A lot has changed over the last year or so. I was full of life and was ready to take on the world. I had role models (some I have met and some whom I haven't met). But a very depressing phase took over my life completely. I realized that my so-called 'role models' had flaws and that they are human. This was very hard to accept.
A very very important thing that I have observed is that nearly 96 percent of people are cynical. Nothing wrong in that but I don't like cynicism. There is a difference between being careful/doubtful and giving excuses for not moving your ass.If everyone thought in such a cynical way, then there would be no entrepreneurship, no risks. Everyone is so boring..all they want is a career.They do whatever they are told. After college, get an MBA/become an engineer, then get married, have kids and then worry about their careers.
I observe people on various social networking sites/people around me and I have a feeling that these people will be doing the same old things even after 10 years! When I asked them about this,they said "Everyone will die..so why bother to do anything." It is absolutely true. We all will die..but then, I just don't want to be a robot! People like Swami Vivekananda died but we discuss their ideas even today!
I saw a beautiful film called 'Freedom Writers.' It is based on a real life story. It is about a teacher who transforms a bunch of students' lives. They end up publishing a book called 'The Freedom Writers' diary.' Even she could have asked questions like "Kya yaar..job ko itne seriously kyun leti hai? Yeh tere bachche hai kya? Apna kaam kar aur salary le" or "Yeh bacche ko interest hi nahi hai world ko change karne mein toh tu kyun Mother Teresa ban rahi hai." I wish there were more teachers like Erin Gruwell.
After a year of cynicism and depression, today, I believe that CREATIVITY,imagination CAN change the world. I know people will laugh at this but I truly believe this from the bottom of my heart.
Another major change: I am a theist now :P There is no proof of God but I don't care about proofs..I just believe in a higher power.
Everything equals out in the end. I don't believe in self-pity anymore. I observed my own life and I felt that I got whatever I wanted..it is just that I couldn't recognize the patterns. You really deserve what you get, Period.
I'm sure many of us were sitting under a tree and many apples fell on our heads. But we were too busy cribbing. Newton asked the question :)
So I have decided that i won't grow up for the next 30 years :)
I just want to write few quotes by Chuck Palahniuk:
"If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you
read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't
you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly
can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so
impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all who
claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think
everything you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told you should
want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex.
Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a
fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will
become a statistic. You have been warned"
"Daytime television, you can tell who’s watching by the three kinds of commercials. Either it’s clinics for drying out drunks. Or it’s law firms who want to settle injury suits. Or it’s schools offering mail-order vocational degrees to make you a bookkeeper. A private detective. Or a locksmith. If you’re watching daytime television, this is your new demographic. You’re a drunk. Or a cripple. Or an idiot. "
"You grow up to become living proof of your parents' limitations. Their less-than masterpiece."
"A child who is never coached with Santa Claus may never develop an ability to imagine. To him, nothing exists except the literal and tangible.
A child who is disillusioned abruptly, by his peers or siblings, being ridiculed for his faith and imagination, may choose never to believe in anything- tangible or intangible- again. To never trust or wonder.
But a child who relinquishes the illusions of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, that child may come away with the most important skill set. That child may recognize the strength of his own imagination and faith. He will embrace the ability to create his own reality. That child becomes his own authority. He determines the nature of his world. His own vision. And by doing so, by the power of his example, he determines the reality of the other two types: those who can't imagine, and those who can't trust. "
P.S. All the criticisms towards the people on social networking sites applies to me too.
P.P.S. I haven't really thought of making this post very interesting to read..I just don't feel like doing that,right now.
14 comments:
"A child who is disillusioned abruptly, by his peers or siblings, being ridiculed for his faith and imagination, may choose never to believe in anything- tangible or intangible- again. To never trust or wonder." (nearly) brought tears in my eyes. Thanks for coming back. Maybe I should too.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH U SUSHMITA..,BUT THE WORLD IS ALSO CHANGING.,THE PEOPLE WHO DONT EVEN LIKE TO SPARE THEIR TIME FOR POOR AND SUFFERING PEOPLE,R NOW COMING FORWARD 2 HELP THEM(THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER INTENTIONS IN THEIR MINDS.,BUT MAIN THING IS THEY R COMING FOREWARD)
LETS HOPE FOR GUD
WE HAVE 2 PRESERVE THE HUMANE THING IN US .,AND THAT WILL DO THE REST
@ Prachi
I KNOW why it made you cry. I have faced THAT situation and trust me even today I'm insecure because of all that shit.I'm so glad you liked that quote!
@ Ravi:
Thanks for the comment and welcome to the blog!
I absolutely agree..things are changing..magazines like Tehelka are challenging the system..
you are spot on..though there are some hidden intentions behind social work, people are getting help,atleast.
e.g there was this stupid show where Karan Johar was the host and he interviewed celebrities (it was not Koffee with Karan)..he also had this "who is the biggest fan" thing in that.in that show, they gave some amount of money/built a house etc for a poor person. Now maybe they did all this for TRP but atleast they did something.
