind vivid. I can feel the past and sense the passion that I had felt even a long time ago but I know it will not last. How will I savor the past a few years down the line? How will I tell people about the things I have seen, the people I have met when I have nothing but words. In todays modern world, visual imagery is everything, a picture speaks a thousand words. A photo of a small gathering of friends, a video of a thing as stupid as watching the clock set back an hour when DST is applied, a colleagues birthday... all insignificant by themselves but they are an undeniable part of my life and I choose to honor every moment. So yes, I am a "Shaddi ka Photographer" and I carry my camera around. I am not a photographer, I dont know the angles and the light and shadow effects.. I know the people, I know the place, I know myself and I know that every photo I take is a slice of time that I save for posterity.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Once upon a long time ago in Arunachal...
Its raining outside and the weather is what most people would describe as gloomy and correctly so. I however have been born and brought up in Shillong where gloomy days are the norm. Let me assure that once you have spent 16 years of your life waking up to a dull day and then mustering the courage to get to school/college, you are set for life. I digress. What this day reminds me of is my trips to Arunachal where my dad was on a "punishment" transfer for not having stooped to the general level of lowlifes as exist in India's government institutions.
He had to stay in Arunachal while we were in Shillong and it was not an ideal scenario. The bright spot in all of this however was that we had our winter vacations in Arunachal. The first few days there were mind numbing for us city folks.. no TV, a small town with absolutely nothing worth talking about, dumb people all around speaking a language we did not understand. That was not a great start to any vacation but we soon settled into a routine. My routine being the following.. wake up, mild exercise , break fast, swinging from rope to pole (yes, I tied a rope to a pole so sue me), lunch, sleep, read a few old comics, play cards, dinner and sleep. Don't get me wrong, I loved to laze around like that but what I hated most was the lack of ANY intellectual stimulation.
My dad had become friends with a few town folks and we decided to go on a picnic once. Its then that I realized that entire Arunachal is just a BIG, BIG picnic spot. You can drive you car through the trees and through dried up river beds and within a couple of hours you will be away from any sign of civilization. The only sounds being the steady rhythm of a sparkling river broken occasionally by the chirping of a bird. The rivers, with water so clear that you could drink it straight without any apprehension, seemed straight out of a poets dream. It was just awesome but the best part was the feeling that this was just the tip of the iceberg... that feeling was justified when we went to a place called Diban.
Diban, a place which was pretty far off from our place and we had to travel via car for quite some time to get there. The motivation for the trip was the trip itself and that beats any other motivation any day. The roads ( where they existed) were horrible and in most places we were just driving around rocky river beds, sand dunes, forests and what not. My family is pretty travel hardened so we endured pretty well and surprisingly even our dog who was the unfortunate passenger in a Maruti Gypsy's rearmost interior remained intact. Then came a bridge which seemed to have been constructed out of twigs.. yes twigs not logs. That's not all, entire sections were missing and there was a raging river some 1000 feet beneath. Hold on.. and there was an over turned truck right down there which looked like it had fallen off the bridge a couple of hours ago AND to top it all there was a sign "CROSS AT YOUR OWN RISK". That bridge was our only way and as the car edged along I remember just looking ahead. No one spoke a word. The car hobbled along. If God was impressed by prayers we would have got the Nobel prize for praying that day. We got off that bridge in one piece.
The next hurdle was a mountain road, just wide enough for a car, no crash barriers and a 1500 feet drop. Unfortunately, that was not the scary part. The scary part was the fact that there was a freaking waterfall gushing straight over the road and it looked powerful enough to jolt the car right down the precipice. Our driver ( who I regard as the only guy on the planet who can give Vin Diesel a run for his money) put the gypsy in the 4 wheel drive mode, asked us to get down and crawl to the other side of the waterfall while he tried to drive "through" the waterfall. Crazy right? Ha.. WRONG. We did a quick back of the envelope calculation and figured out that a lighter car would be easier to topple over so we decided to stay put in the car and drive through the waterfall. Whoa!! Was that Einstein running out of his grave?? Anyways, we did get through in one piece but we were completely shaken by the journey. No one spoke a word but we knew that everyone was thinking the same thing... nothing is worth taking such a big risk for.. least of all a pleasure trip.
