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November, 2009 FEARI lead a certain kind of life; I think in a certain pattern; I have certain beliefs and dogmas and I don’t want those patterns of existence be disturbed because I have my roots in them. I don’t want them to be disturbed because the disturbance produces a state of unknowing and I dislike that. If I am torn away from everything I now and believe, I want to be reasonably certain of the state of things to which I am going. So the brain cells have created a pattern and those brain cells refuse to create another pattern which may be uncertain. The movement from certainty to uncertainty is what I call FEAR August, 2008 India @ 61[ Started writing an article on India’s 61st Independence. Lost interest half way. Below is half complete article. Interested can read at leisure ]
Proceedings of recent time have left me disillusioned. Uncurbed inflation, cowardice acts of terrorism, violence in J & K, shameful political drama are just one too many more than I can recount have left me perplexed trying to find ‘how long India can exist in politically unity?’ I thought to have become amalgamated into the Indian thinking fabric of defeatism, pessimism and false ego.
At this time of the hour Ambedkar’s word 60 years ago is more true than it was then.
Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment. It has to be cultivated. We must realize that our people have yet to learn it. Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil, which is essentially undemocratic. - B. R. Ambedkar
All my doubts are not without valid reasons. Are we nation of skeptics? Until freedom left liberalist wished for British imperialism to continue; since Independence, for 40 years, we hoped in vain for USSR to build India; last 20 years, are we hoping on United States to develop India?
For it to be appropriate, who could write such an article as ‘India @ 61’? Politician? Journalist? Scholar? Westerner? If alive, Gandhi? Nehru? Is when I realized if such was to be written it must more appropriate by common folk of the nation. Whence started writing ‘India @ 61’. What was I to write? Should it be an account of progress and fallback, about strength and weakness, about valor and defeat, about greatness and embarrassment, about culture and religion, about secularism and communalism, about diversity and unity? This would merely reduce it to a historian’s account of India as journalist. So I deliberated to write from ideological perspective through my mind’s eye.
I was to understand what is India? – ‘India is just a geographical expression . it is only the British who united it. We aren’t even one nation – for a nation must have one language, one religion, one race’ – how often have we heard this? So what is real India? - And I found it from Nehru’s ‘Discovery of India’. It is a five thousand years long continuity of cultural expression that is India. It is a thousands of years of history of invasion and upheaval, a tradition which was widespread among the masses and powerfully influenced them. Starting with ‘The Indus civilization’ – which represents a very perfect adjustment of human life to a specific environment that can only have resulted from years of patient effort. And it has endured; it is already specifically Indian and forms the basis of modern Indian culture.
Astonishing as it was that any culture or civilization should have this continuity for five or six thousand years or more; and not in a static, unchanging sense, for India was changing and progressing all the time. These were the men who seemed to know life and understand it, and out of their wisdom they had built a structure which gave India a cultural stability which lasted for thousands of years. It is the people of this nation are India – no cast, no creed and no religion
India’s Strength and Weakness – 19th through mid 20th century while western world was advancing India fell behind in the matters of technique, and Europe, which had long been backward in many matters, took the lead in technical progress. Behind this technical progress was the spirit of science and a bubbling life and spirit which displayed itself in many activities and adventures voyages of discovery. New techniques gave military strength to the countries of western Europe, and it was easy for them to spread out and dominate the East. That is the story not only of India, but of the whole of Asia.
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;”
Today, does this great nation stand up to the preamble of the constitution devised 59 years ago? Where is the security when terrorists are walking free after crime? Where is the equality when there is still no common civil code? As a common man of this nation what are we to do to uphold the preamble of our constitution and leave up to it? October, 2007 India is Indira, Indira is IndiaConstitutional amendments were passed to prolong Mrs. Gandhi's rule during the times of emergency in 1975
38th Amendment, passed on July 1975, barred judicial review of the emergency
39th Amendment, introduced two weeks later, stated that the election of the prime minister could not be challenged by the Supreme Court, but only by the body constituted by Parliament.
42nd Amendment, clauses that gave unprecedented powers to Parliament. Such as it could extend its own term without going for elections (which it immediately did to re-instate Indira and Congress in power at New Delhi)
I am trying to check with a lawyer to find out if these amendments are still in force
During this time Supreme Court bench, under hostile situations, held that detentions without trial were legal under the new dispensation – detention without trial is immediate disparage on the democratic core value of personal liberty. This was the same kind of apartheid rule against which Nelson Mandela fought.
To which New York Times commented saying “the submission of an independent judiciary to an absolutist government is virtually the last step in the destruction of a democratic society”
In January 1976 the term of the DMK government ended in Tamil Nadu. Rather than call fresh elections, the center ordered a spell of President’s Rule. The same medicine was administered to Gujarat!!!
I was startling when learnt these facts for the first time. World most populous democracy was almost dictated by one lady!!! Given his son Sanjay’s rough and tough attitude, had she taken complete control over the country and somehow it got passed on in to the hands of Sanjay, India would have become no less than Cuba.
The kind of situation prevailed during 1975 emergency was not any less than Nazi regime in Germany. Free Press was curtailed. What was published is stringently scrutinized. If it all a
What I can’t tell is… was she right in what she did under those circumstance? Some say it was needed to discipline India. It was needed to eradicate corruption. It was needed to bring law and order to the states. In my opinion it is just like Sovient’s communism under the label of Socialism. Though the working class of those times least cared about free press and personal liberty all they wanted was work & food. Even then the state of emergency for over a year was just too much. Unjustifiable.
But what I can tell with great certainty that if Pandit were alive and PM, he would not have done any of this sort. Rather he would have found a way to reconcile with JP.
The questions is could this happen again? Only consoling news is neither party in the center has a power leader like Indira J (I might be under estimating Sonia’s capability. She is strong and stubborn just like her in-law. All congress stalwarts are walking behind holding her saree)
The same power politics is juggling in Karnataka today. All for power. None of those politicians remember why they are there and what their job is…
It is all Power politics.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Who is going to save ‘Politics from Politicians’?
[Courtesy: India after Gandhi, Ramachandra Guha. So far I am almost at ¾th of the book. Very good book if you are interested about contemporary political history of India since 1947. You can learn more about why 1975 emergency was forced upon and lot more things that we never knew about our own country and countrymen] August, 2007 The Lost History“Even if you must go all the way to China,” said the Prophet, “seek knowledge”. This was the theme of Muslim (Submission) during the golden age lasted for 500 years. There was split in Muslim, those who believed and followed ‘only way to God is by Revelation’ and those who believed and followed ‘only way to God is by Reason’.
