Question of Retirement

The other day a friend, soon turning 50, approached me with a volley of questions: How should I prepare for my retirement in the next 10 years or so? How can I mellow down my current urge of achieving so many things in life, yet unfulfilled? Should I really think of retirement at all, even though I find myself physically fit and mentally productive? Is there a model or formula that I can apply to age gracefully?

It is ironical that when you are a young applicant for jobs, they look for experience in you, but when you have accumulated vast experience and wisdom at work, they want you to retire from work. What a colossal waste of this experience? These senior citizens, still in good health and overflowing with valuable experience, have to hang their boots. Rejected by the corporate world and sidelined by the societies, these individuals often go into depression and turn into huge liability for their families and governments. Growing number of old age homes is, indeed, scary. Only rare few of them succeed in maintaining their health and mental sanity by indulging in social services and / or interesting hobbies at their individual levels against many odds.

According to a French proverb, "If youth but had the wisdom and old age the energy." So true! Youth’s energy is like the accelerator of a car, while the wisdom of the old age is like the brakes. Only accelerator will end up in accidents and only brakes will prohibit all movements. You need both the accelerator and the brakes for the safe driving. Why can’t we have a system wherein those aging people, who are still in good health and mentally agile, are gracefully moved into positions where younger lots can benefit from their wealth of experience and wisdom? Universities can be one such place, where academic qualification requirements for a Professor (a PhD) are lowered in recognition of their experience. Corporate houses can form a layer of senior advisers in various disciplines to guide their younger work-force. Governments can establish ‘think-tanks’ in various areas, where such senior citizens can guide the young policy makers with their wisdom of the real world. Local communities can set-up centres where senior citizens can be approached by the students and young parents for their personal and professional counseling.  

Having fulfilled all family obligations and saved enough for rainy days, these senior citizens don’t need much of financial remuneration or fancy titles. All they need is opportunity to share their experience and a lot of respects from the younger lot. This would be a ‘win-win’ for all. So long as a person feels wanted, he lives a healthy life. Huge national resources have been invested in building this pool of experience, and it must be kept gainfully employed until the very end.

Notwithstanding the above, there is no single model or formula to age gracefully. Each person is uniquely wired and has unique desires; aspirations; characteristics; values; behaviours; capacities; strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, everyone must find his/her own way of aging with grace. Someone may find happiness in travelling around the world, while some other person may find peace in simple gardening in the backyard. Someone may enjoy voracious reading & writing, while some other person may find satisfaction in providing helping hands to the needy.

We must follow the laws of nature. A fruit falls from the tree only when ripened. Any attempt to pluck it earlier would harm both the tree and the fruit. Our desires are like the seeds, which must be allowed to flower and bear fruits. Once fulfilled from the core, the desire would drop on its own, leaving behind a matured person. Any suppression of desire would turn into ugly perversions harming both the person and the society. Age is not a factor in fulfilling any desire. One may graduate to desires of finding ultimate truth at young age or carry the sensual desires well beyond 50’s. Whatever may be the case, it is a solo journey, wherein we must remain conscious of every desire sublimating into some higher purpose, which then becomes the guiding force for the life. We must not imitate anyone else. We must live our own unique lives. We should let the nature take its own course and trust that nature would give us whatever we need at the right time. Age should remain just a number. Ernest Hemingway has rightly said, “Retirement is the ugliest word in the language.”

Time is a Concept

From the time immemorial, ‘time’ has been the most talked about subject. The desire to surpass time has been burning in every human heart. Many scientists have attempted to make ‘Time machine’ without any success. On 22^nd Sept 2011, it was reported that physicists running routine neutrino experiments between CERN’s Geneva HQ and the Gran Sasso laboratory in Italy 455 miles away may have found their neutrinos traveling faster than the speed of light. This news has rekindled the possibility of time-travel. Why are we so obsessed with the idea of beating ‘time’? 

We feel trapped in the clutches of time. Every aspect of our life seems to be controlled by time. We are constantly reminded of its importance: – Time is money; Time and tide wait for none; etc. We seem to be always racing against time. There is never enough time to do everything in life. We seem to be running out of time on all fronts. Work deadlines, family commitments, social responsibilities, legal / regulatory demands and desire to rest take heavy tolls on the available time. We want to go back in time and relive happy moments and correct those events that we messed-up. We also want to race ahead in time and have a sneak preview of the future events. 

We are often tempted to ask, “When did ‘time’ begin?” The earliest known reference point for time is 13.75 billion years ago (based on the Big Bang theory), which is assumed to be linear. This assumption could be wrong and the time may well be non-linear. Then, we are also faced with the question: “What preceded the big bang?” If time didn’t exist before the big bang, how can we say when did it happen? The subject of time gets further complicated when we perceive it in relative sense. It appears to move very slowly when we are in a miserable situation and seems to race when we are enjoying. In dreams and at deeper sub-conscious levels, time takes weird dimensions – years shrink into hours or minutes. A recent Hollywood movie ‘Inception’ beautifully presented this aspect of time. Our dilemma is: “Which time shall we rely on?” 

In reality, the question ‘when did time begin’ is fallacious. We must step out of time to ask this question, which is not possible. The truth is: time is a concept born out of human mind. Time is the interval between two events and is born at the second event. That is perhaps why the smallest unit of time is called ‘second’. Only human mind needs time, as it dwells in memories of the past and thoughts of the future. Vegetable and animal kingdoms don’t have to worry about time, as they are programmed to follow the nature’s dictates without undue thinking.  

Everything in the life happens in the present. And, in the present, everything happens so spontaneously that time loses its significance. Those who live spontaneously need not worry about time. They totally submerge themselves in every experience and emerge fresh with new experience. For them, time is at best a tool to analyse past events for gaining necessary wisdom. Time can no longer command their lives. After all what happens to the time when a life suddenly ends? Can any time based research or planning avert this end? Why then waste life worrying over time? Time is only a concept – no more, no less. Let’s live with utter spontaneity.

The Joy of Easiness

Recently on a TV Quiz show, one participant talked about the book, “The joy of laziness”. I was amused to discover that there is, indeed, such a book in print. Here is a short synopsis of this book.

“Drawing on both scientific and anecdotal sources, the doctor authors of The Joy of Laziness argue that the much-admired Type A lifestyle of intense exercise, frantic activity, and overwork is detrimental to health and long life. Every human being has a limited amount of life energy, they say, and the speed with which it is consumed determines the lifespan. Citing the scientifically recognized Metabolic Theory, the book explains how being “lazy” — being calm, eating temperately, reducing or avoiding sports, exercising moderately, and limiting ambition — can boost the immune system and increase longevity.”

