After a month of research-induced laziness, I am back. Things are hotting up, what with telengana on one side and all this talk about autonomy to J&K on the other.
Its good to be living in the world where there is breaking news everyday...
Its so good to know that you can always find the news you are looking for on the internet ( even if it ain't true)....
It was so good to see Copenhagen collapse as it should have- global warming is a scam....
Merry Christmas ( whatever that means...everyone seems to be saying it)
Ashwin
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Bertrand Russell on dogma and orthodoxy...
Read and enjoy....
Many orthodox people speak as though it were the
business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather
than of dogmatists to prove them. This is, of course, a
mistake. If I were to suggest that between the Earth and
Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an
elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my
assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is
too small to be revealed even by our most powerful
telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my
assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption
on the part of human reason to doubt it, I
should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however,
the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in
ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday,
and instilled into the minds of children at school,
hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark
of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of
the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor
in an earlier time.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Nice website
Please visit
Offstumped
Good authors, important issues and more importantly an opinion from the 'other' side..
Such nationalist thinking needs promotion in India...
A good break from the incoherent babble that we hear in our 'oh-so-free' media...
Offstumped
Good authors, important issues and more importantly an opinion from the 'other' side..
Such nationalist thinking needs promotion in India...
A good break from the incoherent babble that we hear in our 'oh-so-free' media...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The pillars of civilization...
A short post.....
Civilization is an advanced state of societal development, isn't it? But then the question arises..why do civilizations fall? Does the 'fall' of a civilization imply that the societal development that preceded it has been reduced to ashes?
What puzzles me the most ( and I am puzzled very easily) is the close link between civilization and its three 'pillars'(in my opinion) government, religion and geography. Damage to even one of these pillars has pushed civilizations off cliffs. Is it true that civilizations that are 'invaded' and whose existing political structures are annihilated cannot continue to exist as they did prior to these changes? Has there ever been a case of two civilizations assimilating and forming a new hybrid structure?
Are these even questions worth asking?.... May be my definition of civilization is wrong.
Civilization is an advanced state of societal development, isn't it? But then the question arises..why do civilizations fall? Does the 'fall' of a civilization imply that the societal development that preceded it has been reduced to ashes?
What puzzles me the most ( and I am puzzled very easily) is the close link between civilization and its three 'pillars'(in my opinion) government, religion and geography. Damage to even one of these pillars has pushed civilizations off cliffs. Is it true that civilizations that are 'invaded' and whose existing political structures are annihilated cannot continue to exist as they did prior to these changes? Has there ever been a case of two civilizations assimilating and forming a new hybrid structure?
Are these even questions worth asking?.... May be my definition of civilization is wrong.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Science and religion - part 2
Blogging after a busy week...
To continue from where I left off...
Science and religion are two human ideas that have been in near-perpetual conflict over what they consider to be a disputed domain. This "domain" concerns guidance of human thought.
But the irony is that these two systems operate in or SHOULD operate in mutually exclusive spheres. Science, which seeks to satiate man's inherent inquisitiveness about the things around him. and, religion, which should function as a moral compass and guide man's spiritual quest for inner meaning.
Unfortunately, this hasn't happened and we have been bombarded with hypocrisy, both from the scientific and religious camps. How can the so called saviours of religion condemn the scientists as unethical? Haven't they been the most unethical brigade in the history of mankind? How can the some sections of scientists unfairly slander religion when they know perfectly well that it is out of their sphere of jurisdiction?
Questions that need to be answered...Bright spots do remain and every once in a while we are treated to men who are committed to religion and yet have proved themselves to be scientific geniuses...Georges lemaitre and pascal are two shining examples...
We need more.
To continue from where I left off...
Science and religion are two human ideas that have been in near-perpetual conflict over what they consider to be a disputed domain. This "domain" concerns guidance of human thought.
But the irony is that these two systems operate in or SHOULD operate in mutually exclusive spheres. Science, which seeks to satiate man's inherent inquisitiveness about the things around him. and, religion, which should function as a moral compass and guide man's spiritual quest for inner meaning.
Unfortunately, this hasn't happened and we have been bombarded with hypocrisy, both from the scientific and religious camps. How can the so called saviours of religion condemn the scientists as unethical? Haven't they been the most unethical brigade in the history of mankind? How can the some sections of scientists unfairly slander religion when they know perfectly well that it is out of their sphere of jurisdiction?
Questions that need to be answered...Bright spots do remain and every once in a while we are treated to men who are committed to religion and yet have proved themselves to be scientific geniuses...Georges lemaitre and pascal are two shining examples...
We need more.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Two of man's greatest creations..
If someone were to ask you, what do you think are greatest creations of man? What would you answer?
Think about it? Its simple, there are only two creations of note, both of which have shaped our collective destiny in ways that couldn't have been imagined by the pioneers who laid their foundation.
