To be or not to be pragmatic.

"Pragmatism belittles you.".

Being a pragmatic person,it was difficult for me to read past these words. 

Before you start wondering what actually pragmatism is,allow me to tell you. Wikipedia describes pragmatism as an approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. A philosophical tradition that started back in 1870s in America, pragmatism rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. To put down in simple terms,pragmatism chooses facts over thoughts and sentiments.

It concerned me for a while to read those words. So,while I was trying to delicately balance out the two sides of the pros and cons of pragmatism,I was left in a dilemma over the question of to be or not to be a pragmatist.

Iv always seen "non-pragmatism" as a vulnerable state. A weak position that prefers feelings over facts,a world  that shuns reality and covets the fancy. Because lets face it,it instills a hope- sometimes practical,sometimes gravely impractical.

If this is the case,then how can pragmatism belittle oneself?

Pragmatism chooses mind over heart. It disregards the sweet pleasure of spontaneity,the value of selflessness. Philosophy and literature hold no importance. The sayings and quotations which urge a man to be divine sound cliched and unreasonable to a pragmatist. So while Pretty woman, Beauty and the beast and  the Cinderella stories unfold the layers of the heart of the Non-Ps(Non Pragmatists), such artistic masterpieces leave no thumbprint on the pragmatists. 

Some may say that the virtue of suppression your feelings over the fear of consequences is unworthy. "Life is short to think and act" they say. Others may argue that it is a farcical thing to believe in.("Prevention is better than cure"?). So while the beauty of  "drifting with the sentiments in the moment"  is disdained by the utilitarians,the Non-Ps find it reasonable.The pragmatists will never understand the philosopher's compulsion, and vice versa

Now to be or not to be a pragmatist is the question. Clearly,one can say that pragmatism is the right thing to do because it saves you from the brunt of the consequences. Yet,why isn't it appreciated by us? 

I see people preferring the non-P category over the P all the time. There are people who devote their lifetime working selflessly in NGOs at a minimal wage. Some keep solid perseverance of keep trying in a mismatched relationship with a hope that "maybe,this time it will work" until it leaves them with deep wounds.
 I cant remember how many people appreciated that girl who dumped her boyfriend because he earned less than her-she was unwilling to live a struggling life after marriage. On her back,she was cursed by the people for her deed. Don't you think it was a correct thing to do? After all,she was being pragmatic!

Is this a sign that this society, which  has presently taken a parasitic form that is continuously deriving pleasure out of the grievances of the people, has a hope? That a world where sentiments are given importance over selfishness can be  restored? 

I see what being a non-pragmatist for a moment did to me: it left me with a hope,a false hope.

The dent who left a dent in the society

"When the chips are down, these… these civilized people, they’ll eat each other. "
As and when the Joker(yes,of Batman) uttered these words,it struck a chord in my mind. Though what followed in the movie proved him wrong(when the either boats didnt bomb each other) and restored everyone's faith in humanity, it left me thinking somewhere- was he correct?

Because lets face it. The world is abysmally contaminated at the moment. The people,they are all negative and selfish. How can we not count in those politicians who are filthy-rich but still dont leave a chance to carve out a great section of money from welfare schemes for the poor? No one thinks a minute before tripping over the other person. Children from same mother engage themselves in dirty politics against each other over property of their parents(and that is why I didnt use the word "siblings"). Cases where little young girls are sold to prostitution seem not to end. There's no end to the greed.

There,Israel is hunting down on Palestinians,hundreds of palestinians are dying everyday. Russia is trying to invade Ukraine with an unstoppable force. Each country is desperately seeking an oppurtunity to overpower the other.

The civilized people have started to eat each other for their survival,just like a parasite. Now that the wood is badly termite-ridden,the question is- is there any hope?

Is it the end of the society? 
No,I will say. Because as you know( from my previous articles as well),I have always chosen to look at the brighter side in the darkest moments. Because there is a bleak line at the contours of the society which will save it from being engulfed by the epidemic of selfishness.


