The fear of the unknown...

Well, tell me as to how many people try out something different because they want to and not because others want them to. And tell me as to how many people end up not doing things because they are more worried as to what others would think.

More importantly, how many people have the courage to overcome the despair and demotivation that easily accompanies us when we indeed try something that we think is not our cup of tea. In one of my recent non-fictional reads, I came across this argument. People often say, "I know what I like". It so happens, that this statement "I like what I know" is equally true. What stops people from doing new things, especially in a world where we can never claim to be perfect in anything?

The Fear of the Unknown
I have seen people ruling out things because they think that they are not capable of doing them. As Paulo Coelho says in The Alchemist, the fear of the suffering is worse than the suffering itself. Do people expect the journey towards learning to be so rosy that they can do almost everything under the sun without perspirations and bouts of despair. If it were so be, then what about people who are the stalwarts or icons in the field that is closest to their heart - be it technology, science or arts. People often tend to forget the struggle and tears of these established icons.

Narrow-mindedness
I have seen people commenting on issues that would and should clearly be out of their circle of concern. Someone commenting as to how boring J.S.Bach is, when in fact, most books use his pieces to explain certain fundamental elements of music. Why do people sometimes highlight their ignorance in such a vulgar fashion? Ironically, people expect others to respect their jaundiced opinions.

By the way, there do exist Adult Art learning programmes that encourage adults to start learning something new. The world seems to look down upon adults beginning to learn something new. The world thinks that talents are naturally born and so the talented would naturally be on their journey towards the elusive perfection. But, are all talents harnessed at the right time? And if yes, when is the right time?

There is no free lunch. Along with the occassional bursts of happiness and sense of achievements that the new adventure definitely brings, despair and frustration keep surfacing not so infrequently. While the heart is happy that it is trying out new things, the ever-critical mind tells it about the abysmally bad performances.

The best way to end would be "Know your limits; and destroy them".

Who is a genius?

Are geniuses born or are they created? Do geniuses crave for recognition or does it generally happen. Do they seek inspiration at all. What keeps them going? What is the main motive for their being prime-movers?

Satisfaction, I guess, is the key to living for these geniuses. While there are people who love to be called "geniuses" and to whom humility is a word unheard of; there are an equal set of people who hate recognition, who love to do what they love to do, not necessarily what they are best at, and who further care a damn for the world, etc.

Do they ever have downs in their life? Is it all a sweet and a rosy path? Do they weave wonderful theories out of their mind. Beethoven used to compose while he was roaming in the fields. A highly romantic and creative pursuit, but, is it wrong to compose with the instrument by your side. Einstein was different. Leonardo Da Vinci was as spectacular as versatile.

Doesn't it seem sometimes that God has gifted a few people with more faculties of learning than the others or is it that people do not realise that they are capable of doing wonderful things.

Education......

Well, the objective of most people, would be to get a decent education, get a decent paying job, and "settle" down. In an era, where people seem to associate the acceptability of an another person with money, money plays a key role in the matching game. They say love is blind, but how many examples would there be of a really rich girl eloping with an equally poor boy or vice-versa. Well, all that I can say, is that this is real filmi. :)

What decides a person's earning capabilities? His intelligence, his business acumen or luck. I believe that it all depends on education. People well-educated do end up on the higher end of the spectrum. There might be exceptions like Bill Gates, but then there are always exceptions to the general rule. What makes a person become a bus driver or a conductor? We never realise this, but those are real tough jobs. We always blame the bus corporations for poor service, but what are these souls to do for problems that are well outside their circle of influence or control? What distinguishes a man who works as a "server" in a restaurant from a person working as a cobbler or from a person working in an white-collar job?

The answer lies in education. In this era of competition, the performers are distinguished from the non-performers on the basis of marks. But what about the people, who do not know as to whether they can perform or not in the very first place? I am not talking of motivating non-performers out here, but of people who are DENIED education. What was their fault? Why does life seem to be so cruel for them? Education is the means and the sole means for the betterment of humanity. Well, some might be of the opinion as to how the knowledge of history or chemistry would help a person in his life, when only a few follow up on that subject for higher studies. This author believes that each and every subject in the curriculum, is necessary for the moulding of the young person. It is for that person to decide later as to what appeals to him.

