Category: Random Philosophy Page 9 of 20

Every dua when I was a kid used to have a few standard things. It was like a long list of things that I asked Allah. I would go like, Ya Allah, I want this, this, this and yes, this too!

Most of those, okay ALL of those, were materialistic things.

When I look back to recall what were those things that I longed for, I’m glad I didn’t get those. Sure, I did get a few of those but not all.

Now, why am I glad that I didn’t get my wishes fulfilled?

Well, those were never the things that I really wanted. Those were borne out of what I saw others with. I wanted those because others had them.

And no, this isn’t that stage of my life when I would get something by crying out or rolling in the mud near our Shop right in the middle of the road to my Abbu’s embarrassment. Oh yes, I was THAT kid.

Damn! Who tolerates this kind of kids?!

All my prayers used to be centered on that list. Every few months, I’ll bump one off the list and add another. And no, I’m not telling you what those were.

What I now realize is, we don’t actually seek a particular thing (or even a list of it), but we crave for a state of content. At least I do now. I’m not clear as to what will give me that state of contentment. The list is gone. I go ahead in adding Aameen to what Hafiz Saab says with a voice in my head, ‘Yes, that’d be great to have’, ‘Yes, that too’ ‘Aameen’. And I say Aameen only when I believe in what he says.

It was so easy to find contentment in that one extra laddoo left on the plate when guests leave and no one’s watching you. Now, even when a box might not bring that same joy.

There are two things here, either as kids, we are clear on what we want or are totally oblivious to what we really need. Maybe looking back, with my adult eyes, it feels different.

I know there are many who still have clarity on what they want from life, from their God, from this world and its people, and that’s so great! Only, I cannot see that for myself.

I imagine the state of fulfillment to any wish to be a plain rather than a peak. Like, when I reach that state I’ll get to enjoy it with others because there’ll be space for all.

The lack of specificity is what life’s current state is. Just like the words that I wrote.

There are a lot of changes that happen at work when it comes to our team’s seating arrangement. Of course, it happens with all other teams, but hey, I’m writing it now, so listen to MY issue. Okay?

Okay.

We’ve been moved around. A lot. The first time it happened. We were like, ‘Why Us?’!

And over time when it kept happening, we became used to it. Now, we’re like, ‘Oh New Place?’

Anyways, I’m not here to tell you my work story. That’s better for those awkward water-cooler moments.

What I get out of this is the ‘idea of change’. Just a mere thought of it sounds ridiculous. It only results in a collective burst of irritating ‘Why’s’! But when we become okay with it, it’s fun.

Whenever I was at home and Ammi used to see the phone in my hand, the world-famous ‘Aag laga dena re wo phone’ was the catch-phrase.

And just last month when both my parents were here. You know what happened?

So I walk upstairs, after locking my cycle, tired. Stood at the door and saw, Ammi on her phone watching a tv-show on Youtube, Abbu listening to some takreer on the Kindle. I stood there laughing. Stood there reminding them of ‘Aag lagadena wo phonaan ku’ !

Point is, Change is permanent. And as clichéd as this sounds, is a way of life. The longer we take the time to adjust to those, the longer we remain irritated by the thought of it.

Changing how we’ve lived our lives is never easy. We’re so used to ‘our way’. Sure, we all have our tastes and preferences, but nothing is the same forever.

We think of the past as something glorious. It hardly is in most of the cases.

Nostalgia is good. To the point that it shouldn’t stop us from enjoying the present or the future that we’re trying to build. So, it’s good to think, ‘Wish we were in School’ and sigh! But don’t forget how scared we used to get for not doing homework, writing 1000 impositions on ‘I won’t talk in class’ (Yeah that was fun) and tons of other things which are funny to remember NOW!

Things change. Agree sometimes the ‘changes aren’t good’ but that’s how nature is. It’ll change. We have to learn to deal with it. Put on some fun to it even if there’s none.

Waise, change se yaad aaya, 2000 ka change mil raha hai ? (Yet another change, huh :P)

Just finished watching, ‘The Lego Movie” and it was something. Very deep and philosophical.

Yea, some of you would say, ‘Not everything is deep’. I mean, okay. If you say so. (No, pun intended).

I’ve always thought of the ‘what-ifs’ like, ‘What if we all are part of someone else’s story? Or what if everyone is part of our story and is only there for our amusement? Or misery?

Like everything is on ‘statue-mode’ when I’m not there and moves around as soon as I notice them. And they’ve perfected it to the extent that I can never catch hold of them.

Yes, it sounds very self-obsessed but just imagine!

Maybe each of us has a parallel co-existence in each other’s story. But we feel that it is our story.

No, strike that. Maybe that’s life, right? (Or Not?) *raises an eyebrow*

Or what if we are part of some Artificial Intelligence led Reality TV show of the future?

No, I hate those! Strike, that too.

What if we have the power to make things happen but we don’t realize it. This can happen, right?

Let me try.

Go make yourself a cup of Coffee and stop writing this post!

