As usual it was one of the days I chanced to start hearing Ram Dass. Funnilly I had no deasire to listening it either. I was actaully testing the voice control in iPhone 3GS.
And as it has been so many times these few minutes of his talk has so profund effect on me, so many times it even astonishes me. It brings an inner calm but more importantnly gets me think on levels which by Barlows Philopsoly is Self Actualization.
On this self actualization that it came to me was the Eternal talks of Brahminism of Gita vs the Materialistic/Sceintific talk which the western philoosphy talks about.
It becomes even more pertinent for a person like me who was really western/scientific growing up with non-materialistic belief/Gita. THough even being an atheist Gita and its rationalization always echoed some deeper thoughs.
But when one comes back to the real world it is sceintific/western thoughts that make more sense. A though proces in which the person is the creator of his destiny. The more cause analysis. And though I would not say the western lifestyle is completly scientific but it certainly adherse to semi-sceinctific of Economics. Where production of more goods even though it might pollute the enviroment makes better economcal sense. Where a mother puts her Kid to care home and goes to work leads to bigger econmics. Or even at very extent a smoker actaully is better economically.
On the other side was the eastern philosophy. A belief in Maya. The transientness of materialism. Where Physical -> Mental -> Spiritualism in that order is given more significant.
And these two philosphies one over two thousand years old and the other new but nascent lived together. And coming from one in which growing up we always were inticed to the other. As it has the materialistic galmour. A more tangible success than a more mental happniess.
And htese two philosophies always torn me.
But as we have seen the biggest challenge is how can this
But as I see the fault in sustanibility of the western model of lifestyle. One comes to understand of the gems of the eastern philosophy. Philosophy and lifestyle that have given a model and fairly economical lifestyle for thousand of years. But as has been told
So many of thoughs that I grew up but as it did not have the rational tag I was not attracted to now is being trued by sceintific thoughts. Yoga (when the first British saw Yogis they laughed at semi-naked malnurished human) and vegetrian lifestyle and its health benefit.
But more importantly in limitation of good consuming lifestyle which the western though process has produced. Best captured by philosopher Wade Davis “You are either a person or property” 11th hour, captures the materialistic way of how western economic model has worked so far. Again might of Biblical think that on the last day God created Man. So humans can control nature. And manifest destiny, . As we live in human created enviroment, and somehow as we were smarter than others we could exploit them. Where we create nature as a commadity,. And after the more eveil side of this came in 18th century where nature was made to look as endless expansion. As earlier we had to depend on enery which came from recent sunlight stored in agriculture. But in Industrial revolution we tapped in "Old Sun stored in Coal and Oil". See the main thoughts from 12 minute of 11th hour.
The only depressing aspect of it all is as the western thought process adopt so many of the Indian lifestyle, Indian are happy to jump to the bandwagon which the westerns after living for 50 odd years are ready to give up and adopt thought process which were know as fact in eastern philosophy.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
American Conflict and the reason for it Transcendentalism
Coming to US, to acountry which is so succesufl and embolimnet of sceintific advancement I could never understand many social contradiction.
Transcedentalism certainly brings the nature conservationism to its hight. John Muir ceratinl is the epitome of that era and completely captures that ideal. His inspiration of nature and in nature he saw God. Yosemite's Moluntain as Cathedrals. But in a sense it also leads to experince having a focus rather than pure rationalility. The central idea of Transcedentalism.
So though in the same way that same Puritian idealogy gave rise to it, the same Transcedentalism also gives rise to religious dogmas of Creationism and anti-abortion. John Muir's fasination for nature was against extreme religious push, but still hsi belif in theism was refelcted in nature. So the imporatnce of spirit over rationality is brought up in this philosophy.
- Creationism - maybe the only developed country which has it
- Absetinism and Religious Dogmatism which seems to be here
- Yet the brithplace of greatest radical and rational thoughs. Ideas like Lesbiansim, Feminism, Great Sceintific discoveries, anti-classist yet it might be the only country where Sceince is not taught to that high degree with high degree of anti-darwansim.
- Birhtplace of Nature conservationism in 18th century. One of the most original ideal that America has put forth.Correctly said by Ken Burn's as America's Best Idea. THough in 20th Century it might seem it completely rational but in 18th century in the midst of industrial revoultion it was completely ir-rational. Why do you stop the felling of wooods when you and your country needs to become an even powerful country. Remember it was the days when London had the most horrible smogs and yet London was considered the best palce to be.
