tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55186106608379566492024-03-19T09:27:05.199-07:00Stop! Think! Go!The purpose of this is to create a spark of thought in the mind of the reader. If you leave this page with a pressing thought or burning question in your mind, Mission Accomplished.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990341904730287580noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-4551287188153996032015-09-11T03:32:00.000-07:002015-09-11T03:32:11.573-07:00In the Throes of Democracy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Democracy, as defined, is ‘a system of governance in which
power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely
elected representatives’.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let us dissect this definition for the purposes of
understanding it better. What does democracy really mean? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the outset, it is the power that the people possess to
govern the state. However, since such a large number of people cannot possibly
decide upon all matters of state regulation simultaneously, their powers are
delegated to a few individuals, group-by-group. Constituencies are formed from
which one candidate is elected by the people to then represent them in the
legislative assemblies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The main point that I am going to jump into right away is
quite simple- the power belongs to the people. Representatives of all
constituencies are just that- <i>representatives.</i>
It is their responsibility to fulfil the wishes and solve the problems that the
people of their constituency face. The people, who hold the real power,
delegate that power to someone they believe is capable of voicing their
concerns on a provincial or national level.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is a simple question of logic- when does one delegate a
task to another? It may be to promote efficiency, it may be because the power
exists but the person(s) who hold it are unfit to exercise it. The real
question then emerges- when should one <i>not</i>
delegate their powers? Does it not seem counter-intuitive to delegate your
power and authority to somebody who is doing poorly at handling his/her
responsibilities? Why should you continue to give your authority to somebody
else to exercise <i>on your behalf</i> if
they are doing next to nothing <i>on your
behalf</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Democracy is not explained as ‘relinquishing your power and
authority to somebody who will arbitrarily decide how to proceed in matters of
state governance’. It is explained as ‘<i>delegating
</i>your power and authority (which vests in the people, and the people <i>only</i>) to freely elected <i>representatives</i> to act on your behest’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is a matter of reflection- how much are we actually being <i>represented</i>? How well is this current
system of delegating powers going? It does not seem to be going very well, if I
may be allowed to comment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem I see is that hardly anybody realises that they
possess the power, and that the ‘leaders’ that they are so afraid of, are <i>subject</i> to them, not the other way
around.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why is it that the people of a nation are held to be
unimportant in decisions of war and peace? Why is it that the ‘foreign policy’
of a nation (whatever <i>that</i></span><span lang="EN-GB"> is supposed to mean) takes precedence over the wishes of the
people? What is observable is that a nation’s elected representatives would
rather uphold the ‘foreign policy’ of precedent governments rather than to hear
the wishes of the people. I will go slightly off topic but will still remain
relevant when I ask: how is a nation’s foreign policy any different from
ordinary social customs that have been passed down generations? The day we say
‘this is how it is, period’ is the day we effectively halt further progress.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why is it that the allocation of financial
or material resources is decided arbitrarily without consulting the people? For
instance, why is the military budget being increased while the budget for the
education sector is being cut down? Why are there no long-term policies being
implemented for the growth of the economy, education, energy and healthcare
sectors?</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One can safely assume that most people
living in democratic nations are rather unhappy with the state of affairs. The
level of unhappiness is perhaps more in developed countries because they <i>understand</i> their rights and see them
being infringed. In developing nations such as ours, people are not even aware
of the rights they possess.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The question that remains now, my friends,
is whether you will continue to live with this continuous disregard of your
position of power, or will you check how the power given by <i>you</i> is being used? It is rather silly to
give your power to somebody willingly just to have them use it <i>against</i> your interests.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Democracy has become the benchmark for all
nations of the world to live up to. Yet nobody asks ‘why is democracy the best
way?’ There are compelling arguments against dictatorships because then the people
have absolutely no right to governance. I concur. However, until the world does
not realise that Plato’s idea of a democratic aristocracy is perhaps the ideal
way to go, it can suffice to ask ‘how democratic is<i> </i>democracy, really?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">If democracy is portrayed as the saviour of
all nations and people in the world, how is it that the people consider
themselves powerless? Does the very definition of democracy not say ‘</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">a system of
governance in which <i>power is vested in
the people</i>’? Where is this power exercised? If democracy is my ability to
cast a vote every few years, then I would willingly shun democracy as a
sub-standard, superficial and rather manipulative empty title. Saying that I
have any <i>practical</i></span><span lang="EN-GB"> rights by virtue of democracy is to say I can open and close the
window shutter on an airplane. It is such a meaningless act when looked at in
conjunction with the entire working of the airplane.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is not meant to be a ‘Democracy vs.
