We live in an age where we are bombarded with information and knowledge.
We get to know of our friend's feelings towards a particular issue even before she or he herself /himself has thought well about it.
We have loads of new books coming into the market, loads of new films in theaters and so few actually make any good sense!
Most of them definitely make good money!
We have become a shallow culture, unable to hit any deep notes....
A. Because there is no time for it....and
B. Because we are too lazy to find any new solutions, too coward to ask any new questions!
We "observe" "Rich" people, and we conclude that they are "successful". We, especially Indians, blindly accept any new trend from the west as God's word! "Have you heard about the Minimalist movement? it's about living life simply, cutting out the crap, not being materialistic!" I hear someone saying.....and I think, "Wasn't that inculcated in Indian philosophy and way of life right from the beginning?" But we like to accept it only when it's re-packaged by the west. Why don't those people screaming out their hearts about "Maintaining the Indian culture" ever bring this point in picture? Is it because they are too busy living out their own lives in a grand fashion?
In such times, when there are no barriers to stop the crap, it is the responsibility of each individual to think before we speak and to think before we send that text and think before we write that book. Let "Money" not be the only criteria. Let "Sell-ability" not be the only reason to publish something. Let "Intellect" "Innovation" "Challenge" be the guiding light.
Has this already been said before?
Am I bringing in a new trend?
Is my concept good enough to take the civilization to the next level?
Am I doing my part as a responsible educated citizen?
If one is not asking such questions , and merely doing some set of actions because they know for sure that they won't fail, or that they will be "accepted" in the society , then I think we are not doing good enough as a society.
I know what I think doesn't matter.
But I also know what I think makes sense.
I also know what makes sense is not wanted in this society.
And what may be wanted, may not be what is NEEDED for making a good society.
Are we thinking ahead at all? Or are we just thinking about getting through the day?
Because , I am not half as intelligent as the people who are making policies for us, or who are our "leaders" but I can see that we are not going anywhere for good.
Our current lifestyle is flawed, our work places are flawed, the learning curve isn't great...
And we know there is a problem, and we know there is a solution, but we won't do it!
Why should I be the guinea pig?
People who are doing the IMPORTANT jobs are paid the least!
You think a 20 something software engineer is doing a more important job than a teacher teaching village kids by traveling 35 kms a day or walking some 20 kms every day?
Is the corporate lawyer who charges by the minute more important than the farmer who makes the food we eat that helps us to survive?
If I think with reason, then I find many jobs and careers just too fake to even pursue them. They are tailored to fit a few elitists.
As a law student I could never understand why the language was so complicated when the law was supposed to be for the common man?
Why do we need a lawyer to state what our problems are, which we know best! It's like needing a priest every time you want to pray to god. Why have we created these "useless middle men?" and in today's age , where information is freely available, shouldn't the prices of their services go down?
This brings me to the conclusion, that the system encourages such middle men, otherwise we would have a public system where you could get such services for a very reasonable rate!
I know it is very easy to ask questions and point to problems, where are the solutions?
But with a little bit of study I find that solutions are easier in comparison to our complicated lives.
To put it simply, we have been put in a round cage, the types used for hamsters to run around to do our chores.
And yes, cages we definitely are in!
And it starts early.....it starts with the school "system" which cages our thought process, kills innovation , "Teaches" us to think in a way that suits the next level of life, then comes "Work System" , again another intelligent way to kill innovation by paying such a fat salary that one becomes too lazy to pursue their passions, and of course the "Economic system" with it's "offers" and "taxes" that attempts to guide one through their lives.
But the human potential is too vast to be put in any one system, and those who suffer are usually those who think outside the box. Yes some hit the right notes and are rewarded, but a system like this is more prone to kill the slightly weaker innovators who need more support, more time to find their voice and calling and instead supports the non thinkers. It is like the reservation system initially put in place to support the weaker class, but the weaker class now has become the stronger class and reservation is required somewhere else.
I can imagine the number of poets, writers, actors, painters who have died in trying to make a life, by being forced into making a "career" . To top it all, we Indians give high priority to family life , which completely destroys any little dream of that big daddy!
People are moving away from such a system...I have read about them, and as the day goes I keep hearing more such stories , so I know that the future is bright!
It's far...but it's bright and it is definitely different!
On this positive note, I would like to wish each and every reader a Happy 2015- May this year bring more innovation and creativity that lights up your souls!
I would like to leave you with this quote by Albert Einstein- " The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift!"