Then we saw Diban. To be precise we saw the resort that we were to put up in. One look and then we just looked at each other. Everyone was grinning from ear to ear. I only remember thinking that if I had died and woken up in that place I would have taken that to be heaven. It was just that, a slice of heaven tucked away in a God forsaken place. Irony is the divine sense of humor and I have learnt to appreciate it. The resort looked something like a old Mogul era building but the wondrous part was that it was situated on an island. An island formed between two rivers, one river was the Digaru and I forget the name of the other. The striking feature of the rivers was that one was deep blue in color while the other was green and they merged just a few miles in front of the resort and then continued flowing around it. Forests all round and the distinct feeling that the forest was filled with tigers and wolves was just so exciting (Diban is a Tiger reserve). It felt so good to be alive. It was a short and sweet trip for us but one that I will remember for ever. It is funny how the things that leave a lasting impression on you sometimes have such humble beginnings.
He had to stay in Arunachal while we were in Shillong and it was not an ideal scenario. The bright spot in all of this however was that we had our winter vacations in Arunachal. The first few days there were mind numbing for us city folks.. no TV, a small town with absolutely nothing worth talking about, dumb people all around speaking a language we did not understand. That was not a great start to any vacation but we soon settled into a routine. My routine being the following.. wake up, mild exercise , break fast, swinging from rope to pole (yes, I tied a rope to a pole so sue me), lunch, sleep, read a few old comics, play cards, dinner and sleep. Don't get me wrong, I loved to laze around like that but what I hated most was the lack of ANY intellectual stimulation.
My dad had become friends with a few town folks and we decided to go on a picnic once. Its then that I realized that entire Arunachal is just a BIG, BIG picnic spot. You can drive you car through the trees and through dried up river beds and within a couple of hours you will be away from any sign of civilization. The only sounds being the steady rhythm of a sparkling river broken occasionally by the chirping of a bird. The rivers, with water so clear that you could drink it straight without any apprehension, seemed straight out of a poets dream. It was just awesome but the best part was the feeling that this was just the tip of the iceberg... that feeling was justified when we went to a place called Diban.
Diban, a place which was pretty far off from our place and we had to travel via car for quite some time to get there. The motivation for the trip was the trip itself and that beats any other motivation any day. The roads ( where they existed) were horrible and in most places we were just driving around rocky river beds, sand dunes, forests and what not. My family is pretty travel hardened so we endured pretty well and surprisingly even our dog who was the unfortunate passenger in a Maruti Gypsy's rearmost interior remained intact. Then came a bridge which seemed to have been constructed out of twigs.. yes twigs not logs. That's not all, entire sections were missing and there was a raging river some 1000 feet beneath. Hold on.. and there was an over turned truck right down there which looked like it had fallen off the bridge a couple of hours ago AND to top it all there was a sign "CROSS AT YOUR OWN RISK". That bridge was our only way and as the car edged along I remember just looking ahead. No one spoke a word. The car hobbled along. If God was impressed by prayers we would have got the Nobel prize for praying that day. We got off that bridge in one piece.
The next hurdle was a mountain road, just wide enough for a car, no crash barriers and a 1500 feet drop. Unfortunately, that was not the scary part. The scary part was the fact that there was a freaking waterfall gushing straight over the road and it looked powerful enough to jolt the car right down the precipice. Our driver ( who I regard as the only guy on the planet who can give Vin Diesel a run for his money) put the gypsy in the 4 wheel drive mode, asked us to get down and crawl to the other side of the waterfall while he tried to drive "through" the waterfall. Crazy right? Ha.. WRONG. We did a quick back of the envelope calculation and figured out that a lighter car would be easier to topple over so we decided to stay put in the car and drive through the waterfall. Whoa!! Was that Einstein running out of his grave?? Anyways, we did get through in one piece but we were completely shaken by the journey. No one spoke a word but we knew that everyone was thinking the same thing... nothing is worth taking such a big risk for.. least of all a pleasure trip.