A famous Caliph of 8th century C.E established what known as the ‘House of Wisdom’ which seeded the greatest invention, discoveries in all known fields of human knowledge – Physics, Mathematics, Astrology, Astronomy, Chemistry, Architecture, Poetry, Philosophy, Medicine and list goes on. This golden age at 8tgh century C.E, Baghdad being the center of Islam intellect would one day lay the seeds of European renaissance and enlightenment. Unfortunately much of the contribution from Islam is lost for every in history. The foundation laid by Islam intellects and buildings were built by Europeans and later to become as Europe single handedly achieved the wealth of knowledge know to mankind.
Theory of relativity was known to Islam scholars a thousand years before Einstein. Islamic scholars flew gliders eight hundred years before Wright Brothers. I am working to compile a long list of Islamic inventions and discoveries and dates vs. the same achieved (or rather used) by European counterparts.
In an era when the relationship between Islam and the West seems fraught with misunderstanding, how many of us realize that Muslim intellectual achievement was once the envy of the world? In magnificent centers of learning, from Damascus to Baghdad and Cairo, mathematicians a thousand years ago developed algebra, algorithms, and trigonometry – the foundations upon which modern technology is built. Inventors devised the crankshaft and early versions of the torpedo and the parachute. Physicians’ techniques ranged from orthodontia to asthma care to tracheotomy. And Muslim astronomers calculated our planet’s diameter and circumference to a remarkable degree of accuracy – at the time when Europeans thought the earth was flat!!!
Their contribution to modern knowledge are almost beyond counting. How many of us know the names of ibn al-Haytham, ibn Sina, al-Tusi, al-Khwarizmi, Omar Khayyam? These very men paved the way for Newton, Copernicus, Einstein, and many others
[MS dictionary does not know them. Newton, Einstein are valid words in English Dictionary where as ibn al-Haytham, ibn Sina are underlined RED]
The Lost History – A book from National Geographic Tipu Sultan's rockets bombed America!!!In the British-Indian battler at the fortress of Srirangapatanam in Mysore, in 1979, at this point India is succumbing to the invading British, but under Muslim ruler Tipu Sultan, India is still fighting. One tactic, put in place by the sultan’s father Hyder Ali, is a formidable rocket force. Each Indian battalion had 200 rocketeers in place, armed with ample supplies of rockets capable of traveling a thousand yards and tipped with lethal warheads, including gunpowder charges, pointed tips, and even a kind of whirling blade that shreds everything on point of impact like a meat grinder. Though by then Europe had rockets, none of them had the range and lethality of these rockets.
During the battle, thousands of Indian missiles slam into the British forces, considerably slowing their advance. Finally, when the fortress falls, the British capture several hundred loaded rockets and rocket launchers and thousands of unarmed ones. Some of these are packed and shipped back to Britain for study. They come to the attention of one William Congreve, an armaments expert in the service of the king. He swiftly sets about incorporating the Indian design into the British forces.
And then, only 14 years later, when the infant United States is under attack from the same British Empire, the so-called Congreve rockets fashioned after the Indian rockets are fired at the uncooperative Americans, in particular from ships in the Chesapeake Bay against one Fort McHenry, protecting the American city of Baltimore.
An American prisoner of the British will watch throughout the night as his captors launch volley upon volley of Congreve rockets at the American fortification. The next morning, when he sees the tattered American flag still flying above the fort, he will be inspired to write a patriotic song called the ‘Start Spangled Banner’!!!
Most Americans know about Francis Scott Key and their national anthem. But because of lost history, they do not know that those rockets inspiring the song were born in faraway China, brought west by the Mongols for events like the attack on Baghdad, then transformed by the Muslims into more versatile weapon of war, and shot into the European mind through the Crusades, through the re-conquest of Spain, through the Turkish attack on the gates of Vienna, and through the final Muslim-Indian resistance against British.
Nor do they know that one day, distant descendants of those rockets and rocketeers will animate renewed bloodlettings in the 21st century in the so-called clash of civilizations, tiresomely like the battles of lost history, and in many of the same places: Baghdad, Israel, Afghanistan.
It is one irony of lost history that its blade cuts both ways!!!
Courtesy: The Lost History – Michael Hamilton Morgan for National Geographic June, 2007 Faith, Hope and Love
Anyone can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – this is not easy – ARISTOTOLE. Often one finds the words faith, hope and love with adjective prefixes as ‘unconditional’ faith or ‘infallible’ hope or ‘blind’ love and so forth. Use of these adjectives suggests that they are unexplainable by reason. Why unconditional? Why infallible? Why blind? Often actions/reactions made purely based on faith, hope and love could be of disastrous consequences. Parent making a desperate effort in the moment of crisis to ensure their child’s survival… we all live and work today with the hope that we will live tomorrow… or a faith in god, we put our entire burden. After all what are these words faith, hope and love signify? They are human emotions. Why are they central to human kind? Why do we need these emotions? What is the purpose and significance of them? Why emotions or passions overwhelm reason? In this context, the term Homo sapiens - the thinking species - becomes misnomer. There are both scientific answers as well as philosophical explanations to these questions. In this essay, l shall dwell into science to find the answers for these questions. Various branch of science that deals with human brain/mind… Psychology, Neurology, partly anthropology and likes… Parent’s desperate efforts to save their children without concern for their life, automatic reactions of this sort have become etched in our nervous system, because for a long and crucial period in human prehistory they made the difference between survival and death. Even more important, they mattered for the main task of evolution: being able to bear progeny who would carry on these very genetic predispositions. These given of human nature arise from the basic architecture of mental life. In terms of biological design for the basic neural circuitry of emotion, what we are born with is what worked best for the last 50,000 human generations, not the last 500 generations. The slow deliberate forces of evolution that have shaped our emotions have done their work over the course of a million years; the last 10,000 years – despite having witnessed the rapid rise of human civilization and the explosion of the human population – have left littler imprint on our biological templates for emotional life. All emotions are, in essence, impulses to act, the instant plans for handling life that evolution has instilled in us. The very root of emotion is “to move”, plus the “e-“ to connote “move away”, suggesting that a tendency to act is implicit in every emotion. Every emotion (anger, fear, love, hope, faith) has distinctive pre-configured reactions. Emotions are also shaped by our culture. Hence, responses to some of these emotions may vary between different cultures. Our mental life is fundamentally constructed of two minds. One, the rational mind, is the mode of comprehension we are typically conscious of: more prominent in awareness, thoughtful, able to ponder and reflect. But alongside there is another system of knowing: impulsive and powerful, some times illogical – the emotional mind. Aka thinking brain and feeling brain (the heart!!). How do these minds interact? Why some emotional impulses hi-jack rational mind? What there do always two minds both want to do two different things? To answer these questions