Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Us and Them
Only when we begin to accept each other's differences we start gaining familiarity, appreciating someone else's quirks and qualities. I have been fortunate to count among friends, people from different countries, and their basic aspirations are all the same. Fewer that one percent would want to truly harm another human being.
New World Order
If we sit back and introspect the type of world it is going to be a hundred years from now - do you visualize a brave new world order that stands united, or do you see one that is more torn apart than ever - as the population increases and resources decline? The pace of expansion ensures that the balloon of support the earth provides is going to burst with the demands of her human population. At its extreme there would be a major upheaval, wars and civil wars - like Darwin turned mad all over again.
What emerges at the end will be the true test of humanity's survival instincts. If only we are armed with deeper knowledge and sense of responsibility, can we hope to mold our lives in empathy with each other and our environment. It will be a test for us to find out what we really need in life as opposed to focusing solely on our wants.
Humans are not alike. There is diversity in society, language, custom, religion, politics, all of which, specially the last two, have been the cause of great strife and conflict. In India, we even see states wanting to separate on the basis of a language. So I guess it is not Esperanto we are headed for anytime in the near future. Russia is fractured, Spain wants to divide, Gorkhaland will probably happen, Naxalites are a fact of life. Civil wars are rife in many countries.
However, two countries hold fast - US and China. We empathize with US way of life because we have had the good fortune of western education. Probably we need to accept that as people are different, they may need to be governed differently. Perhaps there is something not altogether wrong in a system as in China for countries with high population. It reduces crime and curbs the violence. They have achieved economies of scale that nobody can beat.
It is only India that could have countered this by efficient human resource management and more honesty within a truly democratic framework. But a broken up and corrupt India's bite will lack the teeth to take on even their smaller neighbors, let alone China and the world.
What emerges at the end will be the true test of humanity's survival instincts. If only we are armed with deeper knowledge and sense of responsibility, can we hope to mold our lives in empathy with each other and our environment. It will be a test for us to find out what we really need in life as opposed to focusing solely on our wants.
Humans are not alike. There is diversity in society, language, custom, religion, politics, all of which, specially the last two, have been the cause of great strife and conflict. In India, we even see states wanting to separate on the basis of a language. So I guess it is not Esperanto we are headed for anytime in the near future. Russia is fractured, Spain wants to divide, Gorkhaland will probably happen, Naxalites are a fact of life. Civil wars are rife in many countries.
However, two countries hold fast - US and China. We empathize with US way of life because we have had the good fortune of western education. Probably we need to accept that as people are different, they may need to be governed differently. Perhaps there is something not altogether wrong in a system as in China for countries with high population. It reduces crime and curbs the violence. They have achieved economies of scale that nobody can beat.
It is only India that could have countered this by efficient human resource management and more honesty within a truly democratic framework. But a broken up and corrupt India's bite will lack the teeth to take on even their smaller neighbors, let alone China and the world.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
War and Terror
What is the difference between a terrorist and a soldier? Both follow orders, both are ready to die
That's easy: The terrorists kill the innocent and the soldiers kill the terrorists
Now what if the soldiers kill the innocent?
Rare is the battle where the innocent do not suffer
Then war and terrorism are not much different
One feeds on the other
In a way they are both dieties of death
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Oscars
Why is it ok to seek international recognition in science, technology, business or arts - but not for movies?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Passing
What is the meaning of life
If it all just ends in death
What is meaning of life
That ends in a finite breath
It’s the journey that gives it meaning
The awakening at each dawn
The people places and memories
The emotions and the songs
The love and hate felt on the way
Hope, despair, virtue and sin
In the end only happy are they
Who await a new journey to begin
The glorious note of music
The brush’s stroke sublime
The nobility of human love
And all that is divine
Speak to us of the souls
In patterns we daily see
Of those who went with grace and honor
To their newest destiny
If it all just ends in death
What is meaning of life
That ends in a finite breath
It’s the journey that gives it meaning
The awakening at each dawn
The people places and memories
The emotions and the songs
The love and hate felt on the way
Hope, despair, virtue and sin
In the end only happy are they
Who await a new journey to begin
The glorious note of music
The brush’s stroke sublime
The nobility of human love
And all that is divine
Speak to us of the souls
In patterns we daily see
Of those who went with grace and honor
To their newest destiny
Monday, December 1, 2008
Why?
The question resounds through the hollowness of our minds, rhetorically taunting us over and over again. What gives meaning to barbarism - to utter contempt for the gift of life.
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