The arm chair critic

More and more of us are turning into one! Criticism is something which can make or break some thing. Critics are surely an integral part of the society. We have film critics, media critics, political critics, social critics and then we have our parents. Dwelling more deeply into the very act of criticizing, we love to give out comments. This is not right, that is not true, why did you do it, so on and so forth. Why do we criticize? It is pure human tendency to look at some one else s work and say some thing, anything about it. It is an itch for some, a disease for others.

We live in a world where social networking has made life-well, public to say the least. To take from the recent developments in the country, the great struggle against corruption. Anna Hazarre, a Gandhian says, enough is enough. Staging a fast unto death protest in one of the most popular locations in Delhi, this man has single handedly brought about some sort of change in our society. Corruption. Is it something that you can define? As i started with the social network, let me explain why i used it. Just after news spread that such an issue has been taken up seriously, like minded people got on the band wagon and started creating communities to support the cause. Now the twist comes when you and me see it. There is this inane tendency in us to collect brownie points by joining communities which are actually out there to make a difference. It was save the tiger, save Japan and now it is fight corruption. Let me ask you a question?Why is this country corrupt? Are we not the same one's who when faced with a situation where paying a bribe, maybe a small one, will get you out of pickle will go ahead and pay it?

This is where arm chair criticism comes into the picture. We sit in the cozy confines of our homes, see some things being done, and post our comments and views on it. When it really comes to it, only a handful will actually stand up to something. We say save the tiger, but do you actually think that joining a community on facebook will save stripey the cub?Seriously?A poacher does not kill for pleasure, he is driven to it, greed, easy money. These communities give thousands of users a false sense of satisfaction that they did their bit for Japan, or against corruption or any of the major issues plaguing us. Japan is messed up. Only when we are actually faced with a natural catastrophe will we understand how ridiculously useless it is sit on our laptops and send out a virtual prayer. Join to help the poor, feed a child, give a days wages for the poor, are you kidding me? It does not mean zilch, until and unless you get out of the chair and go out into the sun and do something about it. I am truly happy to see that some of my friends are genuinely doing their part to support some causes. It goes without saying that they have the guts to do it.

When it comes to change, no one wants it, but it will happen. This is why we are actually able to make a dent in the present system. Frankly speaking, this country has gone to the dogs. Being the pessimist that i am, i do not see much happening in my lifetime at least. But there is hope nonetheless. And this is what keeps us going. Issues such as garbage disposal, sanitation, good roads, such things need attention. I would surely be rubbing people the wrong way if i say what a waste it is to see a billion people jumping around like clowns when one man, hits a ball and eleven others run behind it, hell, i get a kick from it! It would be harsh to say how enslaved we are to the slaves game, but am i not being an arm chair critic here? I love that game too, so who's to blame? It does irk me a bit when crores are spent on betting, prizes and fan fare while millions sleep hungry? But then, is my voice strong enough to rise above the din in the society?

I am an arm chair critic, lets get that straightened out. But sometimes, the noise gets too loud and it deserves to be shushed. In India, making ends meet, getting home back from work, eating your next meal, getting your salary, gossiping about the adventures of your neighbor, these are the causes that take up our time. Not the tiger, not Raja and his crores, nor is it going to be the billions stashed away in Swiss bank accounts which incidentally if brought back to India will make us the richest country in the world many times over!

A life worth living..

How many of you are truly living?I am not talking about biology here..But some thing that differentiates us from the animals..How many of us feel the need to do things which are close to our hearts?The courage to go out there and make it large?Life..What does it mean..There have been a millions words spoken, a millions emotions shared and another millions thoughts thought about this intriguing subject.. Ever man has his say when it comes to a description on life. It is interesting to hear it, since we should understand that these are coming from a person who has reached a certain point in his life. His experiences, his understanding of these experiences, his abilities, his social qualities, and a lot more dictate this very description. This is what makes a talk on life as such so much fun and worth talking about!

I am a loner. It has been said that a lonely man has nothing to loose. I think that is true. When it comes to it, we are all loners. We all live in our own islands. Reaching out when we want and not when we don't want to. The significance that time plays in our lives is huge. We all are products of time and effort. The good things and the bad things are all important. Every one of us has a career to talk about. Step back in time. You are in your school, sitting along with your buddies. Nubile, young, impressionable minds. Anything that is said is interesting then. We are all typically faced with a question that always brings out a mixed reaction in us. "What do you want to become when you grow up?"there are two things here in this question that i would like to address. Is it in my hands as to what i will become?And what do you exactly mean by grow up?