Science and religion. Sadly, both of them have been in perpetual conflict, feeding on each other's insecurities, mounting violent attacks on their respective proponents.
Lets focus on religion first. To say that religion was given to us by some supernatural power is an insult to those minds which constructed this beautiful edifice of human thought. Religion is a human construct. That is nothing to be ashamed of. The amazement that fills the mind when one reads the profound philosophical questions raised by the vedas and the upanishads is unmatched, it is only fair to say that the minds which gave birth to such beautiful works are the prime source of our reverence for the almighty. Why should we be defensive about this? The reality however is different. Sacred texts are held as the ultimate source of wisdom. They are unquestionable, to suggest some rethinking is considered blasphemous. Surely, the men who could put their minds to such profound questions, couldn't have been so narrow minded. We have sadly been very poor inheritors of a great legacy.
Science was borne out of questions of a different kind. It emerged from man's physical interaction with his environment and blossomed into a structure so dynamic and awe-inspiring that human fortunes are closely tied to it. One might argue that science has often been used to kill and maim. But then, when hasn't man killed and maimed his fellow beings? It is only fairly recently that ethical questions have crept into the practice of science. Science, for a major portion of its history was not an end in itself, it was a tool of subjugation and murder. To disagree with this is to fall into the proverbial hole of self-deception. But science has moved on, powered by men who had more questions than answers and the rest is history.
To be continued----Why science and religions are not the best of friends..
Think about it? Its simple, there are only two creations of note, both of which have shaped our collective destiny in ways that couldn't have been imagined by the pioneers who laid their foundation.
Science and religion. Sadly, both of them have been in perpetual conflict, feeding on each other's insecurities, mounting violent attacks on their respective proponents.
Lets focus on religion first. To say that religion was given to us by some supernatural power is an insult to those minds which constructed this beautiful edifice of human thought. Religion is a human construct. That is nothing to be ashamed of. The amazement that fills the mind when one reads the profound philosophical questions raised by the vedas and the upanishads is unmatched, it is only fair to say that the minds which gave birth to such beautiful works are the prime source of our reverence for the almighty. Why should we be defensive about this? The reality however is different. Sacred texts are held as the ultimate source of wisdom. They are unquestionable, to suggest some rethinking is considered blasphemous. Surely, the men who could put their minds to such profound questions, couldn't have been so narrow minded. We have sadly been very poor inheritors of a great legacy.
Science was borne out of questions of a different kind. It emerged from man's physical interaction with his environment and blossomed into a structure so dynamic and awe-inspiring that human fortunes are closely tied to it. One might argue that science has often been used to kill and maim. But then, when hasn't man killed and maimed his fellow beings? It is only fairly recently that ethical questions have crept into the practice of science. Science, for a major portion of its history was not an end in itself, it was a tool of subjugation and murder. To disagree with this is to fall into the proverbial hole of self-deception. But science has moved on, powered by men who had more questions than answers and the rest is history.
To be continued----Why science and religions are not the best of friends..
Headless chickens?
They knew it was coming, yet they didn't care...
Now, the maoist menace has taken a form that is too worrying to be ignored. Even then the response is confused and chaotic. The situation is still not out of control.
The luminaries that make up the intellectual class of india today are smug in their cozy ivory towers. They have romanticized the maoists and are continuing to do so. One cannot expect them to be of much use. Their 'brothers in red' will no doubt appreciate the intellectual support.
The war against the maoists is going to be a long one. It requires the much abused quality of 'political will'. The re-establishment of Indian sovereignty in the red corridor requires some degree of political sacrifice. It also needs close introspection of past negligence and a spine implant.
Lets be very clear, the maoists are a dangerous brand of violent criminals. Viewing them in any other way amounts to legitimizing their nihilistic barbarianism. The indian citizens who live under their shadow deserve better....
Will the government wake up? Unfortunately, the government was never asleep, it has merely internalized the idea of closing its eyes and ears in times of crisis....A national tradition of self-delusion...Hallucination...
Now, the maoist menace has taken a form that is too worrying to be ignored. Even then the response is confused and chaotic. The situation is still not out of control.
The luminaries that make up the intellectual class of india today are smug in their cozy ivory towers. They have romanticized the maoists and are continuing to do so. One cannot expect them to be of much use. Their 'brothers in red' will no doubt appreciate the intellectual support.
The war against the maoists is going to be a long one. It requires the much abused quality of 'political will'. The re-establishment of Indian sovereignty in the red corridor requires some degree of political sacrifice. It also needs close introspection of past negligence and a spine implant.
Lets be very clear, the maoists are a dangerous brand of violent criminals. Viewing them in any other way amounts to legitimizing their nihilistic barbarianism. The indian citizens who live under their shadow deserve better....
