The last couple of weeks were especially tough for me. The unfortunate misunderstanding with my manager which created a mountain out of a mole hill was especially painful for me. Too many thoughts continually raced through my mind, from logical to the bizarre.
When I tried to make sense of it all, the reason for the seemingly incongrous pain dawned on me. Too many a times we take our lives too seriously and become engrossed in our present that inertia seems the only logical and pleasing objective in life. And for the same reason, we keep holding to silly things when we really don't care about them, perhaps apprehensive about the future ( things might get even worse without it ) or out of indolence ( oh god, I have to do something now to get it back ). The fact of the matter is, the feeling is true, and its rampant. But I think there is a cure - sit back and take a look around.
We make many tiny things in our lives so important for us that we lose perspective. But then you realize that life moves on, and can as many bizarre turns for different people as you can probably imagine. For example, the other day I was watching a show on Discovery where they were telling the story of guy who has spent the last 16 years of his life on death row just because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and now stands convicted for the murder of a friend. He has exhausted all his appeals, no lawyer wishes to take up his case and has no alternative but to count his last days.... which I'm afraid are not even numbered.
On the other hand, two days back I was rummaging through my friend's photo album who is in the U.S. and could not help noticing his smiling face and thinking about the bounties that future has in store for him. I mean, all sorts of things happen in life, and sometimes the mere effort to seek logic for these is bound to overwhelm us. But what I wish to harp on is the fact that, whatever be the circumstances, good or bad, we would do ourselves to take a step back, put everything in perspective and then resume our quest with all the zeal and chutzpah we can muster.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Saturday, January 6, 2007
How true !!
As it so often haapens, the wisest and most influential bits of sayings come from the most unexpected of sources. Last week( or was it even before ), when the Indian team was being pounded by Smith and his men, Rahul Dravid came up with a beauty - "When we succeed, we are not as good as people say we are, and we are not as bad as they think we are when we fail".
When I read his quote, it struck a chord immediately. How often, have we found ourselves flying in thin air when we succeed, and at the next moment, groping in the depths of despair when things don't go our way.
I felt these pendulating moods countless times, and each time I wished I knew better. Hopefully, better sense will prevail the next time I chose to fly or grope.
P.S. : Purportedly, Dravid said the above statement to his team after losing the fifth one-dayer in SA, after which they rallied to beat SA in the first test match :)
When I read his quote, it struck a chord immediately. How often, have we found ourselves flying in thin air when we succeed, and at the next moment, groping in the depths of despair when things don't go our way.
I felt these pendulating moods countless times, and each time I wished I knew better. Hopefully, better sense will prevail the next time I chose to fly or grope.
P.S. : Purportedly, Dravid said the above statement to his team after losing the fifth one-dayer in SA, after which they rallied to beat SA in the first test match :)
Sunday, December 31, 2006
PROLOGUE
Hey,
Finally.....finally...I have taken the dip. Many friends have already tasted this and recommended this to me. And today, with a little bit of adventurous psyche and a little desire to pontificate ;), I am starting this NEW thing.
Many people actually post their day-to-day happenings and stuff on their blog. But I guess that stuff neither interests me, nor would interest anyone who cares to read my blog. So, as the topic suggests, I would do what I do best - reflect and suggest, through this medium.
There are zillions of great topics to start writing about, but I guess they will have their day later.
Today I just want to share my views on a particularly commonplace subject - Watching Masala
Movies.
I have had a rather strong opinion against it, and couple of friends have inquired the reason. But today, as I was watching Pokiri, a Telegu megahit ( btw, for those who just wondered what I made out of telegu, I actually didn't get a word of it ), a couple of things stood out.
Why exactly do we watch movies? A simple question, but answers may vary. If you ask anyone, 90% would say that they do so to ESCAPE. Sadly, I never understood that bit. The important question that one should be asking is - What is there to ESCAPE from? and Do we REALLY escape? If we really paid heed to these questions, we might be able to feel reality dawning. Don't you think that that we can never escape completely from our troubles and pains by merely forgetting about them? If that was the case, then a mere sleeping pill was enough to eradicate all the misery in the world? Upon introspection, I guess the answer is straightforward - NO. Also, can you completely enjoy the stunt sequence, when at the back of your head the villian ie. your boss or professor is waiting to take you to the cleaners.? And lastly, what about the moment when the movie finishes, the dream ends, and the nightmare begins? I have experienced that gut-wrenching feeling like someone has just shattered the sand-castle you just built at the beach.
That is generally the story of the masses. But there are quite a sizeable number ( around 10% ) who generally do not view a Masala movie as a stress buster. They have the other better reason - it is a way to indulge themselves, to pander to their ( base ) desires. Ask yourself, why is Dhoom 2 so successful - does it have a storyline? does it have a great director, or for that matter good actors? I guess we all know the answer, we all want to be in Hrithik's shoes or Aishwarya's sandals. But tell you what, I personally feel that the biggest thrill would be to not just imagine myself doing something for 2.5 hrs but actually living that life, or probably improving myself so that I may one day be caapble enough to lead that life. For e.g. we all admire their beauty and wish we had it. Alas, if only things would be done by dreaming alone, most of us would have just needed to sleep a few hours extra to lead the good life. A meaningful thing however is to enrol in a gym, eat good food, etc. etc. This is not easy, but there is more to it. The best part is, by doing so, we derive satisfaction and contentedness, from the fact that we are making something of our lives. Those who understand the subtle difference between pleasure and satisfaction would appreciate what I just said.
