We Have Too Much Money!

Last week, 2008 ended with a lot of people sighing in relief at the passing away of a year which caused much heartburn among everyone for whatever reasons. The dawn of 2009 began with fervent prayers across the globe for a year of peace and prosperity. As if to prove that 2008 would haunt us for still some time to come, the gunshots and the thud of missiles falling could still be heard reverberating even as people ushered in the New Year.  I discovered this song and I've been humming it ever since. The magic that A R Rahman spins is just unbelievable.

But what I really want to tell is how decadent our current generation has become. The youth of today think of all the good things in life but we should pause and quit complaining about the state of the economy, the inflation and the rise in the cost of living. I mean we are richer than we ever were at any point in history! And to think that people still aren't satisfied with what they have is a tad disappointing. Children have never been more obese, adults have never been morbidly unhealthy and people have never been more depressed with their lives today than anytime in the past. All this goes to show that there is a limit to what money can buy. Our pursuit of happiness is maybe leading us to the wrong direction. Maybe it isn't about money anymore, maybe it's about how much. I see my friends, family, colleagues at the workplace and practically every second guy I bump on to the street telling me the same thing: "Life's not as exciting and interesting as it used to be." Curiously, it is here that the nouveau-rich and the filthy poor come to an understanding of sorts. Life seems to be unfair to the both of them! What more proof is required that life is indeed fair?!

I definitely belong to that school of thought which lays emphasis on the value of giving, keeping just that much which is required for one's daily sustenance. Of course, it is easier said than done. To be lured into the seductive world of the latest gizmos, the latest communication devices and to be seen flashing the most trendy wear is seen as a "statement" that either makes or breaks your standing in the notoriously fickle world of social networking. But how far do we go before we realize the tide has turned too far? Personally speaking, I find it a virtue to live within my means. That, in no way, means I cannot have my share of fun too! All I believe is that maybe we are looking for happiness in the wrongest of all places - the shiny, glossy, sexy-as-a-siren shopping mall. Maybe the staid store at the back of your home has all that you need to stay content and spread happiness around you too.

No, I am not ranting against consumerism at all. But I definitely am ranting against mindless consumerism. To sport the latest in the world of tech and to engage in debate about who traveled to the most exotic destination in the garb of eco-tourism is to basically lose the plot. Much more harm has been done by eco-tourists probably than even the evil capitalist, well-intentioned though they might be! So folks, think about this for a moment. I am not really articulate enough to eloquently and forcefully drive my point but yes, I am passionate about what I feel and I believe we would all be a little happier and could maybe even smile at the rise of the sun daily if we started caring about the environment, our impact on Mother Nature and the kind of legacy we would be leaving behind. History is ours for the making - and losing.

New Year and All That Optimism

I like it when people tend to see or condition themselves into thinking that a mere succession of numbers could change or alter situations in a drastic manner. I do not see the optimism that is riding high at this moment although, to be fair, celebrations have been muted this year compared to the joy and glee that forms part of every New Year celebrations. If 2008 has proved anything, it is that mankind seriously needs to reevaluate its priorities and look inward first before attempting or even thinking to attempt to alter the course of Nature and all things natural. The year-end celebrations were very few in coming because of the Israel-Gaza hostilities which ensured that anyone with a keyboard and half-baked knowledge of the political landmine that is the Middle Eastern territory had to vent his/her opinion. As if it really counted in the scheme of things? But nevertheless, blogging and the collaborative power of the Internet has made it possible for anyone to reach out to an audience and let out their deepest and darkest thoughts to be viewed on a public platform.

Also, what has changed this year is that nothing has really changed to present a very optimistic picture of the planet. That being said, things are not too bad either that we hurry up to write obituaries mourning the demise of this once-beautiful planet. A remarkable shift happened in American politics though and this would hopefully reverberate down the decades and may be classified as the single biggest dynamic change that would influence world politics - for better or for the worse. Barack Hussein Obama - coming from a virtually unknown background leveraged the medium of the Internet to appeal to the young voter in a way that was unprecedented before. The Internet spawned a thousand Obama fan clubs and the storm that took root in a small office in the by lanes of Chicago enveloped and dispelled myth after myth and rival after rival to finally set up a climactic showdown with the GOP's candidate - a war veteran and a distinguished soldier - John McCain. November 4, 2008 saw the coming together of history and the future on a single stage and although this was purely a domestic event, the post-Bush administration holds out many a hope for the millions who watched the election drama and all the excitement through television networks and the mainstream press with tense anticipation. Obama won in a resounding fashion and this represented a decisive slap in the face of the White House policies of George Bush Jr. The world now looks to President-elect Obama with a mixture of hope and nervousness because the financial crisis that has so shaken America needs to be encountered head-on and no one knows the difficulty of the job other than Obama.