- ( place which has among the harsest punishment for drugs - yet has the biggest user per capital, usage of drugs)
Transcedentalism certainly brings the nature conservationism to its hight. John Muir ceratinl is the epitome of that era and completely captures that ideal. His inspiration of nature and in nature he saw God. Yosemite's Moluntain as Cathedrals. But in a sense it also leads to experince having a focus rather than pure rationalility. The central idea of Transcedentalism.
So though in the same way that same Puritian idealogy gave rise to it, the same Transcedentalism also gives rise to religious dogmas of Creationism and anti-abortion. John Muir's fasination for nature was against extreme religious push, but still hsi belif in theism was refelcted in nature. So the imporatnce of spirit over rationality is brought up in this philosophy.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Gita
As Ascent of Man said "when you are younger science and the rational appeals to you more".
And so for me it was the appeal of science that appeals when I was younger. Emotions and spiratuality was a thing that did not resonate to me. Scientifically it was the absence of adult looking young man who still had to develop his forntal cortex, the seat of higher executive decision making.
And as you age your appreciation of Arts and spirutuality becames more appreciated. And so happened with me. It is not about ROI on how you utilize time, (maybe of the competetive enviroment in the movie "Three Idiots") but how much time if left before you that you want to do with it. When I first heard it when I turned 30 and I was lamenting about of few years I sort of had lost in this rat race and I was behind, I was reminded of how many years more I had in front of me.
And thus became appreciation of spirituality in me. Understanding the closest of spirituality thought process was Naturalism.
But the most I ever did connect to was Gita. What I like about it, though it has the faint backgound of God, but still in the core it has a very sceintific way of looking at things. The concept of Karma and detachement. A very good intoroduction to Gita.
And as I told to Rose, Gita is a product of time. Not incidentally it was written at height of Hinduism. At one of most properous epoch of India.
During the centuries in which Buddhism was establishing itself in the east of India, the older Brahmanism in the west was undergoing the changes which resulted in the Hinduism which is now the prevailing religion of India
And so for me it was the appeal of science that appeals when I was younger. Emotions and spiratuality was a thing that did not resonate to me. Scientifically it was the absence of adult looking young man who still had to develop his forntal cortex, the seat of higher executive decision making.
And as you age your appreciation of Arts and spirutuality becames more appreciated. And so happened with me. It is not about ROI on how you utilize time, (maybe of the competetive enviroment in the movie "Three Idiots") but how much time if left before you that you want to do with it. When I first heard it when I turned 30 and I was lamenting about of few years I sort of had lost in this rat race and I was behind, I was reminded of how many years more I had in front of me.
And thus became appreciation of spirituality in me. Understanding the closest of spirituality thought process was Naturalism.
But the most I ever did connect to was Gita. What I like about it, though it has the faint backgound of God, but still in the core it has a very sceintific way of looking at things. The concept of Karma and detachement. A very good intoroduction to Gita.
And as I told to Rose, Gita is a product of time. Not incidentally it was written at height of Hinduism. At one of most properous epoch of India.
During the centuries in which Buddhism was establishing itself in the east of India, the older Brahmanism in the west was undergoing the changes which resulted in the Hinduism which is now the prevailing religion of India
Thursday, February 11, 2010
My snowy home Syracuse
http://goldensnowball.com/golden-snowball-03-04-season.htm
See statistics from Golden Snowball Award Cities at wikipedia
Season Albany Binghamton Buffalo Rochester Syracuse City With Most Snow
2000-01 77.1 112.6 158.7 133.0 191.9 Syracuse
2001-02 47.4 63.5 132.4 58.1 59.4 Buffalo
2002-03 105.4 117.6 111.3 135.2 153.2 Syracuse
2003-04 65.1 106.4 100.9 125.6 181.3 Syracuse
Though there were two more months at that time we were already at 170+ inches
3/18 - Syracuse continues to inch it's way closer to the all time record of 199 inches that Buffalo holds the title to. They have a real good shot at breaking their own record of 192.1 inches that fell in the 92 and 93 season and the 200 inch mark is still a real possibility. A little bit of snow is still in the forecast for the rest of the week. Spring is in the air and just around the corner. I don't quite know where Spring is in the air but I'm sure it is someplace. Maybe Florida??? Rochester is getting closer to last years totals and Binghamton is just about ready to lap last years snowfall. Second place might get more interesting in the next couple of days because it looks like whatever snow we get will be more to the south than the north.
Today is the big day for the defending NCAA champions, Syracuse. GO ORANGEMEN!!! It should be a good game against BYU and hopefully the defense will shut em down. If not we could be in for some big trouble. DA CUSE is in the house Baby!!! Good Luck S.U.
