#weekendwriting

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower- Steve Jobs”

Internet! Say the word and one can hear the anthem of appraisal. From approach to benefits the gung ho is non deniable. Frankly, the way our lives emerged around this technology it is simply impossible to live without it now. The pace of life might cease if a day is suggested to make without it. From ventures to promoting enhancement platforms, it has become the vital source of every economy. Not only does it helps the financial aspects but it has a prominent role in our daily routine. From organising a day, communicating with folks, sharing the elements of life to rejoice or simply talking we just can’t avoid the obvious need. With the rise in connectivity in the name of social media, distance has somehow vanished. No need to wait long to share the pictures of your toddler’s first footstep; sitting with friends, make it an instant online memory; celebrating, why not share it. From birth to mourns, the web has create immense possibilities to stay connected forever.

However, this pace which is leading us towards our dreams is pulling us towards a catastrophe simultaneously. Ever wondered how easily we’re depended upon storing and accessing information on the handy tech wizards that the art of memorising the relevant has nearly vanished. With easy access to answer of every question, we’re simply neglecting the most sophisticated source of dependence; that is our mind. The mind which is blessed to raise scholars has been given a back seat these days and whatever is served on the web platter is consumed blindly. During our education period we’re taught the ability to ask, cross question, raise reasonability, argue and debate; but with rising reliability upon the internet these abilities are somehow fading. No doubt toppers are visible but the focus has fallen entirely upon progress on papers.  

Another blooper in this “Modern” trend is public opinions. Now public opinions can be fantastic when it comes to serve the masses but serving oneself virtually makes no sense.  Dependence on public opinion has suddenly became so important that in the name of likes and emojis anything is being uploaded, or say sold. The rising market of likes has changed the perception of people towards themselves. With constant focus on appearance in pictures, the real factors like health, intelligence and ethics are being jeopardised. A perfectly sculptured face, photo perfect smiles, lavish lounging and ideal backgrounds are the only backbone to our present lifestyle. This path which appears enthusiastic in the beginning gradually leads to disappointment and a self-critical state of mind. How come my friend looks prettier in pictures? Why can’t I socialise at amazing hotels? Would my appearance be better with luxurious options? What if I try new makeup, maybe I could get some impressive snaps! Such thoughts leave behind wounds so deep inside which if persist longer only cause constant pain and self-demean.

What really needs to be understood here is that these trends benefit only the web. The business which causes the damage to human brain brings abundant fortune to the minds behind the wizards of applications. It is they who boost the unusual trends which generate a blind crowd to support their money making machines. Whether it’s a weird dance challenge or a throwback craze, it all begins as a venture. The need and demand for communication has brought us a long way and now the demand of sharing visibility is taking us towards an endless melancholy. This melancholy needs to be ceased before we cease to exist as humans. I’m not against innovation, which is visible as I’m using it to share my words as well. Innovations are truly a blessing but it is we who need to decide whether to really use it or merely follow it.

Firstly, a selfie at fractions of an hour was not prescribed by a doctor, hence can be avoided. This only makes us overly conscious of external appearance. Using filters on apps and gradually depending upon the prosthetic options for better snaps deteriorates not just our health but self-confidence at the same time. Second, philanthropy is good but it must not belong with promoting lounges. If you wish to donate make sure it is for those who are really in need. This overhyped lifestyle is nothing but a monotonous routine fulfilling which requires repeated dedication of energy. Third, talent is more worth sharing than your routine or if you still wish sharing a routine make it worth admiring. Try promoting health, we so need more vision here or how about some ideas to promote stress minimising lifestyle. Fourth, the modern stereotype needs modification. Craving fame, inviting and connecting with loads of people in the name of friends is exhaustive. No one can connect with hundreds of friends all the time so it is important to understand the term friends and when these friends become crowd. Again I’m not suggesting to give up internet and social media as it is one brilliant creation. It is fantastic to remain connected but not at the cost of sanity. Connect with people who are genuinely there. No need to drain yourself in the name of socialising and regret later. Make priorities, explore yourself, seek those who support your vision or at least criticise to make you better. Connecting is good but sensible connecting is marvellous.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”- Martin Luther King Jr.