Then we saw Diban. To be precise we saw the resort that we were to put up in. One look and then we just looked at each other. Everyone was grinning from ear to ear. I only remember thinking that if I had died and woken up in that place I would have taken that to be heaven. It was just that, a slice of heaven tucked away in a God forsaken place. Irony is the divine sense of humor and I have learnt to appreciate it. The resort looked something like a old Mogul era building but the wondrous part was that it was situated on an island. An island formed between two rivers, one river was the Digaru and I forget the name of the other. The striking feature of the rivers was that one was deep blue in color while the other was green and they merged just a few miles in front of the resort and then continued flowing around it. Forests all round and the distinct feeling that the forest was filled with tigers and wolves was just so exciting (Diban is a Tiger reserve). It felt so good to be alive. It was a short and sweet trip for us but one that I will remember for ever. It is funny how the things that leave a lasting impression on you sometimes have such humble beginnings.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Loan Hunter
Oh the woes of getting a home loan as an NRI! After having been through the torturous process of getting a Home loan sanctioned and disbursed, I can now look back at the horrendous roller coaster ride and look at where I went wrong.
The first assumption I made was that if a bank has an "online" application form then the application can actually be processed online. Turns out that this is absolutely not true. The online application is a marketing front designed to lure you into a false sense of hope that its going to be easy. What follows after submission of the Online application is another story.
The second assumption which haunts me till date is the fact that "NRI Services" can actually help you considering the fact that you are out of the country. When the service is "Online" and is for "NRIs" and the bank says that you need to be physically present in INDIA to submit the forms it borders on ridiculousness.
The well distributed architecture of the Bank where each branch is so autonomous that sometimes it does not even feel like you are dealing with two branches of the same bank is just awesome. The home loan is sanctioned somewhere, disbursed somewhere, the property verification is done somewhere and the amendatory document is submitted somewhere else. This seemingly vast expanse of random occurrences do seem to occasionally result in a satisfied customer once in a while. The probability however is extremely low.
The interest rates are well... "interesting". I have a comparatively good deal as of now so I will not whine too much but that was attained after a struggle that can only be compared to what the 300 Spartans had to do to while facing the Persians.
The number of documents required is vast and that is understandable as it is a question of substantial amounts. What I fail to understand is the lack of clarity in stating outright WHAT documents are needed. The iterative process of submitting documents is painful to say the least specially if one is out of the country. It is like, "Sir, you have submitted a billion documents so far and we appreciate it but you also need to submit your Birth Certificate, Power of Attorney and the Galactic Space Shuttle Permit" and all I can say is
" I see, I see, I........???"
The first assumption I made was that if a bank has an "online" application form then the application can actually be processed online. Turns out that this is absolutely not true. The online application is a marketing front designed to lure you into a false sense of hope that its going to be easy. What follows after submission of the Online application is another story.
The second assumption which haunts me till date is the fact that "NRI Services" can actually help you considering the fact that you are out of the country. When the service is "Online" and is for "NRIs" and the bank says that you need to be physically present in INDIA to submit the forms it borders on ridiculousness.
The well distributed architecture of the Bank where each branch is so autonomous that sometimes it does not even feel like you are dealing with two branches of the same bank is just awesome. The home loan is sanctioned somewhere, disbursed somewhere, the property verification is done somewhere and the amendatory document is submitted somewhere else. This seemingly vast expanse of random occurrences do seem to occasionally result in a satisfied customer once in a while. The probability however is extremely low.
The interest rates are well... "interesting". I have a comparatively good deal as of now so I will not whine too much but that was attained after a struggle that can only be compared to what the 300 Spartans had to do to while facing the Persians.
The number of documents required is vast and that is understandable as it is a question of substantial amounts. What I fail to understand is the lack of clarity in stating outright WHAT documents are needed. The iterative process of submitting documents is painful to say the least specially if one is out of the country. It is like, "Sir, you have submitted a billion documents so far and we appreciate it but you also need to submit your Birth Certificate, Power of Attorney and the Galactic Space Shuttle Permit" and all I can say is
" I see, I see, I........???"
