Category: Random Philosophy Page 13 of 20

A post about Nothing

On January 18, 2017

Have you ever just sat down and wondered abut nothing? Yea, nothing. Simply sitting and thinking about nothing.

I have.

For the last 15 minutes, I’ve been staring at my WP-dashboard to write and I’m just not able to think of anything. So, I just thought to write about this “nothingness”.

Yes, you might think why am I wasting your time by making you read this, while you can scroll down to read “something”. Especially when this post is about nothing.

Anyways, now that I think of it. This isn’t a new thing for me. This actually is quite regular. I’ve blanked out on numerous occasions without actually thinking of anything in particular.

I love the nothingness of the moment when one does not grapple with a multitude of thoughts. They say, we rest when we sleep, but I say, this is what resting should feel like.

Nothing.

This is such a worry-free moment, right ?

We are not often given the luxury of enjoying this, of course. But as often as we get a chance to do nothing. Let’s embrace it.

Now, after reading this, you are free to do: Nothing.

We cannot please everyone: Just a Rant

By farooq

On January 16, 2017

In Random Philosophy

There’s an inherent need of most of our elders to “please people”. “What will people say” holds the supreme status in all their lives more than anything else.

Sure, in a lot of cases this gets passed on to others in the lineage as well.

I’m not able to clearly analyze the degree of this “what will people say” is part of my psyche, but I’m sure it is lower than our previous generation.

What irks me more is how we cannot convince our elders to let this go. We just cannot. Even when they don’t like certain people, they just cannot stop themselves from “not being nice” to them. I mean, come on! You told me you don’t like them! And yet?!

We cannot please everyone. Actually, can or cannot shouldn’t even be there. We don’t need to please everyone.

But, hey! Duniyadari nibhaana is one of the may jargons which elders throw at us. Even CXO’s in our offices don’t use that many jargons as elders do in the name of “tradition”.

“Badon se sawal nahi karte”, “hamare khaandan me chale aaya hai” or “aajkal ke bache.. badon ki sunte kahan” are few of the amazing gems which does the round in a family like mine. I’m sure similar terminologies would have been thrown at you, along with whatever, your mom could grab from the kitchen.

As an after-thought, I do wonder whether this is more of an age issue than a generational one, though. But till the time, I get older, lets keep it this way.

And just to reiterate my rant, We cannot please everyone. We don’t have to.

The Youtube Tamasha

By farooq

On January 14, 2017

In Movies & Entertainment, Random Philosophy

When there’s no TV at your place, you end up scanning through Youtube quite often. And when I end up clicking the “trending” tab, my immediate reaction is, “Why am I even looking here?!”.

Anyways, there are a ton of things that you end up discovering when you’re hanging on Youtube. Yes, some amazingly addictive Youtubers whom you love to follow and await their videos to get uploaded but at the same time, a lot of unwanted gibberish also flows through the network.

Sure there’s good content original generating channels which we all are big fans of, like the TVF for instance. Or others like AIB, SnG comedy, East India Comedy and the likes. Of course, there are quite a few which makes you wonder, are we going back to TV and making this just extra sleazier to get the eyeballs.

One of the most irritating ones are these “Prank channels.” Yes, the kind where they assume they can get away with anything, just because they have a camera in hand. If you thought the guy seen kissing and running off in Delhi was bizarre, you’d be shocked to see what others are upto. It is great that this fellow got arrested and it might help in stopping the flurry of those channels. These channels are like the “Item numbers” in movies. Not required but just because people watch it, they are there.

Shockingly these channels have thousands of ardent subscribers. The number of subscribers shocks me more than these channels itself.

It takes a lot of effort to create these videos. I’m sure. Why not do it for something more relevant, than asking people “Do you look at a guys’ junk ?” to girls on the street or “What do you look first in the girl?”!

If generating clickbaity videos is what you’re good at. Don’t you think there are other “better” sites for that?

When Meryl Streep spoke..

By farooq

On January 10, 2017

In Random Philosophy

When Meryl Streep spoke at the Golden Globes Award, the 1st World along with the people who aspires to live like the 1st world, listened.

She wasn’t the first big name to openly come out and speak against Trump. Sure, she didn’t had to take his name. People not on the “right” side lamented as to why the “celebrities” cannot do the same in India as well ?

Among a whole other things it is the inconvenience which stops them from being honest in their opinions.

People didn’t leave Aamir Khan when he carelessly mentioned something his wife said. People even “expressed” their thoughts when Om Puri died because he had said something which they didn’t agreed with.

I’m not trying to say, looking at these incidents, they should stop or even start speaking up. At the end, it is their right to.

After all, they are people too. I’ve stopped writing about politics because it is an inconvenience. Inconvenience to argue and debate and waste time, while I can indulge in something productive.

In the last 10 days, I’ve added 10 different posts at this time of the night before the clock strikes 12. Had they been anything related to political viewpoints, I would have spent 10X more time on Facebook, which is the least I want.