we need to understand how the brain grew. Over the millions of years of evolution our brain grew bottom up, with its higher centers developing as elaborations of lower, more ancient parts. the brain stem - The most primitive part of the brain is the brain stem surrounding the top of spinal cord. This root brain regulates like breathing and the metabolism of the body’s other organs, as well as controlling stereotyped reactions and movements. This primitive brain cannot said to be think or learn; rather it is a set of preprogrammed regulators that keep the body running as it should and reacting in a way that ensures survival. [This brain reigned supreme in the Age of Reptiles: Picture a snake hissing to signal the threat of an attack] the limbic brain – from the most primitive root, the brain stem, began to evolve, eventually growing large enough to encircle the top of the brainstem. In early stages it was composed of little more than a thin layer of neurons gathered for analyzing smell. One layer of cells took in what was smelled and sorted it out into the relevent categories: edible or toxic, sexually available, enemy or meal. A second layer of cells sent reflexive messages throughout the nervous system telling the body what to do: bite, spit, approach, flee chase. With the arrival of higher order animals as mammals came new, key layers of the emotional brain. These, surrounding the brainstem, look roughly like a bagel with a bite taken out at the bottom where the brainstem nestles into them. Because this part of the brain rings and borders the brainstem, it was called the “limbic” system. This neural territory added emotions proper to the brain’s repertoire. When we are in the grip of craving or fury, head-over-heels in love or recoiling in dread, it is the limbic system that has us in its grip. the neocortex - As the limbic system evolved, it refined two powerful tools: learning and memory. These evolutionary advanced allowed an animal to be much smarter in its choices for survival, and to find-tune its responses to adapt to changing demands rather than having invariable and automatic reactions. If food led to sickness, it could be avoided next time. Over 100 million year brain in mammals took a great spurt. Piled on top of the two-layered limbic cortex – the regions that plan, comprehend what sensed, co-ordinate movement – several new layers of brain cells were added to form the neocortex – the thinking brain. It is the part of the brain responsible for higher order activities as abstractions, reason, logic, and feeling about ideas, feeling about feeling, art, symbols, language and so forth. Due to such a complex higher brain, human kind has various responses to same emotions. [Lack of higher brain – neocortex – in reptiles, which only have limbic system, is the reason for cannibalism. That is the reason reptile hatchlings run to cover from being cannibalized from their own mother.] Conclusion - The fact that thinking brain grew from the more primitive emotional brain (the limbic) reveals much about the relationship of thought to feeling; there was an emotional brain long before there was a rational one. Because of this architecture emotional brain plays crucial role in human life. As the root from which newer neocortex brain grew, the emotional areas are intertwined via myriad connecting circuits to all parts of the neocortex. This gives the emotional center immense power to influence the functioning of the rest of brain – including the centers for thoughts, reason, abstractions and logics. Anatomically emotional system can act independently of the thinking brain. Some emotional reactions and emotional memories can be formed without any conscious, cognitive participation at all. Such is emotion of Faith, Hope and Love. In an emotional emergency, primitive limbic brain is the first to receive signals [visual, sound, smell] from external world before they are sent for processing in higher neocortex brain. Even before neocortex could process and figure out the thought full response to the confronted emergency, limbic brain kicks into action hiring the rest of the brain including the thinking neocortex for action. Limbic brain being the ancient brain has an ancient response to the confronted situation and reacts according to stored response. If anger is triggered, blood rushes into hands to help hold a weapon and puts whole but at the edge ready for confrontation or if it is fear, blood rushes to legs for fleeing. This is called as emotional hi-jacking. Neocortex or thinking brain has no chance of calculating thoughtful reactions to the confronted situation. Once the anger is gone; one feels remorse, regret and this is caused by the thinking brain which is responsible for higher mental faculties as consciousness and moral. It is the moral which tells what is right and what is wrong. This is why it becomes imperative to learn to manage emotional brain, to learn to have thoughtful response to the reactions of faith, hope and love. Managing and controlling emotions gives enough time for higher brain to compile thoughtful responses and to decide write or wrong before acting. A violent reaction to loss of love by a university student results in killing of 37 fellow students. Unconditional love, blind faith, anger and avenge by fundamentalists resulted in loss of thousands of life in word trade center disaster. These could have been avoided only if we let the age of reason to take over and allow the emotions to work with reason for greater future. Life is comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel – HORAGE WALPOLE. References: Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman The Descent of Man – Charles Darwin Self Introspection
April, 2007 Final account on The Descent of Man“Man, like every other animal, has no doubt advanced to his present high condition through a struggle for existence consequent on his rapid multiplication; and if he is to advance still higher, it is to be feared that he must remain subject o a severe struggle. Otherwise he would sink into indolence, and the more gifted men would not be more successful in the battle of life than the less gifted. Hence our natural rate of increase, though leading to many and obvious evils, must not be greatly diminished by any means. There should be open competition for all men; and the most able should not be prevented by laws or customs from succeeding best and rearing the largest number of offspring. Important as struggle for existence has been and even still is, yet as far the highest part of man’s nature is concerned there are other agencies more important.” - Charles Darwin Darwin’s last account on The Descent of Man many subjective moral question Should the reservation be persisted to uplift lesser?
Should the poor, disabled and lesser be helped?
Should the diseased be cured to normal yet lesser life?
Should? Should...
Obviously the highest mental faculty of man kind - ‘morality’ will answer ‘YES’ to these questions. If persisted with the morality, what would happen to the evolution? Ever acting natural selection could choose human kind for extinction. The advancement of the welfare of mankind is a most intricate problem: all ought to refrain from marriage who cannot avoid poverty for their children; for poverty is not only a great evil, but tends to its own increase by leading to recklessness in marriage. On the other hand if the prudent avoid marriage, while the reckless marry, the inferior members tend to supplant the better members of society. Leaving weaker and lesser to increase in number would definitely mean natural selection will eliminate them and eventually the human kind. What could happen if the answers to above questions were ‘NO’? The stronger prevail, weaker perish. Natural selection would ensure man kind reach even greater heights. April, 2007 The Descent of Man - ReviewJust finished reading - 136 years later the book was first published J - The Descent of Man by Darwin!!! Genius of Darwin, as I understood, is observation, deep contemplation and application of pure logic which lead him to write one of the ten greatest books ever written and one of very few books that could be discussed on the tables of Philosophy, Science, Theology, Anthropology and several other braches of human knowledge.