We may not agree with everything said in this book. But, who can deny the fact that ‘stress’ is the single most killer disease of modern times. 24 hours don’t seem to be enough in a day. There is a rush for everything. We want everything instantly – instant cooking, instant weight loss, instant wealth and instant success. Students are burdened to score high grades and choose profitable careers. Workers and executives are dying to climb career ladders. We are rushing through our meals, travels and meetings. We look for means of exercising that would burn more calories in less time. Even entertainment is fast-paced and confined to digital world – countless 24x7 TV channels, laptop, iPod, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, facebook, etc. Where is the time for a leisurely walk in a park? Where is the time for listening to birds’ chirping and wind blowing through trees? Where is the time for watching sunrises and sunsets? Where is the time for lying on a couch with a book? Where is the time for sitting with older generation overflowing with life’s wisdom? We seem to be doing everything, except living happily.

Everything in the nature is designed to work ‘easily’. Sun rises in no hurry. Flowers bloom in their own sweet time. Seasons change seamlessly. Birds fly with ease. Fishes don’t struggle for swimming. There is a symphony in play. No competition, no enmity and no jealousy. But, we humans seem to defy this principle. We believe in beating the nature. We think that we can get anything out of turn at will. We want to achieve our goals at any cost. Hence, we complicate our lives – by hurrying and worrying. Let’s watch the lives of true achievers. A true painter enjoys every turn of his brush. A great writer may ponder on an idea for several days without writing anything. A great musician plays his instrument effortlessly. A great dancer remains calm while her dance sets the stage on fire. A master batsman makes a difficult shot look easy. Easiness is the common denominator of all true achievers. When this easiness is lost, we become sick. That is why; the other name for sickness is disease (dis+ease). Stress is the symptom of living uneasily. Spontaneity is the sign of easy living.

This does not mean that we should not have goals and ambition in life.  But, we must choose a goal which is in line with our own natural talents. There is no need to mimic any other achiever. True achievers also don’t imitate anyone. That’s why they are called ‘original’. They don’t compete with anyone. When we imitate or compete with someone, we move away from our own centre and shift our yardstick to external factors over which we have no control. Stress is the inevitable result. However, when we work according to our own natural talent, we are naturally at ease. Everything flows effortlessly. We don’t get tired, no matter how much we work. Have we not noticed how easy learning becomes when our hearts are at work? Following our own natural talents, whether we achieve any great heights or not, we remain at peace with ourselves and that is the secret of happiness. A true achiever is always happy.

Last but not the least, each one of us is endowed with a great tool called ‘conscience’, which constantly monitors every thought, feeling and action. So long as our thinking, feelings and actions are at ‘ease’, they are in line with conscience and hence ‘right’ for us. Any deviation from conscience, however small, would cause uneasiness and hence ‘not right’ for us. Let this be the benchmark of our day-to-day activities. The Chinese master Chuang Tzu says:

“Easy is right.

Begin right and you are easy.

Continue easy and you are right.

The right way to go easy is to forget the right way and forget that the going is easy.”

Uncertainty - Spice of Life

We love certainty in life. We want to freeze the future on our terms. When we get up in the morning, we want the day to be bright and sunny. When we open the door, we want the newspaper on the floor. When we drive to work, we want the traffic flowing. At work, we want our bosses to be in good mood and our colleagues to behave well. In meetings, we want everyone to agree with our view points. While negotiating a deal, we want to win without having to make any compromise. While holidaying, we want weather to behave and everything & everybody to comply with our schedule. We want our friends to call us for a weekend outing and all important occasions. We want them to rescue us when we are stuck in a crisis. We want a job that will give us joy every moment. We want acknowledgement and appreciation for every single task. We want people to honour their words and stand by their commitments. We want to find a life partner who would perfectly fit our list of criteria. We want our spouse to never upset us, while ignoring all our faults. We want the market to only go upward after we have invested. We want injuries and sickness never to visit us. We want the world to be fair with us, never mind if we are not.

We believe that we will be happy only when every single wish is fulfilled, as if happiness resides in the certainty of tomorrow. Our happiness, therefore, hangs on the hooks of such ‘wants’ moment-to-moment. One hook falls and happiness is gone.

We need to challenge our belief that certainty in life can give happiness. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were certain of what was coming next? Life is like a thriller in which we can never guess what’s coming next. And, this uncertainty should, indeed, provide excitement. Even if nature wanted to fulfill everyone’s wishes, it could not do so as everyone wants different things from the same situation, event or people. This does not mean we should not expect or plan in life. But, there is no need to be obsessed with our expectations or plans, as if the world would come down crashing if they are not fulfilled. We must understand that nature has its own grand plan accommodating welfare of all the species of life in the entire cosmos. I am reminded of someone saying, “It is good if your wish is fulfilled, but if it is not fulfilled then it is even better because then the nature’s wish is being fulfilled, which will always be good for you in the long run.”

Therefore, we must remain open to any surprise. There is no need to restrict the future with any condition. It is like going to a grand buffet dinner with the determination of eating only 1 or 2 specific dishes. You are going to miss all the other dishes which might be more interesting than your chosen ones. Tomorrow will always come as ‘today’. If we are used to living in ‘tomorrow’ with complaints of ‘today’, we cannot enjoy even if our wishes are fulfilled as we are never present in ‘today’. Such is the power of habit. Hence, we must inculcate the habit of living in ‘today’, no matter what. Everyone must find his/her own ways of establishing this habit. When you are fully present in ‘today’, no opportunity will be missed and life will remain exciting. So, let’s spice-up the life. Let’s seek uncertainty.

Is Every Graduate Employable?

Recently, while holidaying in India, I came across a study conducted by the recruiters of large multinational companies and other corporate houses. The study revealed that “85% of Graduates are not employable.” Although this appears to be an exaggerated conclusion, there is no denying the fact that an uncomfortably high percentage of graduates today are, indeed, not employable. Should we blame the education system or the students? I believe that both are responsible for such a sorry state.

The word ‘education’ is derived from the root word ‘educe’, meaning to draw out something hidden or latent. This clearly implies that education is not a process of forcing knowledge from outside, but a process of uncovering the latent potential of each student. In order for this process to succeed, the student must strive and the education system must provide a conducive environment. However, the onus of learning remains with the student, who must exploit every opportunity of discovering his/her own unique talent.