I know 5 years old kids with the maturity level that far exceeds those of our politicians. Does this mean that the kid can run the country? Life is what happens when we are making other plans. This points hits you in the face like a sledge hammer when you are standing in a line, for the past half trying to pay your electricity bill! Coming back to the question. A child is in no position to answer it. I am very sure that many of us have faltered on the way here. What we are is not what we wanted us to be. Change. And that is the entire concept that i am trying to explain here. We all change. For the good or bad, let some one else be the judge of that. We have to change. That is what nature wants us to do. But at what cost?Can u smile and feel the butterflies in your stomach when your swinging on a rope 10 feet up in the air? Do you feel the same rush when you get 5 bucks from your mom and you race to the ice cream cart?I don't think so.

The one thing that pops up into our head is why did it get so complicated? I am not preaching about taking a hike to the Himalayas trying to find 'peace', that is not peace. I am battling with the same issues as you are. We can face the same tests, but in a different background, the skill sets that will get you out of these are still the same. some where down the line, the text became blurry, the issues became massive and time ran out. We fail to see the beauty of it all. The world has a lot to offer us. An incredible amount of knowledge, sights, sounds, feelings and emotions, and this life time is ridiculously short to experience it all. I find so much of suffering, hunger, anger and deceit, but for what?

Take for example this earth. What a fascinating piece of work. To think of it as an island in the vast expanse of space, where everything happened at the right time and in the right way, is just incredible. We have so much to see, so much to feel, from the earth itself. Places, people, food, customs, traditions an awe inspiring mix that will make you understand how insignificant and minute we are when it comes to the larger picture. We are only making a fool of ourselves when we get too engrossed with our own self, because my friend, in the end, it does not matter.

Being Romantic

Where do i begin people!I know its a well written, much thought about much, too much spoken about feeling..But i want to look at in the real world sense..Not the poetic kinda way..Because we all live in the real world and yes we do build castles in the air but that aint gonna cover u from the rain..To begin with, everyone has their own definition of romance..For some it is just being in a ' Relationship', for others its a way of thinking, and for yet others it just does not mean anything..I do not know which category i belong to, and am pretty sure many of you don't know either..That said, i want to understand it better..I want you to think, while i figure it out myself..Just saying these things doesn't make any difference i know but weighing its potential in its true sense is surely important..

On a personal level, i have been considered as romantic..I remember talking about romance to a friend of mine(of course a gal)..We had our own ideals, but we did match in wavelengths to some extent, she was a free spirited person, i was restrained..We talked about dates, settings, words we wanna hear, feelings we wanna feel and so on..Then i looked at it from the view point of an ordinary man..Sarcasm, fear, negativity, stress, anger, ambition, jealousy..These are traits which are inborn in us..I feel they have such a huge impact on us that were is the space for romance?To be frank, romance can be easily taken over by sadism..It is true that the male ego is overtly sadistic, deriving pleasure from pain..It is irony as to how the two feelings, mutually opposable take shape in the same situation.. A quite dinner on the roof top on a starry night, a walk on the beach with your partner, a coffee for two, or just holding hands and walking, saying sweet nothings..Wait a sec!sweet nothings?interesting..Why would anything be sweet if it means nothing?

To me, romance is a feeling..It sure does come out when we don't want it too and does not when we want it too..I have been in a relationship, was a big thing..But what i have learnt from it is we sure are big clowns walking around with our clown feet fooling ourselves..We all need love, and am not being sarcastic here..(it is an overpowering feeling as many of you would agree)..But do we seriously need to look for it in another person..Conflicting thoughts come to my mind when i think of love..On one hand there are people saying love yourself, the other is looking for love in every Tom, Dick and yes the Harry too..But if we love ourselves will we not come across as narcissistic?And if we are too weak;taken advantage off?well, these words may or may not mean anything, but it does strike a chord somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind..

The courage to love and be loved is important..It is not enough to just say the words but also to mean it..I know people who are actually in love and those who have no clue what they are feeling..Its an indecisive feeling, leaving you heavy and bare..Single and ready to mingle is a state of mind..But mingling is not enough..I have been said that i will have an arranged marriage..Yes, I do think i will, but am i missing out on something?my life has shown me a lot, and i do have the courage to say; much more than many others..but sometimes, loneliness can be tragical and necessary at the same time..