Will the government wake up? Unfortunately, the government was never asleep, it has merely internalized the idea of closing its eyes and ears in times of crisis....A national tradition of self-delusion...Hallucination...
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Some people must be thankful....
Some people must be thankful that they sit in my land with their stinking ideology and slander my national song...
Some people must be thankful that they are not in the land created for them, getting themselves blown up by their own men...
Some people must thankful that my people dont get angered easily...
Some people must be thankful that tolerance is the cornerstone of my faith and my national character...
But they aren't thankful, infact they are outright provocative. Misuse of privileges you might say....No way, its just business...nothing personal...
Lets watch cricket. Wait a minute, we're losing that game too...
Some people must be thankful that they are not in the land created for them, getting themselves blown up by their own men...
Some people must thankful that my people dont get angered easily...
Some people must be thankful that tolerance is the cornerstone of my faith and my national character...
But they aren't thankful, infact they are outright provocative. Misuse of privileges you might say....No way, its just business...nothing personal...
Lets watch cricket. Wait a minute, we're losing that game too...
Ducking for cover
What was supposed to be a big bang turned out to be a mere sizzle( Pokhran anyone?). The men in the outrageous outfits ended up making an absolute mockery of themselves.
What was the man at the top smoking when he decided to bat first? I want some of that stuff...
One could argue that there was a fight back, but 27-5 from this batting side cannot be excused even if there was a sudden grenade explosion on the pitch.
The famed snakes and insects of the north-east didn't do their jobs. The rain gods were found lacking. And Brahmaputra...I have some harsh words for her too.
In the end it was a tremendous disappointment.
What was the man at the top smoking when he decided to bat first? I want some of that stuff...
One could argue that there was a fight back, but 27-5 from this batting side cannot be excused even if there was a sudden grenade explosion on the pitch.
The famed snakes and insects of the north-east didn't do their jobs. The rain gods were found lacking. And Brahmaputra...I have some harsh words for her too.
In the end it was a tremendous disappointment.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
I like this woman....
Militants object judge's remark comparing them to Kasab
Some juicy quotes:
"Ajmal Kasab is your brother, you all are of the same clan but now you are not owning him," were the remarks attributed to the judge by them.
"It is you who are trouble makers."
"You are lucky being inside jail otherwise you would have been dead"
...................................................................................
This is what the slimeballs had to say in reply to the judge:
"In view of the biased and prejudiced attitude of the trial court (judge), we do not have faith in her and we are hopeful that we will not be getting justice as trial court has reached the conclusion that we are guilty before the conclusion of the trial,"
.....................................................................................
Maybe the gentlemen are used to islamic law?
Some juicy quotes:
"Ajmal Kasab is your brother, you all are of the same clan but now you are not owning him," were the remarks attributed to the judge by them.
"It is you who are trouble makers."
"You are lucky being inside jail otherwise you would have been dead"
...................................................................................
This is what the slimeballs had to say in reply to the judge:
"In view of the biased and prejudiced attitude of the trial court (judge), we do not have faith in her and we are hopeful that we will not be getting justice as trial court has reached the conclusion that we are guilty before the conclusion of the trial,"
.....................................................................................
Maybe the gentlemen are used to islamic law?
Capitulation at Guwahati
As I write this the Indians in the north-east might be in a mood to lynch some members of the Indian cricket team. Hope the dalai lama cheers them up.
So far the Indian team's performance has been as spineless as Indian foreign policy. In this context, the previous poem is embarrassing. As some great man said "its all gloom and doom"
Its time to retreat to those time tested fortresses of defence and 'picking up the singles'. Pick up the pieces and prepare the ground for harbhajan.
Hope has always been the ultimate refuge of the Indian cricket fan.
Hope....
Added later: Ah..the futility of it all. We are all but pawns in this horrible game. All credit to the guwahati walas...They're still cheering.
Added much later:
Hope rears its handsome head again. Ahh..bliss.
Lets hope that the almighty ( or almighties just in case there's more than one) and the power of gut feeling pull india through. A stone just crashed through my window and conked me on the head. Some Indian fan must have read my poem.
So far the Indian team's performance has been as spineless as Indian foreign policy. In this context, the previous poem is embarrassing. As some great man said "its all gloom and doom"
Its time to retreat to those time tested fortresses of defence and 'picking up the singles'. Pick up the pieces and prepare the ground for harbhajan.
Hope has always been the ultimate refuge of the Indian cricket fan.
Hope....
Added later: Ah..the futility of it all. We are all but pawns in this horrible game. All credit to the guwahati walas...They're still cheering.
Added much later:
Hope rears its handsome head again. Ahh..bliss.
Lets hope that the almighty ( or almighties just in case there's more than one) and the power of gut feeling pull india through. A stone just crashed through my window and conked me on the head. Some Indian fan must have read my poem.