 

Some of the important changes that can be implemented by academic institutions to make their graduates more employable are: 

1. Connect with the Industry: Today there is a greater emphasis on academic curriculum and less on the practical aspects of the knowledge imparted. There is very little ‘dirtying of hands’ during the study period. There is a virtual disconnect between what is taught and what is applied in the industry. It was surprising to note from the above study that ‘Diploma’ holders are more employable than the ‘Graduates’ by virtue of their emphasis on practical training. The study suggested a ratio of 70/30 between the practical and academic parts. Every employer wants new recruits to become productive ASAP.
2. Keep the curriculum updated: It is sad to see many institutions still following programs which were designed decades ago. The current pace of developments demands dynamic tuning of the courses. This is possible only when the academic institutions participate in industry sponsored projects dealing with real industrial problems. Teaching faculty should frequently visit relevant industry’s R&D centres and should have the freedom to update their programs accordingly.
3. Attract teaching faculty from Industry: I have often found students completing their PhD and then joining the academic world straightaway. They are not necessarily the best of the brains. Further, with little or no industry experience they are far removed from the practical application of the material being taught. Such teaching faculty cannot produce employable graduates. Academic institutions should attract and facilitate people with valuable industry experience to join their teaching faculty. Salaries and perks of teaching community must be made at par, if not more, with those in the industry. Stringent requirements such as PhD for becoming a Professor should be relaxed in favour of long industry experience. And, how about inviting those who have excelled in their work life and now on the verge of retirement?
4. Play active roles: In real world, we have to play variety of roles – salesman, engineer, manager, team leader, team member, publicist, analyst, etc. However, academic institutions hardly demand their students to play such roles as part of their studies. Most students are put in ‘straightjacket’. Consequently, after entering the real world, these students get rude shocks and must acquire these skills either through hard experience or additional courses.
5. Recognise short-term certified courses: There is an abundance of short-term certified courses on a variety of subjects, which are widely accepted by employers. Unfortunately, academic institutions rarely recognize them. Consequently, students are discouraged to take such courses while pursuing their main programme. Their focus remains on completing the prescribed courses and secure highest grades.
6. Integrate courses on soft-skills: At work, we need to employ a variety of soft-skills – communication, negotiation, public speaking, speed reading, active listening, time management, presentation, teambuilding & leadership, etc. Institutions should integrate courses / workshops on such topics in the curriculum.
7. Inculcate ABC: Once I heard a large multinational company’s recruiter sharing his criteria for recruitment. Before looking into academic performance of the candidate, he looks for ABC – Attitude, Behaviour and Character. In real life, ABC play vital role and can make difference between success and failure in any job. According to him, you can fill any gap in the knowledge, but you can’t teach ABC to an adult. Seeds of right ABC must be sowed in the childhood by the parents and teachers of primary schools. Students imbibe right ABC by following role models. Teaching faculty members should present such role models for their students. Further, academic institutions should teach basics of work ethics – commitment, integrity, punctuality, honesty, respect, trust, responsibility and fairness – which are sadly missing in the fresh recruits of the industry. 

To sum-up, academic world is responsible for producing graduates who can hit the work-life running, while striving to become better human being with every experience. Let’s prove Einstein wrong who once said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school or college.”

Mind plays Games

Do you know that mind’s only pre-occupation is playing games? We are often fooled by our own minds. John Milton said, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.”

Mind is that aspect of our personality that thinks. A continuous flow of thoughts is mind’s food. No thought, no mind. Thoughts are either about past memories or future expectations. Present moment passes so fast that it offers no opportunity for the mind to think. The present moment can only be experienced, not thought about. Mind virtually dies in the present moment. Therefore, mind hates the present moment. It conspires to keep us from being in the present moment. It plays variety of games to keep us occupied in its playground – past memories and future expectations.

For example, you want to buy something. You collect all the information, carryout all the possible analysis / negotiations and zero in on one item. However, no sooner have you bought it and wish to enjoy, mind raises doubts about your decision. Now, you are not sure if you bought the right stuff or paid the right price. Your enjoyment from the purchase is no longer complete.

Consider another example. You are preparing for a job interview. You study all about the company and the job. You mentally rehearse a number of scenarios to perfection. But, on the D-day, mind presents a new scenario that you have not rehearsed. Your confidence is shaken and you cannot concentrate on the ongoing interview. Success becomes a matter of chance.

Yet another example: You are well prepared to make a presentation to a large gathering. But, no sooner you face the audience; mind throws doubts about your preparation or simply your appearance. Now there are butterflies in the stomach.

And, how about this example? You want to marry. You make a list of criteria and start exploring for a suitable match. You ultimately find a match and decide to live together forever. But, soon after the marriage, your interest drifts elsewhere. Mind starts highlighting deficiencies in your decision, while presenting alternative options. You are on a wild goose chase for the ultimate marital bliss. Increasing rate of divorces is a testament to this game of mind.

In reality, mind never gives 100% consent on any choice. That part of the mind, which does not give its consent, fights back soon after making the choice with greater force to convince us that our choice could have been better. Having committed a wrong action, mind hates to say ‘sorry’. It will fabricate all sorts of excuses and reasons to justify that action. Mind maintains a huge video library of all the past memories, especially the miserable ones, and replays the scariest number when we are about to launch a new venture or waiting for an important news. Child is late in returning from the school and the mind will suggest only the worst scenario. Mind never sleeps, even when we sleep. It weaves variety of dreams with strings of unfulfilled desires and fancies. We are never left alone in peace. Mind keeps us busy with unending series of dilemmas. It is a chatter-box in which internal dialogues never stop.

So, what do we do with such a mind? We can neither ignore it nor dump it at will. Perhaps the answer lies in the old adage, “Mind is a great servant, but a terrible master.” We can use it to our advantage. For this, first we must realize that we possess our minds – not the other way round. Hence, we have higher power than the mind. We should use this power to maintain a constant watch over the mind. Simple observation with a detached attitude can stop mind’s rambling to a great extent. Mind becomes unruly when we lose this objectivity and start flowing with it. Keeping our attention in the present moment is an excellent way of cutting the supply line for the mind.

We should refer to the mind when required. We should use it to carry out a given task or problem analysis. Let it throw possible options and choices. But, while making the decision, we should refer to our hearts. Heart is beyond logic and reasoning. Love is the only food for heart. It is closer to the core of our personality and hence can better judge what is right for us. Heart has wonderful quality of connecting with other hearts. So, it also knows what is good for everybody. Decisions reached by heart are comforting and do not have any disturbing aftereffects.

Once we regain control over our minds, we can reverse the game-plan. We can now play games with our minds. Since mind is so good in creating illusory visions, we can instruct it to create desired visions at will. We can ask it to create a vision of success before an interview or a business meeting. We can ask it to create a vision of applauding audience before the presentation. We can command it to lift the gloom and spread joy. We can use mind to go beyond the mind.

A prisoner confined to a dark cell in France for several years used this power of the mind to play virtual Golf in his mind everyday and became a professional player soon after his release. There is no reason why we can’t do the same with our minds. There is no reason why we can’t start living spontaneously – moment-by-moment.

Is Money Root of all Evils?

