Concessions...
This blog entry again… is from an email. Whatever that is in “ – “ is what the emailer had said… and what’s not in quotes, is my response.
“i read ur new blog posts and saw ur pics! some of those pics are so good, i'm tempted to order some for myself. saw the pics of the garba/raas dance hahah.”
Yeah… some of those pics from here at SIDH were taken by a professional photographer. And the othe photos were taken by this American, Joanna, that as just here… and she has a pretty bad-ass digital camera. I took some of the pics on her camera as well. The pics are great… only downfall… I’m not in very many of them. =(
Did you see “the fan” in the pictures!!??? The kids are soo cute! Haha.. yet, I could get none of them to smile while they were dancing. Actually, almost all Indians also don’t smile in pictures. I came to thinking that maybe the idea of an “unnatural smile” isn’t the best idea in the first place. Out in the States.. we’re so used to “faking” smiles… pictures, dances, being “fake” with people, etc. that I think it may be at the point where we don’t even know when we’re really smiling/laughing and when it’s fake?
“i understand ur reluctancy to coming back here. what will getting a credential really do? and how does that play a role in what you want to do in the future? ya u'll have to come back and pay bills and be part of "the system" again, but its for a greater cause, and if you play a large role in local swadhyay stuff or maybe start something here, that'll keep you in touch with the ideals and philosophies you want to live by.”
So, a couple of points that I want to make here. “for a greater cause” … those are the same words that Pres. Bush used when he went to war with Iraq… yeah, thousands will die but it’s for a greater cause. We’ve been hammered with this “democratic” concept that “yeah, this will do harm, but it will do more good than harm”. How is one to measure that? By the number of people it affects? By if it’s good for “us” and harm for “them”? I think there comes a point where one draws the line…. no more “settling” for the “greater good”. As much as I possibly can, I want to do what’s Right. I don’t want to just be “in touch” with the ideals and philosophies I want to live by. If I truly want to live by them… then, I will live by them. If I don’t live by them, then I truly haven’t understood that ideal.
And… it’s not “ideals” or “philosophies” anymore either. It’s really understanding what’s Right. I see it as three stages. 1) Logically convinced that “yes, this is the way it is.” ; 2) Putting it into practice and validating it (or invalidating it), validating it by seeing that “this is the way it is” not just for me, but for everyone; 3) then, we get to the point, where we truly understand… truly realize that “yes, this is the way it is.” At this point, we don’t need to make efforts to bring it into our life… it’ll naturally manifest itself.
An example is, the idea: “Every human being wants to be happy at every moment; and every decision made is for what that individual thinks will bring them greater happiness” 1) Yes, I’m logically convinced of this.; 2) “Putting it into practice” is difficult. But, the way to do it is being aware. I may say “no, I want moments of happiness and sadness. If I don’t feel sadness, I won’t be able to know what happiness is.” However, if I am aware – at the MOMENTS that I am happy, do I want to stay happy, or not? At the MOMENT when I am sad or lonely, do I want to be happy, or not? These questions can only be answered in the moment… by being aware. After validating it with myself…. I validate it with those close to me…. And also check that if it makes sense that it is universal.; 3) Yes, I realize that at every moment, every human being WANTS to be happy, and every decision made is trying to achieve a higher level of happiness. It’s no longer intellectual. It just is. It’s “knowing”, not “thinking”, not “believeing”. When I drop a ball, you know it’s going to fall to the ground. And you don’t know this because you’ve studied gravity and know why it falls, etc…. you just know that it’s going to fall. In the same way, I know that all human beings want to be happy at every moment and every decision (conscious and unconcscious) is made towards attaining that state.
I see this as an ultimate Truth… what’s Right.. what is. It’s outside of opinion… outside of judgements… outside of the “greater good”…. It’s universal to every human being.
Like this, one can unveil the ultimate Truths of human beings and of nature/existence. And these are the Truths that I want to understand/realize. Living by these truths is a subset of understanding/realizing. There is no room for settling, or sacrificing, or “keeping in touch with”. Understanding/Living by these Truths is what will ultimately lead us to that “being happy at every moment” that we desire.
“nothing in physics really caught my attention, so i decided to go into engineering, altho my degree will still be in physics. i like the interdisciplinary approach and the applicability of the technology (biosensors, nanoelectronics etc). so far, i've done some modeling with a software program, but its a complicated beast, so i've got plenty more to learn about it.”
Sounds like some complex stuff… I had interviewed at a Nano-tech company a couple years ago when I was looking for a job. Haha… every topic of convo strikes some other critique in me. Please let me know if it irritates you and you want me to stop. BUT, I’ve realize that in our “modern” life, we very rarely make any decisions completely on our own terms. Actually.. this just isn’t “modern” life, but even in villages out here. Situations and opportunities determine what we do so many times. I’m talking bout… going to college. During high school, did I ever really decide that I want to go to college? Did I ever explore my options or did I think that I had only one option? Once we’re trying to get a job, do we really do what we REALLY want to do, or are we “flexible” to “whatever we get”? If you could really decide hat you wanted to do research in… what would it be? Would it be nano-tech?
