Saw two amazing movies back to back.
1)Stand By Me(1986)
2)In To The Wild (2007)
It was the first time that I have seen two such stunning movies back to back.Both of them were so raw and natural and so not artificial.You could truly connect with every scene and dialogue .Of the two i would say "In To The Wild" edged it.The soundtrack was just too good. I am sure if god were to play an instrument it would be the acoustic guitar.You could blog about each and every minute of its 140 min runtime.My movie of the year so far by a long margin. Hell the movie made me wanna pack my bags and head off into the wild.Sean Penn take a bow.
All in all if you have nothing to do on a weekend ,watch them.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Zen
Couple of hours back, I wrote a quiz on the "Literature and Environment" course. The course is more about philosophy than literature or environment and hence interesting in a vague sense. A lot of stuff like Eco-criticism and Eco- feminism are things that I neither find interesting nor agree with. But still, there are these golden flashes of an elusive treasure that keeps occurring throughout. There is something about philosophy which is frustrating yet intriguing. Its like that Pandora's box which is half open and lures you in. Two steps more and you think the end(truth) shall be seen but reality shows it to be a bottomless pit.
I have always wondered what would happen if all the philosophical questions had objective answers. It would mean an end to all doubts about purpose and karma. There wouldn't be any courts since everyone* would know what is right and what is wrong. Everyone would do only the right thing, since "wrong" becomes an absolute truth which is no longer dependent on subjective intrepretations. It would be the ideal world, but a boring one at that. Isn't uncertainty the greatest boon of mankind? I remember the dialog of Brad Pitt as Achilles in the film Troy "The Gods envy us. Because we are mortal, because we are doomed, each moment is so much more precious." These words should probably be there right at the top of any great list of quotes.
Words are powerful, yet some level only a symbol of man's efforts to propagate( to others) and re-assure( himself) his own ideas and the objectives behind his actions. Without words an enlightened man is no different from an ordinary mendicant. Actions might speak for themselves but not so loudly nor clearly as words. Where would we be without them ( words)? Without words, we would have no way of sharing ideas with others, which in turn means we would try to figure everything out ourselves or stop trying to figure out things at all. Maybe the real answer is that, that there is nothing to be figured out. Things happen just because that is way things are. This is again an oft repeated concept in our course. The "is"ness of a thing whereby it just "is" what it is. Probably deep down we all know that it is the truth, yet the hope of a greater reality pushes us to do more. We are not satisfied by eating good food or getting a shelter to sleep. Our wants go beyond. Maybe the realization of such a truth, that there is nothing to be realized might mean a return to the stone age or even behind, to a time when all we would care for is a good meal and a safe sleep.
So while engrossed in these eco feminist poems and essays, I did some googling on the "zen" school of thought. The zen philosophy says that to attain enlightment one should to "intentionally aware" of the "present" without being "judgemental" about it. I tried to figure out the meaning of the above statement for sometime and concluded that it probably means you should be clearly know and make an effort to understand what is happening around you, without trying to figure out if it is happening for the good or bad. This again means that you shouldn't try to "interfere", but just let things be. This is contradictory at multiple levels, since most of our actions are a reaction to an external stimuli and thus its impossible to act and yet not "interfere". At some level even our very presence is an intereference. Then again, it might mean you should do those things which come "naturally" to you, without letting the guiding hand of knowledge nor the filter of civilization change that "natural" course of action nor modify it. Would this be a return to the hippie culture of 70s, where people try to portray the rebel image. I doubt. The problem with a being a rebel is that you again made the conscious decision of being a rebel. To follow zen philosophy would probably mean to act in a way as though the society was never there, not against neither for it nor parallely, but in a way that is not affected by the presence of society itself.
to be continued...
I have always wondered what would happen if all the philosophical questions had objective answers. It would mean an end to all doubts about purpose and karma. There wouldn't be any courts since everyone* would know what is right and what is wrong. Everyone would do only the right thing, since "wrong" becomes an absolute truth which is no longer dependent on subjective intrepretations. It would be the ideal world, but a boring one at that. Isn't uncertainty the greatest boon of mankind? I remember the dialog of Brad Pitt as Achilles in the film Troy "The Gods envy us. Because we are mortal, because we are doomed, each moment is so much more precious." These words should probably be there right at the top of any great list of quotes.
Words are powerful, yet some level only a symbol of man's efforts to propagate( to others) and re-assure( himself) his own ideas and the objectives behind his actions. Without words an enlightened man is no different from an ordinary mendicant. Actions might speak for themselves but not so loudly nor clearly as words. Where would we be without them ( words)? Without words, we would have no way of sharing ideas with others, which in turn means we would try to figure everything out ourselves or stop trying to figure out things at all. Maybe the real answer is that, that there is nothing to be figured out. Things happen just because that is way things are. This is again an oft repeated concept in our course. The "is"ness of a thing whereby it just "is" what it is. Probably deep down we all know that it is the truth, yet the hope of a greater reality pushes us to do more. We are not satisfied by eating good food or getting a shelter to sleep. Our wants go beyond. Maybe the realization of such a truth, that there is nothing to be realized might mean a return to the stone age or even behind, to a time when all we would care for is a good meal and a safe sleep.