The Descent of Man - A Summary[Notes to reader: This is quite a lengthy writing. Interested readers are suggested ensure ample of time to read, resonate and contemplate. I invite reader to express well thought reactions to establish continuing discussion on the topic for further knowledge. I am obliged to provide further information on the topic if needed. You can find this writing on my blog http://gancys.spaces.live.com/default.aspx?] I am picking only part of this book for summary and leave rest to the readers’ interest. If somebody is interested in understanding diverge Races of Man, one should read Darwin’s theory of Sexual Selection in conjunction with Natural Selection explaining divergences – astonishing theory!! The summary doesn’t do any justice to Darwin’s ideas and require a completing reading. Here is the summary from my notes made while reading the book. May be this could inspire the reader to read the entire book. Following are the very words of the genius himself. Natural Selection Man is variable in body and mind; and that the variations are induced, either directly or indirectly, by the same general causes, and obey the same general laws, as with the lower animals. Man has spread widely over the face of the earth, and must have been exposed, during his incessant migrations, to the most diversified conditions and must have experienced climates and changed their habits many times, before they reached their present homes. The early progenitors of man must have increased beyond their means of subsistence; they must, therefore, occasionally have been exposed to struggle for existence, and consequently to the rigid laws of natural selection. Beneficial variations of all kinds will this, either occasionally or habitually, have been preserved, and injurious ones eliminated. Sexual Selection [I could not have written a justifiable summary to Darwin’s provocative theory of Sexual Selection, hence I leave this to the interested reader to learn for themselves.] Language A great stride in the development of the intellect will have followed, as soon as the half-art and half-instinct of language came into use; for the continued use of language will have reacted on the brain and produced inherited effect; and this again will have reacted on the improvement of language. Largeness of the brain in man relatively to his body, compared with the lower animals, may be attributed in chief part to the early use of some simple form of language – that wonderful engine which affixes signs to all sorts of objects and qualities, and excites trains of thought which would never arise from the mere impression of the senses, or if they did arise could not be followed out. The higher intellectual powers of man, such as those of ratiocination, abstraction, self-consciousness, etc probably follow from the continued improvement and exercise of the other mental faculties. Moral & Conscience A moral being is one who is capable of reflecting on his past actions and their motives – of approving of some and disapproving of others; and the fact that man is the one being who certainly deserves this designation, is the greatest of all distinctions between him and the lower animals. Moral sense follows, firstly, from the enduring and ever-present nature of the social instincts; secondly, from man’s appreciation of the approbation and disapprobation of his fellows; and thirdly, from the high activity of his mental faculties, with past impressions extremely vivid; and in these latter respects he differs from the lower animals. Owing to this condition of mind, man cannot avoid looking both backwards and forwards, and comparing past impressions. Hence after some temporary desire or passion has mastered his social instincts, he reflects and compares the now weakened impression of such past impulses with the ever-present social instincts; and he then feels that sense of dissatisfaction which all unsatisfied instincts leave behind them, he therefore resolves to act differently for the future – and this is conscience. Any instinct, permanently stronger or more enduring than another, gives rise to a feeling which we express by saying that it ought to be obeyed. The moral nature of man has reached its present standard, partly through the advancement of his reasoning powers and consequently of a just public opinion, but especially from his sympathies having been rendered more tender and widely diffused through the effects of habit, example, instruction, and reflection. Nevertheless the first foundation or origin of the moral sense lies in the social instincts, including sympathy; and these instincts no doubt were primarily gained, as in the case of the lower animals, through natural selection Belief in God – Religion There is no evidence that man was aboriginally endowed with the ennobling belief in the existence of an Omnipotent god. On the contrary there is ample evidence collected, that numerous races existed and exit even today, who have no idea of one or ore gods, and who have no words in their languages to express such an idea. The question is of course wholly distinct from that higher one, whether there exists a Creator and Ruler of the universe; and this has been answered in affirmative by some of the highest intellects that have ever existed. If, however, we include under the term ‘religion’ the belief in unseen or spiritual agencies, the case wholly different; for this belief seems to be universal with the less civilized races. Nor it is difficult to comprehend how it arose. As soon as the important faculties of the imagination, wonder, and curiosity, together with some power of reasoning, had become partially developed, man would naturally crave to understand what was passing around him, and would have vaguely speculated on his own existence. Some explanation of the phenomenon of life, a man must find for himself; and to judge from the universality of it, the simplest hypothesis and the first to occur to men, seems to have been that natural phenomenon are ascribable to the presence in animals, plants and thing, and in the forces of nature, of such spirits prompting to action as men are conscious they themselves posses. It is also probable that dreams may have first given rise to the notion of spirits; for savages do not readily distinguish between subjective and objective impressions. When savages dreams, the figures which appear before him are believed to have come from a distance, and to stand over him; or ‘the soul of the dreamer goes out on its travels, and comes home with a remembrance of what it has seen’. But until the faculties of imagination, curiosity, reason, etc, had been fairly well developed in the mind of man, his dreams would not have led him to believe in spirits, any more than in the case of a dog. The tendency in savages to imagine that natural objects and agencies are animated by spiritual or living essences, is perhaps illustrated by a little fact which I once noticed: my dog, a full-grown and very sensible animal, was lying on the lawn during a hot and still day; but at a little distance slight breeze occasionally moved dog, an open parasol, which would have been wholly disregarded by the dog, had any one stood near it. As it was, every time that the parasol slightly moved, the dog growled fiercely and barked. He must, I think, have reasoned to himself in a rapid and unconscious manner, that movement without any apparent cause indicated the present of some strange living agent, and that no stranger had a right to be on his territory. The belief in spiritual agencies would easily pass into the belief in the existence of one or more gods. For savages would naturally attribute to spirits the same passions, the same love of vengeance or simplest form of justice, and the same affections which they themselves feel. The feeling of religious devotion is highly complex one, consisting of love, complete submission to an exalted and mysterious superior, a strong sense of dependence, fear, reverence, gratitude, hope for the future, and perhaps other elements. No being could experience so complex an emotion until advanced in his intellectual and moral faculties to at least moderately high level. Nevertheless, we see some distant approach to this state of mind in the deep love of a dog for his master, associated with complete submission, some fear, and perhaps other feelings. The same high mental faculties which first led man to believe in unseen spiritual agencies, then in fetishism, polytheism, and ultimately in monotheism, would infallibly lead him, to various superstitions and customs. Many of these are terrible to think of – such as sacrifice of human beings to blood-loving god; the trial of innocent persons by the ordeal of poison or fire; witchcraft, etc – yet it is well occasionally to reflect on these superstitions, for they show us what an infinite debt of gratitude we owe to the improvement of our reason, to science, and to our accumulated knowledge. Instincts Any animal whatever, endowed with well –marked social instincts, the parents and filial affections being here included, would inevitably acquire a moral sense or conscience, as soon as its intellectual powers had become as well, or nearly as well developed, as in man. For, firstly, the social instincts lead an animal to take a pleasure in the society of its fellows, to feel a certain amount of sympathy with them, and to perform various services for them. Secondly, as soon as the mental faculties had become highly developed, images of all past actions and motives