Thinking aloud

Congratulations to Egypt and her people. To stand up without ammunitions, with only peace, hope and belief as their weapons, they have achieved something which many of us had written off as impossible.

Like rest of the world, I am just another sympathizer. Fair enough, because it did not happen close to my home or in my country. But when people tweet and retweet, when they post updates on facebook and write about in their blogs, I wonder, why don’t we have the guts to stand up.

Each and every day, I come across stories of horror fueled by corruption and spread by a supposed invincibility. We all know. Most of us dismiss as ‘normal’ and conclude ‘what can I do’. But when people can say things on twitter, when many Indians can waste time on facebook liking pages about TV shows and trying to become tycoons and millionaire farmers, why can’t we stand up? Why can’t we make the buffoons realize that we will not tolerate it.

I am not talking about the poor. I am not talking about those people, who we think do not exist. I am talking about you and me, who are ready enough to bribe a police man when caught, who are ready enough to curse the same police man and at the same time sympathize with him. I am talking about us hypocrites.

We live in a pseudo-democracy. We are in times when newspapers are willing to accept money for publishing articles, when news channels no more report but propagate, when you no more know what is reality.

All of us,know about a particular man who was behind the whole Commonwealth games and what he did. We tweeted, we created facebook pages, but why weren’t we able to do anything about it? Because we accepted it as right. Right of that class of this country to steal and do whatever they want. We are sadly, happy enough to sit in our A/C rooms and cabins and let things pass. We are couch/recliner rebels. We dare not do anything about it- for our rights begin and end with being able to talk about something.

We are expected to believe that one man can steal unbelievable amounts of money. We are willing to let ourselves be divided in every way possible, without doing anything about it. We are willing to accept that it is alright for traffic to be blocked for hours for one person to go.

A certain Sen, can be put behind bars, without 99% of the country having heard about the case. And the media shall show you an actor’s wedding even when there are floods or droughts in another part of the country.

We are in a free country. But every choice has a cost- the cost of choosing to stand up for our rights is increasing even as we brush aside everything as ‘normal’ and go on with it. We cannot support our neighbours when they are pressured by certain people, we cannot fight for those people whose lands are stolen, we cannot even be without paying for a college seat.

It is depressing to think about these things. The choices we have are- a) take the ‘wheel of the bus , b) get out of the bus , c) show support to someone who is willing to take the ‘wheel. Most of us can’t drive a two-wheeler properly, so let alone a bus. We cannot get out of the bus, simply because we are in the middle of a jungle and do not know where to go. But if someone is willing to take the ‘wheel, why don’t you show support?

We do need someone to take the ‘wheel. Unfortunately, to appeal to the masses, to garner support from the educated Indians who work in big offices, you need a lot more than them merely having faced the blunt of the various negative forces. They are like fishes, who refuse to believe that a bigger pond is just a jump away today. Tomorrow our pond is going to become so small, that we are going to die here.

To the usual readers of this blog, these things I say are nothing new. I ask myself what have I done? Nothing. I am just another 19-year-old who refuses to grow up – I still believe in those good things which people said when I was a kid. I wish I can do something. But I have come to realize that that something should be big enough to not fall. It will be hard work, to build this force, brick by brick, but I am willing to do it. What is in my head, stays in my head, till then.

The above might be just to convince myself that I am not turning a blind eye to the things that bother me, but I am hoping that isn’t the case. Youth Unite was an experience. I saw how people react when posed with even a simple thing like writing about what they think on various issues. I will continue to have hope and believe in what I believe.

End of rant. Thank you for reading.

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Inheriting the world- a candid view

Can we refuse to inherit? No we can’t. Unfortunately.

I am an 18 year, who probably is more sensitive to the world around me than others of my age. When I first heard someone tell me, that my gen. is the hope of the future, I felt happy. That was back then, when I was a 15 year(?) old, when the world seemed a novel place.

Reality(or whatever little of it, i have seen) has a pretty bad influence. Of late, I feel even more pessimistic than usual. Maybe I tend to romanticism too much, but having provided for that, still, the picture looks pretty pathetic.

You see, there are very few who are sensitive to the world in general. And it makes no sense for us(I think I am part of the few), to  just talk among ourselves and discuss. True our India has an “argumentative tradition” (as Sen puts it) but today we no more have rulers who are capable enough of understanding the arguments.