See statistics from Golden Snowball Award Cities at wikipedia
Season Albany Binghamton Buffalo Rochester Syracuse City With Most Snow
2000-01 77.1 112.6 158.7 133.0 191.9 Syracuse
2001-02 47.4 63.5 132.4 58.1 59.4 Buffalo
2002-03 105.4 117.6 111.3 135.2 153.2 Syracuse
2003-04 65.1 106.4 100.9 125.6 181.3 Syracuse
Though there were two more months at that time we were already at 170+ inches
3/18 - Syracuse continues to inch it's way closer to the all time record of 199 inches that Buffalo holds the title to. They have a real good shot at breaking their own record of 192.1 inches that fell in the 92 and 93 season and the 200 inch mark is still a real possibility. A little bit of snow is still in the forecast for the rest of the week. Spring is in the air and just around the corner. I don't quite know where Spring is in the air but I'm sure it is someplace. Maybe Florida??? Rochester is getting closer to last years totals and Binghamton is just about ready to lap last years snowfall. Second place might get more interesting in the next couple of days because it looks like whatever snow we get will be more to the south than the north.
Today is the big day for the defending NCAA champions, Syracuse. GO ORANGEMEN!!! It should be a good game against BYU and hopefully the defense will shut em down. If not we could be in for some big trouble. DA CUSE is in the house Baby!!! Good Luck S.U.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Some great sayings
All these great lines are from my friends
About meetings Sadeq DirecTV
Meeting is a gathering of important people who singly can not do anything, but collectively decide that nothing can be done.
About Corporate LifestyleJeff DirecTV
Its a dog eats dog world with us having Milkbone underwear
About Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents accidents are brutal they are more like being hamburger..ed.
About Marriages
Two marriages - Sadeq
I had bad luck in both my Marraiges
First one died
2nd one still alive
खाने मैं जहेर - शादीख
शोहर ने कहा "मैं देर से आऊंगा"...
बीवी बोली "खाने मैं जहेर मिलेगा, जैसे देर से आऔगे"
शोहर बोला "तब मैं और भी और देर से आऊंगा. तुम खान खा लेना"
About Dating Sadeq
I advertised for my girl... Got 100 reolies.. "TAKE MINE"
Finding Friends on Orkut
About Finding a friend who got married
Hmm see your status has changed.... Seems you have moved to the DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.. ie got married
About me getting hooked
Taken .. Should it be :-D or :-/ TIME WILL TELL
Contacting Sugreev who is now in Australia
Sirji... Aapka Purana roommate from the other side of the Globe
And Girl Next door
Hi this is the obnoxious guy next door. If you still have not got fed-up ADD ME
About meetings Sadeq DirecTV
Meeting is a gathering of important people who singly can not do anything, but collectively decide that nothing can be done.
About Corporate LifestyleJeff DirecTV
Its a dog eats dog world with us having Milkbone underwear
About Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents accidents are brutal they are more like being hamburger..ed.
About Marriages
Two marriages - Sadeq
I had bad luck in both my Marraiges
First one died
2nd one still alive
खाने मैं जहेर - शादीख
शोहर ने कहा "मैं देर से आऊंगा"...
बीवी बोली "खाने मैं जहेर मिलेगा, जैसे देर से आऔगे"
शोहर बोला "तब मैं और भी और देर से आऊंगा. तुम खान खा लेना"
About Dating Sadeq
I advertised for my girl... Got 100 reolies.. "TAKE MINE"
Finding Friends on Orkut
About Finding a friend who got married
Hmm see your status has changed.... Seems you have moved to the DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.. ie got married
About me getting hooked
Taken .. Should it be :-D or :-/ TIME WILL TELL
Contacting Sugreev who is now in Australia
Sirji... Aapka Purana roommate from the other side of the Globe
And Girl Next door
Hi this is the obnoxious guy next door. If you still have not got fed-up ADD ME
Monday, January 18, 2010
Thoughts on seeing the end of Era, End of Era of Eternal Red in Bengal
My earliest memory of politics was in the Midst of height of Communist rule in Bengal. The golden age of the rule of the longest running Chief Minster from his riegn in middle of 1977-2000. A rule which then it seemed eternal rule of the Red Communist.
The Memories are of the long Bands called in by either forces. The huge rally that used to block our travel back from school. But undoutablly the most vibrant memories are of the evening hour of political gathering downstairs at my house. Though the actual talk were for only 30 odd minutes, catching the officer goer's walk back to home from office, the pivotal point of their walk back to their home from bus stop. But my memories are of the long Patriotic communist songs sung over the loudspeakers. Be the songs of Ruma Guha Thakurta or Bhupen Harika it idolized the party and its idology. The medium made me appreciate many of the great songs and made me aware of the songs and literature of the era and people behind them.