And it should be education with a difference. Each student should be taught to respect an another person and importance given more to learning rather than roting subjects for marks. The student should be encouraged to follow his/her dream and importantly love oneself and be grateful for everything. If only, the whole world were at peace with each country working towards the betterment of the humanity in general, wouldn't the world would be a BETTER place to live in? Imagine diverting those huge huge expenditures on defence and warfare towards the education of the people!!

Money....

Not every one is born or created equal. There is a section of the society that considers itself to be less privileged. They feel that God is not being fair to them. Every day of living becomes an achievement for them. Their basic needs for mere sustenance are simply not met. And on the other side of the spectrum are really well-to-do "stinking" rich people who simply do not know as to what to do with money! So, should there be an equalitarian distribution of money? Put in other words, is communism justified? If so, then why did it fail? It is not prudent for me to comment on the failure of communism or on the very theory itself.

Is capitalism justified? Is it all right to be so so selfish? Is it all right to be materialistic? Is there ever an end to materialistic wants, especially when it has become fashionable to go in for high-end luxury cars when decent priced ones would do. The attitude of the people is more towards flaunting their wealth and status. They somehow do not seem to do justice to the basic need of a car. The author is really confused when it comes to these two modes of economy. Does capitalism respect merit and communism denigrate the same? Do merited people make money? Is money the only consideration for successful living? All that I know of, is that money is ONE big crippling factor for many.

This is the era where corporates appease their "capitalistic" egos, by funding NGO's and social service projects. Well, help in any form is desirable and welcome. But, has anyone thought of spending "value" time for any of these schemes? Why do corporates do this in the first place? Well, the cynical me thinks that they do it for their own selfish gains. They can proudly claim of having done something for the society! Why blame the corporates alone? Well, most of us, barring a few really noble souls, claim to do good, so that we are at peace with ourselves. The paramount reason for "service" often turns out to be not "service" but the selfish motive. Does man need to use the helplessness of an another man in such a cruel manner for his gains?

Well, I am really confused when it comes to these questions, with seemingly no answers. Would anyone be willing to enlighten me on these issues?

Global Citizen...

Recently, I was asked to consider by two different friends - the possibility of working in some remote place in Africa or in an another third world country (other than India) or working in the US itself for the betterment of humanity. One was of the opinion that more work gets done here than anywhere else. The other felt that my ardent love for my roots - India was kind of narrow-minded. One felt that I was running away from materialism, and the other felt that if indeed I were to work to make a difference in the lives of many, then why not a place compared to which India could be called "developed".

To say the least, both views stumped me. Am I running away from materialism? Is the concept of a global citizen a fallacy? Or is it that the view that more work gets done here an excuse for materialism?

Would this ever be a possbility? The whole world seen as one huge country with different states, people free to move around wherever they want to (without the problems of visa's and without being termed aliens), a unified currency (extension of Euro), and respect for work (each gets paid in the same currency for his productivity), and importantly respect for the individual (despite his race, creed, caste, sex, etc.). I personally feel that global citizenship would be a possibility only when the world is seen as one. Wishful thinking, right?

Marksist Hegemony....

Right from childhood, a lot, repeat a lot of emphasis is placed on marks. People seldom realise that the present education setup is tailored towards the Marksist Hegemony. Children are taught to respect marks. They pass judgements on the capabilities of their peers at such an early age based on marks. Parents also make their worries or nervousness about the child's performance known in an unpleasant manner.

The natural question.. Is it deplorable to be a marksist? Marks are, but a tangible outcome of our hardwork and effort. But, sometimes, marks do not do justice to the Principle of Knowledge. The outcome seems to depend on those hours. So, does obtaining high marks translate to being good at the subject? If you can honestly convince yourself that your knowledge is not at sale courtesy marks, then I suppose being a marksist is healthy.

Educational institutions depend on the insane, yet, logical yardstick of marks for their academic input. Why do most institutions seem to prefer oiling the "oiled" minds only? Sadly, the world recognizes only such institutions that produce excellent results by following the coward's approach.

Arts, an enriching creative pursuit, is often relegated to the background. Children who would love to pursue a career in arts or journalism are punished by being forced into other respectable pursuits. Talents remain hidden. And ironically, all are capable of doing wonderful things.

Who other than He/She is to decide as to a person's mind is "oiled" or "not-so-oiled"?

Survival of the Fittest : A Fallacy ?