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Cerebral Osmosis
I have always gone by the notion that no knowledge is trivial. I have a habit of asking question ( too many sometimes!) and I do border on getting on peoples nerves sometimes. The other hazard this entails is that I feel compelled to offer my insights on most problems at hand and thus it has earned me the reputation of being a "fundebaaz". I am still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or a bad one but occasionally I do see some people asking me for advice so I gather I am not a total screw up so far.
This fascination for learning has been a with me for a long long time now. I remember reading a
book called "Tell me Why" while in the 4th grade. That opened up a whole new world for me, a world beyond my syllabus books, a world beyond television and a world which very few people around me knew of. I was hooked on to those books and I started reading more and more. My parents were very encouraging and bought me the other books of the series which cost quite a bit during those days. That childlike curiosity has carried on somehow and even today, I cannot resist learning a hitherto unknown subject. The downside however is that I loose interest very soon and hence find it very difficult to get down to the nitty-gritty details of what ever I may be pursuing. The end result is that I am what you call the "Big Picture" guy. I have sufficient information to connect two discrete hypothesis but can prove neither :-(
The only solace I find is in Quantum Mechanics and Astro physics and I have spent a lot of time on these subjects. I have a mathematical bent of mind so Quantum mechanics does not freak me out but what I love more about these subjects is that they bring me to the edge of human understanding. It gives me the chance to interpret what I see and theorize on what I cannot.
I look at the empty space and think about Zero point energy and what could cause it. If intangible things like space and time can be subject to a very physical thing like mass then can we disregard the premise that an intangible thing like thought can effect the physical world?
The Universe is full of knowledge and the entropy of the Universe is increasing which in turn defines the direction of time. The logarithm of the entropy is what we call information. Does this mean that the accumulation of information by sentient beings effects the entropy of the Universe and hence the flow of time itself, time which in turn controls the rate of assimilation of this information in the first place?
The scientific part of me rejects this hypothesis outright because of its obvious inadequacies and because of its inherent inability to be quantifiable. However, I just have this tinge of suspicion in me that keeps on trying to convince me that there is a bridge between the physical reality and our mental projection of that reality. This suspicion is further re-enforced by observations like what is called the "Measurement problem" in Physics. To put it simply, an electron has a finite probabilty of being in a certain place at a certain time but unless an observer actually "looks" for it, it is impossible to tell where the electron is. Thus it can even be speculated if an electron exists in the first place or if it materializes only when a "measurement" is made. This is similar to the Schrodinger cat experiment as well which leads to a cat being both alive and dead at the same time. The predicament in both cases is due to the fact that the act of making a measurement implies a certain level of interaction with the system and that level of interaction may be enough to alter the system itself.
Once you begin doubting the electron then the world falls apart. I am beginning to wonder if the world we see and the lives we lead are anything but a mathematical model. Every point in life is a branching point in the space time continuum and the choices we make define the reality we encounter. Isint it a fact that happy people tend to lead contended lives, lucky people always tend to be lucky? These are intangible objects and maybe these people are unknowingly projecting their reality as they see it. Its a fascinating notion. It gives us the power to change the world as we see fit. Ohhh! I just may have rationalized the Matrix.
Well easier said than done. There may or may not be a link between conceptual and physical reality but the fact still stands that the Universe has been around for a lot longer than us so we definitely DID NOT imagine it all. There is physical reality and it is undeniable but it is also hard to imagine that the faculty of consciousness is geared for something as inane as survival and pro creation. When one average guy on planet Earth can close his eyes and think about things from Quantum Chromodynamics to Hawking Radiation, it is a victory for human intelligence and perseverance. We are a part of the synchronised framework of the Universe and our physical presence is indescribably miniscule but maybe we are measuring the wrong thing. Any sentient being that can stand up, look at the stars and ask "Who am I?" has more power then they imagine.