You see, democracy is supposed to empower us. It is supposed to give us voice and supposed to make us a part of the nation. But text books can be pretty misleading(of course if you notice the larger picture, it really isn’t- why are kids supposed to mug? Why are they not given reasons? Marks, teachers, parents, right to talk? hmpf.) and I am sure it has been a pretty sour welcome to reality for many.

Not that I expected anything great.  I set my expectations, as low as possible and yet, things keep hitting new lows. I am doing a professional course and yet I cannot expect professionalism in the institute(I shall keep away from that for now). I go to an esteemed college, where, contrary to the name, there is no Ananda(or a canteen at least to the level of Ananda Bhavan).

See I don’t even need to go to the good parts- politics, global warming, discrimination at various degrees etc. I can choose anything I want and well show you how screwed up it is.

I probably am too tired to write about those many many things which I care about. Now I actually  try to ignore stuff. But I am someone who has learnt to be sensitive to issues. But to what vain?

Inspite of all that, we need to enjoy life. You know what? After a certain while, you get used to these things. Screw expectations, if the system is sucky, you too can make it suck. After all it is just another drop of water. If you want to stand out try adding poison. No one is going to question it. Maybe I am being candid, but hell this is reality, right?

You and me blog and tweet and what not, yet do you think the poachers or the tigers are going to listen to you and me? I do. But I also know they don’t. Do you think the terrorists(of all kinds) give a damn? They have been brainwashed enough. A post, my friend is not going to teach them.

Reality is where you suck up to people and get things done. Hell ya. See thinking of others is a forbidden sin, after all no one gives a damn about you. This is a good old rant, I guess. But I think, I deserve a chance to say these things. And well, seeing the size of the post, I can guarantee myself that most people will see the cartoon and skim through the post and skip to comments, so I can be assured no one is going to give me any sympathy.

Sympathy does us no good. See a fellow sold a movie with sympathy. We are meant to build careers and go on. We enjoy it by having cars/cameras etc. It is better to live in your own shell and wade off invaders. Maybe I should withdraw into mine and not give a hoot, I would love to, but I know I cannot.

I probably care too much. I am trying to learn. But I cannot be a hypocrite. I thought my thoughts were on the right track and maybe they are. But then who cares for what I think? Today we have wonderful people ruling us. I am happy Chennai is a safe city. We hopefully won’t have communal violence here and since it is supposedly conservative, the Senas(or is it padais?) won’t find room here. Try chastising Mylapore and you will been smeared in vibuthi (ash), topped with a namam.

This is another bloody long post. I am happy, I can do this. This goes in line with those conditions apply sort of thing. No one has read it and yet it is out there for everyone to read. This is therapy as well. I feel sort of better. But am still uneasy. After all why do I care? I say I don’t care, yet somewhere in there I care.

I set out believing that the world is good. Now I know the world is good, but the people are too good. I am happy that I have a few friends who can put up with my abject thinking. Abject because, senses and brains are meant for rote learning and yes for feeling pathetic when a person whom you do not know has marked you low.

For those who have been reading my poetry, all this might seem expected. And you probably already know, that I will keep fighting, simply because I am me. Poetry is one of the few joys in this world. IF not for that, I doubt if sanity will ever embrace me.

I recluse to this world, where my thoughts are transformed into unseeable things and spread among humanity in signals. This place is sort of where I belong. But the way I belong to a place never changes- known to everyone, yet very few pay attention. No I am not complaining.

I love to be myself. I find happiness is being me. I know, I know, this has gone out of control. How I wish I had not inherited this world. But hey! at least I should try to make it better for the future right? Peace sounds cool. But you adults are never going to settle for it. After all Europe/Washington is cool enough right? Try Chennai it is hot, you will love it, complete with Molaga Bajji.

Let us face it, all this is too good to be true. We like entertainment. We are selfish. I am- I want to be known in this world. I like to be appreciated and yes I take criticism seriously, because I believe it to be constructive. I think I am a nice guy, especially when you are nice to me. I will do anything for you, as long as I can trust you.

So, whatever. This is a rant, so guess, it ends with a bunch of smileys, showing that all is well. And am not going to edit this. Spellings, grammar and whatever can go hang it self. Carpe diem!

😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

Democracy,majority, India and the world

 

Its no more Barack H Obama,it is president Barack H Obama. So there we have it,like everyone else around the world,I too was glued to the T.V. ,as arguably the world’s most powerful office was taken over by a man who promises much.And as a prelude to what we might expect, he stopped a trail in Guantanmo Bay and is all set to close it.

Solilo rasied a few interesting points about our democracy and this was my comment:-

 

I like this post,my view about our country is simple
-our constitution is the third epic we have given to the world,after mahabaratha and ramayana.
-democracy is the biggest hypocrisy.Not that I am communist either,in fact democracy seems better of the two devils.The fact is only we “educated” people bother about all this,for the farmer,if he gets free T.V,he doesn’t realize he has to pay more bribes,or maybe they are used to it,like we are paying to cops etc..
-having a single person seems more dangerous,see what Bush did..
-whats the solution now? proper democracy? ya right and how are we ever going to bring out fair play? maybe give a fair play award,like FIFA does in every world cup..simple the cup would be sold..

I know I sound rather cynical and pessimistic,but then seriously we need people who are dedicated.The talk about how we were united during freedom struggle is all fine,we knew the face of the “enemy” but now we don’t.Not just as a state,but as the “global village”.

 

So continuing from where i left,I have never really thought of democracy as what Mr.Lincoln said -of the people,by the people,for the people. 

Basically “people ” here would mean the majority. Now how do we know that the majority is right? If majority is always right,then how did we end up with a Bush? And it was funny seeing Americans themselves almost booing Bush. So is majority always right? 

There is a saying in Tamil “Makal theeirpa makesan theeirpa” or “the people’s judgement,is God’s judgement”.I am sure there is a saying to that effect in every language. But past the romanticism of such sayings,throughout history we have seen people’s judgement as a society, not being “sane” shall we say.

The fact remains that society is a summation of individuals.Now most individuals are gullible(not enough integrity,I would say,Et tu Brute?),so if one person can harangue their belief to the masses,something like Antony did,then we are left with a judgement of one person .Without trying to digress into the merits of Brutus’ actions(after all under the statue it was,right?) ,what we do know,is that the crowd is always willing to jump on to boat with more gold.Nothing is more emphatic than bribing people for votes.

There are so many things,which we have to accept as a part of society,de reguiuer more than anything else. Yet we teach kids(I am  still  a kid) to be truthful,be honest etc, the most blasphemous thing about it is blackmail( it is blackmail ) -“God will poke your eye.” As a kid,growing up,I thought for a long time,adults as those who have values,kids are the ones who are frivolous as they don’t get the seriousness of life(blah blah blah{my am I falling in love with BODMAS?}) and when I did realize that adults are the ones who really a rope around the foot,it was some sort of revelation.

Majority isn’t always right. It seems a very mean conclusion to arrive at,particularly seeing the things majority dream about. For all the talk of majority wins, it actually took a single individual to get us (allegedly) independence.Yes,there were a lot of others,but they all were (to eulogize)a force,yet not too big enough. While Munna Bhai might be standing elections and making a few promiscuous statement about family names, we are still voting for the better devil.

And devils being devils ,have a set formula. Say you get this and that.Unity or communalism ,democracy or the thumb rule. The manifesto the “leaders” deliver,seems to be a mirror,they reflect what the people want to hear,yet they are painted behind.We are a nation which dreams about unity,about a social equity,yet it is easier for a criminal to hold a seat,in the highest house,while for others to hold on to their houses seems difficult.

The majority of us,don’t want wars or torture.Now try telling that to Taliban or Israel ? Are we trying to sell something here,which no one will buy? Or should we coat it with oil or stud with diamonds which they anyway have? 

Questioning the human standard of “goodness” is what all we “good” people do.Yet beyond the first question,we have never travelled,now I do wonder,if we “good” were to choose a leader who would it be?

