Education, Supernaturalism and Madness!!

Today, we had our formal farewell function at school but just before that we had 3 to 4 hours of pooja ( its a Hindu ritual like an invocation).

I think I can safely say that my position on such things are clear for most people who know me (otherwise it will be as you read along) but what disturbed me the most is not the fact that most of the students didn't even care what was going on but the fact that even when the teachers are "trying" their best to help the students (through the pooja) the students still remained unruly and kept played pranks on each other. What's the point of prayers if you cant behave well to our friends and elders?

Well, I couldn't bear all this, so I said so to my class teacher and moved out of the room. A nearby classroom was empty, so I just went inside and found a note book lying around. Inquisitive as I am, I started reading the book and guess what?
I found even the answers of an 8th standard student revealing!!

It was the English (as in English subject) notebook. The first page was an essay on positive attitude. (Too bad I don't remember the contents of the book exactly. They were much better. But I'll try my best to convey the meaning). It said , in the first line,

 "Positive attitude may not make much of a change but the fact that I annoys people enough makes it worth the effort." 

The teacher had circled 'annoys' but I am of the opinion that she (the child) was very much right. Notice the word 'enough'. That conveys that it (annoying) actually performs some function other than just for the sake of annoying. Sometimes people just wont listen to reason but something annoying certainly catches any ones attention!

I continued flipping through the pages and I came across another revealing essay.
It  was about "Supernatural vs Realism". The first paragraph was about supernatural. It said (approximately)

"These days we see a lot of rituals and functions to move away negative energies, so I believe that supernatural exists".

The second paragraph was about realism which said (again approximately)

"Realism is the tendency to view or represent things as they really are. ...( some other stuff that said something like realism is to how things really are etc. ) .... I believe in the supernatural than realism!! 

That last comment made me think, what are we teaching our children. Whose ideals are the real and true ideals. Who is right about anything when it comes to such controversial topics. Most will believe what they hear without giving it a second thought. But what I find unacceptable is the fact that if we feed small children with certain thoughts or opinions, especially by people whom they trust completely (like their teachers) then it will stick to them. They will never even think about question it. They will never have the power or will to break out of that web which weaves around their mind! That box which closes itself pretty tightly! Well, most don't. Some however do, and when they talk, the others say "he's mad"

Remember Horton Hears A Who the elephant who heard little people on a clover? In it the mayor tells the city council that their centennial celebrations have to be postponed because of the anomalies caused by their moving home. And the council is too engrossed in celebrating that they forgo the safety of the citizens and says that the Mayor is a "boob". Horton (the elephant) who is the only person who can hear the people on the clover (by virtue of his large ears) too faces a similar dilemma. Nobody believes him and says (in effect) that he is mad.

For some reason, I seem to be able acknowledge such comments about me. Over the years I have heard it many a times from many of my close friends and my reply is yes. After all madness is relative. One man's madness might be another's genius!

Getting on with the events of the day, we had the formal function where some school authorities and the principal and teachers were present apart from us 99 students and a couple of juniors. We heard a couple of speeches and all the while the phrase "Good Education" kept turning up. And then one of the teachers said, 

'You should listen to and obey your teachers always. They might be wrong sometimes but you have to listen and obey no matter.' 

These two phrases totally cranked my head up.


What is a good education? For the most part of it, there is a good consensus but as in the case above, what is right is a question that can always rise up once in a while. But then people go with the majority opinion. But is the majority always right? Certainly not! Just because a hundred people solves an equation wrongly doesn't make the wrong way the 'right way'. It just makes it an attractive (and deadly) hideout.

On to the second point, how could any one justify obeying an advice that you know is wrong? Making mistakes is not a fault but (in my honest opinion) saying that one has to blindly listen to anyone ( a teacher or parent or any other for that matter) seems absurd to me. If in doubt, ask them for their justification. It may just be that they might have taken an accidental wrong turn in their thought process. Work it out. Reason and justify as far as possible. As the heroine of a Bollywood movie said (in the movie Jab We Met) 

"It is better to live life according to your own opinion. That  way, if something doesn't turn out right, you wouldn't have to blame others for your failure !"