Once there was a king who had a servant. He used to give the king daily massage. King used to pay him one coin every day for his service. The servant used to spend that coin in fulfilling daily needs of his family and do some charity. In the evening, he used to call his friends and neighbours treating them with the remainder of the coin. In the night, he used to sleep without any worry and anxiety. The king felt jealous of his servant’s happiness, as he was besieged by all kinds of worries despite so much wealth. He discussed his feelings with his minister, who promised to fix this situation. One night, the minister dropped a purse containing 99 coins in the servant’s house. When the servant discovered it, he thought of making it to 100. Next day, he decided not to spend anything from the coin that he earned. His entire family suffered hunger and his friends wondered why he had not called for daily evening treat. In the night, he could not sleep, as his mind got busy with ideas of further increasing this new found wealth. He was caught-up in the whirlpool of 99. We may laugh at this story. But, are we not all caught-up in the similar whirlpools?

At the dawn of humanity, there was no money. Life used to begin with the sun-rise and virtually end with the sun-set. There was no certainty of tomorrow. Cut to the present time. There is no certainty of tomorrow, even now. But now we have money, which seems to assure us that tomorrow will come. With money, our life-styles and thinking have changed. We have learnt to postpone and camouflage our joys. We no longer enjoy delicacies of cheap joints. We no longer shop in open markets. We no longer stop at a chalk-painting done by an impoverished artist on the footpath. We no longer lend our ears to a soulful tune played by a loner in the sub-way. We judge success in life on the scale of money. We choose partners and friends on the parameter of money. We conveniently distance from those who don’t match our monetary status. How many of us would honour a prior commitment of meeting an old friend with humble background, when suddenly invited by a well known icon at the same time? Families fall apart over money issues. Friendship gets sour when money enters the scene. Is money root of all evils?

Certainly not! Who does not want money? If someone says he doesn’t, then either he is lying or he hasn’t any. It is unfortunate that money has been blamed for causing so many evils in the world. Money is merely a tool of exchange. When someone has the ability to produce something and another person wishes to have his product, then he exchanges his money with that product thus giving value for value. This is the principle of ‘fair trade’. Further, money has no intrinsic value of its own. In the famous novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’ by Ayn Rand Francisco says, “Not an ocean of tears, not all the guns in the world can transform those pieces of paper in your wallet into the bread you will need to survive tomorrow.” Money only carries a notional value given by different governments. This value can change overnight. Recent economic recession has amply demonstrated this fact.

Giving exaggerated value and power to the money is the root of all problems. It is vital that we clearly understand the right value and limitations of money through the following four fundamental questions:

1. How much money do we need? Money can only buy the objects of the world. And, we need money to survive and achieve our goals in life. But, when we cross the boundary of ‘needs’ and enter the arena of ‘desires’, it becomes a completely different ball-game. Since our desires are unlimited, the money that we require will also be unlimited. Hence, there will never be enough money to satisfy all our desires.
2. How must money be earned? Money must be earned through application of honest efforts. It runs away, when you chase it. But, it comes to you unexpected when you are busy delivering your best. Anyone inheriting ancestral money must prove himself to be worthy of owning it. Otherwise, the same money has power to destroy him. Those who find faults with money are most likely those who obtained it dishonourably. One can never enjoy ill-gotten money. The fact that you compromised with your conscience will always haunt you, no matter how much money you accumulate. Money is useful in true sense only when it is the product of your virtue. But it cannot give you virtue and it will not redeem your vices.
3. How must money be used? Like water, it spreads life and cheer only when flowing. It stinks when it is locked-up in vaults. No doubt, we enjoy spending it on ourselves. But, when we spend it on others, especially unknown and incognito, our hearts are filled with bliss. A vulgar display of wealth attracts unwanted attention, which ultimately ruins its very existence. Money is best used in realizing our own hidden potentials, not in imitating others.
4. Should we keep money for tomorrow? We must inculcate the habit of saving something for a rainy day. But, accumulation of money at the cost of today’s happiness cannot guarantee tomorrow’s happiness. What would we do with the accumulated money when we have lost the ability to contribute and enjoy in the world? But, our ability to produce; our ability to remain useful for the society and our ability to enjoy every moment will guarantee continuation of happiness as long as we live. Someone somewhere will always be ready to reward us for our honest efforts. Most of all, we would sleep every night peacefully.

Making Sense of Common Sense

“Use your common sense.” Aren’t we tired of hearing this? Most of us use this phrase in our day-to-day dealings almost without thinking. By common sense, do we mean what most people would do most of the time? Which sense do we refer to and what is common about it? Are we talking about information received through sensory organs, emotional feelings, intellectual understanding or something close to conscience? Can any sense be common to all? Is there a thing called ‘common sense’?

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “Common sense” as “sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts.” Let’s also see what some of the famous personalities say about common sense:

• Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius (George Bernard Shaw)
• Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
• Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen (Albert Einstein)
• Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done (Josh Billings)
• Common Sense is that which judges the things given to it by other senses (Leonardo da Vinci)
• The philosophy of one century is the common sense of the next (Henry Ward Beecher)

In the absence of a common understanding, use of common sense appears questionable. Human race has evolved through millennia of learning and growth from initial hunting age. Accordingly, our sense of perceiving different situations has also changed. However, everyone has not evolved equally. Even today there are people, amongst us, representing almost all ages of human evolution. Factors such as: gender, culture, beliefs, environment, education, experience, traditions, prejudices, etc. produce the whole variety of people. It is futile to expect everyone having sense that is common to all.

Notwithstanding the above, I like Josh Billings’ quotation, “Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done.” By common, I guess, he means ‘simply’, ‘ordinarily’ or ‘obviously’. This makes sense to me. It is within everyone’s grasp to see things as they are, and do things as they ought to be done. If all are able to apply this power at their individual levels, what they would see and do will tend to be common and hence a common sense can prevail. But, it is easier said than done. In reality, we often see things through the lenses of our prejudices and act based on our likes and dislikes.

Seeing things as they are is seeing the truth, which is same for all. And, in truth lies all the possibilities for future growth. Newton, Einstein, Archimedes, Edison – each one of them simply saw the truth and discovered great laws of science. What was common sense to them, remained great mysteries for others before them. Even rocket science is based on principles derived from multitudes of common senses. I believe that every single scientific and technological advancement, that today’s world boasts of, was a common sense for someone at the start. All theories, philosophies, work of art and culture have evolved through commonsensical approach of rare individuals who dared to see things as they were in their times. I also believe that most of the political, social and inter-personnel problems are rooted in the fact that we have lost sight of the truth. Everyone is carrying a ‘hidden agenda’. Everyone is asking what is in it for me. No one cares to ask what is in it for everybody.