O Guwahati....
May the rage of the brahmaputra (despite the chinese dam construction) manifest itself in the performance of the boys in dark blue and orange (outrageous outfit by the way)....
May the fury of her waters wash the opposition away....
May the forces of nature conspire to make India bowl first today.....
May the snakes and insects of the north-eastern forests make themselves useful and bite a few aussies...
May there be a torrential downpour if we are about to lose....
May the mathematical genius of duckworth and lewis conspire against those from down under....
May the umpires err in favor of the hosts....
May I write an equally repulsive poem on the indian victory tomorrow....
Go India...Go! keep going even after Tendulkar exits...
May the fury of her waters wash the opposition away....
May the forces of nature conspire to make India bowl first today.....
May the snakes and insects of the north-eastern forests make themselves useful and bite a few aussies...
May there be a torrential downpour if we are about to lose....
May the mathematical genius of duckworth and lewis conspire against those from down under....
May the umpires err in favor of the hosts....
May I write an equally repulsive poem on the indian victory tomorrow....
Go India...Go! keep going even after Tendulkar exits...
On bigotry
Boredom is a funny state of mind. It makes you ask yourself funny questions.
So , I look at myself in a hypothetical mirror ( and I look really handsome!) and I ask myself - Am I a bigot?
The mind wants to say no. But the heart kicks the mind on its behind and says yes.
So. there it is, the war of the decision making centers in the body is over. I am a bigot. I walk away from this hypothetical mirror - it scares me. But asking questions which I can answer without the help of professor google is fun, it gives you the feeling of being an 'intellectual'. I will write more about these 'intellectuals' later.
As I was saying, talking to yourself is addictive. So, I ask myself another question - what's wrong with bigotry? Hmm..interesting. An easily answerable question if you know the exact meaning of bigotry. I am a lazy guy, I dont use the dictionary too often. So I try to extract the meaning of bigotry from the context in which it is commonly used.
Lets see...To be called a bigot is undoubtedly an insult. So 'bigot' is a bad word. A bigot is also hateful of someone or something so viciously that it clouds his reasoning. Here we reach another intellectual hurdle. My reasoning has always been clouded - sometimes by hate, sometimes by sleep, sometimes by pure ignorance( which by the way equal to bliss!) and of course, sometimes by alcohol. But let us sidestep this hurdle and head back to the main question- what is wrong with bigotry? Let us say that is has the possibility of hurting someone, of damaging relationships and on a societal scale, of causing turmoil.
Good, I am getting somewhere. So, it's wrong to be a bigot. But, hey what can I do to stop being one? Stop hating something or someone, start learning to love. This is where I have a problem. You donot condition yourself into loving something, there are somethings and some people that I instictively hate and it isn't any ordinary kind of hate, it is visceral hatred. What do I do?
Unfortunately, I am not bored anymore. I lack the enthusiasm to answer the question. I am content with the hate that I have. I shall return to being the un-enquring bigot.
So , I look at myself in a hypothetical mirror ( and I look really handsome!) and I ask myself - Am I a bigot?
The mind wants to say no. But the heart kicks the mind on its behind and says yes.
So. there it is, the war of the decision making centers in the body is over. I am a bigot. I walk away from this hypothetical mirror - it scares me. But asking questions which I can answer without the help of professor google is fun, it gives you the feeling of being an 'intellectual'. I will write more about these 'intellectuals' later.
As I was saying, talking to yourself is addictive. So, I ask myself another question - what's wrong with bigotry? Hmm..interesting. An easily answerable question if you know the exact meaning of bigotry. I am a lazy guy, I dont use the dictionary too often. So I try to extract the meaning of bigotry from the context in which it is commonly used.
Lets see...To be called a bigot is undoubtedly an insult. So 'bigot' is a bad word. A bigot is also hateful of someone or something so viciously that it clouds his reasoning. Here we reach another intellectual hurdle. My reasoning has always been clouded - sometimes by hate, sometimes by sleep, sometimes by pure ignorance( which by the way equal to bliss!) and of course, sometimes by alcohol. But let us sidestep this hurdle and head back to the main question- what is wrong with bigotry? Let us say that is has the possibility of hurting someone, of damaging relationships and on a societal scale, of causing turmoil.
Good, I am getting somewhere. So, it's wrong to be a bigot. But, hey what can I do to stop being one? Stop hating something or someone, start learning to love. This is where I have a problem. You donot condition yourself into loving something, there are somethings and some people that I instictively hate and it isn't any ordinary kind of hate, it is visceral hatred. What do I do?
Unfortunately, I am not bored anymore. I lack the enthusiasm to answer the question. I am content with the hate that I have. I shall return to being the un-enquring bigot.
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