Autocracy’ argument. It is an analysis of how democratic democracy really is,
if at all! The meaning of this is simple- if we are being sold the concept of
democracy, are we in fact buying damaged goods?</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990341904730287580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-26297721538451597712015-08-28T01:12:00.000-07:002015-08-28T01:13:53.410-07:00The Belief Affair<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bear with me for a
moment, lend me your attention for just a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nothing is set in
stone, except fossils. The world is not black and white. It is in countless
shades of grey. Dualism is perhaps worst than the black plague. It restricts
thought, destroys the creative process, and inhibits intellectual debate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every belief system we
see in our world today is there by virtue of people. People follow, people
propagate, people keep beliefs alive. Every idea, every thought, every
expression is here because of people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you truly
understood the meaning of the previous paragraph, you need not even read
further: for now you know that criticism of anyone or anything barely has any
basis. What makes one specific belief any more important than other?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may hold very
strong beliefs. I want this article to be interactive. I want you to think
about a specific belief of yours which you hold to be true, factual, and
irrevocable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Done?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now analyse the
following paragraph with this belief of yours in mind, comparing what is
written to what you feel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know this to be
true. I conduct myself in a way which is in line with this belief I hold. This
is the truth of my life. Something which makes me feel complete, whole and at
peace. It is something I am willing to stand up for. It is something which I
would want more people to believe in because I <i>know</i> it is right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So far so good?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now imagine this:
every single person, just like you, has the <i>same</i>
feelings about the things they believe in. Think about the feelings associated
with beliefs which hold true for all people, regardless of <i>what</i> their beliefs actually are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now that you realise
that you are indeed not the only person who is so attached to beliefs, there
are a number of realisations that follow. First and foremost, you cannot fight
somebody on their beliefs. Why? Because they can fight with you based on <i>your</i><span lang="EN-GB"> beliefs
using the same logic. What <i>they</i> are
to you; <i>you</i> are to them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having reached this understanding, it is
your <i>responsibility</i> to discourage
belief-related conflict. You have grown up with certain customs and beliefs (or
you may have discovered them on your own) much like every single other person
on planet Earth. Fighting over beliefs is not unlike fighting over what colour
a person is.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My dear friend, you are on this planet for
80-or-so years on average. There have been thousands of generations which have
come before you, and thousands (hopefully) to come after you. All have died,
all will die. Do you think your beliefs are worth creating inter-human dissonance
for? If so, your beliefs must be re-evaluated.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Like I said previously, nothing is set in
stone. You must re-evaluate anything and everything you think you know or
believe in order to have a satisfactory answer as to 'why' you hold that belief
or 'truth' per se. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To all budding intellectuals and bleeding
hearts who want to make a difference, let me give you a practical way of doing
so. You have a set of understandings. You realise that the world is imperfect.
Do <i>not</i> settle for the status quo.
Your life is more precious and the world is much too unfair to you personally.
The quality of your life is directly related to the condition of our world and
the people within. The first step you ought to take before anything is to
embody the realisations that you have reached. By doing so, you will not only
eliminate the hypocrisy within yourself (the difference between your thoughts
and your actions) but you will also lead by example. All of us are leaders, if
we choose to eliminate this hypocrisy. The second thing then is to disseminate
that knowledge and understanding, just as I am now doing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You are limitless. You have the capacity to
change yourself. That is <i>all</i> you
need. Imagine, if I inspire you with this piece to make a difference in
yourself, and you in turn inspire one more to do the same, our world will know
peace. Perhaps not in our lifetimes, but it will eventually attain a peaceful
status quo. We must be a part of this historical movement.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We must do our part as cogs in the Great
Machinery of the evolution of thought. If we expedite our efforts and attain
our goals, the future history books will talk of our time as the moment where
it all started becoming better. We will be pioneers of human history. We will
change the world, one person at a time. Take this pledge, and you too can be a
part of it in your own personal capacity. That is all you are required to do.