Because we do have activists such as Ummayah Naji Jubara who fought against ISIS with a valor until her last breathe.

Because there are people like Durga Shakti who fought against the sand-mafia and his illegal actions without any fear of risking her life.

Because even when there was no whistleblowers protection Act in India, Satyanendra Dubey  risked his life by exposing the financial irregularities in a highway project in Bihar.(He was later killed for doing so by the people involved)

Because we have had personalities like Dr. Narendra Dabholkar,who engaged a war for anti-superstition law despite continuous threats from social groups,because he had seen how people were risking lives of themselves and their babies in the name of superstition.

Because we do have lawyers who fight for rights of the poor,even when they are facing threat of life from the opponent party.

And its not just that. Even in these moments of desperation,there are people who are willingly ready to lay trust on the other unknown person. Or so as AirBnb prove- people who dont know each other are ready to share their accommodation. This is definitely an increasing slope in the graph of humanism.

You may say that Iam just being unrealistically-optimistic.The Joker claimed to win at the end of the movie,with Dent turning into a villain and the not-so happy end of the story. Today,the odds against the society are outweighing the goods-in favor. Also possible that the society will finish itself someday. This is an important time,because if we dont wake up now it will be late forever. And what we will leave behind us for the coming generations will be a world full of foxes ready to shear each other, anytime.

Why Beauty-products' ads should be scrapped off

I fail to find the answer everytime of WHAT makes Indians so peculiar,partly humorous and slightly peeving in almost every sphere.
No,Im not trying to be another Russell Peters. I used to loathe that guy once at a time,had speculated him of climbing up the success by mocking Indians. Its only lately that I have realised,that even if the guy hath done so(or not,that is not the point) what is wrong in it? Every word he speaks,every thing he sneers at,they all are indeed true,isnt it?

I intend not to write about Peters here,or anything against any celebrity. This time,what made me reach the nadir of my tolerance was an advertisement of a beauty cream. The ad, endorsed by Alia Bhatt, shows her going berserk over the one pin-sized pimple on her otherwise as-fair-as-wheat face.
And its not just this ad. Check out the one below.

These ads are bound to make you feel like pariahs if you arent dainty,or if you dont have a clear skin,or that your hair are not beautiful. "Shadi k liye sab sab mana kardete the,jabtak meine xyz nahi lagana shuru kia" and stuff. Yes,the ad makers do their job too well. Because guess what,people are actually persuaded by these ads. They feel a little low about themselves,start relating to the the ad,and the next thing they do is shop for that product from a nearby shop.

The question is,why cant we keep it natural? If men with dark color and hard-streaky skin are acceptable,if men like Remo D'Souza, Rajnikanth,Pankaj Kapur etc can still be revered more for their talent than looks,then why not girls? Why can't we just not talk about/mention about the pimples,blackheads and other trivial faults on the face and other features?

We are humans,and we are all prone to imperfections. No one is perfect. Yes,even Angelina Jolie. Our advertisments must encourage the fact that having a pimple or two,or even having a dark color doesnt mean you're undesirable and nondescript. But what they are doing today is absolutely opposite. No wonder why these days I can see myself surrounded with girls who do not step out of house without makeup,the ones who have pancakes of foundation on their face and thick eyeliner,not to forget to add the red lipstick.Its a whole cult of underconfident girls that these ads have created,girls who feel incomplete in themselves without applying makeup.

And no longer are they only affecting the women. The disorder is rapidly taking in the men of our society. Also, young girls,as young as the ones in 6th standard have started to adopt the attitude of "OMG- I- look- so- ugly -in -that -pimple". What a saddening start to their life ahead.

So next time you see any ad in which the lead character is shown transforming into a LED bulb( ethereally fair,I mean to say) by the use of ABC  cream,or if men are shown being ditched by their gfs for not being good looking,the best thing that you can do is-just ignore. Because these companies of beauty products are not concerned of the heavy affects they'r leaving on people. YOU have to ensure that you are not taken away by them. Because the more you accept yourself in its natural form,the better and easier it is to live in this world. Because those zits on your face aren't special,YOU are :)

What happiness CANNOT do

Is it just me or someone else too thinks that "happiness" is a hyped phenomena?Yes,phenomena.