This fascination for learning has been a with me for a long long time now. I remember reading a
book called "Tell me Why" while in the 4th grade. That opened up a whole new world for me, a world beyond my syllabus books, a world beyond television and a world which very few people around me knew of. I was hooked on to those books and I started reading more and more. My parents were very encouraging and bought me the other books of the series which cost quite a bit during those days. That childlike curiosity has carried on somehow and even today, I cannot resist learning a hitherto unknown subject. The downside however is that I loose interest very soon and hence find it very difficult to get down to the nitty-gritty details of what ever I may be pursuing. The end result is that I am what you call the "Big Picture" guy. I have sufficient information to connect two discrete hypothesis but can prove neither :-(
The only solace I find is in Quantum Mechanics and Astro physics and I have spent a lot of time on these subjects. I have a mathematical bent of mind so Quantum mechanics does not freak me out but what I love more about these subjects is that they bring me to the edge of human understanding. It gives me the chance to interpret what I see and theorize on what I cannot.
I look at the empty space and think about Zero point energy and what could cause it. If intangible things like space and time can be subject to a very physical thing like mass then can we disregard the premise that an intangible thing like thought can effect the physical world?
The Universe is full of knowledge and the entropy of the Universe is increasing which in turn defines the direction of time. The logarithm of the entropy is what we call information. Does this mean that the accumulation of information by sentient beings effects the entropy of the Universe and hence the flow of time itself, time which in turn controls the rate of assimilation of this information in the first place?
The scientific part of me rejects this hypothesis outright because of its obvious inadequacies and because of its inherent inability to be quantifiable. However, I just have this tinge of suspicion in me that keeps on trying to convince me that there is a bridge between the physical reality and our mental projection of that reality. This suspicion is further re-enforced by observations like what is called the "Measurement problem" in Physics. To put it simply, an electron has a finite probabilty of being in a certain place at a certain time but unless an observer actually "looks" for it, it is impossible to tell where the electron is. Thus it can even be speculated if an electron exists in the first place or if it materializes only when a "measurement" is made. This is similar to the Schrodinger cat experiment as well which leads to a cat being both alive and dead at the same time. The predicament in both cases is due to the fact that the act of making a measurement implies a certain level of interaction with the system and that level of interaction may be enough to alter the system itself.
Once you begin doubting the electron then the world falls apart. I am beginning to wonder if the world we see and the lives we lead are anything but a mathematical model. Every point in life is a branching point in the space time continuum and the choices we make define the reality we encounter. Isint it a fact that happy people tend to lead contended lives, lucky people always tend to be lucky? These are intangible objects and maybe these people are unknowingly projecting their reality as they see it. Its a fascinating notion. It gives us the power to change the world as we see fit. Ohhh! I just may have rationalized the Matrix.
Well easier said than done. There may or may not be a link between conceptual and physical reality but the fact still stands that the Universe has been around for a lot longer than us so we definitely DID NOT imagine it all. There is physical reality and it is undeniable but it is also hard to imagine that the faculty of consciousness is geared for something as inane as survival and pro creation. When one average guy on planet Earth can close his eyes and think about things from Quantum Chromodynamics to Hawking Radiation, it is a victory for human intelligence and perseverance. We are a part of the synchronised framework of the Universe and our physical presence is indescribably miniscule but maybe we are measuring the wrong thing. Any sentient being that can stand up, look at the stars and ask "Who am I?" has more power then they imagine.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Home is where the heart is
After being out of India for more than two years I finally see a glimmer of hope that I will be heading back soon. Dont get me wrong, the stay abroad has been very ahem.. rewarding.. but more than that, it has shaped a lot of my present and my future.
On a personal front, I have made new friends, seen new places, learnt new things and more importantly have found the time to read more on Quantum mechanics.. something which could never find the time for in India.
On the professional front, the job has been great, people have been great and I have nothing but good memories which I gather is a rather fortunate occurence. I love the work culture in the US.. not all aspects but atleast the part about doing the job from 9 -5 sincerely. What I dont like is the taboo around socializing in office ( I dont mean going after females). For us, our social circle extends well into our professional life but not so much here. It has its pros and cons, the plus side of this segregation is increased productivity as no one is spending time in office discussing anything apart from work, the downside.. well the work place is not as "fun". I fancy myself as someone who is usually a quick worker so I think that 8 hours a day is more than enough to do your work as well as catch up with friends.. apparently the girl who chased me out of her cubicle thought otherwise :-)
All in all, India is awesome, the heat, the dust and the general "chalta hai" attitude. Well thats how I like it and I cant wait to be back and be a part of it all. Besides, I bought a flat recently and never in my life have I appreciated money like I do now. Its amazing how much blood you need to burn to get a roof over your head.. well hope its gonna be worth it.