There is the concept of “mixing it” in football.Where in you just don’t play pretty passing game,you put in a few hard tackles and may be even break a couple of foot.But aren’t we supposed to be breaking the foot of the common enemy? Now the common enemy team,lets say are these :-

Terrorism:-Well my views are very clear about terrorism

From photoshopped

Corruption:-

From photoshopped

Politicians and their divide and rule policy:-

From photoshopped

Poverty:-

From photoshopped

Illiteracy:-

From photoshopped

I am tempted to add religion but abstained(immaculate) from it.Mainly because,it is the root.I don’t consider it as a social problem,it is something far wider,it is in the mind,a psychological problem,no one would ever in the name of God or in the name of not believing(we are a nation of Hindus,Muslims,Christians,Sikhs,Parsis, Buddhists and non-believers )in it commit atrocities which violate every sense of pride an animal has.

So these evils we need to throw a few hard tackles at.Yet what is the problem? It is their method for one thing(fire for fire maybe?) and we are too humane to consider hurting them.And end of the day,we are happy to live our lives(nothing wrong in that,only thing we might get affected someday ).

The only reason why Israel bombs Gaza is because Gaza has no nuclear weapons,same thing with Iraq and Afghanistan,now why then Afghanistan’s neighbor not bombed? Simple,even though they brew the Taliban mix,they have nuclear bombs, Blackmail. So where is freedom and democracy ?

I am not far from the truth,when I say,equity is still a dream and will always be a dream for the society.The more globalised we become,the more we would tend to discriminate:-

A good example are the reservation policies, it is not about each one according to your worth,oh! no it is all about which caste you belong to! And oh! whats the preamble again?

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Hypocrisy ? Good enough,isn’t it.Well it is an epic as I said. We  find the government doing work against all this.But what I should appreciate is that if I were in a communist country I would not even be allowed to write this. So much for my two paise of freedom. I live in a large Metro and one of the country’s safest,I have no clue of communal violence except what I read and see on T.V. I will proudly say,my city is one in which communal violence will not boil out.

So back to the whole issue of majority.When the parties try to sell positions in the country,how far are we from the old situation?What are the virtues and what are the vices? The ban against Smoking,hasn;t gone anywhere. Nor has U.N. done anything great about human rights situation(OMG! UN? WHATS THAT?) in many countries.

 

 

From photoshopped

 

The leaders and whom so ever it is gain power,thanks to support.So as a society we need to do something( not watch NDTV and send SMSes and comments). Whatever system arises,there will be some problems which arise,as the aces dealt are equal(wow! something is fair!) to all.The fiends ,will grow along,but we need to grow faster than them.We need to evolve into something they can’t catch.And at doing all this,we need to do it in a way,which our “inner voice” will agree. When we choose someone,we need to know what they do.Maybe instead of the budget,the government should publish the cash flow for each project it undertakes.Maybe,we educated need to stand up and take control. In times when we are moving into the age of intelligence, a person who is still stuck with medieval ideas can do no good. And without pointing fingers,what we will have to do is,take up the onus and try to initiate a change. 

And to change, it is the children(nurture) whom we can start it with.The terrorists have learned it well.We should make sure,that the poor kids learn values which do the world good. We need to stop war,as all it does is cause more anger,when an action is so sever ,what about the reaction? We need people with the same standards.

President Obama seems to be the person, but I am not that sure others are going to cooperate. 

Lets hope for the best.

From photoshopped

61 years have gone by

sixty one years gone by-
an year older at midnight,
as a nation,one step forward,
as a nation,we fought our way-
out of depression and suppression.
Another year just flew by,
the year’s wealth and health
is now embedded for the future,
and will be carried by time and tide.
A country of immense knowledge
and a country of saying and adage-
People of action fight and live;
war,hunger,religion,caste,region-still,
the breath of nation is it’s people’s will.
The vast lands,might have been parched,
the rivers might have run dried,
the “development” might have killed
the needed balance,to sustain development,
but we can still replant ,with our determination.
The past’s glory and a vibrant culture,
the back bones which makes our state better.
To the world we now give,
and to the world we no more are darkness.
factories and roads compete,
and our businesses reap.
sixty one years of freedom,
which has been fueled by martyrdom
and the ancient wisdom.