On a lot of levels, I feel it was good that the so called Liberal Left as well as the complacent non-right or center (whatever you call it) got a big jolt, around the world. Sure, it’s not correct and this shouldn’t have happened. But, isn’t a dark night required, before another Dawn ?

Meanwhile, do watch Meryl Streep speak, if you haven’t!

The Why’s

By farooq

On January 9, 2017

In Random Philosophy

“Why” is that one question which is the most difficult to figure out. We can look up for a “What” and there can be a definition for it. If we’re not able to figure out the “how” of something, we somehow manage to do that as well. But it is the “Why” that gets really difficult to figure out.

“Why” is highly opinionated. Sure, the same argument can be made for a “what” or a “how”, but if one has to compare the degree of it all, then most definitely, “Why” will not only top the charts but remain there undefeated.

“Why is this happening?”! “Why this?”, or “Why that” is a question that has as many variations as a windows update!

And even after a while, when we develop a little age-wise wisdom, the answers to those “why’s” keep on changing.

The usual answers that echo, include karma (which has the habit of biting back) or “maybe something good will come out of it”. Yeah, Right!

The “Why’s” make us very restless. They overlap other emotions. They interfere in our work. Our mundane lives and continuously push us to keep asking ourselves, “Why?!” Yes, with an exclmation marks! They love the over-dramatized effects. They love when we add adjectives or even ask God for the answer! As if!

All we end up doing is, either to keep ourselves occupied, or to write some useless thoughts like the one I just did. Hah!

Gratitude

By farooq

On January 8, 2017

In Random Philosophy

We are all selfish creatures. The Humans. Whenever we do something for others, its always is to make us happy. We are all seeking a little bit of gratitude whenever we do something for others. Sure, we don’t always expect a favor to be returned. But it is that innate desire to feel how thankful the other person is, which is what gratitude is, is omnipresent.

It doesn’t matter how big or small our gesture is, but if we’ve made an effort to do something, the tendency is to expect a wee bit of gratitude.

And it doesn’t mean saying, “Thank You”.

I’m never going to send a Thank you card to my parents. But yes, I can try to make them feel that I am thankful to them. It is through our gestures that can speak volumes than a thank you.

The feeling, when you’ve done something for a person, and they don’t seem to have an ounce of gratitude, is baffling! You understand this only when you experience it. And then, you question yourself as well, whether you’ve ended up giving this same awful feeling to someone else ?

I’ve not talked with one of my best friends for over a year. He simply stopped talking. On repeatedly calling him as well, he never answered why he never wanted to talk to me. It took me a while then to realize that I wasn’t grateful enough for the friendship.

I know this above incident sounds cheesier. But well, True Story.

I’m about to end this post here and if you’re looking for a “lesson” as part of a conclusion, well I don’t have one.

Go Figure

The problems with letting things go

By farooq

On January 6, 2017

In Random Philosophy

I’ve been living in some sort of mess since the past 6 months. The place was far from being clean and was slowly turning into one of those cliched guy-apartments. Things were “kept” at ease. The carton boxes were kept on one side as I wanted to induldge in some DIY in my free time. Frankly speaking, there was a lot of free time available at my disposal. I’ve never felt this lazy in years. Sorry, being lazy is a wrong choice of word, it was more of being at supreme rest.

That’s how life was. With lots of boxes on one side of the hall and empty pizza boxes on the other.

And then, my sisters ended up visiting my place, just for ONE day! Actually, less than a day. And Bam! It all changed. Those DIY dreams were trashed and sent over to the terrace. They are still sun-bathing, btw.

Anyways, what the whole reason for writing is to explain to you about those empty carton boxes and my life. Yes, sorry for the long background. But the, that’s me. I have this constant urge of explaining things!

I could have thrown those boxes long back. Knowing very well that I’m not going to do shit! But then, I have a problem of not being able to let go of materialistic things. Probably people too, but that’s a revering thought for some other night.

I have this habit of collecting garbage. Literally.

Even old clothes, which I know I won’t fit in, still take space in my cupboard. Can someone please come and steal them ?!

I love nostalgia like the average retard, but sometimes I take it to the extreme. Just for that one moment of “Ahhaaa.. those were the days”, I still have all my scrapbooks and a lot of other silly stuff. Why? Good question.

Even my Computer drive is filled with Article drafts for years, even when I’m pretty sure of not completing those outdated topics to write.

I guess I’ll have to dive a little deeper to find reasons for my stupidities. What say ?

Storytelling

By farooq

On January 5, 2017

In Random Philosophy

The storytelling style in a lot of people, based on where they are from, varies. But what remains common is, how easily they take names of people, about whom we have no idea about, and use them in the stories. It’s fascinating. Not only from a story-telling stand-point but also how when they do this repeatedly, those very people become part of our own memories.

If we end up meeting people from those stories, there’s already a mental image appearing in front our eyes. And some of them are so accurate in their description that you feel yourself wondering, “Wow, this guys is exactly like that!” with a tinkle in your eyes.