Home is truly where the heart or the bank loan is :-)
On a personal front, I have made new friends, seen new places, learnt new things and more importantly have found the time to read more on Quantum mechanics.. something which could never find the time for in India.
On the professional front, the job has been great, people have been great and I have nothing but good memories which I gather is a rather fortunate occurence. I love the work culture in the US.. not all aspects but atleast the part about doing the job from 9 -5 sincerely. What I dont like is the taboo around socializing in office ( I dont mean going after females). For us, our social circle extends well into our professional life but not so much here. It has its pros and cons, the plus side of this segregation is increased productivity as no one is spending time in office discussing anything apart from work, the downside.. well the work place is not as "fun". I fancy myself as someone who is usually a quick worker so I think that 8 hours a day is more than enough to do your work as well as catch up with friends.. apparently the girl who chased me out of her cubicle thought otherwise :-)
All in all, India is awesome, the heat, the dust and the general "chalta hai" attitude. Well thats how I like it and I cant wait to be back and be a part of it all. Besides, I bought a flat recently and never in my life have I appreciated money like I do now. Its amazing how much blood you need to burn to get a roof over your head.. well hope its gonna be worth it.
Home is truly where the heart or the bank loan is :-)
Friday, April 24, 2009
Eagles eye view
Wow! Its been a while since I have penned down my thoughts. Probably because I havent "really" had any thoughts. Of late life has been just a roller coaster ride.. its been fun but hardly the kind of ride where you get to appreciate anything but the speed and the twists and turns.
My initial thought was to pen down the highlights of the past two years but the more I think about it the more pointless it seems. Which brings me to a more important question..
Is there a level of abstraction of looking at life that can make even living itself seem trivial?
The more life is looked at with a microscope the rougher it seems. People say that one should learn to laugh at oneself. People also say that learn to forgive. What is the common theme behind these age old tenets? Isint it the fact that they preach abstraction. If one can look at ones life from a vantage point seperating the event from the subject and the perpetrator then would the world be a better place to live it?
For instance, if someone pours a bucket of water on you when you are sleeping. You are bound to be angry. Why? Because YOU have been woken up, YOU are cold, YOU are wet and hence YOU are angry. Watching the same chain of events unfold for a stranger on television would elicit anything but anger.. strange isint it? Just seperating the event from the subject (YOU) turns a potential conflict into a script from a comedy flick. The pertinent question is how high can this level of abstraction go. Global warming, pollution, threat of nuclear holocaust.. on a tiny planet planet populated by simple minded savages.. a planet which rotates around an insignificant star in an insignificant corner of a galaxy.. a galaxy which is one of the billons probably teeming with life.
Does this mean that all our worries, pains, strive for perfection, our affections, our afflications are all inconsequential in the larger scheme of things? Maybe they are. However, if everyone stops reacting then we will have world peace but would this be a world worth saving? Do I have a point to make? Yes I do and it has all to do with salt.
Salt! I like a bit more on my food but many dont. What has that got to do with world peace you may ask.. well the point is that there is a level of abstraction for everyone. It is not a global standard that can be defined. Even the best cooks cant estimate MY need for salt can they!
The fact is that the more you distance yourself from the nitty gritty details of life, the happier you will be but what level of distance you maintain has to be your decision alone. Once your BP hits the roof you know its time to move to the next level of abstraction.
My initial thought was to pen down the highlights of the past two years but the more I think about it the more pointless it seems. Which brings me to a more important question..
Is there a level of abstraction of looking at life that can make even living itself seem trivial?
The more life is looked at with a microscope the rougher it seems. People say that one should learn to laugh at oneself. People also say that learn to forgive. What is the common theme behind these age old tenets? Isint it the fact that they preach abstraction. If one can look at ones life from a vantage point seperating the event from the subject and the perpetrator then would the world be a better place to live it?
