Atlas Shrugged

I completed reading Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" last week. Her ideas, her philosophy and the characters in the book set my head wondering... Here goes something what I felt about this book...

Overall, Atlas Shrugged is a good read. Unlike other novels, I took a lot of time to read the book. And it was not just because it's a huge book, but because, I felt there is something to think about in every sentence in the book.

In the book, one point that Ayn Rand has tried to convey is that a man's mind is very valuable. Infact the book suggests that if people with a "great mind" go on strike, the whole world collapses!

In the book, there are 2 sections of people: people with great mind (Atlas) and people with no mind and no purpose. The people with no purpose in their life are the cause of evil. But hey, are'nt there people in this world who fall under a third category: people who desire to have a purpose in their life, but who do not possess the great brains that will tell them what their purpose is? Such people want to be good, but cannot think on their own. Such people need guidance in thinking. Such people think what they are told to think!
What happens to such people who later realise that they were under evil influence throughout? This is answered by what happened to Cheryl Taggart, Jim taggart's wife.

Unfortunately, the book doesnt answer how these "normal" people are expected to live. It made me believe that the people who are not clever will always lie at the mercy of their rulers, who can be good or bad. And since the normal people are not clever, they will not be able to choose their leaders rightly.

Another point that Ayn Rand conveyed was John Galt's declaration: "I swear - by my life and my love of it - that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine." It means, you must not sacrifice yourself or your mind for others.

If I have a great mind and I can invent something that can benefit the whole world; The world has bad people, good people and the normal people. But if I feel that the world is currently under the influence of bad people, then what should I do? Since I have the great mind and the brain, I SHOULD be able to fight against the bad people, right? It is like the war between the Gods and the Devils. God has to win. But how? By destroying the whole world (the world which consisted of some poor guys who could not think) and then re-building the world again?

I feel, in such practical cases, the good guy needs to "sacrifice" something in order to gain that eternal happiness. One should not be forced to sacrifice himself - thats murder. But sometimes sacrifice gives immense pleasure. Sometimes it feels good to give away your food to someone else, to see him happy while you starve, doesnt it?

You cannot eliminate emotions from a man. You cannot seperate out reason and emotions. They are inter-linked. In the book, Dagny, Fransisco, Hank and John Galt too were shown to have emotions. Dagny decided to join the strike very late - after she "felt" anger due to what was being done to John. Her decision was coupled with emotions and it was not just reason. The book itself was contradicting it philosophy...

At the end of the book, what I felt was, Wesley Mouch and his lot tried to murder a man's mind. And Johh Galt and others killed the whole world by deciding not to use their minds!

And even after reading the book what I felt was, the book was "good in theory", but practically this is not possible. If one has the great brains, then he should use them and help those who cannot think. And I was talking just like those mentioned as "evils" in the book!! :)

I did not agree with Ayn rand's philosophy in the book. And yet, I liked the book!!

What I took from the book was: A country depends largely on its leaders. And most of the leaders do not have those great minds. But they know politics. They have their selfish ideas, which result into doom. Our country is in such a devastating situation. And we need some good theory and some great minds who can come up & get our country into good hands!

Circle Vs Line

In "Atlas Shrugged", Ayn Rand said, "A man's life should not be a circle. It should be a straight line". And this sentence triggered some thoughts in my mind...

A circle defines a boundary. A straight line represents an arrow, it points to your goal.

Life like a circle means a secure life. You have made both ends meet and now you are living a happy life. No more struggles. Things beyond this circle are not known, and hence not disturbing. Your life is confined to the boundaries of the circle. You keep traveling round and round on the circle. You live a life called as "regular".

Life like a straight line means progression. You are constantly fighting to move ahead. Every new step is an adventure. Life for you is not just about making ends meet. It is much more. You keep setting new targets for yourself and you keep moving along a new path.

Living life in a straight line is like living with the time. You move ahead with time. Things of the past are left behind. Time also always moves ahead in a straight line.

