Problems the world faces.

-- Intro --

Just a few random thoughts:

Most of my friends and I think that there are two problems that the world is facing (mind you, there are many) but then these are the two basic ones that I think lead to everything else. These being psychological, can bring about a change in every other aspect of everyone else's lives.

-- body --

1) Loss of common sense and the ability of think: I think this is because of the fact that technology has eroded into our lives every single day and that has made us couch potatos of sorts. Think of the last time that you have remember somone's phone number. We even use our cell phones to store a todo list, thereby lessing the use of our memory. Its not just memory, but the fact that we are being fed so much information on the net and otherwise also that it leaves no time for thinking or processing that information. The fact that the quality of internet content cannot be monitored leads to children becoming too mature at too early a stage or that they think they know too much already. Indeed, the next generation might have more information, but I think they will have lesser knowledge.

2) Loss of interaction and loss of human values: Also related to computers but slightly different from the point above. Facebook can be called "social" media, but its not the most social platform. The feeling of having a cup of tea with your friends and just talking and chilling is something that the next generation will miss on. Indeed, in Calcutta, the whole "para" culture is dying down and one part of it can be attributed to the internet. For 10 year old to have facebook accounts and spend 2 hours per day on that, rather than going outside and playing or calling your friends and talking to them will lead to a loss of social values. Pretty soon we would not know how to behave in social situtations and how to communicate verbally because everythign is shifting online these days. Indeed, when schools start teaching how to type and write at the same time, any kid would find it easier to hit keys on the key board than to take a pencil and write.

-- conclusion --

At the end, would like to say that we really do need to re-evaluate technology, computer and the effect of social media. Friends and me using phrases like "y u no" and "my gusta" in every day conversation does have a far reaching consequence and that is something that we need to stay out of. the essence of human beings is being human. That is something that the online world kills if it goes on at this rate.

Lastly, adults however are in a better situation to negate the effects that i;ve said above. That is why, the above post related to minors using computer/internet. That is something we need to look into right now.

The Legacy.

Background:
I was talking to my Grandfather the other day. @82 conversation with him are not easy and i'm the only one that he generally talks properly to. I was asking him about our family tradition of doing Saturday Puja. I have, since 2000 being doing puja to Lord Ayappa under the guidance of my granddad as it was time for me to continue what he had done for nearly 40-50 years. I never did question the existence or the starting of this tradition. Hinduism, the oldest religion of the world supposedly has no starting or ending unlike some other religions (ref. Ganga Somany). Hence i did not ask much about this legacy.

But then yesterday (15th July) when i talked to my grandfather, I got to know that his Great Grandfather used to do the same puja. And this fact he is certain of. Even by the most modest estimates, that makes this legacy around 150 years old. To think that i'm the one continuing this tradition makes me immensly proud and that the 5 generations that have practiced this that now look at me to continue this. 150 years, it took me quite sometime to imagine what that meant. Here are some revelations:

Body:
In a 150 years, heaven and earth has changed. We now live in different times. I dont know if thats a good thing or not, but back then, people had a lot more time to themselves. I can hardly get myself to concentrate and meditate for 15 mins properly, yet i've seen my grandfather do so for 3 hours. Yet, If we merely extrapolate the descent, his elders would have been even more devoted and spent more time praying and in service to God.

On the other hand we, with our computers, cell phones and other such paraphernalia make our lives busy and we seemingly have lesser time for ourselves. I don't say that i'm going to break off from these bonds. But I do think that we should spend more time thinking about ourselves and our world around us, rather than spending the whole day with technology.

That being said, being a part of a 150 year old tradition makes me immensely proud. I think i'm not worthy of this legacy as i'm clearly the weakest link of the chain. Then again, you couldn't blame me, the times are such that anyone in my place too would be in the same predicament.

I have been thinking of late that i should spend a year off from life as such and spend it in service to myself. Probably look for some guru and spend a year under him. Probably in some serene environment so that i can contemplate on thought that have filled me since i know them to exist.

That brings me to think of another thing, will thinking about a lot of things, reduce the entropy of it ? As in, will thinking about everything and anything that strikes my mind, make me most focused or less ? The reason for this being that fact that if I think for a long enough time, I would run out of thoughts to think and that I would eventually repeat the same thoughts over and over again. Thereby focusing my mind.
Or,
will the time spent not thinking about anything in particular help in my mind to focus? Its a debateable topic I think .. not that i'm going to try either of them. But then again, i dont know, i really want to focus my mind, because that seems to be the reason for which i cant have more productive days.

Yet, I do think that i will take my family's name forward. My granddad says that i have the blessings of God. I wouldnt know any better or worse. He and God, seem to have conversations with each other and i get to hear snippet of it, like (what he said near the end of the puja) "God looks happy today, you have done well." Talking about my granddad will take me so maaany posts. (ref. Ananya and Vrinda) and we shall get to that later.

Conclusion:


Written over two days, this post in extremely sporadic and random. Sorry if my thoughts arent as organized as i would like them to be.
please bear with me, i hope i write better next time around.

Peace.