would be incessantly passing through the brain of each individual; and that feeling shall hereafter see, from any unsatisfied instinct, would arise, as often as it was perceived that the enduring and always present social instinct had yielded to some other instinct, at the timer stronger, but neither enduring in its nature, nor leaving behind it a very vivid impression. It is clear that many instinctive desires, such as that of hunger, are in their nature of short duration; and after beings satisfied, are not readily or vividly recalled. For each individual would have an inward sense of possessing certain stronger or more enduring instincts, and other to which impulse should be followed; and satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or even misery would be felt, as past impressions were compared during their incessant passage through the mind. In this case an inward monitor would tell the animal that it would have been better to have followed the one impulse rather than the other. The one course ought to have been followed, and the other ought not; the one would have been right and the other wrong. [I use an example to explain this further. Consider the conflict between two instincts of man, firstly self-preservation Vs maternal instinct and secondly, self-preservation Vs social instinct. In the first case, a mother is influenced to maternal instinct for her child so much so her very basic instinct of self-preservation is given up. Similarly, a man watching another fellow drowning in water would immediately jump into water to save the fellow as against protecting himself. This case stronger social instinct of empathy takes over basic instinct of self-preservation] Although some instincts are more powerful than other, and thus lead to corresponding actions, yet it is untenable, that in man the social instincts (including love of praise and fear of blame) possess greater strength, or have, through long habit, acquired greater strength than the instincts of self-preservation, hunger, lust vengeance, etc. Even when we are quite alone, how often do we think with pleasure or pain of what other think of us – of their imagine approbation or disapprobation; and this all follows from sympathetic instinct, a fundamental element of the social instincts. A man who possessed no trace of such instincts would be an unnatural monster. On the other hand, the desire to satisfy hunger, or any passion such as vengeance, is in its nature temporary, and can for a time be fully satisfied. The instinct of self-preservation is not felt except in the presence of danger; and many a coward has thought himself brave until he has met his enemy face to face. The wish for another man’s property is perhaps as persistent a desire as any that can be named; but even in this case the satisfaction of actual possession is generally a weaker feeling than the desire. The nature and strength of the feelings which we call regret, shame, repentance or remorse, depend apparently not on the strength of the violated instinct, but partly on the strength of the temptation, and often still more on the judgment of our fellows. Remorse seems to bear the same relation to repentance, as rage does to anger, or agony to pain.
March, 2007 Atheism and Second Law of Thermo DynamicsTaking the conversation on Atheism further, I would like to counter the idea of 'Argument by Design' of Theism by using Second Law of Thermodynamics. One can use this law to produce scientific definition of life. I consider this a very safe argument unless a genius proves thermodynamics wrong. This argument is on the ‘Order’ and ‘Design’. What is ‘Order’ and ‘Design’? 'Order' is mere regularity, mere pattern; 'Design' is an exploitation of an 'Order' for purpose. For instance, Solar System exhibits beautiful 'Order', but does not have purpose i.e. It isn't for anything. Any eye, in contrast is for seeing.
[I would like to quote on this occasion one of the famous scholar from 18th century England, an aristocrat Anglican Christian stating that 'God created planetary system and put them in motion to ensure sleep' - I thought this as such an arrogance of being human kind!!! Such an Ignorance!!! That is why it is said 'Ignorance is bliss']
Coming back to Thermodynamics, here is the argument proposed and popularized by Erwin Schrödinger (1967)
Life can be defined in terms of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. In physics, order or organization can be measured in terms of heat differences between regions of space time; entropy is simply disorder, the opposite of order, and according to the Second Law, the entropy of any isolated system increases with time. In other words, things run down, inevitably. According to the Second Law, the universe is unwinding out of a more ordered state into the ultimately disordered state known as the heat death of the universe. What then are living things? They are things that defy this crumbling into dust, at least for awhile, by not being isolated--by taking in from their environment the wherewithal to keep life and limb together.
The psychologist Richard Gregory summarizes the idea:
Time's arrow given by Entropy--the loss of organization, or loss of temperature differences--is statistical and it is subject to local small-scale reversals. Most striking: life is a systematic reversal of Entropy, and intelligence creates structures and energy differences against the supposed gradual 'death' through Entropy of the physical Universe.
Sometimes I think, while talking about Theism and Atheism that Absolute Ignorance (Theism) fully qualifies itself to take the place of Absolute Wisdom (Atheism)
Insomuch our discussion on the Idea of Theism and Atheism goes, I think we (Atheists) have proposed a more complete, logical and scientific explanation to support Theism against vagueness of Mythology.
I am doing an extensive work in preparing a complete essay based on scientific evidences, facts and logics to make one of many more assaults on Theism. We (Atheists) have seen and been amongst Theists. I was born to a god believing parents, surrounded by god believing neighbors, friends, colleagues and teachers. Every step of the way I was preached to believe in god, pray, to follow the customs and rituals. But till today nobody has ever preached us into Atheism. NEVER. (as apposed to Theism, where every religion preaches people to be and stay god believing).
It was some point in time a question sprout in my mind. Why do I have to do what I am doing? Is it because we are told to do it? And many questions like these started to arouse. Then on answers to those questions become ideas, deep contemplation on that ideas leads to belief and further reading and further contemplation strengthens that belief. This is the process of becoming Theist to Atheist. The whole journey has never been blind. It was scientific, logical, and practical, being an Atheist is fulfilling.
So the conclusion is, we (Atheists) have seen both worlds and are in better position to make judgments March, 2007 WATERThis is one of the must watch movie for all religious fundamentalists and radicals. Being born Hindu, I have freed myself from God and Religion. Today I am completely free and a happy man. I dare to go on and write this… The day before filming was due to begin; the crew was informed that there were complications with gaining location permits. The following day, they learned that 2,000 protesters had stormed the ghats, destroying the main film set, burning and throwing it into the Ganges protest at the film's criticism of Hindu rites. The resulting tensions meant that Mehta struggled for many years to make Water and was eventually forced to make it in Sri Lanka rather than India The charges were first made by Hindu extremists angered by the touchy subject matter and who attacked and burned the Water set in the holy city of Varanasi, causing over $600,000 worth of damage. Production was shut down until last year, when Mehta secretly finished the movie in nearby Sri Lanka. [Above passage are excerpts from Deepa Mehta’s press interview] Which Hindu Rites the protesters are talking about? Sati? Child Marriage? Widow? Gandhi questioned religious practices and doctrines regardless of traditions or beliefs. On the subject of Christianity, he noted that: "The only people on earth who do not see Christ and His teachings as nonviolent are Christians". Although Gandhi was born a Hindu he was critical of most religions, including Hinduism. He wrote in his autobiography: "Thus if I could not accept Christianity either as a perfect, or the greatest religion, neither was I then convinced of Hinduism being such. Hindu defects were pressingly visible to me. If untouchability and sati could be a part of Hinduism, it could but be a rotten part or an excrescence. I could not understand the raison d'etre of a multitude of sects and castes. What was the meaning of saying that the Vedas were the inspired Word of God? If they were inspired, why not also the Bible and the Koran? As Christian friends were endeavoring to convert me, so were Muslim friends. Abdullah Sheth had kept on inducing me to study Islam, and of course he had always something to say regarding its beauty". In Hindu mythology, Manu is a title accorded the progenitor of humankind, first king to rule this earth, who saves mankind from the universal flood. He is honest which is why he is called "Satyavrata", or with oath of truth. This is what he has written
A widow should be long suffering until death, self-restrained and chaste.