Living life in a circle means living a closed life. Bound with some rules and regulations. People who live life in a circle are more traditional, more conservative.

If you look around, most of the people live life in a circle. It takes a lot of guts to live life in a straight line. And this is a mark of a great man.

A Different Independence Day

15 August 2007. India will celebrate 60 years of independence.

Sometimes I wonder, what does Indian Independence really mean to us today? What do we do on 15th Aug? We might get up late. We will buy small tirangas with those spinning chakras attached to them. And then very efficiently we will tie them to our vehicle. All day patriotic songs will be played on Radio Mirchi. That’s it!

We crib that nothing seems to work in India. We curse our system and say “Nothing is going to happen to this country”. It’s good that we realize that there are a lot of issues with our country. And the all issues are inter-linked, forming a vicious circle. But what are we doing to break this vicious circle?

Our heroes of the past cleaned our home for us. They told us "Kar chalein hum fida jaan aur tan saathiyon, ab tumhare hawalein vatan saathiyon". They have handed us the batons. It’s our duty now to wake up and take firm steps to better our country.

This 15th August, let us all do something, anything simple, that will make this Independence Day different.

You can decide to plant a tree or make your maid servant happy by giving her a holiday too. Or you can think of doing some kind of social service. You can do that little bit to avoid pollution by not taking out your vehicle – you can cycle instead! Small things as such cannot change all our issues at an instant. But at least you can give it a start. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

So on this Independence Day, try to do something that can make a difference. It will. And what more, you can share your experiences / episodes of the day, so as to motivate all those around you!

What If I...

This was my first attempt to write a poem when I was given "half a title" for the poem! Yes, I was to write something for the section "What if I..." of our magazine and I chose to write a poem on "What if I could travel back in time?"

What If I Could Travel Back In Time?

Many a times when I look back
And stare at the “one-way” sign
I wonder what would be,
If I could travel back in time!

I would not have watched that TV serial
And instead studied a bit harder
I would not have made that “silly mistake”
And would have scored a grade higher!

I would have uttered that “sorry” word
When we had debated onto days for nigh…
I would have hugged my best friend once more,
Before I bid her a good-bye…

I would have sat beside my grandmother
As she counted her last few moments
I would keep rewinding time till that instant
Beyond which I would never let it progress.

I would have traveled back to the time,
To see the world when I was not even born,
I would then understand what our grandparents meant,
When they said “Those days have gone!”

Gradually the years would pass and
In the mirror, an old woman I’d see.
The nearing “end” wouldn’t scare me anymore,
‘Coz a child again I can be!

There are so many things that I would have done
If I could travel back in time!
But hey! Then I’d just live in the past…
And then wouldn’t my future turn grime?!

Copyright ©

I Promise!

Writing was a passion for me some many years ago. And now, after living these many years, I wonder what’s happened to me. I feel I can’t write anymore. I feel like writing, but I can’t write. And do you know the reason why? I know the reason. It’s simply because I am too busy. Or at least I feel so. What a shame.

I feel like writing so many things. Atleast twice a day some really exciting thoughts cross my mind & I decide I am going to pen down (or rather “type ‘em” or “key in”) my thoughts. But I don’t do it.

I have decided that I am going to be more serious with this passion of mine. I promise to be more regular. Yes, that’s a promise!

Basic Needs

I have seen people whose life revolves around the basic needs of life. Their aim is to eat healthy food, exercise daily, sleep well and then every morning "download" the food properly! To stay healthy, fit and fine, they will set up the most ideal routine & achieve perfection in it. When they grow old, they will feel proud that they are very healthy and suffer from no illness. They have enough stamina and are content that they have lived a perfect life.

But my view differs on this point. Its good to eat healthy food daily & keep yourself fit and fine. But to keep your body in such a perfect state, you sacrifice a lot in life. To keep your health perfect, you do not travel different places, as that alters your routine for a few days. You dont taste different foods: as you are always skeptic about the quality, hygiene and nutritive contents. You need to sacrifice on your other hobbies, as they may come in the way of your perfect healthy routine. To achieve some out-of-the-ordinary things in life, you need to put in a lot of effort, which comes at the cost of your health: eg - to get good marks, one may have to study for hours, affecting his food timings & sleep timings. To be good at office, especially a software life, again you are living a "non-ideal healthy" life. You do not venture out to do the unexplored, lest it may affect your health!