Stepping back to reality..romance is necessary it seems; to have a successful relationship..But when you don't have cash in your hands, when your career is a not even a concept and when living is a battle, does it make sense..I know that friend of mine will have conflicting ideas about this and you too, but i just want you to think about it..feeling is ok, but should we absorb it?The title says being romantic, but truth be told some have to force it, some ooze it, some do not understand it..Where are you in this?

Gene Pool

Aggression

That's right..We all have it..And i do want to talk about it..It has a very strong influence on my life..it does a lot of things to me, and to you too..the profound influence that anger and aggression have cannot be stressed too much..Let me tell you an interesting story..Happened to me about a week ago..I want to tell you all this because it does help in explaining a lot of things..to begin with, this scene is set in my homeland, yes, Gods own country as it is refered to but not rightly though, Kerala..Was on my way to attend a wedding ceremony at my cousins place..Flagged down an auto, the great but so uncomfortable brick on wheels..The only reason i had to do it was coz mommy dear was coming along..Anyway the trip was uneventful, reached the destination..The interesting part is i was wearing a traditional Mundu, its a kerala speciality, and we youngsters(If i can still call myself that) wear it only for special occasion..What am getting to is obviously i was feeling extremely uncomfortable in it..A shirt that did not have a pocket meant that there was no way i could accommodate a purse and a mobile phone, which are like appendages now..So i was carrying some change in my hand..Reached the house, got off, mom walked off and i made the mistake of not looking at the meter properly..This small act became such a botheration..I gave him 7 ruppees less, and man he just errupted!!i dint know what he was mouthing but it was bad..I told him to chill and that it was a genuine mistake, but no, he started with accusing me of all sorts of things..

You may wonder what i would have done, and most probably it would have been a tight punch on his face because he was really at it!But you know what?My entire family, from my mom to her sisters, cousins and granny were spectators..Hmmmm..So thats that!!clenched my teeth, made a really tight fist and gave the coldest stare i could create..Thats all..So my point is, why did he have to react to the situation in that manner, and what made me control myself?Think it over..Moving on..Every man is capable of bring down the house, and every woman is capable of stopping the earth from moving with thier expressions of anger..It all has so much effect on us but we rarely realize it..Am not preaching,Hell no!!get angry, let it out, beat the crap out of someone, and get beaten!!its all good..

Anger management is a hoot!Its just a way of making money, just like a spa, who says you get destressed in these places, a beach is more relaxing to be frank..But agression has a different meaning too, it means being bold, moving ahead without any stops, taking things head on..We all have this quality too, but sometimes, some people just lack it on an epic scale..Everything moves and they move with it..Everything is awe inspiring but they are plain boring..Are we familiar with this kind?again..Think it over..

Title Track

Is it not all over rated?I have been trying to pen down words for this blogging phenomenon for a long time..There are many things that lay hidden within you that need to be said..The name of this blog will suggest a few things..Cheap is identified in many ways by different people..We need to be specific in our approach..Cheapness is a dirty word.A middle class person like me and most probably like you, would have been brought up on a diet of the catch phrase cheaper is better..This will stick with you for a really long time..The idea behind it is to condition you to grow up to save, lead a contented life so on and so forth..

As i said it does have an effect on my life too..I do feel that the Literature that i will be putting forth will also have a tinge of being affordable..Interesting..So it means that we will get to see a lot of things which mean a lot to you and me being written about..Do i need to be prim and prime?absolute or abstract?i have no clue..I do know that there needs to be a certain manner of writing and stuff like that..But does it really matter?maybe it does, to me it does not..Being clear and understandable is important..I have had this nagging thought in my head..Actually a lot of thoughts..How do we percieve a situation?I am pretty sure that we have been in situations were the escalation takes place from good, to bad to worse right in front of our eyes..And we just stand there gasping for reasons as to why..I know there are a lot of factors that affect our judgement, but the interesting point is these factors affect us in different ways..the fact that bad things happen when we do not pay attention means something..Its not possible to pay attention to every little detail..A person will see things in his own way and this is decided by a whole lot of Experiences..When i say lot, boy does it mean A LOT..We see these small influences snow balling into life long obsessions and so on..

Randomness will be a very big part of this journey that i will be taking..It is a virtue actually..Because many cannot do it..A random act, a thought, is all it takes to fire up your imagination and before you know it you are driving a Ferrari on the streets of Monte Carlo!Well are we not happy when this happens..A wild imagination, is a very cool thing, and i know that we all have our own deep, dark fantasies..The truth is we ourselves do not clearly understand it..Thats when talking helps..You build a though process, reach conclusions, understand yourself better and finally be able to put yourself through in a much better way..

Cheap Literature