A virtuous wife who remains chaste when her husband has died goes to heaven.
A woman who is unfaithful to her husband is reborn in the womb of a jackal.
The Laws of Manu
Chapter 5 verse 156-161
Dharmashastras (Sacred Hindu texts)
In above verse the word ‘Chaste’, according to dictionary means ‘morally pure (especially not having experienced sexual intercourse)’. I can clearly see this was written to oppress women. This and many vedic texts are followed for thousands of years and women are systematically oppressed in the name of religion. Partly the setup of religion was for few people’s thirst for power and convenience. Not just in Hinduism, this is being done all other religions too. If Manu’s texts are acceptable, why not holocaust? Hitler too believed in a doctrine of his own and systematically murdered Jews. Even more Sanathana dharma (Sanathan is Eternal) says Women are lesser intellect, lesser species etc. One can not say, think, believe or follow these kinds of statements. This is totally absurd. I think religion has had enough. Religious evolution is coming to a point of total transformation, point to which religion is loosing its grip on masses. Church is loosing its power. We are headed toward a free world, a world free from gods and religions. It is the time to listen to your conscience and ask what religion means to me. Religion has done its time, it gave us culture. Now it’s time to give way to new thing. The time has come for us to elevate our thoughts and conscience above and beyond god, religion, race and politics and see the world from an Atheist’s perspective. I bet one can see a brand new world of complete peace and prosperity. I SALUTE DEEPA MEHTA FOR HAVING A COURRAGE TO COMPLETE THIS FILM. I HOPE SHE CONTINUES TO MAKE THIS KIND OF MOVIE TO OPEN THE MINDS OF MILLIONS OF REILIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS AND MAKE THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE ‘FREE FROM GOD AND RELIGION’ March, 2007 Nasty ChicagoChicago, Sunday, 4th February 2007
Since last two days weather in Chicago is very nasty. It was between 21C to 17C below zero. TV weather channel say this is the worst weather Chicago had since 1988. At present it is colder than Alaska. Chicago, being one of the windy cities in US, brings the Wind Chill factor. This Wind Chill is even worse; it could get to 30C below zero. It is like any part of your body exposed would become numb in 10-20 seconds, especially palm and toes. You feel like they have become wood and there is a danger of frost bite. Frost bite could happen in less than 30 minutes and you don’t even know it happening. Snow all around had started turning into ice. Worst thing about this is that it gets slippery to walk on foot path and frozen ice from top of the sky crapper could fall down on to the foot path. You don’t want to get under those ice slabs falling. No matter how warm clothes you wear, cold drills into the bones. Given this back ground, Sunday late evening, I got down at down town Union train station, it was dark and I was waiting for a taxi to go to Millennium train station. From there I was supposed to take another train to Motel. Because of the nasty weather and some Super Bowl final game (Chicago bears vs. Miami bulls); whole down town was like ice desert. Hustling and bustling city was standing still. Accept few cars and public transport, whole city was empty. I tried to take few snaps of those conditions, my hands for so cold and bad that I couldn’t pull the camera out of my coat’s pocket. That moment I started to think about dialing 311 (number to dial for cold emergencies). Weather was killing. Boy that was a scary situation to be in. Finally I decided there is no point in taking a train to go to Motel, it is better to go by tax. But the question is where these taxis are? There is hardly any traffic on the streets. I can not go out of the station to call a taxi. What do I do? If there are no taxis coming by train station, what are the odds of finding taxi if I were to walk on street to find a taxi? Above all what are the odds of me staying alive for 10 minutes in those conditions? Then I mustered courage to go out on to the streets and walked for about 200 meters to a cinema theater. There somebody got out of taxi. I was so relieved and took that taxi all the way from down town to Motel in suburb (about 30 miles and 100 bucks). Taxi drive was Asian, looked like desi but later I found that he was Pakistani desi It was a nice experience though. One time in life, one has to experience things likes these. I enjoyed it (only when I made it back to the comforts my room). All is well if it ends well.
December, 2006 God, Religion and ScienceI was reading this book 'Hyper Space' by Michio Kaku and was wondering how god could get into science? How the vagueness of mythology could be put in rigors of logic. Famous St. Thomas Aquinas in thirteen century produced the logical proof on explaining GOD and science and he said Things are in motion; hence there is a first mover Things are caused; hence there is a first cause Things exist, hence there is a creator Perfect goodness exists, hence it has a source Things are designed, hence they server a purpose. (The first three lines are variations of what is called the cosmological proof; the fourth argues on moral grounds; and the fifth is called the teleological proof. The moral proof is by far the weakest, because morality can be viewed in terms of evolving social customs). Now let's look at what philosophical scientist could say (excerpts from the book 'Hyper Space' by Michio Kaku) "To have life in the universe, you need a rare conjunction of many coincidences. Life, which depends on a variety of complex biochemical constants reaction, can easily be rendered impossible if we change some of the constants of chemistry and physics by a small amount. For example, if the constants that govern nuclear physics were changed even slightly, then nucleo-synthesis and the creation of the heavy elements in the starts and supernovae might become impossible. Then atoms might become unstable or impossible to create in supernovae. Life depends on the heavy elements (elements beyond iron) for the creation of DNA and makes the heavy elements of the universe impossible to manufacture in the starts. We are of children of the stars; however, if the laws of nuclear physics change in the slightest, then our "parents" are incapable of having "children" (us). As another example, it is safe to say that the creation of life in the early oceans probably took 1 to 2 billion years. However, if we could somehow shrink the lifetime of the proton to several million years, then life would be impossible. There would not be enough time to create life out of random collisions of molecules. In other words, the very fact that we exist in the universe to ask these questions about it means that a complex sequence of events must necessarily have happened. It means that the physical constants of the nature must have certain range of values, so that the stars lived long enough to create the heavy elements in our bodies, so that protons don'ts decay too rapidly before life has a chance to germinate, and so on. In other words, the existence of humans who can ask questions about the universe places a huge number of rigid constraints on the physics of the universe - for example, its age, its chemical composition, its temperature, its size, and its physical processes. Remarking on these cosmic incidences, physicist Freeman Dyson once wrote, "As we look out into the Universe and identify the many accidents of physics and astronomy that have worked together to our benefit, it almost seems as if the Universe must in some sense have known that we are coming. This takes us to the strong version of the anthropic principle, which states that all the physical constants of the universe have been precisely chosen (by God or some Supreme Being) so that life is possible in our universe. The strong version, because it raises questions about a deity, is much more controversial among scientists. Conceivably, it might have been blind luck if only a few constants of nature were required to assume certain values to make life possible. However, it appears that a large set of physical constants must assume a narrow band of values in order for life to form in our universe. Since accidents of this type are highly improbable, perhaps a divine intelligence (God) precisely chose those values in order to create life." If you come this far reading, don’t you feel funny, amazed and wondering as I am? The anthropic argument is a more sophisticated version of the old argument that God located the earth at just the right distance from the sun. If God had placed the earth too close , then it would be too hot to support life. If God had placed the earth too far, then it would been too cold. The fallacy of this argument is that millions of planets in the galaxy probably are sitting at the incorrect distance from their sun, and therefore life on them is impossible. However, some planets will, by pure accident, be at right distance from their sun. Our planet is one of them, and hence we are here to discuss the question. AT THIS HIGHEST LEVEL OF THOUGHT PROCESS, I FELT THAT ALL FORM OF KNOWLEDGE EVER KNOWN TO HUMAN KIND UNITE AT SOME POINT. IN ABOVE PARAGRAPHS I CAN SEE SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY HAVE BECOME ONE. FASCINATING ISN'T IT?
