The power of perspective

An old farmer was hoeing in his field, when a traveler came along. He called out to the farmer, and asked him, "What sort of people live in the next town?"

To this the farmer replied with a question, "What sort of people live where you've come from?"

"Bad. Lazy, good-for-nothing louts. Selfish and untrustworthy - every single one of them. I'm glad I left them and moved away."

"Hmm," replied the old farmer. "I'm afraid you'll find people in the next town to be of the same sort."

This disappointed the traveler, who went on his way. After some time another traveler called out to the farmer, asking, "What sort of people live in the next town?"

"What sort of people live where you've come from?" asked the farmer.

"The best. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm really sad I had to leave them."

"Don't worry," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

via Friendfeed

Tempting fate

I didn't agree with my cousin's post on Fate.

Hard and smart work does guarantee a level of success but to get escape velocity to become an 'outlier', you definitely need luck. I am not talking about serendipity but getting lucky of being at the right place at the right time to take advantage of a situation that will make you an outlier.

Ofcourse, you can increase your chances of getting lucky. But there is no guarantee because there is too much randomness in our lives.

Many successful people will agree that they were lucky. This is because they have seen other people who did the same things but did not get as lucky. It was interesting to listen to this talk on how ancient people used the concept of luck to remain humble and therefore expose themselves to more success.

It is ofcourse, inspiring to think that hard work leads to success. There is no other way. But once you become successful, it pays to believe in luck. 

It ain't over till its over.

Stupid megalomaniacs

Everyone wants a seaside home. But the seaside is only so much. What do the brilliant architects do? Make more seaside.

The above is, I am sure one of the biggest follies in architecture. Imagine the kind of person who would like to live there. 

The design is the biggest antithesis to the the idealistic architectural design ideas of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead:

Rules? Here are my rules: what can be done with one substance must never be done with another. No two materials are alike. No two sites on earth are alike. No two buildings have the same purpose. The purpose, the site, the material determine the shape. Nothing can be reasonable or beautiful unless it's made by one central idea, and the idea sets every detail. A building is alive, like a man. Its integrity is to follow its own truth, its one single theme, and to serve its own single purpose. A man doesn't borrow pieces of his body. A building doesn't borrow hunks of its soul. Its maker gives it the soul and every wall, window, and stairway to express it.

Today's Hindu has a good piece on the folly of these constructions.

The change we need

Looking at the shoddy candidates for the upcoming elections, I thought maybe this is what we deserve. Almost every candidate, including idiots like Sanjay Dutt, Varun Gandhi etc make it only because of their connections with the right people. 

And why not? The public apathy towards the government means that they don't deserve anything better.

Its a vicious cycle. Public indifference leads to bad legislators and bad governence leads to even greater indifference.

Therefore, I was delighted when I heard Shashi Tharoor was contesting in the elections. He may not be a 'grassroots' leader but he is surely going to lift the stature of Indian politicians and this can help break the cycle. 

It was also refreshing to read this article about Narendra Modi who inspite of his communal bias is probably the best bet for India.

In praise of aloofness

"But I don't think of you" says Howard Roark in reply to Ellsworth Toohey in The Fountainhead when the latter, his nemesis, asks him "Mr. Roark, we’re alone here. Why don’t you tell me what you think of me? In any words you wish. No one will hear us".

Aloofness, being detached from others, is perhaps the biggest favor one can do to self. 

The alternative way doesn't help in anyway. You cannot change others. And if you keep thinking about others, you will be living their lives rather than being you. But thats what happens with most people.

"I wonder what he thinks of me"

"That person is not treating me well"

"What can I do to make him like me?"

What a waste of time and energy!

Passion

I really enjoy watching people work with passion. Whether it is the over-enthusiastic liftman at office or the owner of a nearby restaurant sing on evenings to entertain people.

Loved watching the following interviews of probably the 2 most passionate people. Really interesting and funny.




Part 2

Amma

"There can be a bad son, but never a bad mother." was an oft repeated quote by our Principal during the 'Mathru Pooja' where students had to bring their mothers to school and offer prayers and the like.

I had 2 issues with that statement. It was female chauvinistic. Why not say  bad 'child'? There can be a bad daughter too, right? 

Also, the principal saying that, seemed like self-praise because she was also a mother :-)

Aside, how can a mother be so selfless when it comes to their kids? Even if the kids don't show much gratitude, the mother cannot help but come to the aid of her kids. 

A mother is truly one's god on earth. There can be a bad son, but never a bad mother.