Through education and experience, we have lost simplicity and acquired sophistication. We have developed a knack of complicating everything. We no longer seek simple pleasures of life. We dwell in virtual reality. Sophisticated gizmos, that were meant to free us for enjoying life, have stolen the very life from us. We meet people on the net, shop online, telecommute to work and believe in everything digital. We are seeking life in the digital world, while the life is shining in full splendour just outside our windows.

Common sense has been the biggest casualty of current times. There is no reason why any conflict or problem, however big, can’t be resolved if all concerned dare to see things as they are and get committed to doing what ought to be done. Common sense is deeply rooted in simplicity and simplicity is sufficient for living. Are we ready to break out of virtual reality and park our prejudices? Do we wish to test the fruit of common sense, in real sense? There is no better time to start than NOW.

Is Life a Play?

In the famous play, “As you like it”, Shakespeare says:

“All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts…”

Was Shakespeare right? Is life really a play? If yes, why are we so stressed and unhappy? Have we misunderstood the mechanics of life? Is there something more than meets the eyes? Let’s closely examine if life, indeed, is a play.

Every play has a beginning and an end. Life too is confined between birth and death. There is a plot in every play with varying degree of twists and turns. Life is stranger than fiction. It also meanders through peaks of excitements and valleys of gloom. Sometimes a player enacts many roles in a play. In life, we are always enacting multiple roles – Parent, Spouse, Friend, Boss, Colleague, Engineer, Doctor, Accountant, Mentor, Student, and so on. Just like the actor, we also need to change our body language and modulate the pitch and tone of our voice according to situations and persons concerned. At home, we behave with spouse in one way and children in another way. At work, we cannot risk behaving with the boss in the same way as we behave with our colleagues or juniors. Then with friends, it is entirely a different ball-game. Like actors, we must rehearse our speech prior to appearing before a large gathering. Like actors, we must also dress and do make-up according to the situation and the occasion.

In play, while enacting variety of roles, the actor never forgets his real identity. He always remembers who he really is. He may have donned the most expensive clothes and crown to play a king. His body may even sway on the stage while taking a royal walk. But, he clearly knows that he has nothing to do with the character on the stage and he will be stripped of all the luxuries at the end of the play. Similarly, he may be playing a beggar evoking bouts of sympathy from spectators, but his mind remains devoid of any agony and, instead, may experience joy by watching the effect being cast on the spectators. In life too, we go from childhood to old age, experiencing many changes – by way of appearance, thoughts and beliefs. But, we never lose the “I”ness in and through all these changes (I was a child. I was a young man. Now, I am a senior citizen.) Indeed, it is with reference to this constant “I” that we are able to perceive all the changes in life. It is also abundantly clear to us that we came in this world bare-handed and would leave empty-handed. All so called possessions or sufferings would drop when the final bell rings. However, unable to remain detached with the roles being played, we experience all the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’. Our involvement in the role and inability to switch off as soon as the role of a character is completed creates all the miseries.

One form of play is the sport, which is played in the field, not on the stage. No sport or game can be played without setting certain rules. Likewise, a home; an office; a society or even a country needs a set of rules. Without rules, anarchy would prevail. Life too is governed by the laws of nature (such as “As you sow, so will you reap”), which are flawlessly enforced upon one and all. Anyone violating these laws must face consequences. Global warming is the collective consequence of individuals’ disturbing ecological balance of the nature. One may escape from human courts, but not from that of the nature. The real fun of living is in playing the game of life according to the laws of nature.

Every play has a director and a script. Coincidences or accidents, if any, are all part of the script. Every actor simply puts in his/her best performance according to the script. The director is the only one who holds the grand vision of the entire play and the best actor, indeed, is the one who can relate with the Director’s vision and surrender in his able hands. This comparison is, perhaps, the hardest bit to swallow in real life. If everything is pre-determined, why should we put in any effort? Why should we struggle so much to achieve anything? Ask an actor. He knows the play’s ending and yet he puts in so much effort in his role, because he enjoys acting. He often repeats the same role over and over again with increasing joy. Life in this respect is more interesting than the play, as the script is unknown and our individual part is revealed to us on the spot. Have we not been thrown into situations that we never imagined? Has anything happened exactly as we wished or planned? Didn’t we often experience being pushed into a certain direction despite all efforts and unwillingness? Every situation, however unpleasant, is part of a grand vision that we cannot conceive at that moment. But, looking back we understand that every bit of what happened was necessary to reach where we are today. We may either waste our energy in condemning any situation that we don’t like or play the offered part to the best of our ability, trusting in the grand vision of the unseen Director of our life’s script. Choice is entirely ours.

There is no better play than the life, if only we learn the art of viewing it objectively while various roles are being played in the spirit of a true actor.

Happiness is now or never

If life is in the present moment, where else could happiness be found but in the present? It is as simple as this. However, most of us keep searching for happiness all our lives. We read books, attend courses, join laughing clubs, take vacations to exotic places, indulge in delicious food, seek variety of entertainment, amass wealth, or take refuge in a sanctum. However, all we get are the fleeting moments of so-called happiness. Unbroken happiness remains a mirage.

The definition of happiness is varied as expressed by different people. Indeed, everyone holds his/her own definition of happiness. The common denominator of these definitions, however, is an external source of happiness. We believe that we will be happy when we get a certain object, being, environment, position, or recognition. However, those who have achieved all of these, sadly realise that their search for happiness is not over. There seems to be a fundamental flaw in defining happiness. Our so-called happiness is subject to various conditions, often external and beyond our control.

We must realise that happiness is a state of mind when there are no thoughts. We experience temporary happiness upon getting our desired object because at that moment, having satiated the desire, our mind becomes devoid of thoughts. But, soon thereafter, a thought of another desired object fills the void and the happiness is again lost.

If happiness resided in the previously desired object, it should have continued as that object is still with you. Thus we continue to ride the roller-coaster of fleeting happiness throughout our lives. Such happiness is directly proportional to the number of desires fulfilled and inversely proportional to the number of desires entertained, but not fulfilled.

Life exists only in the present moment. It is dead in the moment that has passed and is yet to be born in the future moment. The past moment will never return and the future moment will always appear as present moment. Hence, a real experience can only be in the present moment. But, to experience the present moment, one has to be aware of the present moment and be fully available for the experience. This is where we miserably fail.

We allow our minds to brood over past moments or be filled with future speculations and anxieties. As a result, although we are physically present in a given moment, our mind, being preoccupied with a variety of thoughts, is not ‘in’ that moment. How many times have we walked through a place without registering anything on the way? How many times have we attended a meeting or a seminar without actually listening to speakers? We mechanically pass through each moment. Life, therefore, is hardly lived, except in those rare moments when, by accident or coincidence, our mind is brought to the present moment. So, how can we consciously experience happiness in the present moment?