For instance, if someone pours a bucket of water on you when you are sleeping. You are bound to be angry. Why? Because YOU have been woken up, YOU are cold, YOU are wet and hence YOU are angry. Watching the same chain of events unfold for a stranger on television would elicit anything but anger.. strange isint it? Just seperating the event from the subject (YOU) turns a potential conflict into a script from a comedy flick. The pertinent question is how high can this level of abstraction go. Global warming, pollution, threat of nuclear holocaust.. on a tiny planet planet populated by simple minded savages.. a planet which rotates around an insignificant star in an insignificant corner of a galaxy.. a galaxy which is one of the billons probably teeming with life.
Does this mean that all our worries, pains, strive for perfection, our affections, our afflications are all inconsequential in the larger scheme of things? Maybe they are. However, if everyone stops reacting then we will have world peace but would this be a world worth saving? Do I have a point to make? Yes I do and it has all to do with salt.
Salt! I like a bit more on my food but many dont. What has that got to do with world peace you may ask.. well the point is that there is a level of abstraction for everyone. It is not a global standard that can be defined. Even the best cooks cant estimate MY need for salt can they!
The fact is that the more you distance yourself from the nitty gritty details of life, the happier you will be but what level of distance you maintain has to be your decision alone. Once your BP hits the roof you know its time to move to the next level of abstraction.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Who makes life miserable?
Ever lie awake at night wondering why so many things are going wrong?
Ever get into trouble even though you are following the "good" path?
There are many factors affecting this seemingly infinite expanse of misery beneath our feet but let me introduce one of its agents.
These are people who always are ready to go and do something without the slightest thought about how it could or would impact another human being. I call them the "wreckers" for lack of a better PG 13 derogatory term.
These are the kind of people some call "spontaneous" but I do not. There is a fine line between being "spontaneous" and being a nut case. You are sitting alone at home and you decide to write a poem or draw a picture.. great. Thats spontaneous. You try face painting on your room mate while he is driving down a freeway at 80 miles an hour? Spontaneous?
Catch my drift? And also included in this category of folks are guys who think two steps behind what they are doing. These are the people who you will find setting out on journeys with no clues about what they are supposed to do when they get there. The worst part is that they dont suffer alone. Invariably they will have a "good" friend who will be just a phone call away and who will drop everything to come to their aid. Lucky for them but what about the good friend. Why does he need to screw up his well planned schedule to accommodate a bunch of nincompoops who couldnt plan in advance?
Misery seeks company and I can see the reason now.. A bunch of miserable people will get all the others into the mess as well. Working with idiots is the biggest health hazard ever. Damn.
So if you think you are the one who always ends up adjusting yourself to accommodate your friends then take a break. This cycle will never end. Its nature and you are at the bottom of the food chain of misery. Everyones out to get you. Run, run!!! AAahhhhh.
Ever get into trouble even though you are following the "good" path?
There are many factors affecting this seemingly infinite expanse of misery beneath our feet but let me introduce one of its agents.
These are people who always are ready to go and do something without the slightest thought about how it could or would impact another human being. I call them the "wreckers" for lack of a better PG 13 derogatory term.
These are the kind of people some call "spontaneous" but I do not. There is a fine line between being "spontaneous" and being a nut case. You are sitting alone at home and you decide to write a poem or draw a picture.. great. Thats spontaneous. You try face painting on your room mate while he is driving down a freeway at 80 miles an hour? Spontaneous?
Catch my drift? And also included in this category of folks are guys who think two steps behind what they are doing. These are the people who you will find setting out on journeys with no clues about what they are supposed to do when they get there. The worst part is that they dont suffer alone. Invariably they will have a "good" friend who will be just a phone call away and who will drop everything to come to their aid. Lucky for them but what about the good friend. Why does he need to screw up his well planned schedule to accommodate a bunch of nincompoops who couldnt plan in advance?
Misery seeks company and I can see the reason now.. A bunch of miserable people will get all the others into the mess as well. Working with idiots is the biggest health hazard ever. Damn.
So if you think you are the one who always ends up adjusting yourself to accommodate your friends then take a break. This cycle will never end. Its nature and you are at the bottom of the food chain of misery. Everyones out to get you. Run, run!!! AAahhhhh.
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