The burden of the world is not on your shoulders; it is only your own burden
that you carry. I would reiterate: first, embody the understandings you do
have, and second, spread that knowledge to inspire others.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's to a new
chapter in our lives!</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990341904730287580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-29091182407567992892015-08-05T12:43:00.000-07:002015-08-06T02:53:20.579-07:00Fear?<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"I'm scared."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"Really, what's the worst that can happen?" </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"I'm not entirely sure."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"Do you fear death?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"I don't believe I do."</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br />"Do you fear being alive?"<br />"I'm not sure what you mean by that."<br />"Do you live in constant anticipation of something unknown occurring that is unpleasant?"<br />"I think so."<br />"What's the worst that can happen to you?"<br />"I could lose my family, friends, everything.."<br />"That's not an answer. What's the worst that could happen to you personally?"<br />"I could die."<br />"Are you afraid of death?"<br />"Not really. If it happens, it happens."<br />"Then what are you scared of?"<br />"Injury, I suppose."<br />"So you're scared of feeling pain?"<br />"Well now that you put it like that, I don't think I'm 'scared' of pain. I wouldn't enjoy it but I'm not exactly scared."<br />"Then what are you scared of?"<br />"I'm not sure actually."<br />"If you can't identify what you're scared of, is it worth being scared about?"<br />"Its the mysterious things that are the most terrifying."<br />"Where do mysteries lie?"<br />"I don't quite understand what you mean."<br />"Where do mysteries 'exist'?"<br />"In our minds, as unanswered questions."<br />"So you're afraid of unanswered questions?"<br />"I think so."<br />"Do these unanswered questions have an answer?"<br />"I believe there's an answer to everything."<br />"Do you know the answers to the unanswered questions?"<br />"I don't believe I do."<br />"Then accept the questions as they are- unanswered- and you will have nothing left to be scared of."<br />"I'm still scared."<br />"Of what?"<br />"I'm not entirely sure."<br />"Well, what's the worst that can happen?"</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990341904730287580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-68238853113211919972014-12-26T03:34:00.000-08:002015-08-02T08:41:04.345-07:00I have a few questions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are not out of
this world complex questions. They are rather simple everyday questions that an
objective spectator to planet Earth might ask.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I witness death and
disease and desensitization and destruction and an abhorrent lack of empathy
amongst the people of this planet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'What makes one man unavoidably the enemy of
another?'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see the beauty of architecture
in the mosques, synagogues, churches and temples and I smile to myself at the
amalgamation of human intellect with nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I see blood
flowing from the eyes of the mountain as a church crossed paths with a mosque.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>'</i><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">'Was
the lesson of peace not enough to overcome your differences?</span></i><i>'<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see people of the
world laugh and cry together yet if one claims that a book can be interpreted differently
from what the majority believe, it can lead to an early conclusion... of their
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Why are invisible beliefs more important than
real people themselves?'</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see the earth, in all its infinite beauty and natural landmarks. I see
the rivers and mountains and valleys and trees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I see rivers of blood streaked arbitrarily on its surface. A crude
demarcation of what belongs to whom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Who amongst you created the
absolute evil that is 'ownership'?'<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see the smiles and eagerness on the faces of young children before they are told to hate the children that live on the other side of the river of blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Why must you transfer hate down generations?'</span></i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see a lot of happy
groups, thriving together in an organized society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I see the savage
nature of humans when two groups cross paths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Why must you create divisions and
sub-divisions when you are one and the same?'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see people