Another day living in this beautiful nation and I feel it’s an honour to be born here. India, the religiously dynamic land, with so many cultures living and celebrating that the nation itself becomes an asset with its stunning human resource. Just as much as the motherland is blessed with abundant nature it is equally blessed with the people who if brought together can form greater dimensions for the world around. However what’s yet to be understood is why aren’t we ready to step forward together. People from diverse backgrounds have been living here since ages but still so divided by the caste that despite being desperate for harmony they prefer a step backward.

With the independent India, just as the dreams of many citizens found the opportunity of reincarnation, came along a strange experiment of ‘Reservation’. Reservation, a concept which was believed to be in the favour of many by the democratic lords has only caused more harm than welfare. Those who got martyrized for the nation’s independence only loathed the concept of caste division. It was a belief in their mind that a nation could only succeed with a perfect union where all were treated as one, but thanks to the love of caste in my fellow countrymen the belief was silently burned and flown away in ashes. Think about it, the fight which began without a caste bar and which didn’t even require a caste bar failed to erase the odd mentality among the independent democratic Indians.

Firstly, it is important to understand that unity is foremost requirement than caste benefits. The constitution of our nation which provides this benefit was written by the one whom we denote a minority way before the concept of reservation rooted. This clears a fact that minority isn’t defined by the number and caste rather it is the mind of an individual which brings one in the category and success is achieved by those who deserve and not the ones who reserve. The formula which appears a benefactor to the ones in need creates a platform of fortune for the domineering artists. The artists have a key card which helps them play rage and division. They play with emotions, they challenge the harmony, they outrage humanity and ultimately rule over their caste-puppets. The emotions of many only bring out a business opportunity for the seekers. Imagine if all the caste demands are met, would we be left with genuine progress? Would these demands let us live with pride? Would the deserving candidate get a fair chance? Our nation is still paying the price of one division are we ready to live fragments in the name of a nation?

Prejudice is the problem and acceptance is the solution. We’re so driven by the prejudice that don’t even realise how badly it is controlling our daily lives. Forget the bigger image for a moment, we are reluctant to share a restaurant table with anyone beyond our families and acquaintance. The thought of sitting with a stranger in a hospital requires multiple analysis but in the same hospital the thought of knowing the caste and religion of a blood donor is forgotten. What remains important at such a moment is the life of a person, period. Life of a person is the only significant matter. The human form was created in a manner that the significance was supposed to be emphasised only on the lives of each other. When news about a terror attack flashes we feel sorrow for the sufferers without knowing their castes and disgust the attackers because of caste, yet follow the caste platform. Ironic.

“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are or what you’re doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”- Dale Carnegie.

Human form has been a mystery ever since its evolution. We consider ourselves superior from not only the surrounding species but superior as individuals amongst mankind. To us it’s all about getting the best. Best of everything, be that the fortune we enjoy or the relationships we live. It may sound peculiar, in fact one might ridicule it but that’s the truth. We expect the best of kids, parents, siblings, lover, spouse and all bonding right as if those were designed to be the perfect fit as per our thoughts. Ever wondered if that can be justified?

It has been a persistent habit in every person to first expect and then test a relation. As a kid we dream of things we want and then test our parents for providing them in the name of love, as parents we expect our kids to be an all-rounder in the name of pride and of course we so desire testing our love in the name of security and companionship that we burn them with words. Imagine what harm can words so lethal well blended with the voice of love do, as they leave behind a person numb and inconsolable, dealing with remorse and hope simultaneously. We push the people we want closest just to assure ourselves that they want us the same as if a little push for a definite pull is the winning formula.