I was talking to this girl out here who’s deciding to get an MBA or not… she wants to own her own company at some point… but doesn’t know what that company would do. And, I asked her, “If money was no issue. You receive a fatty paycheck at the end of the month… just for being. Then, what would you do with your life?” Forget about the “options” that society provides… forget about the different “majors”, etc. What do you actually want to do? And, before answering this question… I think comes the real realization that I want to be happy at every moment…. So, whatever I do with my life, I would want it to make me happy at every moment. Then, “doing” something in your life isn’t the “goal”… “doing” something is just the means to the “aim/goal”.
“yeah costa rica is awesome, it focuses on 'eco tourism', tourism which doesn't effect the natural, organic part of the country. and i think their livelihood depends on tourism.”
That’s cool that you gotta visit Costa Rica!!! How was it? Not just “awesome”, but you were able to learn abything about the lifestyle there, the people, etc.? There is also lots of “poverty” in the country, right? I haven’t really traveled much outside the U.S. and India. I’m pretty interested in seeing other places in the world where the indigenous people still live…. Not like the U.S., and Australia, where the indigenous populations have been wiped out or are being wiped out. But, places like India, Latin America, Africa, etc. All these places have a lot in common…. They were dominated by Western powers for many centuries. They are now being drained of natural resources by these Western powers. Their indigenous lifestyles and livelihoods are becoming replaced by “corporate globalization” leading them into poverty and dependency. The localler who used to be an entertainer by going around village to village and singing…. Has been replaced by the TV. The localler that used to bottle his own soda and sell it has been replace by Coca-Cola. The local farmers who used to grow food with their own seeds, without chemicals have become dependent on buying their seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides from multinationals… putting them in deep debt and causing thousands per year in India to commit suicide.
Now, we’re in Iraq and the Middle East… to have more control over their natural resources as well. Why? Because our economy depends on petroleum… plastics are made out of this gunk as well.
But… I think the world is slowly turning. Those on the “oppressed” end are finding ways to make their voice heard… through hunger strikes, protests, boycotts, “terrorism”, violence, etc. And those on the “oppresser” end… I think there are some beginning to realize that the current model isn’t sustainable. They’re beginning to realize that the harmony and “every moment happiness” that we desire cannot be attained through the current model. The current model is a model of continuous conflict.
And, then comes the question, am I on the side that is contributing to the disharmony, the conflicts, the injustice, and the unhappiness in the world?
How can I start contributing to harmony, peace, justice, and happiness?
“i read ur new blog posts and saw ur pics! some of those pics are so good, i'm tempted to order some for myself. saw the pics of the garba/raas dance hahah.”
Yeah… some of those pics from here at SIDH were taken by a professional photographer. And the othe photos were taken by this American, Joanna, that as just here… and she has a pretty bad-ass digital camera. I took some of the pics on her camera as well. The pics are great… only downfall… I’m not in very many of them. =(
Did you see “the fan” in the pictures!!??? The kids are soo cute! Haha.. yet, I could get none of them to smile while they were dancing. Actually, almost all Indians also don’t smile in pictures. I came to thinking that maybe the idea of an “unnatural smile” isn’t the best idea in the first place. Out in the States.. we’re so used to “faking” smiles… pictures, dances, being “fake” with people, etc. that I think it may be at the point where we don’t even know when we’re really smiling/laughing and when it’s fake?
“i understand ur reluctancy to coming back here. what will getting a credential really do? and how does that play a role in what you want to do in the future? ya u'll have to come back and pay bills and be part of "the system" again, but its for a greater cause, and if you play a large role in local swadhyay stuff or maybe start something here, that'll keep you in touch with the ideals and philosophies you want to live by.”
So, a couple of points that I want to make here. “for a greater cause” … those are the same words that Pres. Bush used when he went to war with Iraq… yeah, thousands will die but it’s for a greater cause. We’ve been hammered with this “democratic” concept that “yeah, this will do harm, but it will do more good than harm”. How is one to measure that? By the number of people it affects? By if it’s good for “us” and harm for “them”? I think there comes a point where one draws the line…. no more “settling” for the “greater good”. As much as I possibly can, I want to do what’s Right. I don’t want to just be “in touch” with the ideals and philosophies I want to live by. If I truly want to live by them… then, I will live by them. If I don’t live by them, then I truly haven’t understood that ideal.
And… it’s not “ideals” or “philosophies” anymore either. It’s really understanding what’s Right. I see it as three stages. 1) Logically convinced that “yes, this is the way it is.” ; 2) Putting it into practice and validating it (or invalidating it), validating it by seeing that “this is the way it is” not just for me, but for everyone; 3) then, we get to the point, where we truly understand… truly realize that “yes, this is the way it is.” At this point, we don’t need to make efforts to bring it into our life… it’ll naturally manifest itself.