So while engrossed in these eco feminist poems and essays, I did some googling on the "zen" school of thought. The zen philosophy says that to attain enlightment one should to "intentionally aware" of the "present" without being "judgemental" about it. I tried to figure out the meaning of the above statement for sometime and concluded that it probably means you should be clearly know and make an effort to understand what is happening around you, without trying to figure out if it is happening for the good or bad. This again means that you shouldn't try to "interfere", but just let things be. This is contradictory at multiple levels, since most of our actions are a reaction to an external stimuli and thus its impossible to act and yet not "interfere". At some level even our very presence is an intereference. Then again, it might mean you should do those things which come "naturally" to you, without letting the guiding hand of knowledge nor the filter of civilization change that "natural" course of action nor modify it. Would this be a return to the hippie culture of 70s, where people try to portray the rebel image. I doubt. The problem with a being a rebel is that you again made the conscious decision of being a rebel. To follow zen philosophy would probably mean to act in a way as though the society was never there, not against neither for it nor parallely, but in a way that is not affected by the presence of society itself.
to be continued...
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Smail
The insti smail has always been notorious for the kind of spam it attracts from the huge bunch of ignorant idiots in the insti. A few interesting pieces out of the (s)mails:
we Indians do not have much to offer to the rest of the world except our rich culture heritage.
The mess should b run by rural self help groups rather than by a money monger.
sorry if i hurt someone's feelings!!
I had parked my bicycle in front of CRC(stand) at 8:00A.M. on 30th jan. After returning(12:00, same day) I did not find my bicycle there.
If it has already reach to junta, then please ignore it.
Surely, it should earn profit but not like a commercial center but like a facility in a primier institution of INDIA.
I appologise for for spamming, although its a common cause.
I am in Mumbai and need a used computer. If any one of your friend in IIT mumbai or in city want to sell his/her system. Please ask him/her to contact me
brother vikram writes -
As a volunteer for security purposes , i just take this opportunity to wish u all a Happy SAARANG.....IF at all by chance there occurs any Fire accidents or any kind of disaster ( which is highly unlikely), Please do not panic and start running.... please try to keep cool and dont rush anywhere as this might lead to stampede.
even I agree with what you are complaining,recent days I found a few Krishna mess workers coming in to the dining hall,with out proper dress
Finding something in krishna’s food becomes daily routine these days.
vikram bhayya writes ...
evergreen websites www.nic.gov.in http://indianairforce.nic.in/ www.drdo.org
Please feel free to come forward any fellow brothers to take this issue to the dean students and get out the solution so that all other will be happy.
Please reply fast ... Apologize for spamming others.
this is really annoying that its very difficult to get water in the jug.
One Question why not girls?
please recommend the book for JAM (maths)preparation
I 've one doubt.Will "Egg" be served in if upcoming Veg Mess??
'I am a Chemical compound, Hans Henning of Germany invented me. Some People call me "Cyclonite Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine or T4". What I am better known as?
vikram bhayya likhte ho ...
Why would potato find its way into the menu every day??
U r at freedom 2 stop reading anywhere...
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Ethics, huh?
Those who have been reading lately would be familiar with the evil course. The bunch of sadists dealt the final blow on the students by failing 10% of the students in the pass/fail course and by giving almost everyone a "Marginal" in the attendance. This goes into everyone's transcript, by the way. Talk about ethics in the teaching profession. Maybe, someone should be hired to teach them.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Last Samurai
A couple of hours are now over since I saw this movie. It affected me enough that I read up all that I could about the samurai warriors and their way of life, the historical significance and truth behind the film and all that. Something about the way of the samurai struck a chord with me. Maybe it was the serence peaceful place where they live, I have always been a nature lover :D.. Their philosophy, a way of finding peace within one self, a discipline so strong that you stop questioning and worrying and accept even the harshest things with honour. Yes, its honour, it is the concept of honour that struck me.
I wonder whether progress in science and quest for knowledge is the right path. It is a path that certainly wont end by the time we reach our end. So why do we question eveything around? Stupid renaissance.. maybe it should have never happened
If we can find peace and happiness within ourselves does the purpose of life end there? The concept of "Karma" teaches us that the purpose of life is action, the right action. But what if action leads to anger and hatred, is it still the right thing to do?
At the end of the day all of us have to believe in something, make a choice and move on. Most of us, including me, lets the society take that choice for us. We let them decide the right and wrong, the goals and targets of our life. In short, a life is lived not for us, but for them, like an actor playing his part for the audience.
I conclude here because I dont have answers, only more questions. Given a choice to give up this life and become a monk, a life of spirituality, I would certainly consider it. Right now there is no choice, I will let the flow take me.
I wonder whether progress in science and quest for knowledge is the right path. It is a path that certainly wont end by the time we reach our end. So why do we question eveything around? Stupid renaissance.. maybe it should have never happened
If we can find peace and happiness within ourselves does the purpose of life end there? The concept of "Karma" teaches us that the purpose of life is action, the right action. But what if action leads to anger and hatred, is it still the right thing to do?
At the end of the day all of us have to believe in something, make a choice and move on. Most of us, including me, lets the society take that choice for us. We let them decide the right and wrong, the goals and targets of our life. In short, a life is lived not for us, but for them, like an actor playing his part for the audience.
I conclude here because I dont have answers, only more questions. Given a choice to give up this life and become a monk, a life of spirituality, I would certainly consider it. Right now there is no choice, I will let the flow take me.
Friday, December 14, 2007
priceless
The flaming end of a lighted cig, the thick swirls of soaring smoke, you blow them away and watch them drift........... a false sense of peace and calm.......... priceless!
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