Every moment passes so swiftly that a mind concentrating on the moment cannot entertain any thought and hence experiences happiness. Thus, a mind which remains focused on every passing moment, enjoys unbroken happiness. But we are victims of our own old habits. We are so used to thinking about the past and the future that absence of a thought is unbearable. No doubt, it is a challenge to break this habit. But with persistent practice, it is achievable.

We may start by being watchful in simple tasks, such as sitting, walking, eating etc. In the beginning, we may not be able to keep our attention on the present task for long. The mind is sure to drift. But, whenever it returns to the present moment, thank yourself for making a dent in the old habit and resume unbiased observation. While walking, be aware of your body movements and the surroundings. While eating, enjoy the sight of different dishes, feel the heat, take in the aroma and slowly taste every bite. Even while doing nothing, simply be aware of incoming and outgoing breaths. Let this practice naturally grow without any guilt of missing the continuity. As it grows on you, happiness will ooze out of you. This is famously called ‘spontaneous living’.

This does not mean that we should not review our past actions for learning and should not plan for achieving a goal in the future. Indeed, even these activities can truly happen only in the present moment. While reviewing the past, pay full attention on analysing the events objectively, without letting the mind drift on the experiences associated with them. Similarly, while planning for the future, take stock of all the known things at that moment with full realisation that everything is subject to change and there is no need to be obsessed with what you have planned. There are many roads to a destination.

In conclusion, the present moment is the only door through which all possibilities and opportunities enter. We just have to be there. Someone has rightly said, “The best way to find happiness is not to search for it.”

"Safety First" is not merely a slogan

In the ancient time, there were only natural disasters. Now, we also have man-made crises. Natural disasters still happen, but their frequency and intensity lag far behind man-made catastrophes. Are we paying price of progress? Where did we go wrong?

The human mind is said to have no boundaries. Using this power, we have made astounding progress in the fields of science and technology. From ‘making fire by rubbing stones’ to ‘generating electricity through nuclear fission’, we have come a long way. We have harnessed natural powers to make our lives more comfortable and productive. However, this has not come free. Every technological advancement has come with its own inherent risks, which we claim to manage effectively. Modern cars are equipped with a load of safety features. Industrial plants are said to be built on fail-safe standards. We invest considerable amount of money in researching for the safest design. We study all the worst possible scenarios and claim to manage the risks as low as reasonably practicable through sophisticated safety systems. We develop stringent safety laws and standards. We set up enquiry commissions after every catastrophic incident and produce large volumes of investigation reports, which record pages after pages on the lessons learnt. But, are these lessons really learnt by human minds? Have we really stopped recurrence of similar failures?

It was scary to read the following statistics in a recent report published by KT:

• 3 people get killed on the road every minute,

• $ 3 trillion is the cost of road crashes every year, and

• 90% of road accidents happen due to human error.

Broad analysis of major industrial incidents also reveals that 90% of them can be attributed to the underlying safety culture at a facility making it acceptable for someone to ignore or bypass some critical step. Increased automation and loads of safety features seem to create a false sense of safety. Statistics have shown that more people die at pedestrian crossings than the ‘jay-walkers’, simply because people at pedestrian crossings often assume that vehicles would stop and hence become less alert. In a 1996 essay about the Challenger disaster, Malcolm Gladwell observed that “We have constructed a world in which the potential for high-tech catastrophe is embedded in the fabric of everyday life.” Having built systems with thousands of interacting components, we cannot possibly foresee all the ways they will behave under all circumstances, some of the circumstances themselves being unforeseeable.

Although we try to reduce inherent risks of any operation through safer design and/or operating procedure, human tendency is to consume this risk-reduction either by being aggressive in its usage or by being complacent with its false sense of safety. Higher the automation and sophistication, lower seems to be the human alertness. A machine can always be expected to perform as per its specifications. But, a human being cannot be expected to perform at its peak all the time. Emotions tend to greatly influence our actions. Even a competent person may fail under adverse emotions. While continuous training, knowledge-upgrade and competency assessments are important, taking care of emotional health is perhaps the most important factor in any safe operation. The human mind must remain motivated on the job. This, perhaps, is the single most critical responsibility of every team leader. A happy employee will always keep your clients happy.

We retain those lessons the longest, which we learnt through our own personal experiences. All other lessons we tend to forget after a short while, as our information-memory is short. This problem is further compounded by the lack of corporate memory due to which new employees often lack the benefits of lessons learnt by their predecessors. It is, therefore, necessary to convert such lessons in some form of personal experiences such as real-life simulations, rather than mere documented information. And, they should be repeated at regular intervals so as to become part of our spontaneous behaviours.

How we harness nature’s power is perhaps a more fundamental question. In ancient China, they say, when a master carpenter wanted to make a chair; he would go out to the forest asking which tree was willing to be cut for this purpose. The chair made out of such a tree lived for several decades without any degradation. Guiding a wild river from the mountains through barren lands spreads greenery and prosperity for generations. Consuming only those resources that we need for our day-to-day living would always leave enough resources for everybody on the earth. Nature likes to nurture harmony in everything. Any attempt to disturb this harmony will sooner or later result in serious backlash. Nature has strange ways of striking a balance.

Human intervention, however optimised, will always remain vital for any safe operation. Let “Safety First” not be a mere slogan. Next time, you step out to drive a car or operate a machine, check your emotion-meter for stability, expect the unexpected and pull out your attention-antenna all the way up.

Life is a beautiful package deal

How many times have we heard people saying, “I hate this life?” Everyone feels that his/her life is a hell, while all others are having a great fun. Life seems to be a stream of miseries from birth to death. At every step of life, we have something to complain about – be it a job, location, weather, finance, appearance, parents, friends, children, health, spouse, boss, colleagues, systems or destiny. The famous poet Nida Fazli has rightly captured this sentiment in the following couplet:

“Kabhi Kisi Ko Muqamal Jahan Nahin Milta

Kahin Zamin To Kahin Aasmaan Nahi Milta”

[No one ever gets a complete world,

Sometime the ground and sometime the sky is missing.]