Before I wrap up, I would like to narrate one more incident of the day. We all were expecting to receive our hall tickets today, but later came to know that we would have to go get it on another day. So, when I got some time, just before the beginning of the function, I went and talked to my English teacher who was about. I asked her if she knew why we were not given the hall tickets that day and she replied she didn't know and said that the "person who gives the orders" (the Principal) said so and so, it is so. Then I asked her if she could ask the Principal to give us the Hall tickets today and what she said next really annoyed me. She said "When you grow up and live your life, you come to realise that there is something called self respect and that it is sometimes better to keep quiet." That may be true to some extent but it sounded like a lame excuse for not doing things that you know are true but you are too 'shaken' or 'afraid of retribution' to speak up about. Then I just told her that

"That is what always happens. We know what is right and we 'talk about talking about it' (its not an accidental repetition but exactly what I meant) but never do so. Actions are what we need, not words."

That just about wraps up a most revealing day!! What do you think?


P.S. Reading this article, please don't conclude that I don't respect my teachers or mentors. I do respect all my teachers from the bottom of my heart for their commitment and dedication and make my best efforts to not sound disrespectful.

Forget... A Fool's Ramblings?

In this busy life,
Amidst the rush and rife,
Often do we forget our kith and kin
Our friends but not enemies
Love but not hatred
Reason  and often logic.

In the quest for the big
and the thirst for power
Often do we forget the beauty of the small.
The flutter of the wings
The sound of the raindrops
The smell of the first rain
The twinkling of the stars.

In the wake of a new age
And a new found life
Often do we forget what we ought realise.
The balance of nature
Our eternal bonds with it
The insignificance of our beings
And the echoes of the past.

Where are we sprinting off to?
In search of a golden treasure
            at the end of the rainbow?
In pursuit of some greater content?
To make the world a better place?
[But for whom?]
Or is it just some great big misunderstanding
Or just a fool's ramblings?

What's in a name?

Often, when people who don't know me for long hear me addressing my sister (she's 7 years elder) , they are surprised or even questioning.

Well, I just address her as if she's someone of my own age or sometimes even someone younger. It's not a pronoun that means exactly  'younger sister' or anything even close ( I just don't know any equivalent or similar expression in English! ). It's just like an informal address. But, let me make clear that it isn't because I don't respect her or love her, it's just that we are really good 'friends' too.

It's weird that we consider something more respectful than the other. Consider this. One may call ones sister , 'sister', dee dee (दीदी) (Remember Dexter's sister, well, its actually a Hindi word meaning the same! ), sis or any other local word.

There's this story that might get things into a better perspective.

Once upon a time there was a fool and he wanted to become wise. So, he went to a wise but arrogant sage and asked for advice but as it happened, the sage was very angry at that moment and told him to "mind his own business",so to speak. (the exact translation is something more like "idiotic ash-gourd"(വിഡ്ഢി കൂശ്മാണ്ടം) but it sounds right only in Malayalam.) Well, the poor fool believing that it was some kind of spell kept on chanting the phrase over and over again for many years.

Years later,  (if my memory serves right) the sage somehow encounters a very wise man and the man thanks him (the sage) and upon enquiry it was found that it was the same fool (who became wise). When asked how it came to be so, the man reminded the sage the story of the phrase. (The rest, I don't remember! Sorry!).

But the important point is that even though it was just a scolding, by just believing the that it was something powerful or helpful helped (more like a placebo effect!) the man achieve his goal. So, its not in the words or sounds that we use but what they mean to us that matters. After all, words and sounds are 'defined' by us. So, its effects change with the definitions.

Its what you think and how you respect or consider someone or something that matters in the end. So take care... and Think...

Kudos ..

Kudos to James Cameron for Titanic the movie. I know its 14 years late but just yesterday I saw the whole movie after a long time.