The song and literature was a products of an era of a group who though bought a lot to change the grass root of Indian populace but will be, albeit unfortunately for what they could not have achieved. The dream and idealism of 80's Calcutta.
There are many of great products of people who made that era. We will always remember and idolize Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen but surely among them would be Jyoti Basu.
My recollection of him and the political atmosphere in which I was got my intellectual borth was of love and hate. The "Positive Liberty" (read about in Wikipedia) of the marxist government and the grassroots real impact it had in Bengal was always a stuff that enamoured me towards them. The true social upliftment and some great individual who I saw in real life and saw in the political atmoshere like Jyoti Basu or Somnath Banerjee were so much idfferent from the crop of politicians which other states were producing. In a sense which made me respect the politicial atmoshere to which I was born. But at the same side I could never completely fathom why with such great minds and good atmosphere was Bengal languishing in the economic demise which were so much stark. Be it my visits to Budge Budge's closed Jute Mills and huge unemployment it brought about in the small town or visit to the never start-up Electronic City of Salt Lake. There remained an enigma which perplexed me for so long. An enigma of why the social and grassroot movements can not also bring industrial revolution. The answer will certainly will come in demise of the great Soviet Nation and recently why California is bankrupt while Texas with laisse se faire grows. The answer was that movement and thought process was a bit too early. Today Laisse Faire economics lays in shambles but its heiht was in in 80s and 90s. The East Asian Giants like Singapore and Thialand. An age when the great Communist forces in Europe were decimating and China rightly moved away from Mao's Philosophy to Deng Xiaoping's economics. And in that milieu was this lone state in a country that was trying to latch on to the Economic movement which seemed it had alluded it. A state ruled by a political system that was proven unsuccessful wan was dying world over. And it was reigned by a sort of maverick called Jyoti Basu. As said by Pranoy Roy on his death "India's greatest dies today, man who many are not made anymore". He somehow captured the huge dilemma of the state and the times he rules over it. A time in which I came to know myself.
The Memories are of the long Bands called in by either forces. The huge rally that used to block our travel back from school. But undoutablly the most vibrant memories are of the evening hour of political gathering downstairs at my house. Though the actual talk were for only 30 odd minutes, catching the officer goer's walk back to home from office, the pivotal point of their walk back to their home from bus stop. But my memories are of the long Patriotic communist songs sung over the loudspeakers. Be the songs of Ruma Guha Thakurta or Bhupen Harika it idolized the party and its idology. The medium made me appreciate many of the great songs and made me aware of the songs and literature of the era and people behind them.
The song and literature was a products of an era of a group who though bought a lot to change the grass root of Indian populace but will be, albeit unfortunately for what they could not have achieved. The dream and idealism of 80's Calcutta.
There are many of great products of people who made that era. We will always remember and idolize Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen but surely among them would be Jyoti Basu.
My recollection of him and the political atmosphere in which I was got my intellectual borth was of love and hate. The "Positive Liberty" (read about in Wikipedia) of the marxist government and the grassroots real impact it had in Bengal was always a stuff that enamoured me towards them. The true social upliftment and some great individual who I saw in real life and saw in the political atmoshere like Jyoti Basu or Somnath Banerjee were so much idfferent from the crop of politicians which other states were producing. In a sense which made me respect the politicial atmoshere to which I was born. But at the same side I could never completely fathom why with such great minds and good atmosphere was Bengal languishing in the economic demise which were so much stark. Be it my visits to Budge Budge's closed Jute Mills and huge unemployment it brought about in the small town or visit to the never start-up Electronic City of Salt Lake. There remained an enigma which perplexed me for so long. An enigma of why the social and grassroot movements can not also bring industrial revolution. The answer will certainly will come in demise of the great Soviet Nation and recently why California is bankrupt while Texas with laisse se faire grows. The answer was that movement and thought process was a bit too early. Today Laisse Faire economics lays in shambles but its heiht was in in 80s and 90s. The East Asian Giants like Singapore and Thialand. An age when the great Communist forces in Europe were decimating and China rightly moved away from Mao's Philosophy to Deng Xiaoping's economics. And in that milieu was this lone state in a country that was trying to latch on to the Economic movement which seemed it had alluded it. A state ruled by a political system that was proven unsuccessful wan was dying world over. And it was reigned by a sort of maverick called Jyoti Basu. As said by Pranoy Roy on his death "India's greatest dies today, man who many are not made anymore". He somehow captured the huge dilemma of the state and the times he rules over it. A time in which I came to know myself.
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