Yet a new need has risen,
when we the people,
have to join hands,
to unite and face ourselves,
for the time has come,
when those elected by the people,
exploit the people.Time has come
to reach out and destroy
all that is not needed and imbibe,
the good of the past and the better
of the present,for the sake of the future.
The time has come to light
the lamp,of passion and inspiration.
Until everyone does his or her bit,
until we stop war and shake hands and sit,
we will again again go down the pit.
We need to be untied,
as a people and as a nation,
not just for the country,
but for the sake of whole of humanity.
It might sound impossible,
for differences cause rebels-
so what?
let us live and let live
and forgive.to do that
first know your self
and learn to think and act
for yourself.
A nation is made of people,
and as the pillars of a nation,
we need to first indulge in contemplation,
once done,
our true progress will begin.
So let us join hands
and cause the change,
let us walk together,
to make our nation and world better.

jai Hind!

About Democracy,hypocrisy and unity

I am feeling damn irritated right now.Well might be the fact that my hits are down today,well know i was pissed off even before that,so what is it?Was it the fact that i paid Rs.70 for the 5-6 kms journey from school to home? Or is it because i am seeing a lot of hypocrisy around me?I think that must be it.

So people this is about democracy now.What is democracy?

According to me it is the biggest hypocrisy.Why where do i find people choosing what they want? Why the ‘society’ seems to have its own way.The majority is right,seems to be notion.Democracy is where you can smoke under a no smoking board.democratic nation is one which,people are divided into clusters and galaxies and constellations and lose all sense of nation pride.I have written a few poems on India.Why infact the poem which set me into serious writing was on India.Yet for all i love my country and its heritage,the hypocrisy which i live in between seriously make me wonder is this what we all deserve.Why ,is one religion superior to another? Now when i say religion in India,it means so many things.We have the cine gods,we have the sports idols and we have the political czars.Each one has their own cult.Now that is not a problem,we have influential people right.But the problem is what they do.The word “Secular” in our preamble,comes to my mind.I don’t need to say more.Then we have the problem of corruption.Ha,well now all of us have gone through this isn’t it? Then we have the problem of sharing among states.Then we have the problem of terrorism.then we have the problem of child abuse,then gender inequality,then well if i were to write it would be an endless list but
The problem lies in the fact that,people cannot appreciate their own identity.Now why would i care,about my nation when my window is so small that i only see myself and the cynical world around me? We can write books upon books,article upon article on the pride of our ancient nation,but do the lovely writers of these wonderful books,even know that people who can afford to read these books are very few? Why the masses are a political tool,if you really have faith in what you say,get out and hold the mike and spread the message.You the great economists and artists and writers and what not what else should know that the only way to get people together is by weaving the magic of words.Why you all even go as far to write about Gandhiji ,didn’t he speak ? Didn’t he come out? Why isn’t the pulpit the best place for spreading the message? until you do that,all you have written will be garbage.Your articles/books gets its worth only when you act and when you show.If you all think that we need to spread the message of unity,then get out there and spread the message of unity.The anti-socials have already done it.They infest and harvest young minds faster than our agriculture sector is growing.Soon they might take over us and we will become the anti-social.So get out and get going.

To conclude :

My nation,
is full of fascination.
Yet it needs a little bit of emancipation.
For this we need life to be elevated,
view to be appreciated.
inequality eliminated
and freedom harvested,
faster then we get polluted.
For unity to be forged,
we need to adore,
each other and what ever is our abode,
we need to invent our approach.
For understanding to be reached,
things shouldn’t be preached,
but put to everyone’s reach.
For the sake of our nation,
let us be in unison.
unity will be our strength,
we will not depend,
and we will not bend,
India a nation of a billion.

for democracy’s sake

democracy is the greatest
hypocrisy.we are all deemed
to follow what some populous
beings flaunt.democracy
is where no rights exist.
democracy is where,
humanity has failed to
see where it could be.
if only it was democracy
as democracy should be,
where every voice is as
sweet as it can be.

the laws of laissez faire,
where everything is fair,
should be unbiased.
discrimination is the humiliation
which in humanity has become
a sensation.the phenomenon
of survival and cycle of death
and life are a part of existence.
discrimination is a part-where
we fail to reach a moral
equilibrium,where we fail
to see what if it was me.

race or kind,
is not we should care.
all of us are rare.
we all should share,
and bare,
with each other,
for existence to live forever.
though it might seem,
like a dream-improbable,
it is left to us to
make it possible.
all voice together,
will not be audible,
in turn it might be possible.
no one can bare
dictation nor humiliation.
the solution is to remunerate,
each persons stake,
by love or hate,
as per their part
played to make,
for everyones sake.