celebrating their successful 'independence' from people who do not match their
belief system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Why are beliefs the reason for inter-human dissonance?'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I observe mass
congregations to pray for salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I see the same
congregation propagating hate and spilling blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'How can you ask for salvation when you are doing
everything in your power to spread evil?'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Human beings have transgressed
through savage times, evolving out of the paradigm 'survival of the fittest'
and into 'thriving in numbers' and further into an organized civil society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'What then, took coexistence away?'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few
questions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are not out of
this world complex questions. They are rather simple everyday questions that an
objective spectator to planet Earth might ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few questions.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-62761717667810607232014-03-21T03:43:00.001-07:002014-03-21T03:45:23.815-07:00What is Free Will?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP4UpnkB6XZroZZXNeMl9At41gtUfTtDyRNt8o2obAeAZ468misOvX6HyIdmC74yF8E4Mj6phwKVFnSbgfvyJkQpLH4Ozk0XZC4D8eDbQayYYMJH7sVlibw_IG9Y_MDcKfWQw0k8z2U2V/s1600/black-dna-dna-double-helix-dna-helicase-abstract.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP4UpnkB6XZroZZXNeMl9At41gtUfTtDyRNt8o2obAeAZ468misOvX6HyIdmC74yF8E4Mj6phwKVFnSbgfvyJkQpLH4Ozk0XZC4D8eDbQayYYMJH7sVlibw_IG9Y_MDcKfWQw0k8z2U2V/s1600/black-dna-dna-double-helix-dna-helicase-abstract.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is free will?
Before reading any further, let me get one thing straight- this piece is by no
means religious, nor does it have any religious teachings as a pre-cursor. This
is solely me pondering over this one question on the basis of fact, logic, and
science. I do not mean any offence to anyone and I do not mean to disrespect
anyone’s religious beliefs by means of this piece. <br /><br />
That being said </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">let us explore the depths of what we would call free will. Have
you really thought about how much ‘free will’ you actually possess?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
There are certain things, however, which are imperative<span lang="EN-GB">
to acknowledge and understand before even asking ourselves <i>the question</i>.<br />
<b>First,</b> the human gene pool, however
it may evolve (or devolve), is <i>the human
gene pool</i>; nothing less, nothing more. There can be no
evolution/devolution/mutation beyond the ambit of what genes are already within
this closed-system we call mankind.<br />
<b>Second,</b> when we are born, our DNA
defines who we are for the most part: appearance-wise, personality-wise and
preferentially.<br />
<b>Third, </b>the experiences we undergo in
our developmental stages, together with our surroundings, institution, home,
family, friends and countless other factors define who we are going to become.<br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br />
There is quite a bit of interplay between the 2<sup>nd</sup></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXq8kmKG2vbvKVz8E7BZhrfh-8WQWoNUgAMzDyLUbxEFRd-H8rI5tGlR_K_coDiWpGl2m4aXXSyEgfjCPkz3vODClqjQ9lEPTxCxsQP4b0YY8HMaBajSFqHayo4pe4a1Di45lH4L-30NY/s1600/black-dna-dna-double-helix-dna-helicase-abstract.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXq8kmKG2vbvKVz8E7BZhrfh-8WQWoNUgAMzDyLUbxEFRd-H8rI5tGlR_K_coDiWpGl2m4aXXSyEgfjCPkz3vODClqjQ9lEPTxCxsQP4b0YY8HMaBajSFqHayo4pe4a1Di45lH4L-30NY/s1600/black-dna-dna-double-helix-dna-helicase-abstract.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">
and 3<sup>rd</sup>
things. To put it simply (or actually really </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">complicating it further, so if you
are brave, continue reading), our DNA coupled with our experiences and <i>all </i>external and internal<i> </i>influences essentially mould who we
grow up to be. What we prefer eating, drinking, which colour we like, what
genre of songs we enjoy, what our past-times are, etc. (You kept reading. You
brave thing, you. I like you). Essentially it defines who we are, so to speak.<br />
<br />
Now, our choices and preferences are such that we tend to ‘choose’ something
which is to our liking and discard something which is not.<br />
Think about this: how many of these ‘preferences’ are really <i>your </i>choice? You are predisposed towards
thing ‘X’. Why? It is based on your DNA, experiences and essentially all
intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Where do <i>you</i>
fit in? What part of it was really your <i>choice</i>?<br />
You did not choose which parents you will be born to. You did not choose your
48 chromosomes. You did not choose how those 48 chromosomes would- with
interplay- result in making you... you. (Interplay. Love that word. Interplay.