P.S It worked!

The exam season is here. The supposedly deciding day for a lot of kids out there. Irrespective of whether they’ve studied or not, anxiousness will be at its height.

I’m sure like me, most of you must clearly remember, your 10th and 12th Boards! That build-up of 10th since we were kids as if the world’s going to change, was high AF!

We just kept going to the next level with the same anxiousness. 10th kuch nahi, 12th matter karta hai, was what everyone kept saying.

When I loosely floated the idea of taking up Arts, although I wasn’t sure of it, people went like, “You kidding, right”. There’s this stream-hierarchy, right?

Science> Commerce>Arts!

And in a system where marks decide what kind of a student you are, thinking of taking anything other than Science is like, committing a sin.

From worrying about leaving that one objective question till 10th, to slowly tranitioning into paas hojaenge na? attitude over time. But, of course, when shit got real sduring my PG, it was scary.

Before this point, I was never scared of exam results. But sabka time aata hai! And this wasn’t the best of times. On hindsight, the biggest life lesson, but man, it was too scary. I realized what depression actually meant!

But then one phone call changed everything. It was a call from my Abbu. 

Just for context, we don’t talk that often on the phone. Our conversation during college used to be like, “Khaana khaaya? Mausam kaisa hai? Paise hain ?”  And in that particular order, everytime.

So, almost a week or two before the final semester, he called me up and said, “What’s the worst that’ll happen? You’ll have to repeat only, right ?”

And then post that night, this thought sunk in. Slowly.

It wasn’t as if I stopped worrying until the day results were put up on that notice board, but that call brought me back from a weird thought process to a reality that this wouldn’t be an end of things.

If you know of anyone who might be feeling scared of the repercussions of exams and what-after, talk to them. It makes a huge difference.

Whenever there’s an analysis to check fluctuations in website traffic or leads, at work, there are benchmarks against which comparison is made. The metrics.

When there’s a drop in numbers, everyone is their panic-mode-on busy, in finding the needles in a series of haystacks. The reasons.

No, I’m telling you about my work. Just an inference on which I’m extrapolating the life’s metrics.

As far as work is concerned, the metrics or standards are decided by Industry leaders, which over time, become the norm.

The world order is no different, carries a similar list of pre-defined metrics for everything. School, College, Job, House, Marriage, Retirement. All of it, defined by a metric of the famous “4 log”!

Every decision taken for you or decisions that you think you’re taking are defined slash influenced under the microscopic guidance of these metrics. The barometer of your success or failure is always micro-analyzed at every stage of your life. The vicious circle just doesn’t let you think beyond. Once you strike gold in one metric, there’s another waiting to matched. Levelling up.

Remember that time when they said, “10th clear karlo, aage ka sab set hai ?” and then, “Science lelo, bohot scope hai” or “12th matter karta hai” and then a series of generally agreed set of principles for everyone. A new metric, every effin time.

And it just doesn’t stop even after you’ve become an adult. When you cross 25, you think, Phew! Finally, right!

But then new metrics! Got a job? Baahar kyun nahi chale jaate ? (Foreign currency).

And then the shocker, Aur bete ki shadi kab kara rahe ho? Which is like the favorite of all!

Leave aside the inquisitiveness of the people, the problem is with the metrics. If the name of the company you work for, doesn’t ring a bell in their heads, “Unka beta to Infosys me hai.. acchi tankhwaah hai”. Which gets followed up by, “Tum kitna kama lete ho?”! 

Even my mother doesn’t know how much I earn!

And this frenzy of metrics doesn’t stop with one generation. Our own generation defines success and happiness by metrics, for instance with, how much someone travels around with remarks of, “Yaaar, teri life sahi hai”! 

Who’s stopping you from living the life you want to? No one, but you!

The only reason for us to not do anything is our changing priorities. Cribbing or comparing our lives is something that we should leave it to the other generation and its 4 log.

The only metric to consider is “what makes YOU happy” and the need to make your own people help see this very metric.

In one of the latest episodes of “Real time with Bill Maher”, he talks about how the Republicans have always gotten away by doing unspeakable things, while the democrats make people resign at the whiff of trouble. And how they shouldn’t, if they want to win!

You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6z9ngWGmnc

Maher’s premise is, if Trump, even after doing so many “Non-presidential” things, can occupy the white House, why should the liberals be left behind ? Comparatively, they’ve done far less dangerous things!

To sum, he basically says, leave aside your values and have the balls to do what it takes to win back.

Politically, this strategy sounds very effective and can reap rich dividends and even help Democrats win!

Why just limit this to a Republican Vs Democrats issue, parallels can be drawn in many other scenarios around the world. Even closer home.

Many like to make themselves think that one political party is different than the other and how each one has a certain ideology. Certain sets of principles that they follow and which are liked by their respective fan boys and disliked by their haters!

But do they ? Are they really different ?

And if winning is the only goal left, whom should the average voter trust ? The principle the party represent or the party’s drive to be relevant by changing its own narrative!