I believe in the following lines:
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out & screaming 'WOO HOO - What a ride!' "

Life is not about sitting at home, doing only the basic needs to survive. It helps you maintain your body well, but hey - what have you actually achieved in life? What was your life worth? Look at life beyond the basic needs of the body. One has to die one day anyways... Isnt it important to live a "complete" life, even if it is short? What is the use of a life which has an intact splendid body, but nothing else - nothing else at all? Sometimes to build a perfect soul, one sacrifices his health. Isnt it more important to build a perfect soul than a perfect body?

The Cricket Mania

Cricket World Cup 2007. Will India make it to the Super 8's? Suspense. Excitement. World cup record against Bermuda. Cheer. Fans. And a murder.
A murder?

Yesterday we had a collage-making competition in office, where we had to make a collage on "Cheer India for World Cup 2007". Cheer India... I thought, isn't all the cheering enough? Aren't we cheering too much already? Hoo-haa India. Aya India. And what not! I am not particularly a cricket fan. But I love sports: Sounds ironic, right? Thats because Cricket seems to have become an exception in the sports category. The real "spirit" of the game is lost. If India wins, you are a proud Indian. You party. You celebrate. And if India loses, you will burn effigies. You will attack the cricketers' houses. Well, thats not how a game is played!!

"When The Great Scorer comes to write against your name, you write not if you won or lost, but how you played the game!" And how is this game being played? There is so much money put in the sport that it no longer remains a sport. It is a game of poker being played by some rascals; and the cricketers are used like the cards.

How can I know that the match I will see today is not a pre-decided match? How can I be assured, that the players playing on the field are playing their true game, without surrendering to pressures & the power of money?

And now, with the murder of Bob Woolmer, the game has reached the peak of corruption. I think, the time has come to ban the game.

Live your Questions...!

... Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart.

Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language.

Do not now look for the answers.

They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them.

It is a question of experiencing everything.

At present, you need to live the question.

Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer some distant day.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Tax!!

They said that you must pay your tax with a smile!
I tried it... But then they said, they wanted cash!!

As a tax payer, I want to know if I have the right to know what was done with the money I paid to the government? I do not mean the general details - but ALL the details... Where is my money going?

All of us do some kind of recording of their expenses. Some do it in their minds, while others prefer writing it down. How much you earn, how much you spend -All this is tracked in our little "finance notebooks". And there goes one entry under the title "TAX".

Currently India is experiencing a software boom. Every person - left, right & centre - works in an IT company with a hefty pay. And with this hefty pay comes a hefty tax. What is happening to this huge tax that we all are paying?

We have economists who are talking about the "economic imbalance" that is being created because of the growing software industry in India. They are talking about things like "only the software professionals are getting richer, everything else remains where it is". This maybe somewhat true... But cant our great Economists come & tell us how we can do good with the money that is flowing from the global market into India?

I am ready to pay double the tax that I am paying today - If only I can be assured that the money I am paying is going to those needy poor people... I perfectly agree about the economic imbalance. So what can be the solution? Are we expected to step down, so that everyone is equal? Or can we pull up the ones below, so that we are equal? Definitely the second option is better... But how can it be implemented? By paying our tax into the pockets of those who promise to lead our nation? Wont the rich continue to become richer in such a case?!! :)

Winner or Loser: Doest matter in the end!

My favorite quote

When The Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He writes not whether you won or lost
But how you played the game.

-Grantland Rice

When Science Speaks

Yesterday I was watching a program on TV about "healthy food habits". They were telling that you must avoid meat, especially red meat. And you must eat a lot of vegetables. They also said that for "liver cleansing" you must not drink alcohol. And they gave so many other tips.