Yeah, but all hope is not lost, Sushmita
"But a child who relinquishes the illusions of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, that child may come away with the most important skill set. That child may recognize the strength of his own imagination and faith. He will embrace the ability to create his own reality. That child becomes his own authority. He determines the nature of his world. His own vision. And by doing so, by the power of his example, he determines the reality of the other two types: those who can't imagine, and those who can't trust."
We still have a part of our imagination in us... and sooner or later it will rise from the ashes like a phoenix. Only a matter of time.
YES :) I totally believe in what CP says.
The world will try its best to take away that precious thing (Imagination,creativity). We need to be careful.If that is lost then we are just robots. As good as dead.
I was watching a lecture by Sir Ken Robinson. He asked little kids to come up with different uses of a paper clip. They came up with so many creative uses. When they asked this question to grown ups, they couldn't give that many answers. So if we don't protect it, it will diminish.
thanks :)
Hi!
You wouldn't mind, I guess, if I point out this was one of your less coherent posts, would you? ;)
I could make out one major theme (which was difficult to do) from what you wrote as well as from Chuck Palahniuk's quotes, which though sounding interesting didn't make sense to me. And that theme is that the more we are different from others and more we deviate from paths we are expected to take, the more meaningful our life is. Am I right in inferring this from your post?
But I do not agree with this. I feel we should do what we like to do - irrespective of whether we are expected to do that and irrespective of whether others do the same or not. Now, lot of people like Sachin Tendulkar's batting, and so do I! So, can I just stop someday and tell myself, "hey no, everyone's favorite batsman is Sachin, yours should be someone else!"?
Also, there is one thing about the Santa quote that I could not understand. Why should we replace one set of fantasy with another 'native' set of fantasy (developed by the self, as against imposed by the society)? What about the rejection of these fantasies and embracing the truth that no such thing as Santa Claus exists? Why is that not a good option?
Anyway, do let me know if I have grossly misunderstood you or Chuck Palahniuk's quotes.
Take care.
Hey! First of all, I'm extremely sorry for the late reply. I fell down and hurt my back :P Hence I wasn't online.
"You wouldn't mind, I guess, if I point out this was one of your less coherent posts, would you? ;)"
No I don't mind that at all :) It was more of a diary entry than a blog post :P
"I could make out one major theme (which was difficult to do) from what you wrote as well as from Chuck Palahniuk's quotes, which though sounding interesting didn't make sense to me. And that theme is that the more we are different from others and more we deviate from paths we are expected to take, the more meaningful our life is. Am I right in inferring this from your post?But I do not agree with this. I feel we should do what we like to do - irrespective of whether we are expected to do that and irrespective of whether others do the same or not. Now, lot of people like Sachin Tendulkar's batting, and so do I! So, can I just stop someday and tell myself, "hey no, everyone's favorite batsman is Sachin, yours should be someone else!"?"
Maybe CP's quotes were like that (and maybe my post too). But I would never advocate that. Being different just for the heck of it is bullshit and it never makes our lives meaningful.In fact it makes us more miserable. So MBA, having a 9 to 5 job and just marrying some guy and living quietly in some apartment is something that I don't like..something that doesn't give ME happiness. That doesn't mean that others have to do the same :)And the only writer who agrees with me is CP..hence quoted him. Many people say that I hate the conventional lifestyle to be 'different.' But that is not so. I just don't find happiness in those things.
Example: I wanted to write a script for a film someday and many people even expect me to do that. If I was really doing things to be 'different', then maybe I would choose some totally 'cool and different profession like marine engineering.
I cannot hate oxygen just because everybody breathes it, can I :P?
"Also, there is one thing about the Santa quote that I could not understand. Why should we replace one set of fantasy with another 'native' set of fantasy (developed by the self, as against imposed by the society)? What about the rejection of these fantasies and embracing the truth that no such thing as Santa Claus exists? Why is that not a good option?"
Now what you have said here is logical.Of course we all know that Santa Claus doesn't exist.
My intrepretation of this quote is:
We have become very cynical. We have stopped believing in big dreams. Santa Claus is a symbol of hope. What does Santa do? He gives you what you want on Christmas. As we grow up and become adults , we start believing that we cannot get what we want. We crib. We don't recognize the patterns. We don't look for creative solutions. Okay I'm not saying that everything is possible...no, everything is not possible. I cannot fly like a bird..but i can build an aeroplane, right? We cannot achieve the perfect thing but we can atleast try to be 80 percent perfect.
So I guess he is talking about having hope..believing that there are solutions if you look for it.
I know all this is optimistic bullshit but I'm not a blind optimist.
thanks a lot for the comment :)
These are interesting thoughts, and crisp 'n spicy as a garam samosa. Doesn't need ketchup.
Krish
@Krish
Hello! Thanks a lot for the appreciation :)
And I love Samosa :P
End of the day the net result is zero and you can swim against wind/waves
@anonymous
Are you someone I know? If you really want to give me advice, atleast give it by revealing your name!
Yeah right. I'm actually tired of explaining people that there is a difference between 'being inherently different' and 'being different to show off'
If we keep the big picture in mind, then there is no set division between “being inherently different and being different to show off”. The whole which we divide for convenience into these two contrasting halves reveals itself in time as being nothing more than experience. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
Okay. I'm try to be different coz I want to show off. Happy?
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