Change
Now I shave before I brush
But somehow its not enough
Now I shave before I brush
But somehow its not enough
Subway
Do you know what happens when an atom splits? It releases energy. I tried to perceive fission within my body today, but was deluged with the affairs that occupy the minds of modern men. I decided to bank on other people, treating them as I would a cobbler mending my torn shoes.
The world is indeed a stage and there is no better place to perceive this than a subway. I stepped into Grand Central for a mindless ride to borrow some energy to get me through the day. What a place the New York City Transit system is! The great equalizer, where are all at once bums, eyeing the one vacant seat in the compartment.
Not all people though have destinations to get to. Some are content break walking (there I used it) to tunes of Michael Jackson. You marvel and smile and then begin to ponder as to whether anyone does exist, if anything is real, and if not, then how are the laundry bills that high? Is the mind separate from the body? What is happiness and what are we seeking?
I smile at a girl and she smiles back. Then for a moment the cosmic truth is revealed to me in all its oneness. We all seek that one moment of truth, the one moment of union when we blend with the rest of the world, which is nothing but a small cauldron of nothingness, bubbling with an other worldly energy filling up our very insides. For this and this alone, we build walls of illusions, take on different identities and grasp on to things wanting to make them our own.
As the girl gets off the subway, I feel a great sense of calm within me. I extract myself from my body and float above myself. It is good for health and a whole lot of fun. Then I realize you cannot do this forever. Lunch breaks last only for an hour.
Do you know what happens when an atom splits? It releases energy. I tried to perceive fission within my body today, but was deluged with the affairs that occupy the minds of modern men. I decided to bank on other people, treating them as I would a cobbler mending my torn shoes.
The world is indeed a stage and there is no better place to perceive this than a subway. I stepped into Grand Central for a mindless ride to borrow some energy to get me through the day. What a place the New York City Transit system is! The great equalizer, where are all at once bums, eyeing the one vacant seat in the compartment.
Not all people though have destinations to get to. Some are content break walking (there I used it) to tunes of Michael Jackson. You marvel and smile and then begin to ponder as to whether anyone does exist, if anything is real, and if not, then how are the laundry bills that high? Is the mind separate from the body? What is happiness and what are we seeking?
I smile at a girl and she smiles back. Then for a moment the cosmic truth is revealed to me in all its oneness. We all seek that one moment of truth, the one moment of union when we blend with the rest of the world, which is nothing but a small cauldron of nothingness, bubbling with an other worldly energy filling up our very insides. For this and this alone, we build walls of illusions, take on different identities and grasp on to things wanting to make them our own.
As the girl gets off the subway, I feel a great sense of calm within me. I extract myself from my body and float above myself. It is good for health and a whole lot of fun. Then I realize you cannot do this forever. Lunch breaks last only for an hour.
Never
I have never been as far from Gandhi as today.
I have never been as far away from being voted employee of the month.
I have never been closer to writing a labored sentence.
The people who are upset and have seen through me are steadily on the rise,
The time is ripe not for writing, but for closing one's eyes, focusing on the breathing and being aware.
I bid you farewell.
I have never been as far from Gandhi as today.
I have never been as far away from being voted employee of the month.
I have never been closer to writing a labored sentence.
The people who are upset and have seen through me are steadily on the rise,
The time is ripe not for writing, but for closing one's eyes, focusing on the breathing and being aware.
I bid you farewell.
Globalization
The question is not whether globalization will work. The point is that is taking place. The question is now how will it work, given the hypocritical subsidies in America and Europe, the number of people living in poverty, and other such matters so far away from the psyche of the middle class.
It is not for this forum to give a solution, given the complexity of the issue. One thing is clear though. Powerful nations take liberties in other countries that they would not dare of taking at home. This is because most powerful nations (thankfully) are democracies, and leaders have to answer to the people every four or five years. They are not accountable to people living in other lands and can hence enjoy the joyride without having to pay for the ticket.
There can be two ways to get around this. One way would be to make the leaders accountable to people in foreign lands. This is extremely difficult, and I suspect big corporations will have a key role to play. The second way, which is not unique, but an integral component is to make people in powerful countries more educated about the role their nations play in far away lands.
Cats and vacuum cleaners every night on the news are fine, but one suspects there is more to clean up.
The question is not whether globalization will work. The point is that is taking place. The question is now how will it work, given the hypocritical subsidies in America and Europe, the number of people living in poverty, and other such matters so far away from the psyche of the middle class.
It is not for this forum to give a solution, given the complexity of the issue. One thing is clear though. Powerful nations take liberties in other countries that they would not dare of taking at home. This is because most powerful nations (thankfully) are democracies, and leaders have to answer to the people every four or five years. They are not accountable to people living in other lands and can hence enjoy the joyride without having to pay for the ticket.
There can be two ways to get around this. One way would be to make the leaders accountable to people in foreign lands. This is extremely difficult, and I suspect big corporations will have a key role to play. The second way, which is not unique, but an integral component is to make people in powerful countries more educated about the role their nations play in far away lands.
Cats and vacuum cleaners every night on the news are fine, but one suspects there is more to clean up.
Another course in school
A must read book for all people under legal drinking age must be Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. It opens up worlds outside worlds outside worlds. The title is an understatement. Through the visual medium of comics he explores science, time, the cosmos and also provides a justification if you have spent half of your waking life watching the Simpsons.
One of the points he touches on is why we identify more with certain characters. To elaborate, we all see a little bit of ourselves in Homer Simpson or Tintin because we can place ourselves within their wonderfully generic appearances. This would be impossible if either of them looked like George Bush or you or me (and this is assuming that both you and I do not look like Mr. Bush).
What happens when we are talking to other people? We picture ourselves in our head as somewhat generic, aware of the general locations of our nose, eyes, ears, etc. But we observe the other person in photographic reality. Hence we cannot truly be in the shoes of the other person. Now what happens, if from childhood we are trained to observe everyone as we do ourselves: in a not very defined, generic manner. We could easily attain a greater degree of oneness with them. This should not be impossible, if the umbrella or walking stick can be an extension of ones personality, then this might work.
Till today I have written a lot on this space about non-violence. I am as confused as ever. The logic behind the principle is flawless, execution quite difficult. In testing different hypotheses, there is a good reason for giving everything a fair chance. Hence, there is no reason to put down anything, including comics.
At the very worst, you might get a laugh out of it.
A must read book for all people under legal drinking age must be Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. It opens up worlds outside worlds outside worlds. The title is an understatement. Through the visual medium of comics he explores science, time, the cosmos and also provides a justification if you have spent half of your waking life watching the Simpsons.
One of the points he touches on is why we identify more with certain characters. To elaborate, we all see a little bit of ourselves in Homer Simpson or Tintin because we can place ourselves within their wonderfully generic appearances. This would be impossible if either of them looked like George Bush or you or me (and this is assuming that both you and I do not look like Mr. Bush).
What happens when we are talking to other people? We picture ourselves in our head as somewhat generic, aware of the general locations of our nose, eyes, ears, etc. But we observe the other person in photographic reality. Hence we cannot truly be in the shoes of the other person. Now what happens, if from childhood we are trained to observe everyone as we do ourselves: in a not very defined, generic manner. We could easily attain a greater degree of oneness with them. This should not be impossible, if the umbrella or walking stick can be an extension of ones personality, then this might work.
Till today I have written a lot on this space about non-violence. I am as confused as ever. The logic behind the principle is flawless, execution quite difficult. In testing different hypotheses, there is a good reason for giving everything a fair chance. Hence, there is no reason to put down anything, including comics.
At the very worst, you might get a laugh out of it.
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