Block or No Block

I keep telling myself that it has been long since I have posted something and also try to argue with myself that there are people who might be waiting to read what I have to scribble, but laziness, procrastination and Europe prevail in random order. However, it would be a serious shame if I lost touch with a form of expression which a handful of friends have appreciated so generously. In fact, the gap has been significant enough to make me a little paranoid of getting the much-feared "Writer's Block" - a phase in the life of a creative person where he or she just fails to produce any new work. The scary thing about the phase is it could last for any period of time and many are known not to come out of it. Some clarifications and disclaimers that I would like to make is that I don't consider myself a very creative person, but nevertheless, I still thought I could have Writer's Block and hence, I decided to hit the keyboard come what may.

One thing never fails to surprise me is the tricks the mind plays. Sometimes, a little solitude is what one craves for and suddenly when he gets it, he starts feeling lonely and left out. On exactly the same day, I sometimes feel a lot is happening in life for me to handle and in the evening I might feel that life is actually monotonic, dull and uneventful. Most of you would know that I am on an exchange trip equipped with a Schengen Visa and a Eurail Pass which gives me access to any part of the beautiful continent. Coupled with the fact that I have an extended weekend every week, some part of Europe is always calling with open arms. What might sound so awesomely exciting can surprisingly seem routine at times. Enjoyment, happiness and joy are all states of the mind and depending on the mood of extremely moody mind, a whole new city could appear much like any other European city with the same type of churches, streets and houses, or even good old Maastricht can seem so infinitely interesting and full of life.

Switzerland, Austria and Prague in Czech Republic are the destination for this weekend starting thursday and ending on wednesday with the first and probably only bunks of this block. If time permits, we might also pay a visit to Budapest. I wish I can catch snowfall somewhere in Europe during the exchange term or it would remain one of the things I have been dying to watch from a long long time. I went to see Bruges in Belgium yesterday with some friends who have come over from France. Though most of my friends felt that the city was very overrated, I found it quite beautiful and maybe it was just because I was in a good mood and they weren't. Or maybe they were expecting something really spectacular. Apparently, the place got highly popular due to a Colin Farell starring thriller movie titled "In Bruges". Thanks to the wonderful net speed we have here, I downloaded it and will be seeing it soon after hitting the post button.

Bon Soir,
Anand

Stranded

2.40 AM, Outside Brussels train station...

Brussels Midi or Bruxelles Zuid, whatever they choose to call it doesn't change the fact that they won't let us in till 04:00AM and we would just have to look at those glass doors or the haunting clock with anticipation till then. Mischelle and I felt like writing and she has already scribbled her thoughts before I started. We felt penning down our experience will preserve it forever and also help us pass the time. Its chilly and I'm thanking the extra layers which are trying their hardest to keep me warm. I also thank my prudence to have brought along some food supplies to munch. They are not only helping pass the time and kill the hunger pangs, but also saving us a lot of money and helping us fight the cold. A 5 hour wait did seem a little long, but I thought to myself and also told Mischelle, "Comeon! Its Brussels! One huge European city.. I'm sure their train station would be as good as our airports and spending 5 hours can't be a nightmare!" However, like a lot of times, my idealistic thoughts betrayed me by painting a picture far from the reality. But, being the eternal optimist that I am, I still look at the hours ahead with hope to bring with them some joy, excitement and much needed comfort.

I have been enjoying every bit of my eagerly awaited 'Eurotrip' so far and yet I am already missing the comfort, familiarity of my own surroundings. Almost every other time I look at the watch, I add 3.5 hours and think of what my folks, friends and someone back home would be doing. Well, maybe the loneliness of the station and the awkwardness of the unearthly hour makes me sound more emotional than usual. But yes, no matter how easy or cheap technology makes it for you to stay in touch, there is always the thought at the back of your mind that they are far far away. The 'Connecting People' illusion doesn't last long. It helps, but not entirely.

This time makes me wonder about the fact that why does excitement in life come and go like a hurricane or a tornado. There is calm before and after the storm, both very discomforting. The initial winds might seem a welcome change from the dull, monotonic and boring weather, but soon it gets too much to handle. You want things to slow down, be able to control its pace, but the cosmos is in no mood to listen or bow down to even your most desperate pleas. I want to be in so many places at once, but the boring rational fool in me reminds me of the impracticality of it. Unfortunately, like on most other occasions, he is irritatingly right. I don't want any more trade-offs, I want it all. That does seem like a hyper-optimistic statement to make when one is desperately waiting for the minutes to pass quickly and the station glass doors to open. But listen carefully the rational fool within me, you better let me be wishful in my thoughts. or I might get hysterical and strangle you. I know I have to live with you, but once in a while I need my own space and you better respect that.