October, 2006 Shouldn't life be simple?Last weekend I had been to Kemmannaugundi, company sponsored trip along with several of my colleagues. Kemmannaugundi is about 6hrs drive from Bangalore. It's a beautiful hill station in the midst of thousands of square miles tropical rain forests, mountains, coffee estates, water falls, dense forest, whole of the earth is carpeted with green grass, mild and chilling weather, beautiful view of sunset and sunrise. It is indeed truly a heaven on earth. It was a much required escape from city life. I did half an hour truck to a place called as 'z-point', two mountain lines fuse together in the 'z' shape and hence the name. From 'z-point' one could say huge landscape covered with greenery and clouds kissing the mountain peaks. I was floated by the beauty of the nature. Suddenly a thought crossed my mind and brought smile on face. Being in densely populated and one of the fastest growing city Bangalore, life is so hectic, stressful. Getting up in the morning, rushing to office work all day long and back to home to sleep and doing all this over next day and days to come for rest of my life. In this city life, in between jungle of steel, concrete and glasses we often don't see sun set and sun rise for weeks. Just as to refresh, relieve stress and recharge our biological batteries for next week of work we often escape to places like Kemmannaugundi to breath fresh air, to see sun set and rise, to enjoy the beauty of nature, two days later we are back again where we escaped from. In the conquest of building luxury and comfortable life we have built big cities and urbanizing the whole world. In my opinion things are good when they are kept simple. So is life. Are we not messing it up and making it more complicated? The kind of life we want to escape into, like Kemmannaugundi, was the entire life style years ago. With all those comforts of modern life we have lost the touch with beautiful and simple life, which we try to re-discover by escaping for two days to the places like Kemmannaugundi.
I am so used to the luxury city life, I couldn't walk barefoot for few meters, I couldn't sleep on mat. There is a part in me that want to go back in time and live life like our age old ancestors lived, living off the land, mountains, trees, waters, eating, laughing, playing. It was so simple. I always wonder, what is there in human heart and mind that always pushes us to reach greater height, travel greater distances, to see invisible, to conquer the unconquerable, to do undoable. In doing all these, life is becoming complicated.
This was the though that crossed my and brought smile on my face. Few minutes later I got up, looked over the mountain rages, clouds and trees and filled my heart with joy and started walking toward the base camp with this thought still puzzling me. Eventually, those two days of fun was over, we are back where we came from. Next morning I am sitting in my office in front of my computer, writing complicated software to solve complex life problems only to make it more complicated!
There I am using computer to write this article and post it on the internet... Funny isn't it? Then again the same smile on my face on the very same thought that bought smile on my face in Kemmannaugundi. Only this time I am in my office, in the real world, the world I choose to live in. If I really want I could go into live any kind of life I want to. But I choose to live in the city of Bangalore and I am loving it. At least, I think I am loving it. I really don't know whether I am loving it or not... Life continues... September, 2006 Terrorism and WestI am almost done writing on Terrorism and West. In couple of days I shall update my blog... September, 2006 Gandhigiri - a.k.a GandhismThousands watched, excited and embraced by sparkling term called "Gandhigiri" in Lage Raho Munna Bhai. With this term emerging a new concept.... are thse 'Gandhian' princples timeless? or they are the thing of the past and no longer could be applied in the contemporory world to achieve desire result?
Watch for it, I am writing my thoughts on this. I am going to try to come up with an adaption of 'Gandhian' princeples into this modern world and make them work. But, even before I write single line about that, I must first achieve some result using these princples to prove it is indeed possible to adopt 'Gandhian' principles to modern world. It is a tough job, I shall try... June, 2006 The Scientific Conquest of DeathImmortality is to conquer the blight of involuntary death. Some would consider this goal as scientifically impossible. Some would regard it as hubris. What should we make of this? Is it possible that scientists – or at least humankind – will “conquer the blight of involuntary death?” If so, to what extent will we succeed? What is in fact possible today, and what do the experts predict for the future? Is such a thing as ‘immortality’ feasible? Moreover, is it desirable? What would it mean from a political, social, ethical and religious perspective?
For more visit http://www.imminst.org/
June, 2006 M K Gandhi Vs Adolf HitlerAnalogy between M K Gandhi and Adolf Hitler!!! sounds menacing? Well, I am not for Hitler here. It’s about two contemporary leaders. One changed the world for good and the other for worst. But my point is both are great leaders of their times.
I was wondering if and only if Hitler had used his great leadership for the welfare of the humanity, how the world would be today. What ever we know about the history is what we read and what we read is what was written. History has written that Hitler was a evil (which indeed was cent-per-cent true) and hence generations to come will remember him as evil.
If I look back far into history back into the ages of Egyptians and Romans, I read 'Great Pharos', 'Alexander the Great', 'Suleiman the Magnificent', 'Genghis khan the warrior' and so on... But what these "Great" people did? Were they truly great as they were described? Pharos built pyramids for their burials, they tortured and killed slaves. Alexander conquered country after country, not for people, but for his greed to rule the world and in the process killed thousands of innocents. So is with Genghis Khan (ruthless murderer), Suleiman (built a palace decorate with gold).