Lastly, I venture to discuss the most outrageous thing about these movies. To me, the most hideous part is that they enforce stereotypes. And by doing so, these movies ridicule and humiliate us. Still wondering? Though these movies cater to the masses, what they subtly do it to debase them. I mean for all of us average Joes and Janes, the appropriate place would be as a sidekick to the so-called hero and heroines. We would be expected to support them, be a butt of their jokes, dance in the background to the item numbers...blah....blah.. Fat people, bald people, dumb, deaf and blind etc. have to suffer a greater ignominy ( recall Tom Dick and Harry ). Women are presented as showpieces, simple people portrayed as losers. I am so overcome by emotion and rage that I do not feel like elaborating further. I feel like we pay money to be mocked at, that ludicrously insane.
I guess I would end my tirade now. So the next time you shell out 150 bucks to watch such a movie, think again. Atleast I do.
P.S. : I guess I like a conversation. I like to speak out. I would certainly keep posting stuff that interests me. Bouquets and brickbats alike are most invited. Thank you for tolerating me. :)
Finally.....finally...I have taken the dip. Many friends have already tasted this and recommended this to me. And today, with a little bit of adventurous psyche and a little desire to pontificate ;), I am starting this NEW thing.
Many people actually post their day-to-day happenings and stuff on their blog. But I guess that stuff neither interests me, nor would interest anyone who cares to read my blog. So, as the topic suggests, I would do what I do best - reflect and suggest, through this medium.
There are zillions of great topics to start writing about, but I guess they will have their day later.
Today I just want to share my views on a particularly commonplace subject - Watching Masala
Movies.
I have had a rather strong opinion against it, and couple of friends have inquired the reason. But today, as I was watching Pokiri, a Telegu megahit ( btw, for those who just wondered what I made out of telegu, I actually didn't get a word of it ), a couple of things stood out.
Why exactly do we watch movies? A simple question, but answers may vary. If you ask anyone, 90% would say that they do so to ESCAPE. Sadly, I never understood that bit. The important question that one should be asking is - What is there to ESCAPE from? and Do we REALLY escape? If we really paid heed to these questions, we might be able to feel reality dawning. Don't you think that that we can never escape completely from our troubles and pains by merely forgetting about them? If that was the case, then a mere sleeping pill was enough to eradicate all the misery in the world? Upon introspection, I guess the answer is straightforward - NO. Also, can you completely enjoy the stunt sequence, when at the back of your head the villian ie. your boss or professor is waiting to take you to the cleaners.? And lastly, what about the moment when the movie finishes, the dream ends, and the nightmare begins? I have experienced that gut-wrenching feeling like someone has just shattered the sand-castle you just built at the beach.
That is generally the story of the masses. But there are quite a sizeable number ( around 10% ) who generally do not view a Masala movie as a stress buster. They have the other better reason - it is a way to indulge themselves, to pander to their ( base ) desires. Ask yourself, why is Dhoom 2 so successful - does it have a storyline? does it have a great director, or for that matter good actors? I guess we all know the answer, we all want to be in Hrithik's shoes or Aishwarya's sandals. But tell you what, I personally feel that the biggest thrill would be to not just imagine myself doing something for 2.5 hrs but actually living that life, or probably improving myself so that I may one day be caapble enough to lead that life. For e.g. we all admire their beauty and wish we had it. Alas, if only things would be done by dreaming alone, most of us would have just needed to sleep a few hours extra to lead the good life. A meaningful thing however is to enrol in a gym, eat good food, etc. etc. This is not easy, but there is more to it. The best part is, by doing so, we derive satisfaction and contentedness, from the fact that we are making something of our lives. Those who understand the subtle difference between pleasure and satisfaction would appreciate what I just said.
Lastly, I venture to discuss the most outrageous thing about these movies. To me, the most hideous part is that they enforce stereotypes. And by doing so, these movies ridicule and humiliate us. Still wondering? Though these movies cater to the masses, what they subtly do it to debase them. I mean for all of us average Joes and Janes, the appropriate place would be as a sidekick to the so-called hero and heroines. We would be expected to support them, be a butt of their jokes, dance in the background to the item numbers...blah....blah.. Fat people, bald people, dumb, deaf and blind etc. have to suffer a greater ignominy ( recall Tom Dick and Harry ). Women are presented as showpieces, simple people portrayed as losers. I am so overcome by emotion and rage that I do not feel like elaborating further. I feel like we pay money to be mocked at, that ludicrously insane.
I guess I would end my tirade now. So the next time you shell out 150 bucks to watch such a movie, think again. Atleast I do.
P.S. : I guess I like a conversation. I like to speak out. I would certainly keep posting stuff that interests me. Bouquets and brickbats alike are most invited. Thank you for tolerating me. :)
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