Any reader patient enough to reach here is requested not to get freaked out by the above conversation. I have my 'wierdnesses', just like everyone of you do. I could write at length about my experiences so far in Europe, but I do not intend to scare away the handful of readers I have by writing a post that is so 'yawnfully' long. Maastricht, Amsterdam and the walk to Belgium were three very different and enjoyable experiences and hopefully I can say the same about tomorrow's journey to France. Detailed descriptions might follow if it suits the will and mood of the author.

Cheers!

Luck, By Chance

One of the crucial variables which influence the sequence of events, happenings and experiences called life is, whether we like it or not, LUCK. The power of the environment and one's surroundings to play havoc with our 'plans' is something that many of us are not really comfortable with. Though few would really contest the presence of an 'invisible hand of fate', but it might be interesting to explore the various 'stands' people choose to take to accept its presence in their lives.

Exploring the four dominant stands I feel is pretty inclusive and will address the type of relationship most people have with the often elusive, but enchanting 'Lady Luck'.

Perennial Cursers

We would have inevitably have had our fair share of encounters with people belonging to this profile. They are supposedly the most unfortunate people in the whole world. They feel that Lady Luck likes to seduce them to the bed, and then vanish into thin air. They complain that 'teasing' them is her favorite past time. And the worst part is that they are extremely vocal about it. They would speak at length about how close they were to achieving the dream of their lives, but then 'fate' decided to hand them rotten tomatoes instead. I've listened to such people and can't say that it is a very pleasurable experience. I feel that after a couple of failures, they go into a sort of 'self-fulfilling prophecy' mode – branding themselves as losers and hence, ending up proving it true.

Eternal Paranoids

They are the most eccentric of the lot. They realize and acknowledge the overbearing impact 'luck' or 'chance' play in their lives and want to believe that they have a way to influence it. Many top industrialists in India fall into this category. One astrologer who had proved to be right about something, or turned out to be lucky for them loses no opportunity to fleece the 'moolah' out of their ever willing cash cows. However, I personally feel that no matter how much you trust your astrologer, or believe in the 'rings' you wear on your fingers to ward you from misfortune and evil, they fail to buy what you seek the most : "Peace of Mind". Fear about the uncertainty and paranoia regarding the unknown dictate their life and they are usually quite gullible.

Firm Deniers

An interesting stand which people take is one taken by people who claim "I am the Master of my own Fate. I am the captain of my ship." Yes, it sounds bold, chivalrous, exciting and it probably is. This category of people believes that results are proportional to 'talent' and 'effort' or feel that good comes to those who deserve. They probably have had numerous instances in their lives to reinforce their views and usually are strong willed, passionate and ambitious. They are the 'go-getters' of the world. No barrier is too much for them. No height is too high for them. I admire their spirit and am slightly envious of them, to be entirely honest.

Rationalists

Probably the most uninteresting people of the four. They understand and acknowledge that there are certain things that they cannot do anything about and other things that they can do something about. They reduce the worry and tension in their lives by classifying all their worries into either of these lists. Then they try not to think about the variables which are out of their control and redirect their focus on things they can impact, control or change. These are good people to ask for advice as they usually are better at weighing both sides of the equation before rushing into a decision. But they can be terribly boring at times.

This is the second post of the 'Inspired Thought' series. And hopefully, more will follow.

 

Harmless Lying

The title of the post, just after the previous one exploring new dimensions of honesty, might suggest that I am a true 'turncoat' by any standards. However, I defend my integrity by saying that true to the spirit of debating, the other side of the coin always needs to be explored. One can expect his horizon of knowledge to grow and expand only when he or she is receptive and tolerant to seemingly contrasting viewpoints. Moreover, this is a 'written-to-request' piece, the first of its kind in both my blogs. It was a request which I couldn't turn down and added to the fact that challenges spur and invigorate me, I decided to put the 'fingers' to the 'keyboard' and see how it finally turns out.

