Theism to Atheism, Agnosticism to Realism

I generally loathe putting text copied from another page on my blog. But this time I shall make an exception. At the very end of this post you will find an excerpt from Bhagat Singh's diary, written in 1930 and his musings on Atheism.
It has prompted me to write something on "My Faith" - This is certainly one of the toughest subjects to write/speak about. At least, that what I have often felt. Questions about the existence and perception of God, raise a tempest in my mind. My rebel and rational mind never accepts religions, in the form they are today and hence I prefer keeping my debates private. The very fact that I am posting them here causes consternation. This is supposed to be a deeply personal matter. That being the case,I am not going to use valuable bytes to paint my mind here. Instead, let me reminisce.
I recall those rebellious teenage years when I refused to visit temples, how I refused to go out an bow before deities, how much these words from Rabindra Nath Tagore's Gitanjali inspired me (It was a poem that we had to study in school) ;

Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads!
Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut?
Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!
He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground
and where the pathmaker is breaking stones.
He is with them in sun and in shower,
and his garment is covered with dust.
Put off thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!
Deliverance?
Where is this deliverance to be found?
Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation;
he is bound with us all for ever.
Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense!
What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained?
Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.


Years passed by and I changed , I became a turncoat,I started to read works of Swami Vivekananda The metamorphosis kicked in and I found myself a Theist. Things never stopped there. The rebel in me was still searching for an identity, I didn't get my answers or consolation in religion. I became doubtful, felt that my actions were nothing but self deception, my faith was another hypocrisy, my mind squirmed when my tongue uttered prayers, the wheels started to move...days and months went by and I called myself a Realist. I didn't care if the glass was half full or half empty...If I was thirsty I just wanted to drink it ! If God existed, good for him. The void in my heart and mind, my bones and flesh coalesced, I was hollow from within. My version of Realism gave me an opportunity to run towards ignorance. I didn't care if there was a soul,I didn't want to know, it never fetched me three square meals a day.

Sometimes I laugh , but mostly I have sympathy for that boy who was stuck somewhere in the turbulence of his age. I would like to talk to him someday when all my hairs have turned grey and I clutch on to a stick only to walk with a stagger. May be I can reach to him in ways that no one has or can ever reach and make him be at peace with the world.
I have changed a lot. May be I have not let gone of all my idiosyncrasies but another metamorphosis has moved me through Agnosticism and unnamed, unknown realms. I do not know, for sure whether there is an omnipresent,omniscient and omnipotent force who conjured this Universe up, but I realise that I am just a blip on screen. I have not have seen, heard or felt the Almighty and I have not seen or heard about anything that corroborates its presence. But I think often that if I could "see" a lot more frequencies of the Electromagnetic spectrum my Universe would change for ever. Those Cosmic and radio waves originating in outer space will not simply pass through me, but would evoke something in me and open my mind. I tend to think that people in their beliefs, in their religions, in their practices and in their lives in general are doing nothing but search for that elusive place where there will be no turbulence and no further quest. I may not have answers to everything that my mind throws at me. I try hard to rationalise and "now" for me, where rationality ends, Silence begins.
:-) Long post...never thought I would write so much when I started. By the way here is the link to Bhagat Singh's thoughts.

 

Visited an Apple orchard today. Came back with a bag full of apples, fresh and plucked right off the tree. Not sure what to do with so many of them. Apple Pie, Apple dumplings, Apple Muffin, Apple Cake, Apple Shake, Apple Crunch, Baked Apple, Fried Apple, Apple Cookies, Apple Nut Dessert, Caramel Apple Dessert, Grated Apple Dessert......Jeez give me a break !

 

Beating India to the Drain !
Recently, I was disheartened to read about the Indian Government's move to introduce reservations in Universities, public and the private sectors. The news left me pondering whether any other nation on Earth would ever perform such a self destructive act. Well, the Economist (July 15th 2006 ) tells that we are not alone in the race to the drain. Brazil, too is coming up with "Quotas". While it is caste based reservation in India, it is going to be based on colour in Brazil.
The government of Brazil is planning to reduce the official race types to five - White, Oriental, Indigenous, Black and Pardo (Brown). Unofficial surveys say that there 136 terms by which Brazilians classify their complexion, from "Snow White" to "Cinnamon".
The Racial Quota Law and the Racial Equality statute would create reservations in Universities, Civil Services and the private sector. An initial quota of 20% (which would in course of time rise to 50%) of senior civil service jobs and vacancies at federal universities are to be set aside for those of "African Ancestry". The Indians too would benefit from these new laws.
Like India, Brazilians too appear divided on this issue. Those in favour of the draft point to the deep racial divide and the poor living conditions of the majority of the negroes and pardos. Those against the law argue that what is required in the place of such a law is a broad system of incentives - study grants and tutorials for the poor which would reach all Brazilians, whatever be their complexion.
So, what is the moral of the story ? I would say that America's greatest export - democracy is not the panacea for all political evils. Infact, democracy brings together demons who become intoxicated with power and leave no stone unturned to divide the masses and stay in power.
Blame the hoi polloi for staying blind and deaf.