Are we then destined to suffer in life? I believe it depends upon us. It depends upon how we look at life. If we look at one aspect in isolation of all other aspects, then we will always find something amiss. However, the nature has designed this world in a package form. A rose always blooms with thorns to protect its tender petals. Scorching sun is always followed by the comforting moon. A physical disability is counterbalanced by extra-ordinary efficiency of some other organ. You may not have a high-profile job, but may be free from a dreaded disease. You may not have a home of your own, but you may have friends to host you anywhere in the world. You may not have a fat bank-balance, but you may win hearts by sharing whatever you have. Your appearance may not be attractive, but your personality may be influential. Your spouse may not measure up to your expectations, but he/she may be able to complement your short-comings. Your parents may not be modern, but their hearts may be filled with unconditional love. Your children may not have done well in studies, but they may respect you and hold highest regards for the humanity. You may not have scaled great heights in your career, but you may have been blessed with understanding bosses and compassionate colleagues. You may have only one friend, but he/she may be the one with whom you can open your heart. You may not be living in a happening city, but you may create your own world of interesting hobbies. You may have to deal with a corrupt system, but you may use it to test your own moral strength. In the nature, perfection of a whole is the sum total of its seemingly imperfect parts. The sign that adorned wall of Einstein’s office at Princeton read, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”

Destiny is directly proportional to what we have or haven’t done. There is no use of complaining about destiny. Worrying will not take away tomorrow’s troubles; it will only take away today’s peace. E. M. Foster says, “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Same actions will always produce same results. If we want something to change, we have to do something different. Every difficulty is an opportunity to rise above present condition. Nature brings about growth in everything through challenging circumstances. The very birth of a child is through intense pain of delivery. Let’s develop a wholesome view of every situation. Life is indeed a beautiful package deal.

Analysis paralysis

We need information to make decisions at every stage of our lives. But, how much information is enough to make a ‘good’ decision. Unfortunately, there is neither fixed rule nor standard guidelines to follow. Choice is entirely individual. We generally believe that more the information better will be the decision. But, is it really so? This is what Sharon Begley has attempted to answer in her article (“Too much data leads to fatigue”, KT, 2nd Mar 2011).

It is now certain that more information, beyond a point, is indeed counter-productive. We often find people locked-up in the state of ‘analysis paralysis’. They either take no decision or pick a poorer alternative. Internet has opened a flood-gate of information. The convenience of finding more information tempts us to continue the search. In the process, we even lose focus on the goal of the search. When should you stop searching for more information? Sometimes, an external deadline helps in breaking this deadlock. We are forced to stop the search and take some decision. But, what if there was no deadline set?

A silver lining is provided by Malcolm Gladwell in his famous book, “The Blink”. According to him, our subconscious mind is like a giant computer which can process enormous amount of information at lightning speed and provide the results in form of ‘gut-feelings’ or intuitions. For example, when we meet a person first time, we instantly get a gut-feeling about that person, while our conscious mind is still busy forming an opinion. We often also realize later that our intuitive feelings were much more on target than the informed opinions provided by our conscious mind. This is because our subconscious mind is able to absorb and process much more information about the person we are meeting, such as the body language, subtle mannerisms, voice quality, body contact, etc. In a group or large gathering, our subconscious mind can even be trained to tap into what is known as ‘universal mind’ with unlimited power. He, therefore, suggests developing sharp receptivity for intuitions / gut-feelings and incorporating the same into the decision making process by the conscious mind.

We must also accept that no decision can be ‘perfect’. We would stop learning if all decisions were perfect. A ‘timely’ decision is more important than a ‘perfect’ decision. We tend to learn more from our bad decisions than a delayed perfect decision. Delaying a decision on the excuse of inadequate information is an attempt to evade responsibility in life. We are too scared to face a failure. However, knocks and shocks of various circumstances, indeed, shape and enrich our lives. Information is a tool, not the goal. Given the same amount of information, different people would take different decisions based on their individual maturity, background and needs. Hence, there cannot be a universally correct decision for everybody. Using the same stock market information, one person feels happy to sell a stock while another person happily buys the same stock. It is important to collect relevant information and pursue methodical analysis. But, we should also keep our intuition antenna up and stop further analysis as soon as strong intuitive feelings arise about a certain course of action.

Next time you go shopping and get lost on many equally tempting items, don’t turn to your spouse or friend for help. They will confuse you more. Just close your eyes while holding each item and turn inward for signals from within. The voice for the most favourable item will be loud and clear. Can there be an easier way to deal with ‘analysis paralysis’?

Office in the Swimming Pool

Bravo Bikram Vohra for presenting a true metaphor of an office life in form of various people visiting a swimming pool (“I know the people in the pool”, Wknd. 25 Feb 2011). They do everything except what they come there for. They float, splash around, sun-tan, exhibit branded gears, make lots of noise, sneak in from behind or under, come and go in a hurry and do monkey business but hardly swim. However, it is ironical that they are the people who get noticed and rewarded, while the quite slogger remains out-of-sight and out-of-mind. They share the same perks and facilities (same water), hardly contributing anything in return. Life seems unfair for those who work. But, oblivious of such unfair treatment, these few individuals at every work place continue to pour their heart into work. They are the rare human darts cutting through the blue water, without any noise and splash, drawing awe and envy of the onlookers. They don’t waste their energy and time in gossiping, criticizing or complaining. They conserve and use their energy in rising to higher orbits of performance. Reward for them is incidental, as they enjoy the very act of doing. Hats off to such Human Darts. Corporate world would do a huge favour to itself by recognizing and rewarding this rare breed of workers.

Fake it, unitl you make it..

I was shocked to read this suggestion recently in an article. How can you suggest faking? Isn’t faking bad, even illegal? All throughout my life, I have stood for authenticity and admired those who did the same. But, as I reflected more on this sentence, I realized that it held different and deeper meanings.

In the sixties and seventies, ‘Made in Japan’ used to invoke the feeling of fakeness, while ‘Made in Great Britain or Germany or USA’ instilled confidence of authenticity in a product. Today, we pay premium price for electronic products made in Japan. A doctor at the start of his professional career must fake his confidence while treating his patients, unless he wishes to lose his clientele and put a full-stop on his career. Later in his career, confidence naturally oozes out of him. An actor’s performance depends on his ability to fake realism in his act. A successful manager must fake an aura of calmness around him, even though he may be in the middle of a storm, so that his subordinates can carry on with their tasks without any external disturbances. Despite all the trials and tribulations, parents must fake the sense of security at home for children to grow with fearless minds. Head of a nation must fake the picture of immense composure so that its populace can repose their trust in him. Who is happy and ready to jump out of his bed in the early morning to go to work? But, as we go through the ritual of getting ready and dressing-up, some internal transformation takes place and with the tying of shoe laces, we are eager to reach work place.

Surely, we are not talking of faking as in forging a document for cheating someone, or duping someone with fake currency notes, or passing on an imitation as real at the original price. This discussion on faking is all about the start of an internal journey. The focus is upon changing the self, not gaining undue advantage of the world. Mind works only on thoughts and hence can easily be fooled into believing anything. Practice makes one perfect. But, if you start practicing with a doubting mind, you are never going to make it. Hence, as you start your practice, you must visualise yourself to be an accomplished performer. By the by, this visualisation will start translating into your actions. It is worth faking even happiness when your circumstances suggest otherwise. A happy mind has power to bring about the desired changes in your circumstances. I am reminded of a story that captures the essence of this discussion.