The last time I saw it , I was pretty young. But yesterday, I realised that I was such a hugely powerful movie. Never before have I been so awestruck by a movie that I was stuck for half an hour after that. The emotions, the pain, the power of true love, the true human nature, all beautifully brought out.

Simply Amazing...

It's That Time Again!!

Another year is passing us by,
a year of hectic schedules, loads of work, endless list of things to study.

Yet, a year of revelations, thoughts, words, actions, self discovery, seeding of thoughts, influencing, (and, to some extent being influenced), discovering new friends and old ones too, surprising facts, mind boggling riddles, little naughtiness ;) and loads of fun.

I learnt a lot this year, more than what my schools taught me, a lot more! I now see beauty in all creatures. Everything fascinates me. I'm more observant and a lot more curious. And it is my honest belief that I think I have passed on at least some of these thoughts, insights and way of life to my friends, which I think will make a difference.

The year past may have taught us much but may the year ahead teach us much much more. And it's finally time to do it again...

THINK ANEW!!

                                --Diff Thinkr

Just Be Yourself

"jz b urself..!!..no more an no less!!"

 (Just be Yourself..!! no more and no less!!)

So wrote a close friend of mine while chatting and over the past few days the same message came up over many media. Each time I put them aside but this time I Write!

Remember  Ratatouille ? That movie about a cute little mouse that wanted to be a chef and finally rose up to be one?

Remember Po? That Big Fat Panda who fought the strong and most feared tiger to save the whole Valley ?

None of them were anything above the rest and they were certainly not 'born' to be the 'one' and yet by just being themselves , not by their race, caste, creed, or relatives, but just themselves, they did what they dreamed to.

Why would being yourself serve you better than trying to be someone else like some great hero form the past? For a very simple reason which we often forget. "You are what you are." You are best equipped to be yourself and only yourself. Trying to be someone else is like living the rest of your lives behind a mask of shame.

Did anybody watch Narnia:The voyage of the Dawn Treader? Well, in it Lucy wishes to be more like her sister Susan and the 'Lion' Aslan shows her how important she (Lucy) is as she is. Aslan reminds her that it was because of Lucy that the four of them found Narnia and hence is extremely important and reminds her to be , in effect, be herself.

Now, I wish to take you on a journey (not much of  a journey but still for namesakes let it be called so) to an incident from my English class.

One day our English teacher asked us to name our role models/ favourites. Most of them named either a movie star or a national leader or their parents or someone of that sort. As it happened I was to say mine almost to the end and when I got my chance all I had to say was "None". I told her that I take something from everyone. When you think about it , no one is perfect. Then how can you have a single 'Role model' . As I find it, the best thing one can do is learn what seems apt from everyone that you meet. What you learn and imbibe  from someone will always be in tune with what you really are. It will be always be you.

Also, don't think that if your are 'different' in any way, people would not accept you. Always keep in mind, there will always be some who accept you for who you are and love you just because you are you. I believe that only such friendships and relations have the ability to be happy and last a long time. If you are a 'geek', don't think that you wont get friends or that people wouldn't 'hang out' with you. Never, I repeat, Never Ever change yourself with such ideas in mind. Those who are with you when you are 'you' will be the only ones who will be there when you are in need the most.

If there is one resolution that I take on every birthday of mine, its " I'll not change in any way just because I'm an year older " (and probably not even a day wiser). Over the years, as soon as I started realising 'things' I decided I'll always try to keep the 'child' in me alive. The curiosity, and inexhaustible inquisitiveness of a child are the most valuable things that everyone has to retain throughout life. I bet that It's going to be your key to success.

Above all , Keep in mind, 

You are what you Believe You are, not what others say or think you are. 
Destiny Is what You make of it, so don't sulk around about 'circumstances'.

Adieu for now ..




PS. I have started a new Photo Blog . Do check it out at ThinkabtBeauty.

PPS (PS after a PS ;) ) Here's what Sky mentioned. (BTW, she's my one and only sister. And if you are wondering if she is as crazy, maybe this will help.) But I can assure you, I'm not "that" small...