Since childhood,we are taught lessons of how and what should be done to remain happy. We were told that "serving the poor brings happiness",or "earning a healthy sum is the ultimate source of happiness". Whatever we do,we do to be hapy. Iam studying to get a job that would keep me happy in future,our parents work hard to give us comforts and keep us happy. It seems like every emotion fades in front of this single sentiment.

But consider this: Its not our happy experiences that come into our mind first if asked about our past. On monetizing our past experiences,those which bear the most brunt are not the moments which gifted us gaiety,but are those experiences which left us with bitter memories.

And that is why I say,happiness is a hyped sentiment. That "happiness is the ultimate thing that's desirable for a complete living " is a  paradox in itself,the statement appears to be glossy but adorns a rough surface beneath. Its not all the truth,just like the mirage effect which appears to be true to the thirsty deer but turns out to be false as and when you reach it.

Without other emotions,happiness is incomplete in itself. Sufferings and tribulations are as important as happiness. And I say this not only because its a law of nature that "too much sweetness causes disease",OR for that matter that "every object is a  magnet with positive and negative, both the poles together..each which comes into play as and when needed".

Happiness is about maximizing your benefits and comforts in life,but sufferings take you to a different course.

Sufferings take you deeper down to yourself. Its a phenomena too mystical to understand.
Consider the loss of your mother,or someone too  dear whose absence makes you piquant.  How do you survive through the situation?

When you face hard situations,you relieve yourself of your comfort layer..the layer in which you v been residing for years. You move down to the deeper you,just to discover now an entirely different area to which  you were unknown that ever existed in you. You retrospect ,ask yourself questions.You draw out conclusions..never in  life you v thought so much. The suffering lacerates you to a new,stronger you.

It not just acquaints you to the new identity,but also makes you lay open to your talents which you were unaware of. It tells you of your limitations,of what you can/cannot do. It was the shrilling pain inside you that helped you make that wonderful music,or write down the book about your journey of problems. No matter how hard you may try to not to feel bad,of to keep your emotions under control,you are not able to do that. And that's when and where you realize how pragmatic you are,of what's your tendency on reacting to direst situations. Sufferings leave you with supernatural powers.

Lastly, sufferings leave you with experiences. Valuable experiences. You recount memories,and feel of what you should/should not have done.That you didnt devote your time on your mother while she was ailing,leaves you with lessons of what NOT to be done in future,so that you do not lose your another close-ones. It gives you an experience of what sortof people you should trust,who would stand by you in your difficult times.

HOW TO REACT in situations of sufferings

"Emotional outbursts" are not mandatory,please understand this. Some people also find it that its moral responsibility to suffer in arid situations,that it is a responsibility to respond well to it. Its not that,but also,it doesn't mean that you try to create a jocund environment,or try to rejuvenate  the hedonism by going around partying. What you must do is,transform the pain into holiness. And this does NOT mean you sit hours chanting rhymes infront of idols in the temples. It means,convert your pain into something holy. Spawn donations in name of your beloved one, distribute clothes and food among the poor. THAT is what is being holy- serve the mankind.

Recovering from a suffering is like recovering from a disease. Many people won't come out absolutely healed,but they would come new. and that is why I say,sufferings are as desirable as happiness.

This is NOT about aping the West!

*This blogpost picks up on those who are against LGBT rights,those Neanderthals who proclaim that they are something unnecessary,a travailing effort by Indians to call themselves "westernized"

"Supreme Court rejects the plea to review gay sex"
Really? Someone please pinch me,is it really 21st Century India that Iam living in?

The judgement left me flummoxed. At an age where we are so invigorous about standing for our birth rights,this judgement is really hard to accept. Not just because it is an anachronism,but also because it deprives us of our fundamental human rights.