Hehe). You didn’t choose what group of people would be your peers, you did not
choose which of your peers would be inclined to be your friend; you did not
choose which ones (out of whom were already inclined towards you) you would
become friends with. You’re probably thinking that the last thing I said is
utter hogwash- of course you chose your friends. Sadly, no you did not. Your
personality (repeating: dictated by your DNA+ all other factors) and
preferences make you feel more inclined towards certain people than others.
Your compatibility, <i>interplay</i> of intellects (haha, gets me every time), and
preferences attract you to that person, and there’s nothing you can do to
change that. There is also nothing you can do about what you like to see in a
person to consider being friends with them. All these ‘preferences’ that you
possess are a result of all the factors discussed earlier.<br />
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-uGNDr5Q1cB0mbjIb_nwnbVgvtvxQf-XQSRrSo-HB81yutzb2HjZYwFFI3Q5m6kUl-wnxg02g_TFiBUyOLSLQjhoPZ7w1jo-7ImfbfovadmL-AFbsHBB-nrem66tV3a45nSE3D776Izh/s1600/5394-486832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-uGNDr5Q1cB0mbjIb_nwnbVgvtvxQf-XQSRrSo-HB81yutzb2HjZYwFFI3Q5m6kUl-wnxg02g_TFiBUyOLSLQjhoPZ7w1jo-7ImfbfovadmL-AFbsHBB-nrem66tV3a45nSE3D776Izh/s1600/5394-486832.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
This is pretty bizarre, isn't it? Well I won’t lie: it is. But think about it.
What control did you actually have in the factors that surrounded you when you
were born and grew up? You are simply moulded by whatever was handed to you.
Later on, when you actually <i>can</i> (or
think you can) choose your extrinsic factors, those ‘choices’ are dictated by
the preferences you developed during your childhood. No matter which way you
turn, you’re inevitably being dictated by who you are. That is who you are.
That is your personality. That is you. But did you really have any control over
how you became <i>you</i>?</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">You simply took
in all the extrinsic factors and moulded yourself in accordance with your
genetic predispositions.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">
<br />
It is not your choice what extrinsic factors will affect you in what way. Let
us consider an example:<br />
<b>A </b>and <b>B </b>are the only two passengers in a taxi driven by <b>C</b>. Same age, same gender, same school,
same family background. They get into an accident. <b>A</b> and <b>B</b> are unharmed,
but <b>C</b> is badly injured.<br />
<b>A</b> gets out of the taxi and has a
breakdown, sobbing hysterically at the sight of the blood and unable to be of
any use. (Incoherent blabbing may or may not have been a part of his spaz
attack).<br />
<b>B</b>, on the other hand, whips out his cell
phone, calls an ambulance, and tries to figure out the best possible way to
tackle the situation.<br /></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVaSYwEjh7niep3Hc9kjZkAFncqvsjfAXvLPxtLxB7lvWfO-dQkU6nuuFXn0LN2MI7GAVVKvflbp-bNs5APGWjQ5Oqb_r7HpW7csgyHJtwUvG7k1Rjmp37IzAiU3DFM1saIeR4RjU7GmO/s1600/dfb67df6-a78e-4a70-87b0-0156711193d3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVaSYwEjh7niep3Hc9kjZkAFncqvsjfAXvLPxtLxB7lvWfO-dQkU6nuuFXn0LN2MI7GAVVKvflbp-bNs5APGWjQ5Oqb_r7HpW7csgyHJtwUvG7k1Rjmp37IzAiU3DFM1saIeR4RjU7GmO/s1600/dfb67df6-a78e-4a70-87b0-0156711193d3.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a>Let us analyze what just happened.<b> A</b>
was nowhere near composed, while <b>B</b>
was the very definition of the word. Why? They went through the same ordeal. My
point is: different situations have different effects on people. The effects
are a result of the peoples’ personalities, tolerance, and composure. My point
relating back to the topic: the experiences you had in your early developmental
stages indubitably had an effect on you- an effect that you did not choose.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">
<br />
Anyway, I’m getting sort of tired of explaining the same thing in different
ways. We can move on. We have now come to the conclusion that we are who we are
by no real choice of our own. What is<i>
‘our’ </i>choice? Is it really just a word given to what our preferences
