The chapter on Patterns has finally been closed. I'll rethink over all the issues and this might become the foundation of a book on life. The next few posts will review a couple of books followed by entries on technology/ career in software development.
A few months ago, I partially read The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Ekhart Tolle. I couldn't finish the book as it is repetitive at many places and I seldom get even an hour of leisure in a day. Still it's a good read if you can spare some time. The crux is that there is a hairline difference between Life and Life Situation. Our life situation starts from a time in past and ends at somewhere in future - it's a span with starting and ending points - a line.
Life, on the other hand, is NOW. It's a moment - a point - a reality. Life situation is imaginary because past is no more with us and future is what we never experienced. Most of the problems that we think we are facing are with the life situation; you will hear people complaining: My exams are going on these days and I am under pressure; I am in debt; My parents aren't happy with me these days; I am not progressing in my current job, etc.
Contrarily, mostly there is no problem NOW. What problems are you facing while reading this text? You must thank Almighty for the breath that you take without any difficulty, the eyes that are letting you read this and the mind that is processing the information as you read and enables you to follow the complexity of this text without requiring a re-read.
Amongst other interesting things discussed by the author is the treatment given to mind. According to him, mind is a tool like other parts of body that is meant to be used; it shouldn't start working on its own and thus create noise. To be present and alive in Now is what the book tells you to do - stop living in past or future. I leave the rest for you to explore.
Great minds have concluded that time is an illusion. Let's take the example of a star that is at a distance of 100-light years from Earth. When you see such a star in the sky, you are actually seeing the past! It was there about 100 years ago and may not be there anymore because the light has already taken a hundred years to reach you.
But doing is more important than mere reading. And "to believe" is even more important. Whenever you finish reading a book, don't just continue with another - assimilate what you have learned. As a friend says, "Be the change you want to see in this world."
One half of nothing is still nothing.
(somebody commenting on Eric Lippert's blog)
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Friday, April 09, 2004
Ingredients of a Genius
What's common in Einstein and Edison apart from the starting letter of their names? Einstein was one of the most dull students of his class until he started studying Mathematics after high-school (with support from his father and uncle). Edison was considered a symbol of disgrace by his teacher. But his mother withdrew him from school and taught science to him herself! Both the men were genii and their creations have significantly affected our lives.
Nature has rules and they aren't usually violated. I believe that there are rules that dictate when a genius has to be born! At the least, I have found one thing common in every person who is commonly thought of as a genius: One or both of the gifted child's parents belong to the same field in which he later shows expertise. It's the continuous struggle and interest of the parents which gives the child a good start - a start from where his parents left off!
An individual is based on two things: what he inherits from his parent(s) and how the environment affects him. In terms of being eminent, these correspond to hereditary intelligence and hard work. Also, I believe that if you are interested in some field but couldn't prove to be "eminent" in it, try putting your child into it in very early ages. The results would be very promising.
These ideas of mine are based on the biographies of great people that I read during my student years. However, recently, I was surprised to learn that Francis Galton did an extensive research on similar lines and published his work as Hereditary Genius: An Inquiry into Its Laws and Consequences in 1869. He studied men from various fields of life: men who are born leaders, great warriors, eminent scientists, gifted poets, etc. He, then, checks the family tree of these eminent people to discover parents/ siblings in the same field - in a very thorough manner as compared to what I did.
Quite interestingly, though Darwinish it may sound, Galton states that particularly in order to be a successful person in science, you need to have an able mother and I agree. Ofcourse, there is a margin of error in everything and that's where probability kicks in!
Why? Because I believe something you do not? No! I stand here without fear because I remember. I remember that I am here not because of the path that lies before me, but because of the path that lies behind me!
(Morpheus: The Matrix Reloaded)
Nature has rules and they aren't usually violated. I believe that there are rules that dictate when a genius has to be born! At the least, I have found one thing common in every person who is commonly thought of as a genius: One or both of the gifted child's parents belong to the same field in which he later shows expertise. It's the continuous struggle and interest of the parents which gives the child a good start - a start from where his parents left off!
An individual is based on two things: what he inherits from his parent(s) and how the environment affects him. In terms of being eminent, these correspond to hereditary intelligence and hard work. Also, I believe that if you are interested in some field but couldn't prove to be "eminent" in it, try putting your child into it in very early ages. The results would be very promising.
These ideas of mine are based on the biographies of great people that I read during my student years. However, recently, I was surprised to learn that Francis Galton did an extensive research on similar lines and published his work as Hereditary Genius: An Inquiry into Its Laws and Consequences in 1869. He studied men from various fields of life: men who are born leaders, great warriors, eminent scientists, gifted poets, etc. He, then, checks the family tree of these eminent people to discover parents/ siblings in the same field - in a very thorough manner as compared to what I did.
Quite interestingly, though Darwinish it may sound, Galton states that particularly in order to be a successful person in science, you need to have an able mother and I agree. Ofcourse, there is a margin of error in everything and that's where probability kicks in!
This post was written several years ago; it must be read in conjunction with a review of Outliers.
Why? Because I believe something you do not? No! I stand here without fear because I remember. I remember that I am here not because of the path that lies before me, but because of the path that lies behind me!
(Morpheus: The Matrix Reloaded)
Sunday, April 04, 2004
The Center and Its Importance
For every activity there is a center, like the vortex of a whirlpool or the yolk of an egg. Usually there is an orbital (or at least a fixed) path associated with the surrounding particles. The center not only provides the centripetal force which is necessary for orbital motion but sometimes has other very important functions to perform. For example, here's an article which states that the nucleus is really the living cell's mothership, a crucial and very active source of information, support and control.
Though not exactly orbital, blood circulates in the body following a fixed path, going through the heart. The heart is the center and the only instance when blood violates its definite path is when bleeding occurs.
The orbital motion is very prominent in the electrons tied to every atom's nucleus; the moon of every planet; the planets of every sun, etc. Not surprisingly, Muslims perform a circular ritual around Ka'aba during Haj. This center of all the activity has to be practically demonstrated at least once in a lifetime.
If something breaks its designated path, it goes astray. The suns and moons are very obedient creations (some people would like to replace the word obedient with dumb). But man has been given choice, which unfortunately is a very complex topic. The life of a human being can revolve around many centers. Or in other words, the center keeps shifting. To realize/ recognize our true center is the first and foremost duty.
A long time ago, PTV telecasted a very good drama with the title, "2 Suraj ka Siyara" (which translates into A Planet of Two Suns). Are you a planet of more than one sun?
"I am a trafficker of information, I know everything I can. The question is, do you know why you are here?"
(Merovingian: The Matrix Reloaded)
Though not exactly orbital, blood circulates in the body following a fixed path, going through the heart. The heart is the center and the only instance when blood violates its definite path is when bleeding occurs.
The orbital motion is very prominent in the electrons tied to every atom's nucleus; the moon of every planet; the planets of every sun, etc. Not surprisingly, Muslims perform a circular ritual around Ka'aba during Haj. This center of all the activity has to be practically demonstrated at least once in a lifetime.
If something breaks its designated path, it goes astray. The suns and moons are very obedient creations (some people would like to replace the word obedient with dumb). But man has been given choice, which unfortunately is a very complex topic. The life of a human being can revolve around many centers. Or in other words, the center keeps shifting. To realize/ recognize our true center is the first and foremost duty.
A long time ago, PTV telecasted a very good drama with the title, "2 Suraj ka Siyara" (which translates into A Planet of Two Suns). Are you a planet of more than one sun?
"I am a trafficker of information, I know everything I can. The question is, do you know why you are here?"
(Merovingian: The Matrix Reloaded)
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