An example is, the idea: “Every human being wants to be happy at every moment; and every decision made is for what that individual thinks will bring them greater happiness” 1) Yes, I’m logically convinced of this.; 2) “Putting it into practice” is difficult. But, the way to do it is being aware. I may say “no, I want moments of happiness and sadness. If I don’t feel sadness, I won’t be able to know what happiness is.” However, if I am aware – at the MOMENTS that I am happy, do I want to stay happy, or not? At the MOMENT when I am sad or lonely, do I want to be happy, or not? These questions can only be answered in the moment… by being aware. After validating it with myself…. I validate it with those close to me…. And also check that if it makes sense that it is universal.; 3) Yes, I realize that at every moment, every human being WANTS to be happy, and every decision made is trying to achieve a higher level of happiness. It’s no longer intellectual. It just is. It’s “knowing”, not “thinking”, not “believeing”. When I drop a ball, you know it’s going to fall to the ground. And you don’t know this because you’ve studied gravity and know why it falls, etc…. you just know that it’s going to fall. In the same way, I know that all human beings want to be happy at every moment and every decision (conscious and unconcscious) is made towards attaining that state.
I see this as an ultimate Truth… what’s Right.. what is. It’s outside of opinion… outside of judgements… outside of the “greater good”…. It’s universal to every human being.
Like this, one can unveil the ultimate Truths of human beings and of nature/existence. And these are the Truths that I want to understand/realize. Living by these truths is a subset of understanding/realizing. There is no room for settling, or sacrificing, or “keeping in touch with”. Understanding/Living by these Truths is what will ultimately lead us to that “being happy at every moment” that we desire.
“nothing in physics really caught my attention, so i decided to go into engineering, altho my degree will still be in physics. i like the interdisciplinary approach and the applicability of the technology (biosensors, nanoelectronics etc). so far, i've done some modeling with a software program, but its a complicated beast, so i've got plenty more to learn about it.”
Sounds like some complex stuff… I had interviewed at a Nano-tech company a couple years ago when I was looking for a job. Haha… every topic of convo strikes some other critique in me. Please let me know if it irritates you and you want me to stop. BUT, I’ve realize that in our “modern” life, we very rarely make any decisions completely on our own terms. Actually.. this just isn’t “modern” life, but even in villages out here. Situations and opportunities determine what we do so many times. I’m talking bout… going to college. During high school, did I ever really decide that I want to go to college? Did I ever explore my options or did I think that I had only one option? Once we’re trying to get a job, do we really do what we REALLY want to do, or are we “flexible” to “whatever we get”? If you could really decide hat you wanted to do research in… what would it be? Would it be nano-tech?
I was talking to this girl out here who’s deciding to get an MBA or not… she wants to own her own company at some point… but doesn’t know what that company would do. And, I asked her, “If money was no issue. You receive a fatty paycheck at the end of the month… just for being. Then, what would you do with your life?” Forget about the “options” that society provides… forget about the different “majors”, etc. What do you actually want to do? And, before answering this question… I think comes the real realization that I want to be happy at every moment…. So, whatever I do with my life, I would want it to make me happy at every moment. Then, “doing” something in your life isn’t the “goal”… “doing” something is just the means to the “aim/goal”.
“yeah costa rica is awesome, it focuses on 'eco tourism', tourism which doesn't effect the natural, organic part of the country. and i think their livelihood depends on tourism.”
That’s cool that you gotta visit Costa Rica!!! How was it? Not just “awesome”, but you were able to learn abything about the lifestyle there, the people, etc.? There is also lots of “poverty” in the country, right? I haven’t really traveled much outside the U.S. and India. I’m pretty interested in seeing other places in the world where the indigenous people still live…. Not like the U.S., and Australia, where the indigenous populations have been wiped out or are being wiped out. But, places like India, Latin America, Africa, etc. All these places have a lot in common…. They were dominated by Western powers for many centuries. They are now being drained of natural resources by these Western powers. Their indigenous lifestyles and livelihoods are becoming replaced by “corporate globalization” leading them into poverty and dependency. The localler who used to be an entertainer by going around village to village and singing…. Has been replaced by the TV. The localler that used to bottle his own soda and sell it has been replace by Coca-Cola. The local farmers who used to grow food with their own seeds, without chemicals have become dependent on buying their seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides from multinationals… putting them in deep debt and causing thousands per year in India to commit suicide.
Now, we’re in Iraq and the Middle East… to have more control over their natural resources as well. Why? Because our economy depends on petroleum… plastics are made out of this gunk as well.
But… I think the world is slowly turning. Those on the “oppressed” end are finding ways to make their voice heard… through hunger strikes, protests, boycotts, “terrorism”, violence, etc. And those on the “oppresser” end… I think there are some beginning to realize that the current model isn’t sustainable. They’re beginning to realize that the harmony and “every moment happiness” that we desire cannot be attained through the current model. The current model is a model of continuous conflict.
And, then comes the question, am I on the side that is contributing to the disharmony, the conflicts, the injustice, and the unhappiness in the world?
How can I start contributing to harmony, peace, justice, and happiness?
posted by Raj Kanani | 7:51 PM
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