Exams

"A student who changes the course of history is probably taking an exam"

~ Anonymous

The only history Im trying to change is my own. For that matter Im quite busy this week and won't be posting or replying to comments or visiting other blogs :)

Best and the rest..........

What is it about the best stories in sports and life, being the triumph of spirit, mind and body against all odds? What is it about the audacity of the meek to challenge the mighty and the best? What is it about audiences cheering the underdogs, as unlikely it may seem? Some of my favorite moments in sports have been watching Ivanisevic win Wimbledon, Greece triumphing in the Euro championships and a down and out Sri Lanka beating their tormentor, Australia in the world cup. What can be more exhilarating and elevating than seeing the underdogs, give their best and walking out of a lost cause with their heads held high and chest puffed. Not only in sport, how often does our voice crack and experience a lump in the throat, when you hear about the common man, who choose to carve his own destiny despite numerous sufferings.

Nevertheless, I came across an article by Andrew McLean, a New Zealand stereotype, if there is one, and he put forth the idea, albeit in humor, to seclude Australia from international cricket because they were simply too good. Make them play only world cups and a select few, he suggested. A few years ago the FIA tried to undermine the combined might of Ferrari and Schumacher, again because they were dominating what is essentially a spectator sport. Thankfully, the ICC does not have such foresight nor such decision making powers at its disposal.

Why this sudden stream of thought? Since when did the concept of a fair competition and evenly matched teams become a norm in the world of sport. Isnt competition about two individuals or two teams, each with their unique strengths and individuals, pitching their ability one against the other, however unbalanced they seem. Isnt that what competitive sports events are all about. Would you watch a match, knowing that Australia is playing without Gilchrist, McGrath, Ponting, Warne, not because of a quirk of fate, instead to ensure a fair and even platform, against a much maligned Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. It is indeed true not even the most die hard fans of the Oz, want to watch Australia take on Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, but for oppositions playing against the best, it is their opportunity to watch, admire and learn what it takes to be the best. For the best, set the standard, raise the bar and extend limits and challenge others to do the same. Isn't that the mantra for the best and those aspiring to be the best in all walks of life. Wouldn't you relish knowing that Zimbabwe or Bangladesh gave Australia a run for their money.

The pertinent question is should the best really be alienated or their ability undermined for the sake of competition or entertainment. Why this sudden persecution and dissension? What for? Competition? undermining the ability of the best so that they can compete on a platform where the mediocre can give them a run for their money. Entertainment? for the sake of the crow do we punish the nightingale. Isn't the purpose of competition lost when the victory is undervalued by tilting the balance in favor of the meek.

It is not within us or any central body to take away what is rightfully achieved by a select few through a combination of hardwork and foresight, and give to the mediocre, simply because they are mediocre and incompetent. The way of life and sport is determined by the desire to compete in an area of expertise of an individual or team and their passion for it, not dictated by the incompetent. Let us praise the best and not feed on their guilt for being the best, for that is the way of the meek and impotent.

P.S The need for this post arose from watching 14th ranked Vermont basketball team beating the 4th ranked Syracuse. The joy on the faces of the young men, cannot be put in words by me. For many, they had achieved what was the pinnacle of their young lives, such was their emotions, for they wore their hearts on their sleeves. On another note, I also beg to differ to with Andrew Mclean and many including some of my friends who think that Australia should be stopped from playing, although they all suggest it in humor.

What if there was no afterlife??!!

How many among us believe in afterlife, judgement day and heaven/hell. Most Hindus believe strongly in the concept of afterlife and heaven/hell. Judgement day is as old as Adam and Eve, so is the concept of heaven for the good souls and hell for the bad souls. The question is what really drives people to differentiate and make the choice of good over bad. Is it the fear of God, fear of hell, fear of an unattractive rebirth or an inherently good heart.

What if the concept of afterlife and heaven/hell is nothing but a fantasy. Is it a figment of imagination like the numerous superstitions that dominate different cultures. Imagine a world or society without the concept of afterlife, heaven or hell, or judgement day. Will it alter the mindset of people towards differentiating between good and bad, especially since there would be no punishment or reward propotional to our deeds, no heaven to reward our good and no hell to punish us for our bad deeds. Toeing the previous line of thought is God a mirage, an invention of imagination, out of the need that arose for devising a greater set of rules for society to live by. Rules that have far reaching consequences than civil or criminal law.

If it was firmly established that there is no afterlife, judgement day or heaven/hell would it still drive people to do the good deeds? Will our conscience be strong enough to make a sane judgement between good and bad without the concept of God, heaven or hell hanging over our head. What then will motivate people to do more good than bad, what will bring about a change of heart among hardened criminals? Gauntlet of emotions thunder past me while I contemplate these questions.