2008 also saw one of the worst economic crisis hit the U.S. markets - earning it the dubious distinction of being the worst ever since the Great Depression. Bush announced a3 trillion dollar bailout plan that seeks to inject the sick and dying housing and financial institutions with a cash flow that would help them stand on their feet and tide over the crisis. More and more industries are clamouring for the bailout and it is just not immediately obvious as to how how far has the ruin taken ground. Coupled with the war in Iraq and the civilian and economic casualties suffered by the U.S., and when you look at it also from the moral standing that the U.S. has seen eroded of itself in the international community, it is obvious to any fourth grader that America has its work cut out.

The biggest event to make news was of course the daring acts of terror in the financial heart of India - Mumbai. Once it became apparent that the attackers - 12 in all, were of Pakistani origin and received training and arms from the other side of the border, India launched a diplomatic and political offensive against the government of Pakistan that has seldom been matched in terms of intensity in the recent past - at least not to my knowledge. This time, the situation was different as many of the almost 200 slain were foreigners and most significantly, Israelis. After dithering, pathetically denying and ducking responsibility for its complicity, the Pakistani authorities finally admitted that the terrorists that set foot on that dreadful day could be of Pakistani origin. Now, that is quite a victory considering the ridiculous charade the government had opted to choose initially when confronted with the names, locations and eyewitness accounts of the identity of the terrorists. Hopefully, this attack would see the beginning of the end of successive Pakistan governments' practice of bleeding India in the vain hope of pursuing and internationalizing the Kashmir issue. But words should be measured by their actions and let us hope that Pakistan and all terrorist outfits operating within its soil are destroyed systematically. Else it would be another blinding piece of evidence that Pakistan is a failed state.

About the last few days leading up to 2009, the less said the better. Israel launched counter-strikes against the Hamas-ruled section of Gaza after the ceasefire expired. The Hamas was shelling the Israeli areas repeatedly and after a series of warnings, the Israeli air force initiateda a series of daring assaults against Hamas which resulted in 300 dead. Now I do not know too much about the geopolitical climate of the Middle East and hence refrain from offering up any insights. All I know is that this conflict is rooted in the deep historical divide over religion and gives us one more reason to dislike organized religion - especially the organized religions of the Abrahamic inclination. As long as Islam, Christianity and to a lesser extent, Judaism define the political and cultural ties between nations, we are pretty much doomed to hope in vain for peace.

So that was my recollection for the year. I have missed out deliberately on a lot of other issues that warranted mention but because of my impatience and the general apathy for talking about events like sports and entertainment when they do not do anything substantial for society's benefit, I consider it a waste of space to devote too much time to. Go find yourself another blog for that.

And oh, I wish everyone a Happy New Year.

War With Pakistan

The signs are ominous and people are getting to see some serious military manoeuvres occurring on either side of the border. As a patriotic Indian, I think now is the time to seriously show to the world we are not going to look back and shed copious tears over the dead innocent but are actually going to go all way to ensure that this evil Pakistan state is wiped off from the face of the planet. As in the Hollywood tradition of superhero movies, we are witnessing a battle between evil and good. It is the time for us to choose whether we really want to stand as mute witnesses and watch our brothers and sisters fall prey to the assassins of India's character. Such outrage should never be allowed to perpetrate on Indian soil and it becomes our solemn duty to wage war against this shaitan - the ugly face of evil. We must believe that it is our duty to protect and secure our borders, our people and our nation from the faceless, masked and ultimately reprehensible mind that operates with impunity across the border.

The title of this post is also a play on words - the topic itself exhorting our impotent Indian state to finally wake up to the reality that we have to fight this battle alone - to the death and winning this war would require sacrifices doubtless. In these charged times, it is easy to lose focus and pander to the pacifist, weak-kneed "love and peace" brigade and appear to comply with all those useless and pathetically inept United Nations Resolutions which are nothing more than eye-candy for the United States and its cronies to appear the do-gooders. Also, it is an important guarantee for the U.S. to prevent Pakistan's attention from diverting its attention with its unofficial war with Afghanistan in the north. And the wily U.S. is only too uncomfortably aware of it. Pakistan's policy of "bleeding India with a thousand cuts" has indeed paid rich dividends ever since the Partition, what with every terrorist attack in Kashmir being internationalized and India unwittingly playing into Pakistan's hands by even debating an issue like this in the U.N. - something which Pakistan looks forward to with glee because it would enable its bureaucrats to bring the Kashmir issue under international spotlight.