Doubts and confusions have been an indispensable habit within us. We use our confusions in the name of security and let our confusion guide us above our conscience. The conscience which makes us connect at the first place falls silent and remains abandoned. But these personal doubts raise the real challenges which if failed lead to blame game. “Don’t I have the right to expect?”, “Why can’t I be secure?”, “why should I remain in doubt?”, such pity questions to oneself have immense power to bring a fort of love to rubble. The thing is that no relationship ever worked without constant efforts and the spirits to gamble. When a woman brings a child to life, she dedicates her entire existence to her baby, but can she be sure she’d get the same love in return? No! As a matter of fact she doesn’t even expect that as she knows her love is unconditional. Fact well defined, love is unconditional. It can’t be questioned under any norms, it isn’t supposed to be tested under any circumstances and it is never supposed to be dishonoured under any uncertainty.

It is important to give equal attention upon accepting as on expecting. When we test our love we forget the significant fact that we’re failing our love at the first place. Though it’s easy to put the blame on the platter of others it is equally possible to keep our pride aside and listen to the desires of our loved one as well. Neither does this requires complete subservience nor does it supports total subjugation, rather it lets one unnerve for a while and relish the humanly feeling of love. It is normal to expect but what makes the expectations more ethical is expression. First express, then expect. Never let the pride rule the beautiful you. No relation and I repeat “no relation” requires any theorem or jigsaw puzzle. Why are desires so hard to share whereas blames are easily pointed? If you know you need love, you do understand what it takes to love and be loved. Let the real warmth rule your surroundings for everyone. If we avoid strangulating ourselves we might never need testing and strangulating our love. Let your senses be naïve and let them absorb. Before we doubt we must always ask ourselves, ‘how can someone complete us when we refuse to complete ourselves?’ ‘How to expect someone to be somewhere when we’re not even there?’ A pinch of sadism no doubt excites but it never comes alone. It will always be accompanied by masochism. Either we’re actually oblivious or we pretend to, but while grilling our sweethearts, we first grill ourselves.

“Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast”- Emperor Jehangir.

Ever since childhood I heard stories about how beautiful is our state Jammu and Kashmir. Never got the opportunity to enjoy in person so thanks to technology I enjoyed some fabulous pictures and information on “Google” and I must say Yash Raj movies did enjoyed some magnificent panoramic paradise. No wonder Jehangir fell in love with the place so deep, he said “if there is heaven on earth it is here, it is here, it is right here.”

Unfortunately the paradise isn’t only famous for lakes, pines and all the things nice. Along with the picture perfect beauty the place becomes even more famous for the “Loony Pawns”. These loony pawns are the youth who rise up every morning with a hope and a mission to hurt more and more security officials of the motherland. Imagine the state of a young mind who visions harming an official as the only progressive element in life. They’re told by some “Fanciful Rulers” what these officials do for motherland is a misconduct, they’re told that they must fight for their independence, they’re told that their neighbour loves them way more than these officials and all these words become believable with few grants for each loony pawn.

The fanciful rulers who control these pawns only know how to play with hungry stomachs and empty pockets. With money they provide only false promises as they have a formula to create fictional hopes to fight greater hunger. They share peculiar love with the neighbour as this neighbour is blessed with a unique talent to go prodigal despite being smashed pockets for own home. Period!

A humble message for the fanciful rulers and their loony pawns, “You say you deserve independence, well, history has it were you ever? You seek security from the same people you want independence. How to expect security and independence from the special particular at the same time?” The neighbour you preach once desired independence from the motherland you’re an integral part of, not to demean but look at their real graphs and analyse some reality. You have issues from the system and the official you agreed upon. Is that fair? You cannot tolerate motherland yet you want its benefits. You cannot respect the people yet you wish your words to be honoured. How can that happen?

Pragmatism is the need of time for you, being cynical with some brain is the time for you. It might appear weird but somehow I’m not against your using the neighbour’s assets as keeping them broke is one victorious idea but if those assets are used in some real progress, wouldn’t that be better? Welfare of your people would only happen if they’re well fed without drenching blood, especially their own. The youth is the energy which if guided right can create new parameters of fortune. If they’re educated, well nourished, employed and well content in themselves your paradise would definitely be more famous for its eternal beauty. The beauty which isn’t only seen but live by every soul till the last breath. The lives lost of the youth won’t revive, the families lost won’t exist again, the pleasure of relationships won’t be celebrated again and the opportunity of relishing the paradise won’t happen again so think twice and live wise.