dictate to us? The ‘people’ we become by no choice of our own- is that who <i>we</i> are? Where is the free will in our
actions when everything is essentially just <i>bound</i>
to happen, by our own ‘conscious’ choices which are already defined?<br />
<br />
We have examined this phenomenon on a macro level. It is now time to examine an
isolated occurrence of a demonstration of ‘choice’. Everything we do, say,
think, choose, has a cause. Something or the other sparks it. On any normal
day, I would wake up and have orange juice. Some random day I would not ‘feel’
like having orange juice but ‘feel’ like having apple juice instead. Isn’t that
really <i>my</i> personal choice, and is
definitely NOT dictated by my genetics and personality like I keep asserting? Well, the answer is... not really. It still
isn’t my <i>choice</i>. How <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnvsXekNptffLLs8sr_SV-GcjcjHDEwpnWhELMzs5pwLkl9cq73ajSkdEjtJk7Ma6Yze11Dl7MNbI4V7kWBvLZ99WGNgS-pYU50lXezQ7PCn1UwTHnQKX3aKzHxTn0hSOrijTxAWbqUEc/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnvsXekNptffLLs8sr_SV-GcjcjHDEwpnWhELMzs5pwLkl9cq73ajSkdEjtJk7Ma6Yze11Dl7MNbI4V7kWBvLZ99WGNgS-pYU50lXezQ7PCn1UwTHnQKX3aKzHxTn0hSOrijTxAWbqUEc/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
can this
possibly be anything other than my own personal free choice? Well, it is- so to
speak. It is the way you want it. But it is not necessarily coming from
anywhere other than your mind. There is something or the other going through my
mind that resulted in this anomalous choice of having apple juice instead of
orange. Maybe I reached my neurological limit of having the same thing every
day and now on this particular day my threshold for tolerating the same thing
every morning has been crossed. Maybe I had a dream after which I woke up
feeling not the usual way I would feel. Maybe I just wanted to taste apple
juice. <b>MAYBE I JUST WANTED TO TASTE
APPLE JUICE.</b> It seems like as though my hypothesis has a major flaw. It
doesn’t. Not in this case, at least. Try to apply this here: <br />
You do things because you want to do them. Your preferences make you ‘want’ to
do those things. Anomalous preferences are always inevitably the product of a
thought process- conscious or subconscious. Your preferences have already been
defined in your development.</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">The core question is: how can <i>you</i> choose to want something that has already been added to your
preferences without any intervention on your part from the very outset of your
development?</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">
<br />
Exceptions may be when you do something you would generally not prefer doing.
You would ‘choose’ to do them. But, these exceptions are not really exceptions.
They are governed by external or internal factors. Something, someone or a simple
thought process will make you choose whatever it is you would not have normally
chosen. There will always be a thought process involved. If you choose to do
something against your preferences because, say, your best friend will look
favourably upon it, it is really you bending under that social pressure of
acceptance, desirability, or- on a less pessimistic note- just for the sole
reason of making your best friend happy (which again is not really selfless;
read my piece “Are we all Selfish?”). It is your personality that allows you to
go against your preferences for so-and-so reason and that again, does not make
it a ‘choice’.</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span lang="EN-GB"></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2hg3kmCcCWiitXRyrXaVHnW8whyZFsGqgfGkgByPvhb9OwkNRvkjDjvdOwIlSvEirgbDs_3iCSX8-xy4sbUfu9pHh_34ly7xgmy9mYQHDAPuZWzm9jZH1xPSr1b4126X2KJ_vc6czRX/s1600/4036990865_polls_fascinating_5238_472523_answer_1_xlarge_xlarge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2hg3kmCcCWiitXRyrXaVHnW8whyZFsGqgfGkgByPvhb9OwkNRvkjDjvdOwIlSvEirgbDs_3iCSX8-xy4sbUfu9pHh_34ly7xgmy9mYQHDAPuZWzm9jZH1xPSr1b4126X2KJ_vc6czRX/s1600/4036990865_polls_fascinating_5238_472523_answer_1_xlarge_xlarge.jpeg" height="197" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I hope I have confused you sufficiently. Where is the ‘free’ part of free-will?
