The modern world has, along with a host of positive developments, thrown us into a sea of challenges. We sometimes find ourselves with no reprive. The Global Economic Crisis is one such challenge we face today about which I would like to write today.
A very natural question everyone is asking today is : How ? Simple answer though. A big snowball of past mistakes can be difficult to fight against! A lot of mistakes have been committed by investors, regulators, the Government, the watchdogs (read investigators, auditors) and even irresponsible public attitude is to blame for this crisis that threatens us today. How are we going to prevent this from ruining our future.
Our future will shape itself in the way we want it to materialize. The last 10 years have been one of struggle and pain. The best thing one could ever do was to study hard, get good grades and find a safe, secure job or career and settle down for good after a few decades of service in an organization. More often than not, the journey ends up being monotonous and very rarely do people get to explore what they are really good at. Today, the demands have changed. That attitude will NOT see us through in the future, and especially so in the light of this insane crisis. The future belongs to inventive, innovative and inspiring thinking.
The next few years will be different for us. We will need to move beyond the obvious and try and create a workforce or a job. It is certainly not enough if we sit back and let our Universities arrange placements. The economic crisis owes its existence to an attitude of callousness. We have always been reckless and light hearted about our long term objectives. Our regulators weren't seeing the storm until it finally came and hit us. Everyone points fingers at the watchdogs when they fail to realize that the tone at the top of the failed organizations is really the only thing to blame !
Modernism is innovation. Innovation is modernism.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Religion in the modern world
The recent attacks on 26/11 have left me shaken.
More than the number of people killed, more than the manner in which they were killed, more than even the number of hours the country was held hostage, what bothered me the most was the REASON why so many were killed....Religion.
Why does it have to be religion all the time ? "My God is better than your God". Big Deal ! What gibberish....there is only one God.
In modernism, there cannot be any room for religious discord. Redunant questions on religion have put us on the backfoot in the past. They will continue to do so in the future. In fact, take any war or skirmish in WORLD history....you can trace its roots to religion. The Crusades, The World Wars, The Partition of India, The HORRIBLY HORRIBLY mismanaged war on terror and of course 26/11....OWE their origin to religion alone.
I cannot emphasize enough here that we BADLY need religious reform. BADLY. The rigidities, the flaws, the corruption....must be weeded out. I agree that religion has a message of benevolence, but that message is hidden in the rubble of punditry, corruption, sleaze and politics.
In order to find that message, we must, as citizens of the world, pledge our support to world peace. It is still, unfortunately, restricted to a term. World peace exists on paper. We need to bring the idea to life.
Is it so hard to accept our God as a force that loves us, governs us all ? Why must he necessarily be a subject of discord everytime ?
I believe that God is a force that inspires me to better deeds, an honourable life, success, service and love. I do not view God as a "white haired caucasian male" who rewards good and punishes evil.
Modernism calls for thought beyond the petty rigidities religion has confined us to, all these years. Modernism is light. Light is modernism.
Modern Literature
Its been a long long while (almost 4 months to be precise) since I wrote on this blog. But I have learnt a lot in terms of self introspection during this time. I have learnt to appreciate the finer things in life, and have also learnt to give importance to my priorities. Fortunately, I am someone who has very limited expectations from life, and I feel happiness and expectations from life are inversely proportional. During this time, I rediscovered reading as a habit, which has compelled me to write this blog today.
Modern literature is an amazing kaleidoscope. It is one of those few things that can be rightly associated with modernism, for it is something that has really progressed with time. There are certain ageless poems and stories that are beyond the trifling comparisons, yes, but they do not diminish the power modern literature exerts on the psyche of the thinker today. Literature in the modern world has its share of drama, excitement, learning and exclamation and yes, FLAWS. When I read Sidney Sheldon, for instance, I am transported into a different era where I can literally see western culture all around me. There are, of course, many who think Sheldon writes trash. I disagree. For the simple reason that he writes what is for real..around him! I also read his autobiography recently, and it spoke lucidly on what filmmaking and publishing are all about. So, it really depends on perception and how much you are willing to admit into your psyche.
A comparison with older literature (say, a Frost poem or a Shakespearean play) would be silly. The reason is, again, obvious. Older literature touched upon what is seen as esoteric today. It basically touched upon the simpler, more beautiful things in life. So, when you read a poem by Robert Frost, you are thinking about the road that diverged in the yellow woods...and NOTHING else ! There is such a beautiful imagination in the whole thing. On the other hand, modern literature focuses on the REAL. The present. What you see today. Around you. Recently I read Aravind Adiga's booker prize winner - The White Tiger. I was surprised by the serene flow of the work, as well as its explicit connection with the real world around me. You don't have to even TRY to relate to it. It comes...almost like a sudden fall in the stock market !
To conclude, I must add here that literature transcends boundaries - regional, linguistic and cultural. It cannot, however, transcend modernism. Any book you see around you - Sheldon, Dan Brown, Jeffery Archer, Danielle Steel.... - is living proof !
Modern literature is an amazing kaleidoscope. It is one of those few things that can be rightly associated with modernism, for it is something that has really progressed with time. There are certain ageless poems and stories that are beyond the trifling comparisons, yes, but they do not diminish the power modern literature exerts on the psyche of the thinker today. Literature in the modern world has its share of drama, excitement, learning and exclamation and yes, FLAWS. When I read Sidney Sheldon, for instance, I am transported into a different era where I can literally see western culture all around me. There are, of course, many who think Sheldon writes trash. I disagree. For the simple reason that he writes what is for real..around him! I also read his autobiography recently, and it spoke lucidly on what filmmaking and publishing are all about. So, it really depends on perception and how much you are willing to admit into your psyche.
A comparison with older literature (say, a Frost poem or a Shakespearean play) would be silly. The reason is, again, obvious. Older literature touched upon what is seen as esoteric today. It basically touched upon the simpler, more beautiful things in life. So, when you read a poem by Robert Frost, you are thinking about the road that diverged in the yellow woods...and NOTHING else ! There is such a beautiful imagination in the whole thing. On the other hand, modern literature focuses on the REAL. The present. What you see today. Around you. Recently I read Aravind Adiga's booker prize winner - The White Tiger. I was surprised by the serene flow of the work, as well as its explicit connection with the real world around me. You don't have to even TRY to relate to it. It comes...almost like a sudden fall in the stock market !
To conclude, I must add here that literature transcends boundaries - regional, linguistic and cultural. It cannot, however, transcend modernism. Any book you see around you - Sheldon, Dan Brown, Jeffery Archer, Danielle Steel.... - is living proof !
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