Extremism is good...extremism is life...

There’s the million dollar question --- if given the chance to choose between intellect and beauty what would you choose???

Then there’s the done-to-death potshot. Based on your answer you’ll be told that it’s because you’ve a shortage of beauty/brains.

But really what would you choose if you had the opportunity to choose between infinite wisdom and breath taking beauty? [Now those of you are answering that “I already have both” should come and participate in the “Reincarnation of Narcissus” contest which I’m planning to arrange.]

But what do the rest of you think?

Case 1: You chose sharp brains

With that amount of intellect in this more or less stupid world you can be assured that you would be the undisputed ruler. And of course you can fool the idiots around you into thinking that you are the prettiest of them all.

End result: You get both.

Case 2: You chose magnificent beauty

With that amount of beauty any one would lose their sense of reasoning when you are around. So you would be the unchallenged ruler. And since your looks have significantly dimmed the wits of your fellow earthlings you would be the most intelligent person too.

End result: You get both.

Do you see the power of extremism?

I believe that we should regularly come out of the middle path and indulge in the all or nothing philosophy. Be it in case of the small things in life like win/loss in a petty board game or the big things in life like love…indulging in extremism gives us supreme satisfaction. Absoluteness has a divine beauty…experience it now. You can always think about being moderate in old age…till then let’s revel in the spirit of youth…let’s be impatient and aim for it all.

Intoxication

Fill my days...fill my nights...

Fill my senses...fill my life…

Waves of intoxication overwhelm me.

A surreal rush of bliss sets me free.

In the grip of rapture I squirm and reel,

Tell me what is it that I now feel?

Feel my days...feel my nights...

Feel my senses...feel my life…

Antiques are priceless!!!

Indians have always been passionate about cricket and films. Any cricketer or actor of iconic status has to go through the following unjustified upheavals in their career.

Phase 1: Swimming against the tide

During the initial days when the legend is just a common person trying their best to make a mark society would try its best to put in all sorts of obstacles in their path. Every day society breaks their heart trying to prove to how incompetent they are and how impossible their dream is.

This is the phase when the person is most vulnerable and needs maximum support...this is the phase when they receive maximum criticism.

Phase 2: Race winning phase

The legend has started to win. Society begins to acknowledge the achievements. Suddenly every one takes a vocal U-turn and showers praises on the new star.

Now that the person has risen to stardom society wants behave like a soothsayer who always knew that this person is special.

Phase 3: Swan song phase

The legend is getting rusty...slowly but surely. Now is the time when society would show fanaticism for the legend. Now is the time when they would worship the veteran and beg them not to leave the arena. Now is the time when they would use his example to crush the confidence of the youngsters who are struggling in phase 1.

It’s futile because the legend has already earned his status and is above the immature pettiness shown by society.

In Bollywood when the Khan trio made their entry despite several hits society branded them “lollypop heroes” and was hung up on a visibly aging and tired Bachchan. Now that the Khans are aging they have risen above criticism, any movie they act in can garner an unrealistic amount of expectation and is guaranteed to be a big hit long before its release.

Similar criticize-accept-idolize cycle has been applied to cricketers like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

This pattern is observed not only in larger-than-life scenarios...there is very basic emotion that triggers such reaction. Love.

In love too people often show tendencies of going through the denial-acceptance-clinging cycle.

Why do we Indians suffer from this masochistic tendency of valuing something only after it’s gone??? Why not appreciate a flower in its full bloom instead of shedding tears before its picture once it has withered away?

May be it’s true...that tragedy appeals more to us than comedy...

The line between I can and I wish...

“I can” --- The statement effuses pride and confidence.

There are a lot of things that we can do with perfection and we can claim with a certain level of arrogance that “Yes I can do it...several times better than you.” Some people spell these words out and get labelled as egoistic and boastful...some others are clever enough to keep such inflated ego-stroking to a minimum.

A successful man is he who has chosen his career path in lines of the things he can do effortlessly and perfectly.

“I wish” --- The statement effuses insecurities and self-doubts.

There are a lot of things that we want to excel at but either we lack the courage to complete those tasks or the fear of failure acts as an insurmountable barrier.

A happy man is he who has chosen his personal life in lines of the things he wishes to do.

There’re a thousand things that we can do baby and a thousand more things that we wish to do...