The 'harmful' aspect of lying is fairly understandable and needs little deliberation of the innumerable negative consequences it can lead to. Ranging from economic or monetary losses to emotional or mental trauma, the list is without an ounce of doubt very encompassing. However, 'harmless lying' is a shadier territory and demands further attention. There is a popular school of thought which believes "A lie that does well to everyone is better than the truth which has the potential to shatter someone". Medically, it has been observed that a promise of 'false hope' to terminally ill patients has often resulted in miraculous recoveries. If hope can be spread through a lie, isn't it good for all?

However, just like every domain, things are hardly just black and white. And the grey areas are the ones which interest me compared to anything else. Consider a situation where you have a friend who is facing problems in either his studies or career. Now, egging him on will definitely be considered one of the noblest things to do. But, what are the chances that making him believe something that is not true actually prevents him from realizing his true potential in another field for which he could have a natural flair. This leads me to ask a basic question: Does the person lying know the full implication of his actions?

Generally speaking, most would understand as 'harmless lies' would be things which people say with 'no intention to cause harm or loss', or rather with 'good and noble' intentions. More questions need to be asked to understand the implications of the action: 'What is the motive?', 'Who are the other stakeholders involved in the equation and how will they be affected?' and 'Is the good caused to someone coming at someone else's cost?'. Coming back to the question posed in the last paragraph, I feel almost nobody ever does understand the full implications- because it is impossible for the human mind, however powerful it might be perceived to be, to fully fathom the various scenarios that a simple choice can lead to.

Coming to my favorite topic: GOD. Is it a lie? Is it the truth? Or is it a gap-filler? I personally feel 'God' was mankind's answer to everything that he could not answer, understand or comprehend. It served a lot of good purposes. It united people under a common platform, advocated the ideal way of living in harmony by prophesizing the fear of the 'unknown' through intelligently designed concepts such as 'an afterlife', 'heaven' and 'hell'. It also provided much needed hope, a common bond that could tie people together and let them live in harmony. But what about the negative consequences that are a result of it. What about the imbalance of power it resulted in through 'intermediaries' or 'god-men'? What about the innumerable and despicable acts of violence carried out all over the world in 'God's' name? Was it originally intended? I definitely don't think so.

I would like to conclude by a quote I heard somewhere and really liked "There is no right or wrong. There are only consequences of your action". Fortunately or unfortunately, we are not capable of understanding or comprehending the consequences of our actions. It saves a lot of pain sometimes and leads to great things, but can and often does incur an equal amount of pain.

The lack of humour in this post is deeply regretted but I couldn't really figure a way to put in any!

The Romanticism of Honesty

Various things and activities are perceived as ‘romantic’ such as a walk down the lane at night, sudden midnight ice-cream trips, dancing, candle-light dinner, gifting flowers, teddy bears and chocolates, poems, songs and innumerable acts of innovative silliness people often tend to indulge in. I am not particularly uncomfortable with any of the above being termed romantic. However, a thought recently crossed my mind : “Is there a possibility that ‘Honesty’ be considered romantic?”

Now, for most of you reading this, the knee-jerk reaction could be something like “Of course, all relationships are based on mutual trust”, “Honesty is the foundation on which relationships should be built on” and similar globe. But let’s be honest. When a girl asks you about how she looks in a particular dress, didn’t you always agree? Or for that matter, when she asks “Do I look fat in this outfit?”. Whether it was to save yourself from the much feared wrath of your loved one, or if it was just to save time in case she decides to change or sometimes you not even paying that much attention and simply nodding to get along. The problem with saying the truth often is that it is more often than not considered brutal, cold and emotionless.

Why is it that we care so much about what others would feel about and how they would react to our actions? Why are ‘lies’ and a ‘make-believe’ world of flattery and fake chivalry considered romantic?

Being a huge fan of Ayn Rand and having been significantly influenced by ‘Objectivism’ and ‘Idealism’, it is an intriguing thought to consider if there are people in the world who not only value ‘honesty’, but find it romantic. The inherent romanticism of honesty lies in the fact that it is not only a difficult trail to trek, but it also says something profound about the person trying to go that path - a subtle, but clear enough implication is that the ‘honest’ person is not too bothered about the outcome. Or maybe he is bothered, but is more than prepared or ready to accept the consequences of his action. That is more romanticism than mushy stuff shown in movies. A very important thing about 'honesty' is that it shows the mutual respect people have for each others' intellect. Because end of the day, a person who thinks he or she can fool you is not a partner anyone would like to be with.

Sources of Inspiration : The Fountainhead, The Invention of Lying, Real Life :D