In short, they implied that one must be vegetarian and not drink alcohol. Does'nt our religion tell us the same?

Our religion only uses a different approach, it speaks in the "emotional language". Religion tells us not to kill animals, they too have the right to live and hence it says, you must be a vegetarian. But we do not listen to religion. And when science tells us the same thing, but explains in "scientific language", we are ready to accept it.

Religion also has reasoning, it has logic. But the mode to convey the thought is different. Years ago, people believed in the language of religion & followed it. Today we call it blind faith & do not follow it. Today Science is speaking the same language but with a different perspective. We believe in this language of science & follow the same path. Funny, isnt it?!

Ego

Broadly cloassified, there are 2 types of egos. Ayn Rand, in her 2 books has described 2 such "egoist" personalities.

Howard Roark in "The Fountainhead":
The book's title is a reference to Ayn Rand's statement that "man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress". In the book, Howard Roark is an architect who prefers to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic and personal vision by pandering to the prevailing taste in building design. Howard Roark lives for himself and his own creativity, indifferent to the opinions of others. Thus, the character depicts ego which built in the positive direction. Here, Ayn Rand conveys that - the ego is supreme, and individualism and selfishness are virtues to be treasured.

James Taggart in "Atlas Shrugged":
In contrast to Howard Roark, James Taggart is not the hero in this this book, nor does he have any individualism. He has no ideas of his own. He is the President of Taggart Transcontinental - a leading railroad company. He is an expert influence peddler who is incapable of making decisions on his own. And he relies on his sister Dagny Taggart to actually run the railroad, but nonetheless opposes her in almost every endeavor. With his character, his egoist attitude comes to the front. He is incapable, but not willing to accept it. His remarks to Dagny, who saves him from all his incorrect decisions are really idiotic. Had James been clever but incapable, he would have let Dagny do all the work for him without opposing her; and things would have been better for himself. He is a person who would ruin himself, to save his ego.

There are many people like James Taggart around us. But to be Howard Roark, it very difficult!

Convince a Fool

I read this somewhere: "The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way."
But I disagree.

If you let a fool behave like a fool, he will get back to you and say, "You are another fool, you agreed with me." So the fool is convinced that he is smarter than you.
But, if you argue with the fool, and if you argue like a wise man, you will be able to convince him that he is a fool.

Now, to argue with a fool what you require is a lot of confidence within you. Patience is a must. No place for politeness. Be shrewd. Be blunt - this is most efficient.
Most important, act wise. Give proofs. Reject all his ideas. Argue. Dont get angry, keep your patience maintained. It should be reflected in your voice, and you must smile. If not your composure, the fool will get irritated by your smile, thinking that you are mocking at him.
Give examples. Listen. Argue. Convince.

In the end, he will let you have your way. If the fool was not convinced that he really is a fool, atleast you will be content that the fool agreed with you and that you are smarter than him!

Still...

I feel I have lost my heart,
And still I can hear it beat...
There is silence all around,
And still I can hear a song sweet...

You aren't beside me,
And still you, I everywhere see...
You aren't talking just now,
But your voice is reaching me...

You aren't looking at me,
But I can still feel your glance...
I think about you quietly,
But I feel my heart dance...

You aren't sitting behind me,
But still I turn around to see you...
You aren't calling me,
But I go out to look for you...

I keep your thoughts aside for sometime,
And decide to work for a while...
But you come back in my thoughts,
And you quietly make me smile...

Din Hua Begin!

My day today started on an exciting note. This blog is to share today morning's happenings with you! :)

Getting up early morning is really challenging for me. Today when I got up at 6.30am, it was an accomplishment for me! Then, I was once again content, with the "lunch-dabba" that I prepared, which included one "raita" in addition to the "bhaaji". I also had time to have breakfast, before I ran to catch my bus at 8.15am.

