July 23, 2008

Limitations

In the movie - The Great Debaters – prof. Tolson explain to his debater team how the black slaves were controlled and "utilized effectively" by the minority whites: by keeping the slaves physically strong but psychologically weak! That is, the blacks retained their body, but gave their mind to the whites!

A few days back, I got this fwded mail, which talked about how humans control the mighty elephants. Read it...
As I was passing the elephants, I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not.

I saw a trainer near by and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away." Well," he said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free."

I was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were. Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

Isn't the message obvious? Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they are yours. Hence don't argue for it. Defy it. Make an attempt to grow further.


Heaven and Hell

When I was a kid, my mom used to tell me this story of "Heaven and Hell" to inculcate the value of being courteous and not greedy. She used to tell the story during our lunch/dinner. It was nice to see that same story, after many years, finding its way to my mail box.

Read and enjoy :-)
A Swami was having a conversation with Lord Shiva one day and said.

'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like'.

Lord Shiva led the Swami to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the Swami looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the Swami's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly! They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.

But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The Swami shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

Lord Shiva said, 'You have seen Hell.'

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The Swami said, 'I don't understand.'

'It is simple,' said Lord Shiva.

'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'

PS: Of course, being a Christian, my mom's story had a Christian background, with Jesus opening the door, and not Siva. But the rest... is the same...

July 20, 2008

Sheep

The slaughter house near my house:

The butcher grabs the front leg of one sheep and drags it to the slaughter house.

The remaining sheeps in the herd follow the sheep.

The butcher smiles at the herd that's following the sheep he is dragging.

The butcher pushes the sheep to the slaughter bay

The herd follows. Without any force they get into the bay.

After a few hours the butcher hangs the carcass of the sheeps in front of his shop.

Is there any other species that walks into death as obediently and silently as sheeps do?

The definition of sheep is “someone who would rather follow than make an independent decision

Public Display of Affection (PDA)

Public Display of Affection (PDA) is the norm in Bangalore City. Yours truly Sophroniscus, even though not yet reported through this blog, has witnessed it innumerable times.

After skimming through an article on PDA, I was curious to know my friend's take on it. Placing the paper on the teapoy, I lifted my cup of hot CoffeeDay cappuccino. She had just finished a hushed conversation on her mobile...


"So... What do you think of PDA?"
I asked her sipping the cappuccino
.

A bit surprised on the topic I have thrown at her, she carefully kept the mobile in her tan purse and said: "I like it."


I was taken aback. I didn't expect THAT answer to come from her - someone who hails from a traditional Indian family. More than the answer, I was surprised by the aplomb and coolness with which she said it!

"What do you mean you like it?!" I asked, trying hard to suppress my surprise.
"It is good time pass" She said adjusting her yellow kameez and dupatta, and then reaching out to grab her cup of mocha.

"Time pass?! When... Which part...?!" After blurting out that question, I felt like a fool. I shouldn't have asked.

"Well... "
she paused, thought for a while, and said "I think I’ll enjoy it in the bus. You know how boring the two hour bus ride to-and-from office can get..."


"Times have changed"
I grimaced and said to myself.


She continued "If I have a PDA, I can find ways to cut time... or at least I think so..."


At that statement I started laughing. She was talking about Personal Digital Assistant - PDA!! In this world of HTC and iPhone, how can she talk about Personal Digital Assistant!!?? Yes... my assessment was right. She is a pakka traditional Indian girl. I continued my laugh.

Startled at my laughter she stared at me for a while before I pointed her to the article on PDA. She looked at it and blushed.


"So... you like it in the bus!! I'm wondering with whom?!"
Before I broke into another round of wild uproar I saw her flung the paper on my face.


Career Switch

What profession should I choose?

I've been thinking of a change for a while. I need a change from my current boring mundane profession. I need a change that will put me on the edge. A change that will get adrenalin pumping all over my body. A change that will give me the comfort, which only money can buy…, and truck loads of money to buy that comfort. A change that will solicit travel and take me to different parts of the world. A change that will get me in touch with different people from different walks of life. A change that will make me famous...

Is there a profession that can satisfy my needs and wishes?

How about becoming a politician? A politician gets all the above mentioned. Isn't it? But then, a more important question is: Can I become a politician? OR… Do I have the “qualities” to become a politician…? Well... If I kill the left-over ethics in me, I can become one... I think so… But then, I know, a politician’s life is not that rosy when he is NOT in power. He has to reduce some basic comfort such as air-condition. Under the hot glaring sun, he has to visit different places and in that process… literally “sweat out”. All this… to grab power…, which, after all that effort, can elude him forever!

So... may be I should go for some other “stable” profession. I think becoming a guruji will be good. Unlike politicians, god-men are never forced to bequeath power… and comfort…, esp. basic comfort such as air-conditioned rooms and luxurious cars. Those are permanent for them. All they have to do is give gyaan to the crowd. And “giving gyaan” comes naturally to me. Yes… I think I can become a successful god-man. Besides, of late, I have been having this strong feeling of something spiritual inside me… bubbling and waiting to burst out.

Wait a minute… That is not just a feeling! It is my destiny. I know I’m destined to become a god-man! The spirits and nature are conspiring in favor of me…! Otherwise why did wisdom dawn on me during my Meenmutty forest visit? Yes… it was enlightenment…!! See the picture below. Don’t you see a halo around my head?!


Skeptics might pooh pooh my argument by dragging some “photonic theory”. Don't believe them! There is no dearth for skeptics in this world. Every god-man has his own set of detractors. Do you think my sitting like a Maharaja surrounded by body-guard disciples, and the appearance of the halo was a mere coincidence? NO! No science can explain this… because this is beyond science…

I have made up my mind! I'm starting a new secular sect... The Sophroniscaya sect…! Chant the following mantra and you will be blessed: "Om Sophroniscaya Akbar. Amen"

All your problems will go away if you chant that mantra a billion times a day. If you think you need more blessings, please send a check or DD in favor of Sophroniscus Dialectic, #5, 20th A Cross, 2nd Floor, Ejipura Main Road, Ejipura, Bangalore 560047. Since I'm in the process of getting established, any denomination will be accepted. Make best use of this opportunity. Later, when I become more famous, I will not accept small contributions. Worse… I will treat small contributions as an insult and will curse you...

Om Sophroniscaya Akbar. Amen!




July 19, 2008

Managing Expectations...

"Do you know the root cause of all rifts between people?" I posed looking at her, but not expecting an answer. The breeze was playing with the tuft on her face. She looked at me through the corner of her eyes... expecting me to answer.
"Expectations..." I said continuing my stroll with her.

It was long since we had caught up with each other. An evening stroll, we felt, was good to share the latest news, gossips and philosophies of our life.


"Be it work or personal life... one has to manage expectations to avoid rifts. You set meetings with customers... Why? To manage their expectations so that future relationship with them won’t go sour. Parents get angry with their kids when the kids go against their expectations. Spouses fight with each other because each one has a set of different expectations from other. Chinks appear in solid friendship because of improper ‘expectation management’...!"

I looked at her with the satisfaction of unraveling the universal truth (and secret) to her...

"Hmmm...” She paused… looking straight and not at me, she continued: “We are supposed to meet tomorrow for dinner?"
The breeze continued its rendezvous with her tuft.
"Yes" I replied
"Can I manage your expectation....? Can you expect me not to be there for dinner?" I saw the wicked-naughty smile showing its signs at the corner of her lips.

Time to stop lecturing my philosophies... I thought