So,what is the basis of this Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code? 
The section reads that same-sex relations are a crime,it bans homosexuality. It was included in our system back in 1967,by Lord McCaulay who introduced this with an objective of creating a different race of Indians who were English in their own ways( " anglicised",which they refer to as),ones who were more capable of doing the "raj".

Today, Britain is bereft of the anti-homosexuality law,but we STILL continue to espouse them. Contemplating and comical,isnt it?

They say,that if we fight for the LGBT rights, we are trying to be westernised. Seriously? Well,lets not talk about the west then. Even if you look at the Eastern countries,we see that a country such as Kazakhsthan accepted the homosexuality rights back  in 1998. Japan,a country rich and known for its morals and traditions, made its doors open to the LGBTs a long back,in 1880. A country less developed than India,Indonesia,too gives full freedom to its citizens to choose for their "nature of love". 
Talking about the previously colonised countries,isnt  it surprising that South Africa never really had any law prohibiting love among the "female-lovers"(lesbians,which they term as)..the gay rights were later introduced in 2007 in their system. Oh Indian politicians and judiciary,if not this,atleast reckon at the neighbouring Nepal,which too opened its doors for LGBTs in 2007.

So what do we say now? Are we trying to be "Easternised"?
A sense of respect for Belgians clouds me,who have whole-heartedly accepted their single and gay PM,probably the single most gay PM in the whole world.

How and why same-sex attraction is unnatural is a point of debate for me..when it is the nature itself has seeded such "kind of attraction" in the gays and lesbians? 
And why is there a need to pry about their bedroom-behaviour?? Don't you call them grotesque ,it is US acting deformed here,not THEM.

A simple fact that a law which is smothering a large set of citizens,which makes them feel continually alienated in this country can NEVER be for good,and is only a jinx doesn't seem to be understood by our much "erudite"(yes,pun totally intended) elderly of our country.It was in HT that I read this news,and I cannot imagine what throes this person had to face :

"On 16 December, D, 25, a Kolkata resident, was returning home, from the fashion boutique he owns, when some people on the street threw eggs at him. A day or two earlier, a group of approximately seven men from the neighbourhood had blocked his way, demanding to know how much they would have to pay him in return for sexual favours. He was also groped on the street. D, or Diya as he is known among friends, is a man who is feminine in his ways. Sometimes, though not often, he likes to dress like a woman and wear make-up. He is a transgender, in love with another man."

And its not just about a singleton..its not about this single person,or just this single event. There are such uncountable persons which have to face such uncountable events,as the people in our country still continue to treat them as disparate species.

Hoping for a day when this hypocritical and enslaved country ..a country freed from the Britishers but still is their slave in its own sense, would be empathetic to its citizens, Iam reminded of that what once Rabrindranath Tagore quoted:

   "    Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake."

Why I would like to return to the 70s

Being born in the 1990s doesnt make me feel good. I wish I had experienced  the 70s.
"What"? "Why"? "Oh shes such an oldie at heart" are the reactions which would follow,but I have my own reasons,queer unconnected reasons for this wish...going through which Iam sure you too will be left ravishing with a desire to be a '70s kid. Check them out:

1. '70s was the best time in music
And no one would disagree to this. This was the time of the  culminating activities of the most prominent bands that we love to listen today : aerosmith, black sabbath, scorpions, led zepplin ,metallica,GNR...you name it and they all are a '70s production. Even if you talk about the hindi-music industry, 70s was one time where the musical-arena was bustling with the best musicians we'v ever had: Kishore kumar, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey,Lakshmikant Pyarelal and who not. It was then,when the music was natural and less artificial,as the kind of music today. Its an age where Honey Singh's vacuous "songs" are given preference over good music such as of Harbhajan Mann(I cannot choose NOT to recount the incident where he was pelted with stones by the audience for not singing "hep" songs). Music today,in our industry has become a farcical element.