Who is to decide if a person is capable of doing wonderful things or not? It so happens that with the excessive, (often) unhealthy, competition referred to as "Survival of the Fittest", a person might find himself engulfed in an overpowering wave of helplessness and hopelessness. Who decides if a person is capable of surviving or not? The world, yes, the selfish, ruthless world decides and often passes judgement on people about their capabilities.

The judgement of the world!

We can find that the root cause of this detestable phenomenon manifests from the desire of man to excel at the cost of another. What is wrong with the beautiful vision of the celebration of achievements in everyone? The connectivity comes from the respect of the individual. Why do people resort to unhealthy practices and often sell their souls for the so-called recognition and fame? This might seem to be completely antagonistic to the principle of "Selfishness as a virtue". Well, it is a virtue as long as it is not at the cost of an another soul. On the same thread, was Howard Roark seeking recognition? Parasites (Peter Keating), who have sold their souls, don't shirk in claiming recognition, for something that is not theirs. The Principle of Recognition doesn't always seem to work.

Furthermore, sadism seems to be the order of the day. People look towards people less-fortunate than them and think, "Well, I am better off". This often translates to a state of complacency and a dangerous feeling of security when in fact, they are way off from being "better off". Why do they not look towards people "better off " than them? Why do not people use their strengths to work towards the celebration of life - their own and that of others? Why do people focus on negativity and weaknesses?

Engineering.....

While seeing the movie, "Swades", this thought about the present state of Engineering struck me. Doctors seemingly do justice to their profession by specializing in Medicine after their bachelors. People pursuing Law do end up as Lawyers. In this regard, Sciences and Commerce could also be included with Medicine and Law. Engineers are about whom I am more worried about.

An engineer by profession, (atleast that's what the world says or thinks!), and specializing in the same field (fortunately), I cannot help but wonder as to how many people infact pursue their specific undergraduate field of study. Sadly nowadays, disciplines like Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, etc. are not preferred. Why is it that these disciplines are in such a sad state? Most parents would want their ward to pursue Computer Science or Electronics, and the irony is that neither the ward nor parent(in most cases!) know as to what these two disciplines actually involve at the time of admissions. With so much of peer pressure, and the neighbour's son doing Computer Science at IITK, and a colleague's daughter pursuing EEE at BITS, Pilani, the desire to make their ward famous among their circles, does seem to get on their nerves.

Again, I might be wrong in making such an indiscriminate generalization, but I feel that most of the so called Mechanical, Chemical, Civil, etc. engineers finally end up in the IT industry or switch over to Management/Services. Engineering has sadly become a platform for seeking higher and more lucrative pursuits for them. Agreed, that money plays an important role in our daily lives; But, should the primary field of study be sacrificed in such a shameless manner? Well, there are some people, including friends of mine, who were born to be managers. I do not want to raise a dabate now on whether managers are born or created out here. But, what about the others, who turn towards IT/Management/Services not because they are genuinely interested, but because of the money factor?

Well, I am not a saint. I might have been or was one like them. I am now in one of those saught-after disciplines. I do not want to point fingers at them. It is just that, the time has come for all of us to realise the glory of these neglected disciplines. I was wondering as to what these engineers were doing, when in fact they could be building dams and improving the infrastructure of the country, maybe not easy as it sounded in the movie "Swades", but nevertheless still DO something to bring a light into their lives.

Indianness III - Our gourmet ancestors....

Have you ever wondered? Our ancestors somehow developed the knack of eating in a simple yet grand style. What when eaten with what would give the best taste. Consider these eclectic combinations, where each one seems to be indispensable now.

• Adai + Avial + Vellam/Gur + Butter
• Dosa + Sambhar + Chutney + Molaga Poodi + Masala (Alu Sabji)
• Curd Rice + Vadu Maanga (piece + saline juice) + Fried Salted Molagai
• Bisi Bhele Bath + Ghee + Papad/Chips/Vadam
• Raw Mango/ Nellikai + Chilli-Salt powder
• Vada + Sambhar
• Pori (Puffed Rice) + Kadalai (Groundnuts..)

Additions welcome.

Indianness II - Cinema...

The present state of Indian cinema makes me wonder as to what the "newer generations to come" would appreciate. Would we be doing justice to this very medium of cinema? Who is to be blamed for the arrant trash that is being produced in the name of cinema? The public or the cinema makers?? In a never-ending tale of the cinema-maker trying to appease the public for money(?) there has been a spate of movies in the recent past that are more shocking to this author than anything else. The very land which produced remarkable cinema makers like Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, etc. is a mute and a sad spectator to this.