We have paid dearly for our impotent and miserably incompetent leader's follies and have been at the receiving end from our politicians and Pakistan's terrorist operatives. Picture Jaswant Singh escorting the three terrorists to Kandahar and bringing back the Indian Airlines passengers to a great homecoming reception. Boy, how proud we must be of Jaswant Singh! I daresay that it is his government's disgusting capitulation at the demands of the terrorist jihadis that has emboldened the enemy across the border and led them into attempting greater deeds of outrage with each passing year. But the water has flown over the bridge now and the people have spoken and our army and leaders must act. The time is now and there has never been a better or worse time. A low-intensity, high-precision surgical strike in areas where terrorist camps are located in Pakistan soil should be bombed and its organizers - be they ISI commanders or mercenaries, should be put to death with utmost lethal vengeance.

India need not kowtow to the U.S., U.K. or the great communist threat looming from across the border - the Great Dragon, China. Ultimately India needs to act and act really fast in its own self-interest and show the world that we would not sit back and weep silently in shocked silence. Never has there been a greater sense of urgency than now, never has the enemy attained seriously large dimensions as now, never have the people risen together in dignified but a real sense of outrage and horror at the sheer audacity of the terrorist mind and the cringingly ineffectual response of the Indian leadership. It would be a joke and a farce weren't it also mind-numbingly tragic and positively heart-breaking.

India needs to wake up, every Indian citizen must try hard to not forget the various outrages perpetrated on Indian soil by its enemies - and curiously those that belong to the so-called religion of peace. There would not be an India to speak of if the state of Pakistan was allowed to have its way in the international community by dangling the Afghanistan carrot. The sooner we realize this and act decisively and with single-minded vengeance, the better it would be for a country that has suffered far too many evil acts committed only because we still have not forgotten that Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation and we owe it to him to protect and enrich the philosophy of ahimsa and satyagraha. But enough is enough! This is the shriek heard in every nook and corner of the country that cares enough about the future of its children. Let's redeem our souls and our collective conscience by taking this battle - started by the malevolent enemy, to its logical conclusion.

In the Ramayana, Lord Rama has just that moment of self-doubt before attacking the demon king of Lanka, but the warrior prince is reminded of the evil demon king's many atrocities and his will is strengthened and the face of evil is vanquished ultimately. We are at a similar stage now - the actors are different but the result would be only one - triumph of good over evil. And Pakistan would exist no more...

My Religion and Me

When you live in India and are exposed to the riot of colours that is the Indian way of living, you would realize that India is a country that would probably not fall under any rule. Surprisingly, it would defy all exceptions too. Rightly has it been said that whatever you might think of India, the opposite is also true. Well, you would ask - "But what has that got to do with religion which is your subject title?" To that I just have to say this one thing: India would never have been India without religion playing a role. It is the sheer magic of all these religious and cultural forces that have totally made this sub-continent one of the grandest, most diverse and colourful regions in the world today and that is only because of the famed tolerance of the Indian people. We have withstood onslaughts on our culture, braved invasions and plunder, suffered horribly at the hands of conquerors and imperialists but never once have we been aggressors ourselves. It is, in no small measure, due to the stupendous Hindu psyche which surely must rank as one of the greatest philosophies the world has ever known. It is a delight to learn, for an Indian, that scientists are still discovering concepts and ideas that have long been already delineated in Hindu scriptures and writings. Our glorious ancestors have left behind a veritable treasure-trove of knowledge and it becomes our sacred duty to safeguard, enrich, conserve and propagate this body of knowledge for the next generation and the next.

Hinduism does not hold a central tenet, as is already known. There is no messiah that would have to appear to "save the people", there is no "vengeful and jealous" God of the Old Testament and there is certainly no hell-fire and eternal damnation for the so-called sinners. Isn't that such a beautiful thing to envisage?! Sure, Hinduism has its dose of arcane rituals and practices which we have unlearned over the course of civilization but, at its very core, the Hindu way of life would make this world a much better place to live. Jesus Christ and the Buddha's teachings incorporate a lot of the pacifist ways of the Hindu mode of thought and at times it becomes difficult to separate the one from the other. These skeins of thought have been moulded, twisted and utilized by succeeding generations to suit their own purposes. Hence the accretions that have formed are not the fault of the philosophy. Rather, it is us who have to blame for straying from the true path and adopting nefarious and dubious practices in the garb of piety and religion.