All my sisters have this habit of using names in their stories. So, when I finally end up meeting their friends, acquaintances or even the people they despise, there’s a tiny switch that gets clicked.

I want to acquire this skillset to help in whatever little writing I do. More often than not, I find myself either talking in 3rd person or just being a narcissist on other times. That character-development technique is something I should get myself trained in.

Hopefully, with my sister now living with me, whatever little time we’ll find without fighting with each other, can be used in learning this. And yes, in making those Round chappatis, as well.

Reference Points

By farooq

On January 3, 2017

In Random Philosophy

Just finished watching Ok Kanmani on Netflix for the nth time. Apart from the leads, there’s a story of an elderly couple where one of them suffers from forgetfulness. There’s a scene towards the end where the lead couple resolve their differences by asking each other whether they’ll be able to love and live like another elderly couple.

It’s interesting how we are always looking for reference points to make a leap. The decision could be anything, but we feel more comfortable when there’s a reference point.

Is it about keeping it as a goal ? Or as they call it, “Relationship Goals” ? While talking to a friend, we ended up discussing about a mutual couple and how their life is like Hashtag Relationship Goal for her. And yes, the couple is adorably cute and I cannot blame her or anyone for thinking that way. There are tons of other Hashtag Goals. Traveling goals being the net big thing.

What’s it that entices us to look at someone else or their lives or what they do and see ourselves doing that? Why that is our reference point ?

The books we read, the movies we watch and the amazing people we meet, each bring to us a certain lifestyle and mindset which we want to achieve. Ofcourse, there can be another set of people who might despise those very things. Be it the movies, the books or the people and try to run away from that life choice.

If we think in-depth, we’ll realize that we’ve always been like this. All our life choices has been based on a few reference points or a culmination of many others. When we see others we see the good we want to see. The reality might be different from what it appears but our viewpoint is what can shape our own reality.

Revering Thoughts on 2016

By farooq

On January 1, 2017

In Random Philosophy

I’ve been staring at the WP-dashboard to type down my thoughts on the year that went by. I can sum it down to just one sentence but wanted to “intellectalize” my thoughts and hence the need to pen down the reveries.

To look at a year, which is basically nothing but a timeline that gets followed worldwide, is weird. However, since I got to spent a good part of the year alone. Alone as in living alone. I had a lot of time to psycho-analyze things in detail. After all, my job title also has the word “Analyst” into it. Thankfully, I didn’t ended up creating an excel sheet to do this “year analysis”.

Living alone is a weird experience:

Initially I loved the idea of living all alone when my roommate of more than a year decided to flee town and get married. Over time, I Started loving the freedom it gave. The place was a mess, but who cares ? Over time, it did became weird in the sense that there was no one! Only those who have done this would know how it is. It’s a mixed bag. There was no push from inside to even travel out. The solace at home, in a way, fulfilled that feeling as well. This was one of the biggest learning of the year 2016.

Introduction to Kannada Cinema

In the last 2-3 years, I’ve been exposed to a lot of regional cinema. Telugu and Tamil, initially and then followed by Malayalam. I was in awe with Malayalam movies (and still am). Kannada movies, in my head and whatever little I saw in bits, looked more like the masala versions of telugu and tamil. What changed this year ? I ended up watching U-turn! I followed this with Thithi and a few others. The parallel cinema here is definitely going strong and I’m glad that they have started releasing it with subtitles.

Trumped!

Who would have thought ? Huh! But then understanding grassroot level support from TV/Internet is just not right. Learning ? A big one. People don’t want to go with an idea that is “right for all, collectively”, they want something for themselves. The liberals “talk” just doesn’t get accepted anymore. Liberal is boring and just not sexy. The right is and that’ where the tide is turning for now.

Staying away from Politics on Facebook

Phew! This one was tough! And there were a few instances that I did break it for a while, but overall, I did stick to not writing anything about politics. This did helped a lot to clear my head and not get into useless arguments that go nowhere except alienating people on two sides. Especially when , I have no side of mine and want to stay away from just one side! But I did miss on sharing my views and I’m still in two minds as to whether I should continue with this self-imposed ban or not.

Learning to say No

Naah! I’m not trying to talk about feminism here. I’ve always had this inability of not being able to say No to people. I’ve met people even when I didn’t wanted to, went to places where I wasn’t comfortable in, tried to be nice when all I wanted was to smash their heads and a lot of things. And No, I haven’t been able to completely do that as well. However, there’s been a little improvement on that front.

Finding my self-respect

If one needs to jot down their most valuable possessions, then this surely would top their list. At least it did in mine. Things have been pretty interesting in the last few years, the lows and the highs and the balanced out parts. This year, I finally made an attempt, to get it back. Yes, there are times when it just isn’t easy to hold onto it and these last few months did make me realize this. But all’s well that ends well, right ?

Of course, I’ve only talked about the good things here, right ? Well, because I’ve left behind all the bad stuff. You should too. Have a great new year, folks.