So then who are saints and godfathers, what is their role in society? That shall take an entire post another day because I have nothing but contempt and cynicism for them and those who believe them.

Robbed of thoughts

Does writing take away my skill for conservation. After I finished my previous post around noon, I realised that for most part of the next two hours I was tongue tied and my thinking cells were benumbed. It was like my entire emotions and my capability to emote was encapsulated in the words that I typed in the morning. And once I was done with my post, I could think no more, staring into the television, the images and the sounds rushed past me, my mind not registering. There was no way I was going to tackle Maxwell and his convoluted equations in this frame of mind.


I knewI enjoyed writing but never did I imagine that it might take away the need for conservation. Could I live without innumerable idle conversations that make up our pathetic excuse for life. What if I was a mute, would I miss conversations and interacting with people?

Morning musings, when philosophy is your companion

Like a hurricane lashing on the coast of Florida all Ive been wanting to do since discovering the blogging community was to write and write. And now write I must before my roomates wake up and demand their fair share of computer usage. Its a beautiful morning after the numerous snow storms and Im awake earlier than my roomates who wont be up for another couple of hours at least. I sleep late too but I wanted some peaceful time to work on my blog before my roomates getup and go about their mundane activities of checking their mails, not to mention the usual gossip of cinema and which bollywood actress decided to jump on the bandwagon of sleazefest.

It is an irony that our only links to India is via the occasional bollywood and kollywood cinema, however stereotypical and a cartload of crap they call movies, we still see them. With a glass of chocolate flavored milk in my hand (Im too lazy to make myself any coffee) and Maxwells equations I need to analyse for my upcoming midterms on mind, I browse through cricinfo and rediff pages for knowledge that I usually pick up from daily chatter with friends when I was back home. Do I miss India? not really because I have more to look forward here than back home. Would I settle out here? no way because however much you build a rapport with locals here we'll still be the Indian friend and not just friend.

Ahh the proverbial sleepers are turning and tossing already, its going to be yet another a long day. The physics of electromagnetics interspersed with discussions about arranged marriage and love marriage make for a yet another mundane day. In between I need to cook what would be our short lunch snack and tonights big dinner. Love marriage or arranged marriage, gosh that topic is as old as Coulombs law dictating the force of attraction between two unlike charges.

Unlike charges, you gotta be kidding me, two unlike souls linking up together for the rest of their lives. Believe me I have experienced it and I cant stand an ideologically different person for more than three months let alone three decades. Living single and straight and liking it, thats my philosophy. What do I have to look forward to? my books, my music, my writing and my research; not to forget my dreams.

While my roomates ponder and contemplate their plan for the next five years, it becomes increasingly clear how much we miss India. Money, it appears the only reason coming here for many. But how much money do I want, is one million dollars enough, or what will two cars and a beautiful bungalow back home do to my dreams, will it satisfy my urge to earn and spend. How much do I want out of life, how much do I want out of my education. My unanswered questions that I pose to life and myself, my roomates ask different questions of themselves; how different we are.

When I was young before I went to sleep, I wished that God would come in my dreams and show me the path that I need to walk and provide me the solution to the complex equation that is life. As I grew up I realised that the path Im going to chart is my own and will be walked in solitude. I embrace solitude and I quite enjoy it, but a companion, a friend who would walk hand in hand, I crave.

Dedicated to solitary dreamers!!!

My brush with Individualist(s)

"If you fail to rise above the mediocrity, you risk losing your individuality". I came across this statement when I was surfing blogs and being an ardent fan of Ayn Rand I more than eagerly agreed with it but what ticked me was would too much individuality or a drive to develop a sense of individuality, numb you and the people around you.

A wise dude once told me "You can do different things but dont try to do everything differently". Unless you are an entrepreneur, a journalist, a researcher or a job that uses up every ounce of your creative juice, take it easy on you and others guys. What pisses me off is that many of these individualists are invariably blind to their shortcomings. It is not surprising in that case that many of the individualists repeatedly fail to accept their misgivings but instead portray their inadequacies as the very quality that makes them unique. Fellas, just because its unique and nobody else does it it necessarily need not be cool.

It is funny how people view being unique, being different as something to be proud of rather than an inherent quality. For many people including me embracing ones identity is a metamorphosis that might take up the best part of a lifespan. Heres to those who feel constantly reinventing oneself is the only way of living.