Hence, I am always proud to call myself a Hindu. But this differs from the way a rabid Muslim would thump his chest and exhibit his fervour. Mine is of a quiet and dignified confidence in the way of life I lead and I certainly abhor all attempts to "convert" you or anyone else into my mode of thought. The truly wonderful thing about my religion is that you could be Hindu without even knowing it. This idea of religion permeates all of space and time and it is no wonder that some of the greatest scientists, philosophers and thinkers have found their solace, comfort and refuge in the greatest ideas formulated by our ancestors ages ago. So my friends, do not despair that the Hindus have been subjugated and oppressed. It is only a transitory phenomenon! The Hindu shall conquer all through accommodation, love, tolerance and pacifism. Our way of life shall prevail and all those books that preach hatred against the "heathens and the infidels" shall die their natural death and confined to the dustbin of history - where Zeus, Dionysus, Athena and the other gods reside. Let this be very clear to all the Muslim and Christian fundamentalists reading this piece. The Hindu way of life shall overpower you, overcome your devilish designs and reassert itself on the world stage as the numero uno philosophy. Simply because it is.

Loneliness - Curse or Boon?

Of late, there is this creeping fear in me that I shall die one day unheralded, cold, alone and unnoticed. Does anybody else feel the same here? I dunno, but what really infuriates me no end is this unsettling feeling that probably there DOES exist something like fate. I mean look around you, do you notice that smart gal/guy who has it all in life and doesn't seem to waste a sweat in getting into that Ivy League institution? For whom it is not at all an effort to seduce the hottest member of the opposite sex? Don't you feel that rage, even if for an instant, and would rather wish the son-0f-a-bitch drop dead right there?

Okay, I was led on to thinking about this whole idea of loneliness and boredom after this Slate article and I was amazed to discover how much of me the article was really describing! All things said and done, the symptoms of loneliness, depression and the vague fear and dislike of random strangers and even close friends is a near-epidemic now what with increasingly secluded and isolated lives we live. Technology has catalyzed this rapid degeneration of our social lives and has increasingly intruded into the sacred personal domains of our lives so much so that we really do not own ourselves anymore. This is not really an attempt at decrying technology nor its wonderful after-effects in the way our lives have shaped up and improved compared to say, ten years ago. But what should be of utmost concern is that technology has substituted for life instead of complementing social life. We are plugged into our iPods 24/7, Twitter all the time, Facebook each other almost to the point of addiction but think twice about meeting someone over a cup of coffee!

That says something about our priorities but also is a damning indictment of the level of spiritual and moral degeneracy that has gripped almost the entire globalized world today. Teenagers seem to be the worst-affected as we cocoon ourselves deeper and deeper inside the wonderfully intoxicating and equally dangerously addictive tools of the Internet. It should come as no surprise to those of us who have been victims of the amazing fruits of technology and the opening up of a new world of opportunities the age of the Internet has spawned. Moderation is the key word here, any technology is as good as the person sitting and operating it. Surely, it is in our hands to make sure that we own technology rather than letting technology own us?

So, the next time you get this incredible urge to update your status on  Facebook or Superpoke some long-distance "friend", do remember that there is another equally uplifting and emotionally fulfilling world literally out there. Do take your time off to share your stories with your real-life friends, neighbours cousins and everybody else who you can touch. Remember, this is not your Second Life.

Oops, now who just kissed me on Facebook? Hmm, I better check out before they go offline.

Virtual love

To begin with, I need to confess that I have always been cynical about love and people in love. Maybe it could be due to my own inadequacies as a person who is empty from within or is just not good enough to "feel the love" that so many millions of people experience on a daily basis. Probably I was wrong and utterly so, I just do not know. It is just one of those situations in life when the story of the fox and the sour grapes rings so true. I was secure in the belief that people waste their entire lives loving one when there are so many out there who you would have fallen in love with if not for that one person you met at a random party. So, when you look at it, it is all a matter of timing isn't it? You meet someone, are attracted to them (physically and intellectually) and decide to know them better and one thing leads to another and lo!

But wait, let's look at it from a different perspective now: what if you had met this same person when you were in love with someone else or possibly even married? I am sure you would repress your feeling because it would just seem not right. Right?

So it all comes down to your perspective, I mean you have this infinite potential of loving an unlimited number of people but you stick to that one person! I mean, this surely goes against all manner of logic because you are not staying true to yourself. I, for one, would not believe that there is someone, only one mind you, out there in a world that, at last count, was teeming with six billion people (okay, Wikipedia is more accurate at 6.7 billion) of varying sizes and varying beauty.

So, to cut a long-winded story short, there is nothing magical about love! You love because you're content with that phase of your life, it's all there is to it. Reverse your circumstances or even alter them slightly and you shall find that the llight of your life is not so bright after all from that angle. The girl that was staring at you while you were partying last Saturday or that girl you found so damn uber-attractive at the traffic signal could provide for better accompaniment.

So my friends, this is not so much as cynicism but an opinion grounded in reality. Remember this, when you are in love there's something better somewhere still awaiting your notice and attention.