The author feels helpless. What is wrong with the people, or rather, what is wrong with him? Why doesnt he like what the mass junta likes? Who is wrong?

Indian cinema is now at its nadir, be it any language, be it from Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, or whatever. Once in a while, a few movies appear as a refreshing breeze in a highly polluted once virginal atmosphere. It is now nothing more than sex, lust, violence, crime, and a crass interpretation of an emotion that is divine - love.

An interesting anecdote. When this author went to MusicWorld to shop for VCDs recently... in the modern hindi section, he was shocked to find covers (neatly arranged next to each other) that would give the porn industry a run for its money. Each actress(?) in the cover was vying with the another on who bares it all! India that produced adorable icons of beauty - Madhubala, Nutan, Jaya Bhaduri, etc is now a silent crying witness to this. The actresses then were plainly dressed in simple starched cotton sarees and looked highly natural. Emotions were on full display, courtesy their very presence, eyes, gait, etc.

Examples of some memorable movies with a strong flavour of Indianness and underlying messages would be Seema, Pyaasa, Kaaghaz Ke Phool, Sujata, Bandini, Anand, Amar Prem, Piya Ka Ghar, Koshish, Mausam, Masoom, etc. Song sequences were integrated with the movie and were thus an indispensable part of the movie. Now, it is more a commercial necessity. Love is the emotion that has been brutally tortured in this process. A man and a woman, in the company of a dozen extras in skimpy outfits, are shown to profess their love for each other! Compare this with the brilliant picturization of these two songs, the author's eternal favourites.

• Jalte Hain Jiske Liye - Sujata - Sunil Dutt sings this song to his lover Nutan over the phone
• Jaane Woh Kaise Log The - Pyaasa - Guru Dutt puts his ex-lover to shame, makes her highly uncomfortable for her wrong in a subtle manner

Songs then were also with brilliant lyrics.

It really gives me the creeps to think as to what would happen if this present trash were to become evergreen oldies of the past for the future generations! With increased acceptance of such movies without any protest (the rapid increase of such movies is indicative of this), this might very well become true.

The so called modern people look down upon these pre 1980 and B/W movies. Sadly a case where ignorance is not bliss. I have nothing against these people. It is just this helpless gnawing feeling about the legacy we might be "gifting" to the generations to come, my children and yours, that makes me feel angry with myself.

Is this evil plaguing Indian cinema alone or is it universal?

Indianness I - India and the concept of Swades...

Disclaimer : This blog was written before the author saw "Swades".

A topic that would hit the raw nerve of any Indian outside India. Well, I am out here, in the land of dreams(?) for many. To me, it was more a case of necessity - the desire to study higher in a field with limited opportunities in India. India - my motherland .. what would I not give to be out there again??

Life out in the US is totally different. It pisses me off when these very Indians who had been in India all this while start behaving as if they were never in India at all after coming to the US. People openly begin to criticize. Criticism without any action is useless. Nothing can be worse than that. Forgetting our roots for the sake of this very own materialistic comfort is abysmally bad. However, this is not to say that all Indians out here in the US are like that. There are a few voluntary social service organizations like AID, Asha, etc. that work for the development of India with a dedicated NRI volunteer base.

It is not prudent to generalize or point fingers at either side. There are people who would strive for the development of India, no matter where they are. As always, there would be these people who just talk and do nothing else about it.

The Indianness,available in India only, is something that cannot be possibly traded for materialistic comforts. I had been to India recently, and India has changed a lot. Materialism has hit India like a plague. Bangalore, an epitome of this sad phenomenon. People working in MNCs get paid a pittance when compared to their counterparts out here in the US and are happy. Wouldn't a starting salary of 5 lacs p.a. be enough for an Indian? What would they do with so much money? People go to these so called Western joints like McDonald's, KFC, Subway, etc. 6 visits to Saravana Bhawan/ Adyar Ananda Bhawan would be the near equivalent to this in terms of money. But, what would I not give to have those mouth watering Adai-Avial, 14-mini ghee idly, masala dosa, sambhar vadai, tandoori items, bhel poori, pav bhaji, chole samosa, etc..