Once, there was a king who wanted to meet a man of renunciation. All his ministers tried hard but failed to find a true man of renunciation. Everyone had some longing and attachment for the worldly objects. Out of frustration and fearing king’s reprimand, they approached a fine actor to play the role of a true renunciate for a hefty fee. All he had to do was reject anything, however expensive and tempting, offered to him for a whole day. He agreed. He was dressed up in rags and was seated under a tree outside the city. The word was spread about the arrival of a great man of renunciation. People queued-up to see him. They offered many things, which he politely rejected. At last, the king came with the most exquisite of gifts in the world and prostrated in front of him. The actor didn’t show any sign of interest. The king was convinced that he had met a true man of renunciation and rewarded his ministers for making this happen. Next day, the ministers returned to the actor with the agreed fee for the act. But, the actor refused to take his fee. He said, “If all worldly objects can be gained merely by faking the act of renunciation, then I wonder how much more can I get beyond this world by actually becoming a man of renunciation. I am no longer interested in anything that you can offer me. I am now in search of that precious wealth within myself.” Such is the power of pretension.

Living through Gizmos

I grew-up with the only gizmos called “Radio” and “Gramophone”. Even they were not personal. One massive piece of wood and wires, called Radio, majestically sat on a well decorated stand, waiting for programmes to be aired every morning and evening. We listened to it while performing our daily chores. Gramophone was a mechanical device, which needed frequent winding and pin changing. Buying new vinyl records, each containing two songs – one on either side, was an event much awaited in the family. Special occasions and moods would bring gramophone out of its well-preserved case. Most of my childhood leisure time was spent outdoor, playing simple games with friends. Indoor too, we hardly spent lonely hours, except when studying. Games like Chess, Monopoly, Chinese Checker, Ludo, and Caram were always handy to choose from. Reading novels was perhaps the only act of leisure performed in privacy, though enriching the power of imagination. There was ample time between two working days to relax and unwind. We had plenty of time to pick morning dew drops from the tender flower petals and catch glow-worms in the night. Group discussion on current topics near a lamp post was a norm. Summer nights were spent under stars trying to connect them into meaningful shapes. Unannounced guests were always welcome. Every turn of season was celebrated and every festival was preceded with elaborate preparations and anticipations. Bedtime stories, though funny, were able to influence dreams. We experienced life first hand in the company of people and nature. We believed in the saying, “Necessity is the mother of Invention.” But, that was many decades ago.

Now, we are constantly wired to a variety of gizmos from morning to night, sometimes even during our sleep. We spend more time on face-book than talking face-to-face. We no longer remember names, numbers and addresses because we carry them in our mobiles. We have nearly forgotten how to write with a pen, as everything we write is digital. We do not walk to our work, we telecommute. Our homes are equipped with Wi-Fi and Fiber optics to power any imaginable gizmo. We no longer open real books; they are only a click away in the digital world. We play our favourite sports in virtual reality. We meet with friends and strangers in the cyber world. We do online shopping and get home delivery. We don’t have to visit any bank or service centre, as all transactions are done online. We don’t have to visit even sacred places, as their live pictures can be seen in the comfort of our homes round the clock.

One may conclude from the above that we have gained a lot of free time through these gizmos. But, in reality, we are busier than ever. We are now in the 24X7 service culture, where day does not differ from night. We are always struggling to meet deadlines. Everything should have been done yesterday. We are communicating all the time, but hardly connecting with anyone. There is no time to stand and stare. Is this the life we wished for ourselves?

In our school days, we were always asked to write essay on a topic, “Is Science a curse or a boon?” I guess this question is still relevant. The answer is simply, “It depends on us.” Human mind cannot be stifled. Its creative force will continue to invent new things. The onus is on the user who must decide what he wants to do with it. It is like a knife. A doctor can use it to save a life, while a killer can use it to take a life. Occasional unplugging, as advocated by Susan Maushart in her recently released book (The Winter of Our Disconnect), is not the solution. It may give temporary relief, but will ultimate cause suppression and frustration. The key is in striking a balance. We must ask what is it that we ultimately want to achieve in our lives and accordingly decide what is and what isn’t to be used. If you are in the business of intricate designing, weather forecasting or celestial modeling, do use virtual reality. But, why play golf in the virtual world? Nothing in the world is as important as our own mental serenity. There is no need to assume the responsibility of running the entire world. It is like a fly sitting on the spoke of a wheel and saying it makes the wheel move. No wonder, after the current economic downturn in US, people have realized the futility of living 24x7 culture and US government is considering to cap the maximum working hours in a day.

The following couplet, in slightly modified version, sums-up my thoughts:

“Dhoop mein niklo, Chandni mein naha kar dekho
Zindagi kya hai, Gizmo ko hata kar dekho.”

[Take a walk in the sun, have a shower in the moonlight

What is life, see after removing gizmo.]

Party is not yet over

All those who didn’t have acute sense of humour must have been depressed after reading Bikram Vohra’s piece (“End of the party”, Wknd. 7 January, 2011), especially the last bit. He has given a number of yardsticks to measure when your party is over or when you are no longer in demand. These situations are real and can happen to anyone. Let’s face it. We do become happy when someone appreciates our look, when boss does not ignore, when friends are always calling, when we are centre of attraction in a gathering, when we have many invitations to choose from, when colleagues seek advice, when family members adore, when people are queuing-up to meet, when exquisite gifts are received, and when we get what we desire even without asking. But there is a problem. None of these things is under our control. They may not happen and would definitely not last forever. Is it then worth pursuing such happiness which is fleeting and filled with the fear of losing? Should we live on others’ opinions and approvals? If yes, then the party was over a long time ago. Worse still, it never started.

Effective yardsticks for real progress are always inward, never external. An organisation scales greater heights with time when it keeps raising its own bar of performance and customer satisfaction. It doesn’t wait for a push from its competitors or recognition from some external bodies. Similarly, an individual’s personal and professional growth can be measured by his own internal benchmarks. Did I start the day by thanking Almighty for gifting another day full of opportunities and possibilities? Did I give my 100% to my work whatever it is? Did I extend a helping hand to my colleagues at work? Did I share something with someone today? Did I do something, however small, for my chosen goal in life? Did I express my gratitude to the nature for using its bounty without causing any damage? Did I go out of my way to bring smiles on someone’s lips? Am I living within my means and not on borrowed resources? Have I learnt something new today in my professional field? Did I learn any lesson from today’s mistakes? Did I say sorry to the one whom I hurt by my behaviour? Did I carry a clear conscience to the bed and sleep within minutes of hitting the pillows? They are all within our control and doable. Happiness arising from these small acts only grows with time. Recognition and rewards become incidental. Life becomes a celebration and this party never ends.