I have joined the Schenectady Wargaming Association. They seem to arrange games regularly during the week ends. I am off to see and if possible play one this saturday.It turns out that the studio is just about 2 miles from my home.
On another front i bought The Power of Gold : The History of an Obsession . It appears to be a real page turner. This seems to be the right season for History buffs. History Channel has been telecasting a lot of interesting programmes of late. All this seems to add fuel to fire and i am eager to attend the Historicon this year.

Mr.Jack Welch and Capt Jack Aubrey
I was reading WINNING by Jack Welch over the weekend and also watched the movie Master and Commander.
Mr. Welch in his book,has listed 8 rules of leadership. While watching the movie, quite naturally i started to look for these traits in Capt Jack Aubrey (enacted by Russel Crowe) who was out hunting for the french Man-O-War "Acheron".

1. Leaders relentlesly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach and build self confidence.
Capt. Jack Aubrey is shown mentoring his subordinates. In one particular scene he severely reprimands one of his midshipmen for tolerating insubordination and tells him about earning the respect of his subordinates and enforcing discipline. He talks about walking the fine line between befriending the foremosts jacks and being a tyrant. He also entrusts junior officers with important tasks and motivates them to succeed.

2. Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it.
The Captain is shown as a fine orator who tells the crew that England is under invasion and though they are far away from land, the ship is no less than their country. He eggs them on telling anecdotes from the days he served with Lord Nelson in the Nile. The crew seemed to well understand that they were not merely fighting a ship to ship battle , but were part of a larger campaign to defeat the Bonaparte and to stop him from conquering Europe.

3. Leaders get into everyone's skin, exuding positive energy and optimism.
The Captain can be seen climbing up the Mast, talking to the carpenters, the lieutenants and other members of the crew in a very friendly manner and keeps them focussed on their tasks.

4. Leaders establish trust with candor, transparecy and credit.
Captain Aubrey is shown discussing strategies with his officers and also allows them to disagree with him and put forth their points.

5. Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls.
The public flogging of a popular crew member for not showing obeisance to a senior officer is one example.

6. Leaders push and probe with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.

7.Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example.
The plan to attack the Acheron is the best example of display of brilliance and risk taking. The crew calls him "Lucky Jack" and appears ready to follow him anywhere.

8. Leaders celebrate.
On several occassions,Capt. Aubrey rewards his team members with an extra ration of grog or rum for their efforts.

"Master and Commander" is based on one of the 21 novels that form part of the Aubrey–Maturin series, also known as the Aubreyad by Patrick O'Brian, set during the Napoleonic Wars and centering on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin, who is also a physician, natural philosopher, and secret agent. The 21st novel of the series, left unfinished by O'Brian's death in 2000, was published in late 2004.

Freedom of Expression :

When the actions of a nation are at variances with its professed values, is it unfair to call it a land of hypocrites ? When a Government stays in power even after thousands of innocent men, women and children perish in a state sponsored pogrom, when the state is eager to ban movies and books simply because they represent the suppressed views or do not kowtow to the wishes of the manipulators, When 60 years have proved insufficient to pull more than 70% of the population out of poverty, the fattest constitution in the world has failed us. Where are the provisions to prevent criminalisation of politics? where are the rules to recall wimpy representatives? where are the principles of freedom of expression and speech ? Have they morphed into mere ink ?
Why are we scared to face the truth ? Why is it that we read only one side of the story ? The sign of a civilised society is not to shut out counter arguments. On the contrary, a civilised society should encourage debate on controversial topics, It should listen to both sides of any story. It should be through the clarity that emerges out of such a healthy debate that the society grows. Muffled screams can only sow seeds of dissent.
Reading the preamble of my constitution, i wonder how many words are there to whom we have shown true justice,


WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

Are we truly socialist?? If not why keep that word in the preamble ?

Are we secular ?? Does secularism stand for appeasement of religions?? Pandering to religions ?? I believe secularism should be equal distance from all religions. A condition of State and Religion being divorced. Why did we disgrace Shah Bano?

Justice ??? "Justice delayed is Justice Denied". How many innocents languish behind the bars, How many criminals (read politicians) roam scot free ?