2. Would not get to listen to "humare zamane me yeh","humare zamane me voh" sentences
I do not believe there's a single brown kid in this world who has made through the situations  without listening to the "humare zamane mein... " sentence from his parent. Our parents are habitual of comparing the contemporary environment with the one  in which they used to live about 40 yrs ago.

"Mummy,mein party ja rhi hun,rat ko der hojaegi thodi"
parents: "humare zamane me ladki 9 baje k bad bahar nahi ja sakti thi"
 
"Mujhe nahi karne ka mann ye kam!"
parents: "humare zamane me jo ma-bap kehte the hum vohi karte the hum bhi"

"Mera friend rahul mujhe ghar se pickup krlega"
parents: Humare zamane me ladko k sath akele ghoomne vali ladki ko achha nahi mana jata tha"

Though they would ultimately agree to your wish,but they wont let any situation go without inserting the 'humare zamane mein.." sentence. Parents,we love you for agreeing to our wishes all the time..only to realise that this single statement has extenuated the whole value of your munificence to us.

3.'70s was a colorful,and stylish era
Did you miss to notice how everything is so colorful and chic in the 70s movies? You cannot overlook Sharmila Tagore's long-dense eyelashes or Rekha's strong dash of kajal and eyeliner. Not to forget the most scenic beauty of the hero and  heroine(in yellow polka-dot ),driving their pink Lotus car amidst roads surrounded with yellow resplendant fields. Now,its a cult to adopt styles which are '70s-borne: anarkali suits,the puffs,bellbottom pants..our actors were true fashionistas.

4.The concept of true love:
There is a hunch which persuades me to believe that "love" used to be sincere earlier. Or rather I would say,its less sincere these days,in my generation.
This was the main reason behind why I dont like to be born in '90s..the whole concept of love has changed. The boundaries are easily-flexible today. People get unreluctantly into "timepass-relationships". Its not a big deal now to be in "love" with someone,while flirting with the other . Both the partners in "love" won't mind "trying out something/someone new" if given a chance. "Sab chalta hai yar humare beech" was the sentence that my friend said to me when I asked him if his gf doesnt mind him being playful to other girls. "Hume bas itna pata hai,ek doosre ki taraf love rakhna hai,sincerity rkhni hai.. in the end" was the statement that followed (and that made me laugh within,seriously).
Is it just me who has encountered such "lovers" or you too believe that "love" and its ways have changed in all these years?

5. The Peaceful,and healthy 1970s:
We are surrounded with things that are making us gradually sick. Talk about the technology,talk about the junk food,talk about how disturbing everything is today. How many of you can spend your day without checking your mobile phone? How many of you can manage without logging in to the social networking sites every week? Or how many of you can spend a week without gluttoning that yummy junk food? Not many.

My parents say everything in their time used to be healthier than today: then be it the air that we breathe(used to be cleaner than it is now), or the healthy food they used to binge-eat WITHOUT ADDING ON WEIGHT, of why there were no gyms earlier(and why we have them now: I must confess, we have become slow,lazy and inactive today), and how they were more into nature than technology,opposite of what we are today. Seems like everything was at its perfect place earlier.


I believe that more than the "gimmick factor" of 70s,it is more of the despondence born out of the the present environment that makes me wish I was a 70s kid. Take for instance, the people of my generation act fake,put in extra effort just to look "cool".  I have seen many who take on to drinking,hookah and what not for the mere "coolness factor".
Also,this whole "technological advancement" may be a positive change,but I seriously wish at times that there would have been none. I cannot express how much distracting my mobile becomes at times,that how much tension other technological sources jinx upon the children today.
Lastly,it hurts me when my generation say "discrimination has ended,quota is not needed" but would,at the same time,be reluctant to marry the subcaste person. Such hipocracy and double-standards saddens me,such negativity makes me wish I was born in a better age.

Atleast everything was in its true form in 1970s,than this masqueraded and "shimmering-on-the-top-rotten-under-the-veil" form of my generation today.