Be open to views, opinions and ideas because I strongly believe that the next inspiration might be just around the corner and in the most unattractive package. A lot of lessons I learnt were not from books and word of mouth rather from the people Ive interacted with. Over the years every person Ive known or remembered have taught me very many things, more importantly how to be and how not to be. It is hardly surprising to me that many individualists often fall in the latter bracket.

Which brings us to the next group of people who form a subset of individualists, the self made man. To me the phrase self made man is full of contradictions quite like the quintessential honest politician. I believe that our idealogy is often built based on events we encounter or on our perception of these life altering events. So essentialy, our views and opinions are based on events affecting and not because one fine day we choose to be that way.

Finally, to all the individualits out there embrace your individuality and let others embrace it, dont thrust it upon them. I like to think that every person is a book waiting to be read, re-read and analysed but to all you individualists and self made men I have one piece of advice, nobody wants to read a comic in hardcover!!!!!

lara or tendulkar

lara or tendulkar......just pop this phrase to a group of people in india and you are bound to start an argument that would put most legislative assemblies to shame. make no difference, from corporate boardrooms to connaught circle to common bylanes you would evoke nothing short of a detailed discussion comprising statistics to techinical finesse and character.

to vast majority of indians tendulkar is no less than a demi god exalted to immortality. you think jordan created furore and chaos with announcements of return and retirement from the game, wait till you see how indians react to tendulkars retirement. people hang onto every piece of information that newspapers, radio channels and local tv throw at them. i bet after tendulkars tennis elbow and the subsequent diagnosis by newspapers there has been an increase in the cases of orthopaedics having to put up with "tennis elbow" complaints from young and old alike.

lara is by no means at a lower level when it comes to idolizing and fan following. but caribbeans have a lot of things on their mind like catching the wave and partying. like a surfer catching a wave lara burst onto the scene (i know its a cliche but theres reason to why they call it a cliche, because its appropriate and true!!!!) caribbeans have idolized as many times as they have burnt him at the stake. you love to hate him and loathe to love him. that to me is the defining when it comes to pure entertainment.

i aint no cricket expert my loyalties lay elsewhere but like all children i grew up on a staple diet of test matches and one day internationals. to me lara brings an avalanche of emotions when he comes to bat. true tendulkar has scored more hundreds, i think he scores like 1 hundred for every 10 ODI matches (its an approximation, dont get statistical with me, im past that age!!!) and lara scores like half of that. but not knowing what to expect, a hundred, a duck, a quick 20 or 30 he still gives me an eyeful to watch and anticipate.

true, laras personal and professional life is a disaster, but that is the beauty of watching an true genius. what is john nash without the controversies of homosexuality, mahatma gandhi without the controversies of partition or michael schumacher without the controversies of a tyrant on a race track. a genius gives you what nobody else does, a roller coaster ride, expect the unexpected, exaltation when he succeeds and exasperation when he succumbs.

you would love to curse lara when he gets out at inappropriate moments or fails but with tendulkar that is next to sacrilege. more reasons have been contrived for his untime dismissals that would put most politicians to shame. tendulkar is the perfect role model to todays young children and aspiring cricketers. in a country which is starved of true role models, a man with so much humility and simplicity after achieving so much, you would have to be blind or insane not to take your hat off to him.

to me tendulkar embodies all that is indian conservatism. minimal and precise footwork, neat crisp strokes, copy book shots and getting into zen mode while batting. lara, with his ungaily backlift, chaotic footwork is an example of a free spirit, a man who let things come to him naturally, a man whos comfortable with verbal bouncers and a man who would definitely take the time to convey what a failure the bowler is when it comes to doing his job.

i respect tendulkar saying that his batting matured with age but it make no sense. do u see agassi not returning quite as well because hes aged, do u see mcgrath bowling a foot short because hes aged or have you heard of nymphomaniacs giving up because they were too old for conservative society (the last one is quite inappopriate but mischevious, aint it?) but i would rather give my sleep to watch lara bat than tendulkar carve a hundred. why? because lara gives to me frustrating failures, awe inspiring innings', gives me more ups and downs the waves that lash his private beach. geniuses keep failing, give up what they do but when they come back they often have a point to prove or add finishing touches to what is already a masterpiece. i would rather anticipate a failing masterpiece which holds only promise but no fruition than a calendar drawing which is very beautiful but evokes no emotions!!!!!!

musings!!!

first post, just checking out. like all people i have too much to say and hope to keep blogging. i just realised today that i wouldnt have to put up with conversations and irritating mannersims while discussing my opinions hoping for constructive criticisms in these blogs. and i dont have a problem with authority; its authoritative behavior that pisses me off