Equality ?? What is this hue and cry about Reservations? Why do i have to write my religion and caste in almost every application form that i have to fill? Is it because we all are equal but some people are more equal than others ?

Fraternity ?? The damage is already done ! Having placed "Caste" and "religion" on the center Stage and having played Vote bank politics, what kind of Fraternity have our leaders established ? "A Fraternity for the Cynical" ??

Unity and Integrity of the Nation : Yes !! If a nation is a geographic area with countless people, roads, bridges, forests, lakes, houses and skyscrapers...we have united them, we have built on them....But if Nationalism is something that stems from an admiration for a set of values that the people of that land hold, a set of principles that one believes is so virtuous that it should outlive everything else, a set of ideas that one places above himself and pledges to die protecting them....then i wonder how many of us feel that emotion in our bones !!!

 
I felt entranced by this natural kaleidoscope when i went out for a stroll today evening along the banks of the Mohawk. How many words would a poet need to describe this ? How many colours would a painter need to paint this ? 

WildImaginophobia or AIophobia ?
I was at the local Barnes and nobles store yesterday when i was surprised to see a book on the shelf titled "How to escape from a robotic take over." The writer may have caught a fever after watching "The Matrix" and seems to have embarked on a mission to save Morphius and Neo from all the perils. He explains how humans can escape if the robots ever take over the planet. He gives you tips on how to differentiate between a robot and a human lest the robots decide to visit your house incognito. Imagine yourself opening the door to a courier guy who turns out to be a robot which then barges into your house to take you captive. It forces me to think of an Indian context where a robot disguised as a milk man or newspaper boy comes riding a bicycle and rings the door bell. The writer wants the readers to pay attention to the eyes and emotions as the robots cannot fake them so easily. He has ideas on how to inactivate and overcome a rebel servant robot. Now what if you have an intelligent house with several AI enabled devices colluding against its owner. Realising the revolt is about to begin, you try to dial 911...the intelligent phone may either deny you service or tap your call. The intelligent door may not open and just in case you manage to break the window and run to your car, it may not respond to you, thanks to its intelligence.
Well....i remember reading an article in 1999 about the then impending Y2K problem and was puzzled to hear that some people were even building bunkers and other underground shelters fearing the Y2K to be the armageddon. It makes me think that people (or more specifically the Westerners) seem to have a penchant for imagining situations that lead to an apocalypse.Interestingly they start preparing for it and even more interestingly they tend to attract many followers.
More that this being something like an AIophobia, i presume this should be a phobia of another kind. A fear of your wildest imaginations coming true. I tried to read if there was one of that kind, but couldn't find any. Well...i have learned that there are over 600 classified varieties of phobias. Read this.
Now has robotics reached such a stage where humans have to start preparing shields is something i should be asking someone who is an authority on robotics. Till then i can do nothing other than laugh my gut out when i hear/read/see such attempts.

 

The woods over yonder,the waves racing to the shore, the green grass by the river, the cool breeze brushing my body, the clear sky above, the ducks in the water,the pensiveness of an evening that watches a dying sun lay a sparkling carpet on the water ...that is me on the banks of the Mohawk ! 

I read "The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century" by Thomas Friedman. Undoubtedly, this is one of the finest books i have read in years. Mr. Friedman displays his uncanny knack to accrue facts and follows it with an impressive elucidation of the emerging pattern. He states that the world was flattened by ten forces. They are the fall of the Berlin wall, the emergence of Netscape, the emergence of Work Flow Software, Open Sourcing, Out Sourcing, Offshoring, Supply Chaining, Insourcing, In-Forming and what he calls Steroids ( Digital and mobile communications).
He also writes about the unflattening forces that are at work including the terrorists whom he calls "The Islamo Leninists". An advocate of the free society and capitalism, Mr. Friedman fervently argues that it is not all doom and that for every crazy bearded mullah who is hell bent to throw humanity back by centuries, there is an enlightened soul working his/her way towards making the world a better place to live in. Rather impishly he propounds his "Dell theory of conflict prevention" which states that no two countries that are both part of a major global supply chain, like Dell's, will ever fight a war against each other. In other words he meant to say that if countries like India and Pakistan become part of major global supply chains, which bring a lot of revenue and employment opportunities to its citizens, then the probability of a war decreases. Well, this argument can have crowd on both sides but history has shown us that China has not dared to do anything more than flexing its muscles at Taiwan and India does nothing more than spitting fire on pakistan when the latter indulges in habitual trouble making. None of these nations would take the risk of fighting a full fledged war as the economic costs can be unbearable. These countries have become nodal points in major global supply chains and can disrupt it only at their own risk of causing irreparable damage.