Let’s get together to do the things we can and may be the things we wish will come true too...

Violent threats of Bengali mothers

If you are a Bengali or at least if your mom is Bengali you would know what I am talking about. Disciplining the kids is a routine that every mother has to perform all across the world and despite their wish to refrain from reprimanding the child they need to do it once in a while. But Bengali mothers take this disciplining-the-kid business to a whole new level.

Some common threats (all collected from real experiences)

1. Aj tor pa/haat bhenge debo

 Translates to “Today I will break your legs/hands.”

2. Mere rokto ber kore debo

 Translates to “I’ll punch you till you bleed.”

3. Ei lathi-ta tor pithe bhangbo

 Translates to “I’ll break this rod on your back.”

4. Tule achhar marbo

 Translates to “I’ll pick you up and smash you down to the ground.”

5. Chabke chhal chhariye debo

 Translates to “I’ll whip you and skin you.”

6. Matha phatiye debo

 Translates to “I’ll break your head”

7. Kaan tene chhire debo

 Translates to “I’ll box your ears and rip them off.”

All the threats are replete with promises of gory violence. It’s not that the kids are born with tendencies of destruction in this part of the world…nor are the mothers particularly cruel is this part of the world…but the mothers just love to use sanguine threats to scare the errant child.

I often interrupted my mommy while she was fervently hurling threats at me with requests for clarification. She often used the fourth threat on the list and I responded with “Smash me down? From what height?” or “But you never really pick me up…I think I’d like that.” Her reactions ranged from instant nullification of anger to instant conversion of anger to blind rage.

Mothers never can implement such threats on their kids…they know it, the indulgent fathers know it, even the kids know it. Then why do they dish out threats they don’t intend to carry out?

Actually in a subtle and sure way a lesson has been handed down for generations…limit the animal in you to the realm of anticipation and imagination and express only the delicate nurturer in you to the real world.  

The false need

Some people are obsessed with money, some attach optimum importance to money but most people in this world are in dire need of money. It’s a harsh truth…we live in an unequal world where for most people life is a struggle for existence and they are denied the right to appreciate the finer aspects of life.

In an ideal society there would have been no need for money at all.

The chef would cook food, the software engineer would write codes and the actor would act in movies only because the work pleases them. And when we do something from our hearts we want the rest of the world to experience and enjoy our services. In such a social structure every one would do the prevalent jobs but jobs would no longer be jobs…they would be hobbies. No one would work for money…they would work for satisfaction. Every one can contribute to the general well being of the society by doing what they want to do and not what they are forced to do. In such a structure money would be totally useless and can be eliminated from life.

Money is the first evil that we know in our lives. Children have a very pure way of thinking and they can treat money the way it is supposed to be treated…rectangular pieces of paper. But gradually the rich kid gets a false sense of power and the slum kid gets a socially injected sense of inferiority complex and their pristine minds are damaged for the rest of their lives.

In mythology we read about demons and how they perform penance to attain the coveted boon of immortality and then how the gods exploit the loopholes in the granted boon to eventually exterminate the demon. It’s a pity that even though money has been one immortal demon destroying us for centuries we still fail to eradicate it from our society. May be some day in future in place of Durga killing Mahishasur we will get to see society exterminating money…that would be a good cause for celebration…that would take us one step closer to an egalitarian society. But alas…this is a hope which will probably never come true…

Problems and solutions

There are two types of problems in this world:
1. Apparent
2. Latent

Apparent problems

These problems need to be resolved or you die.

Eg. Hunger, breathing: If you stop these activities you would die. So even if the food does not suit your gustatory sensations you will have to eat. Even if the pollution laden air harms your lungs you need to breathe. So it’s not always a matter of choice. Solving an apparent problem is thus a compulsion not an option.

Latent problems

These problems if left unresolved would not kill you.

Eg. Love life: Human beings have the inherent need to love and be loved. But a person would not die if their love life is non-existent. And since it’s not a life threatening situation they might choose to remain single and thus wrongly earning the distinction of being a commitment-phobic person. But since it’s not a matter of compulsion people should not run into the arms of people based on availability. Rather they should wait till the right one comes along.

A problem remains difficult only until you stumble upon the solution...

A person remains commitment phobic only until he/she comes across the right one...