The only different was people of those times wrote them as 'Greats', 'Magnificent', 'Warrior' etc and so we know them as great people who ruled and left their legacy. These stories were written hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
But what about Hitler? It is only about 60 year since WWII has ended, may be another 100 or 200 years later people might come to know Hitler as something different than what we know him today. I think it is the time that tells the story. I think history remembers only winners. Hitler lost it all. But in between all his cruality (massacring Jews, holocausts etc), he thought a lesson to all of us (and for future leaders) "The consequences of war". Today many irresponsible nation have nuclear abilities. Imagine a war now. Catastrophic end of the world.
In the above context I tend draw an analogy between M K Gandhi and Adolf Hitler (only their leadership skills and nothing beyond that). Before Gandhi became 'Mahatma' and before Hitler become 'Evil', they suffered similar struggle & hardships, shred similar principles and both were influenced by social conditions of that time. It is just like the saying 'with great power comes the great responsibility', Hitler became thirsty of more and more power and with more and more power he lost the sense of responsibility. His way of expressions was through violence. I could go on to add more to this analogy. But I have to stop here to make reader to use their contemplation to come up with their own conclusions...
This blog is only my opinion. I am not writing this to influence reader to think Adolf Hitler as great. I myself truly believe that a man like him should never repeat again. I conclude by saluting father of my great nation M K Gandhi for showing the world a unique way of fighting for freedom.
"Christ gave me the message. Gandhi gave me the method" - Martin Luther King June, 2006 1999, Person of the Century 'Einstein'While searching on the internet, I accidentally found TIME magazine's December 31, 1999 issue. Cover page portrayed Albert Einstein picture declaring him as "Person of the century". I started wondering on how they came to conclude this. The question that came to my mind was "How different the world would have been, if Einstein did not exist?”
In my opinion person can be judged as person of the century, if his/her existence has changed the world. Assume Einstein did not exist. Series of inter-linked question needs to be answered. What would have happened to theory of relativity? What would have happened to hydrogen bomb? What would have happened to WWII?
Well, If no Einstein, some other scientist would have cracked E=MC^2, may be it would have taken 5 or 10 or 15 more years to do that, but not 50 years!!! Eventually some one would have explained theory of relativity. Now this leads me to second question. America would not have made hydrogen bomb when it needed most during WWII. However, by the time America bombed Japan, Nazi's were on their knees. It would have taken more time and more life; eventually Allied forces would have defeated Nazi's.
Given these scenarios, I tend to believe that Einstein's non-existence would not have changed the world. The world would have been same as it is today. Now, why TIME magazine choose Einstein? Only thing comes to my mind is 20th century was the era of technological changes. I guess TIME magazine has caught the theme of 20th century and attached the name of most famous person of that time associated with technology. That was Einstein!!! So TIME magazine has chosen the "theme of the century" and not the "person of the century"
If you remember history, 20th century was not about technological innovations alone, also it was more about global change from communism, monarch, imperial ruling to democracy and civilian rights. I think these are far more important that technological innovations. People who are involved in these activities should have been looked upon for the "Person of the century" title. Great leaders like Churchill, Stalin, Hitler, and Gandhi.
I can go on and write on each of these great leaders of that time and tell you how different the world would have been if not for these people. Having said this, I am not against the idea of titling Einstein as "Person of Century". I am just questioning the fundamental idea behind choosing him. Lance Armstrong - Its notIt's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
Well I cant do justification by writing my review on this book. Perhaps my short review could arouse interest in others to read this book. Anyway I have made an attempt to write a small review by extracting some text from the book and adultrating it with my poor english
Anyone who makes the long and difficult journey to the winner's podium at the Tour de France has a story to tell. A good writer can probably make it an interesting story, too. But to win the Tour de France after traveling to the brink of death, undergoing debilitating cancer treatments, and having your physique (and your psyche) reduced to a shadow of its former self is nothing less than astounding. Then to write a book about your ordeal and come back to win the Tour de France three more times pushes the definition of Herculean! The story is very simple. A seventeen-year-old high school girl almost single-handedly raises her infant son who grows up with an ability to win triathlons and, in the process, develops a craving for the solitary life on his bike. At age sixteen a sports lab measures his VO2 max (a measure of the ability of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to the body) and records the highest reading they've ever seen. Finally, a cycling coach sees him and he gets invited to Colorado Springs to train with the junior US National team his senior year in high school. This took him to Moscow to ride in the Junior World Championships in 1990 and his cycling career was underway. Thank goodness for head-strong moms. Lance was from Texas, where football is king. But he wasn't a team player, he was a cyclist (indeed, it took him a while to discipline himself and to become a team player even on cycling teams), and he had missed six weeks of school while participating in the Junior Worlds. They wouldn't let him graduate since his absence was unexcused. Lance's mother, Linda Mooneyham, called every private school in Dallas to find a school that wouldn't let "school" interfere with her son's education. She found one and Lance graduated from high school that spring. Lance's first big, really big, season was 1993 when he won a million-dollar prize by sweeping first place in the triple crown of US cycling. That same year he went on to win his first stage in the Tour de France and to become the youngest ever World Cycling Champion at age 21. He was on his way.... He was also brash, aggressive, temperamental, impatient and immature. He writes about the process of becoming a mature racer, of testing and refining his style, and of incrementally improving it on his way to becoming a Tour de France winner. Then he got up one day, at age 25, and learned that he had testicular cancer with a forty-percent chance of surviving. And that forty-percent was probably optimistic. You'll have to read the story of how he beat this cancer and came back to win the 1999 Tour de France yourself. No summary can do justice to the moving tale this young man has to tell. It's a story of pain and perseverance, of self-doubt and depression, and a story of extraordinary determination. One of the things that Lance learned as he matured as a racer was that "there was a science to winning," as he writes. After he was diagnosed and got over the initial shock, he turned this lesson to his advantage in beating his cancer. He ended up at the medical center at Indiana University in the care of oncologists who had pioneered the treatment for testicular cancer. It paid off. It is amazing to me that Lance Armstrong faced resentment and hostility when he came back to win the Tour de France four times in a row beginning in 1999. As he himself writes, having an American win the Tour de France is like having a French baseball team in the world series. But still, a champion is a champion and there has never been a shred of evidence that he has used performance-enhancing drugs, despite the accusations. There's more to this story than I can recount here. So if you want to know the rest of the story, you'll have to read the book. I have always been astounded at the resiliency of the human body and the human spirit. Our capacity to heal, regenerate, forgive and forget is extraordinary. Holocaust survivors, cancer survivors, and the survivors of kinds who emerge without rancor or bitterness are examples for us all. This athlete joins the ranks of some extraordinary human beings. |
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