The belief that the ABCD teenagers are floating without roots is not entirely true. I had been to a gathering of ABCD's and was surprised to find them engaging in pursuits like Gita Discussions, Bhajans, etc. They seemed to know a lot about India, despite their acquired American way of life. I do not blame them. They are doing the best in the circumstances. Finally, it depends on the moulding of the child by the parents.

I for one wouldnt want my children to miss India, esp. Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, Cricket, Carnatic/Hindustani Music, Dance, etc. India shouldnt just be a travel destination for them. Recently, this incident happened. The grandparents at best could show the snaps of their recently born grandchildren on their computers. The time, when they need to be told stories - Grandmother's tales and play with their Grandfather, they are sadly not there. A brother was not able to attend his sister's marriage due to some VISA problem. So Is it truly worth It?

Been in the South for a long time. So the following para might involve a lot of Madrasi flavour.

The very hustle-bustle of the Indian cities/towns is not there.. I miss that.. The narrow roads of Mandaveli-Mylapore, the crowded streets of T Nagar, flower-sellers on the roads, the potti-kadais, the Indian women in traditional sarees with jasmine flowers on their hair (way off from these ladies in the US.. ), the crowded buses, people on footboard on these buses, the tough bargaining on the streets with sellers, the umpteen cyclists and pedestrians, the haggling and fights with the autorickshaw-wallas, the electric trains, people crossing the railway tracks..not caring for their lives..the eternally crowded Madras Central Station, relatives coming to the stations to escort the visitors, the porters - how they are never satisfied with the "coolie".. the pathos of menial labour, the dignity of labour, the value of education, the school going kids - dressed to impress!, the temples, the gopurams, the beggars outside... the secular feel, the beaches of madras, Brigade Road of Bangalore, the kolams outside the houses, the smell of coffee, the early morning rituals of suprabhatam/ tiruppavai(now is the marghazi season, rite?), the Indian food, the smell of fried appalams, the hot sambhar with idly/dosa, the radio, bhoole bhisre geet, apki pharmayish, the december season, the kacheris, the monsoon, hot summer, mangoes, vadu maanga, curd rice, playing indoors with friends, ice creams, indian festivals, deepawali, pongal, dassehra, ..... guess could go on and on!!!!>

Money is not everything in life. The vicious circle starts like this. F1 visa for MS/PhD. H1B. Marriage. Investment in a house, cars, and all possible materialistic goodies. Children. When the children cross 7 years, then returning back to India is extremely difficult and in fact in most cases, next to impossible.

Being in the US/any other country has its own advantages. We interact with a lot of people, in fact people from those exotic places in Atlases, get to know their passions and culture, broaden our secular outlook, and begin to love India even more. With the separation, comes the love and pain. You can also possibly travel with your spouse to a lot of exotic places. But, all these should be treated as part of a world adventure, and when the time comes, we must return back to India. The latest should be when the eldest child turns 6.

Also recommended, please do read "The Indian in America" by R K Narayan in "A Story Teller's World".

Disclaimer Continued: Now that I have seen "Swades", what more can I say about "Swades" and Mohan Bhargava. Well, I simply seem to envy Mohan Bhargava!

Here I am.....

I was against the very concept of blogging. Having an online diary was not appealing at all. Why should I make those opinions (profound/silly) of mine, the precious thoughts and dreams that keep me moving, public? What if they do not understand? Why am I not one of them?

Guess all this came to a dramatic change with a gentle paradigm shift, courtesy, a real good friend, whom I prefer to keep anon. For people out there, who take the time, to read this simple guy's jottings, I am grateful for the same. Frankness is something I cherish and Hypocrisy is something I detest.

In such an open forum, controversial topics with different interpretations do keep coming up once in a while. I promise to respect the opinion of others, no matter pro/anti my views. I would expect the same from others, which I believe is perfectly normal.

Feynman's Follower...

Richard Feynman and his book Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! have had a profound influence on me. Where there is so much to learn, why is it that we happen to let negative thoughts influence us? This blog site is dedicated to this individual. I am, but one of the follower's of his subtle philosophy.

As always, I believe in assimilating the best in any philosophy. I treat each perspective from a critic's point of view and do not openly embrace any view. This approach I find, helps me in defining myself, the personal views that I have come to believe in, and those very ideals that are fundamental to living.

Looking through the prism of the critic is indeed wonderful!