Disguises - the elaborate personas constructed with the sole purpose of masking true purpose or identity. What fascination do we have about what might have been, what could be and what is in our imaginations that we try to take refuge in it the minute we feel that we are unable to face a situation armed simply with what we are.
It is the well known adage of the ostritch sticking its head in the sand in the face of coming danger ... yet.. that doesnt stop us from trying:
"...... it might.. i mean .. who is to say.. maybe this is the lucky charm.. the other 16 times that failed so royally that they blew up in my face were just a learning experience.. but now...."
Well.. i dont need to write any further, and none of you needs to be the storyteller to figure out the likely outcome.
Still - its always worth a shot. Heyyy.. hold on a minute- I think I digressed. Lets make escapism and its different manifestations tomm's discussion. Coming back to the topic of disguises - they can be as mundanely enticing as masquerade balls (not the "eyes wide shut" variety mind you) as routinely harmless as the proxy that gets you attendence at class, as false as the sober weldressed front man who represents organized crime or as deceptive as identity theft. Hmm.. wonder about the recurring crime theme in todays talk... and no.. all those shows of COPS late night yesterday had NOTHING to do with it!!
Are all disguises as obvious as the clown in the suit at a kids bday party???
is every mask hiding something insidious - take all those face masks that are some of the most treasured artefacts of historical civilizations (mayan and incan death masks, african war masks) - or are they a form of art... the japanese kabuko shows and the kathakali performers back home.
Whatever else they might or might not be, the diguise and its art is like one of those grails - the ideal of being to take in everyone for some reason entices our senses, and piques our interest, because we all want to someday prove that we are so much better than our peers that we could easily take them in. ahhh... ego trips!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The pursuit of politics
The election season in the US in 2008 is pretty electric - the one distinct difference i have actually considered between the parliamentary form of governement and a presidential one is the impact the personality of a single individual has on the governance of the country, the tone set in policy and the identity of the nation for a period of history.
Dont get me wrong - distinctively iconoclastic individuals do steer nations irrespective of the type of legislative and beaurocratic setup by sheer dint of personality - but above and beyond that the choice of a captain is far more critical when the course to be steered traverses uncharted waters. Do we really want a man of the masses - taking into account how many flaws and fallacies we individually have, or do we hold these individuals to a higher standard when we really think about it?
It is after all professional excellence - it is the same concept that allows couch potatoes to critisize atheletes for not performing. You are supposed to get good at what you do for a living, if you aspire to greatness - irrespective of the field.
Yet, there is something more than just that - we all think with our heads, but usually choose from the heart. Let me elaborate - I propose that the human population has reached a stage on this planet, where there are many individuals who can do the job exceedingly well - so once the grains are separated from the chaff and the herd is culled to the few excellent specimens we desire, the remaining choice becomes academic. So, i feel that we only pick on issues to a particular level and beyond that , the unknown called "the gut" takes over. Which is why the fates of politicians often hang on that indecipherable unknown political pundits call charisma and appeal. And that is how some people get away with promising "everyone everything" and having them all believe they have got the best deal.
wait a second - how many used car salesmen have run for president again???
Dont get me wrong - distinctively iconoclastic individuals do steer nations irrespective of the type of legislative and beaurocratic setup by sheer dint of personality - but above and beyond that the choice of a captain is far more critical when the course to be steered traverses uncharted waters. Do we really want a man of the masses - taking into account how many flaws and fallacies we individually have, or do we hold these individuals to a higher standard when we really think about it?
It is after all professional excellence - it is the same concept that allows couch potatoes to critisize atheletes for not performing. You are supposed to get good at what you do for a living, if you aspire to greatness - irrespective of the field.
Yet, there is something more than just that - we all think with our heads, but usually choose from the heart. Let me elaborate - I propose that the human population has reached a stage on this planet, where there are many individuals who can do the job exceedingly well - so once the grains are separated from the chaff and the herd is culled to the few excellent specimens we desire, the remaining choice becomes academic. So, i feel that we only pick on issues to a particular level and beyond that , the unknown called "the gut" takes over. Which is why the fates of politicians often hang on that indecipherable unknown political pundits call charisma and appeal. And that is how some people get away with promising "everyone everything" and having them all believe they have got the best deal.
wait a second - how many used car salesmen have run for president again???
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Distractions vs. Deliberations
A lot of "hardcore research" and alternate procrastination based off phd comics brought me around to deabting another reason why I search for more outlets.
The basic question being whether or not it is possible to actually have "single minded devotion".
I argue that it is pretty much out of the question - and I shall buttress my claims using the single phrase "mad scientist" :P
What I am trying to drive at is the fact that there needs to be a foil to every lunge - a shadow to show us the glory of light. Can we really appreciate the heights of joy without feeling the pangs of sorrow?
Similarly, every task is easier done not shared but forgotten. It is similar to the drink of gatorade after an exhausting football game, the sinking into the couch to watch the idiot box or that complete feeling of release in the hot bath tub at the end of a long day. So, the greater the stress the greater the distraction needed to forget it and hence allow us to tackle it better.
So, it is forever the game of poker, where each hand in turn needs to beat the other for a fun game - and the game would be life... if you missed it in all my metaphors!
The basic question being whether or not it is possible to actually have "single minded devotion".
I argue that it is pretty much out of the question - and I shall buttress my claims using the single phrase "mad scientist" :P
What I am trying to drive at is the fact that there needs to be a foil to every lunge - a shadow to show us the glory of light. Can we really appreciate the heights of joy without feeling the pangs of sorrow?
Similarly, every task is easier done not shared but forgotten. It is similar to the drink of gatorade after an exhausting football game, the sinking into the couch to watch the idiot box or that complete feeling of release in the hot bath tub at the end of a long day. So, the greater the stress the greater the distraction needed to forget it and hence allow us to tackle it better.
So, it is forever the game of poker, where each hand in turn needs to beat the other for a fun game - and the game would be life... if you missed it in all my metaphors!
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