Today was "palakhi day". Our office had revised the bus routes and timings. But unfortunately, they had sent a mail, after I had left office the previous day. I relied on a friend's comment that a different bus would be expected on my bus stop at 8.20am. So I was at the stop from 8.15am and I waited and waited and waited. But my bus did not come! :(

But then a PMT bus going to Hadapsar (thats where my office is) arrived. I was about to climb, but the conductor said that the bus will not go to Hadapsar, since all the roads there are blocked! I left the bus. Then another private bus came. I waved out my hand, and it stopped! I asked the driver which bus it was. He replied "Hadapsar"! "Wow, I thought... Wherever this bus is going, I can atleast reach Hadapsar"! When I got into the bus, I realised that it belonged to another company at Hadapsar! :)

So far so good. This bus now almost reaches the Solapur Road, which leads to Hadapsar. But then, there is diversion. The roads are blocked. The driver is confused. And he drives round and round. Even he doesnt know where we are going. But he doesnt lose hope. Nor did I! And then, after 30mins we land up somewhere on Solapur Road.

But hey! I have to get down here. This bus must go to its company. And I have to go in the opposite direction. So I get down.

And I look at this Solapur Road... On one side of the road, "warkaris" are walking. Huge number! The other half of the road, there is traffic jam. And there are giant wheels. And bangle-sellers, cheap plastic and metal items being sold, water puddles, humid heat of the monsoons, lots of people- all dressed in their best attire- they had come to see "palakhi" & enjoy the festive atmosphere!

What was not there on that half-road was, transport to reach my company which was about 5kms from there. Should I walk? No wait, I thought. I found a rick. But realised that the rick had moved only 0.5 km in 0.5 hrs! So I began walking!

I was so furious. The obvious choice of venting out anger on, was the travel-organisers at my office. I was cursing them, for I dont know what! Just when my anger was at its peak, I actually saw "Dnyaneshwar Palakhi". And I began to feel my anger subside!

I took palakhi-darshan. And then, once again with a content heart, I began to trod towards my office.

Soon I reached a point from where I could take a rick. In another 30mins, I was in my cubicle narrating today's "Din-Hua-Begin-Episode" to my colleagues! :)

The Void

I wrote this poem exactly 1 year back!

Floating in the vacuum...
Searching in the void...
Living in the present,
With emotions devoid.

I dont remember the past
I've forgotten its demise.
I dont worry about the future
I'm not waiting for any surprise.

Taking one moment at a time,
I'm living in the present.
I'm searching for something unknown,
In the hollow of each moment.

I'm just sailing with the time
Counting hours, couting days.
I am unable to comprehend
Destiny's bateful ways.

Silence

I read this article as a forward. I liked it a lot! So posting it for all of you to read. Its lovely! :)

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you just ran out of words and you go...
s i l e n t ???

Let me assist you in recalling...
.. the moment when you left your home for the first time and you look back at your parents who are worried that their son/daughter are leaving them yet happy that their child took the first step towards independence.

... the moment when the girl/boy you like most.. smiled back at you! You don't say anything.. you just smile back..

... the moment when you get better marks than you expected... those "numb" moments of ecstasy n surprise "is that true?"...

... the moment when you are parting with your old friend(s) and the train has just started... and you are standing on the door of the wagon.. waving "bye-bye" with your heart beating fast...

... the moment after the HR manager has just called you and told you,"You are through! Congrats!"

... the moment when you sit alone in your room after having told everyone that you cleared that exam you prepared for 6 months!!

You can go on remembering your "special" moments!

I had always wondered why I never said anything to myself at those moments.. as if it was "understood"... happiness, joy, pain.. all feelings just flowed ceaselessly in the 'years' that passed in those flash moments!

They say.. the best way to communicate is through "silence". Love. Joy. Grief. Surprise. Anger. Hope. Expectations. Support. Non-cooperation...

Can you imagine the importance of a silent moment in a song?? When Bryan Adams stops for a while along with music, before he goes on in his husky voice...
... Please forgive me. I can't stop loving you!

Ever had those moments when you thought you were tired enough that you reach for your bed after dinner.. but find yourself wide awake looking at the roof of your room silently...

But you sure are 'thinking'... those moments of self-talk are the most important in our lives. Those moments when we listen to our own hearts! Those promises... those decisions... those are the moments when we make our destinies!

Next time you go silent... listen carefully to what your heart is saying.. listen to its joy...listen to its pain.. listen to its fears.. listen to its desires..

Don't make it shut up and go off to sleep... LISTEN TO THAT VOICE and ACCEPT EVERYTHING IT SAYS! That voice alone can lead you to the abode of peace that your sleep lacks... peace that awaits you!

Be in touch with your true self... be silent once a day, every day !

A Right Decision

What is a "correct decision"? What is a "wrong decision"? Who has defined these terms?

I believe that the idea of being correct and being wrong varies drastically from person to person, from family to family, from one society to another, varies across religions, across countries.

Then how would you define what is a right decision and a wrong decision? What is your "right" way to take "right" decisions during challenging situations? Do you follows the rules of the society? Do you follow your instincts?

Have you ever wondered over the statement you read in history, "...and Buddha achieved enlightenment..." What enlightenment was this? Way back during those times, there was the need for people to stay in harmony with each other. They had to form a society which has certains principles and rules. All the leaders of each religion came up with norms and thoughts, which they spread across the people. They taught people how to distinguish between right and wrong. They had to teach people that "telling lies is incorrect", that "if you steal other's share you should be punished".

But the world is constantly changing. Today we have new set of problems. How do we tackle these issues? Do we always find definite answers to certain problems?

Have you ever thought about what you really want in life? Does it comply with the norms of the society? And what if your ideas do not match the definitions of "right" and "wrong" as defined by the society?
In such a case, you must listen to your heart and do what YOU feel is correct. As long as your intentions and your actions do not harm anyone else, or they do not clash with someone else's actions, you must follow your heart.

I believe that every person has the right to his life. As long as he is not disturbing someone else's right to life, he should proceed with his decisions...

The only constant factor in this world is CHANGE! A change is what we all desire. Dont you get bored by the same old routine? So will you, if you dont change the way your life proceeds. A change begins when you do something thats different. Listen to your heart. It will guide you and tell you how to take just the "right decision"! Break-free from the norms of the society. And follow your heart!

Feeling Lonely

What do you mean by feeling lonely?
Is it that, physically there is no one around you? There is no one to talk to, or to share some nice moments with? Or is it that, there are many people around you and yet you feel all alone?

Consider someone who has an outgoing nature. He makes a lot of friends. So when he "feels lonely", he can call just any of his friends. So logically, he will never feel lonely.
Consider someone who is an introvert. He likes to be by himself. He doesnt like being much with people. So why will he feel lonely? He will be content with himself.

And yet people talk that they feel lonely. They say loneliness haunts! Some even think about an abstract-someone and then they miss him!!

Is'nt feeling lonely all in the head? I believe, no one in this world is lonely. There is no feeling such as loneliness. What you actually get is the "missing-someone-syndrome". And because you miss someone, be it your best friend, your parents, or just anyone, you feel his empty place beside you. The situation is like- the person is in your heart, in your mind, but physically away from you. And you simply miss him.

Do you agree with me? Can I conclude: Feeling lonely is nothing but missing someone?

Rules Don't Work On Me

Dont you think everyone around you observes you, scrutinizes you? Dont you ever get get irritated by the inferences people draw from your actions? Well one day I did get irritated...!!

If my mood changed from sad to bright today
By listening to a romantic tune,
Don’t conclude that I love music.
This music can bring back nostalgia.

If I plucked a rose on my way daily,
Don’t say I am fond of roses.
Sometimes they prick me.

If I dropped a few pennies on the hands of a needy
When I saw his hungry face and tired eyes,
Don’t think I have a soft heart.
I can be very mean at times.

If I prayed to God daily
And thanked him for all that he has given me...
Don’t believe that I am His worshipper.
I also blame him for all my failures.

If your first assumption about me was correct
And so was the second.
Don’t assume you would always be right about me.
Rules don’t work on me.