Or is it just a name </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we call it for “all intents and purposes”, with its true
meaning really not being satisfied? We call it free-will because this is just
the way it has been, and this control of factors over who we become is
conveniently disregarded in the context of free will.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What we have, is a controlled
systematic algorithm that is flexible to accommodate all types of experiences
and respond in its own unique way based on your DNA and personality. It cannot-
by any means whatsoever- be called free will in the </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">true</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sense of the phrase.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">
<br />
P.S: This has been bothering me for a really long time, and any answers I have
received have not been able to make me see anything differently. Based on
deductive reasoning and a bit of science, this seems quite probable. If,
however, you have an explanation which will disregard this whole hypothesis, I would
love to be made privy to it. I want to believe it. Convince me.<br />
<br />
P.P.S: Interplay. Hehehe. Thanks for reading. Ciao!</span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-49703580571941524902013-08-09T18:12:00.003-07:002013-08-09T18:21:50.327-07:00Are we all Selfish?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Human beings are
selfish creatures. It’s as simple as that. There is absolutely NO action a person
takes without a selfish reason. Even seemingly selfless acts are inherently
selfish. Let’s take a few examples to better understand what I mean.<br />
“X” is a rich guy. Feeds a poor person “Y”, gives him a home.<br />
Why?<br />
Maybe he likes the praise he gets from people who witnessed his generosity. Maybe
he likes the thanks he gets in return.<br />
Seems simple enough. Not quite. Let’s twist it a bit. Let’s say “Y” never shows
any signs of gratitude. Let’s say no one witnesses “X’s” generous act. What
reason would he have now?<br />
It’s simple. It’s the same rationalization that everyone has when they do
something for someone else without looking for anything in return. The truth,
my friends, is that they ARE getting something in return. It doesn’t have to be
verbal, doesn’t have to be tangible. The answer, quite simply, is that they get
satisfaction. We crave satisfaction, we crave happiness. The happiness one gets
from doing a selfless act, in itself, is a selfish motive for doing that. Maybe
we don’t pre-meditate doing it. We may even not think about the happiness we
may or may not get. We do it anyway. Subconsciously, the idea of ‘good’ and ‘bad’
are etched into our minds. Hence subconsciously we may convince ourselves to do
a ‘good’ act because regardless of you consciously thinking about the
sentiments attached to that act, you will always know at the back of your mind
exactly how you will feel if you go through with it.<br />
It’s a very simple concept. But it’s just as hard to understand and accept. No one
wants to be told that their selfless acts are the offspring of a deep-rooted
innate desire for satisfaction. No one wants to accept that they are just like
every other human being on the planet, all doing things for selfish reasons.
Let’s consider another example.<br />
“X” is a letter in the alphabet.<br />
Sorry. I couldn’t help it. Moving on…<br />
“X” is in the military. He saves “Y” at
the cost of his own life.<br />
Why?<br />
There could be multiple explanations. None of which are selfless. Now at this
point you’re probably thinking ‘how could this guy POSSIBLY claim that giving
your life to save another is selfish’. Well, you’d be surprised.<br />
The first explanation, like I mentioned before, may possibly be because “X”
knows how war heroes are remembered, revered, almost idolized. He wants that
attention, regardless of it being post mortem. The question arises, why would his
subconscious still think it would make any difference to him if he is no longer
alive? Ladies and gentlemen, humans have experiences most of what planet earth
has to offer. We have been exposed to countless number of combinations and
circumstances. But never have we been able to experience anything like death. We
might claim to have had near death experiences, or thinking that sensory
deprivation tanks take us into that feeling of not existing. Sure, plausible
theories. However, no one can prove or disprove them. Which means, no one knows
for certain what death feels like. Our minds do not have a fixed deep-rooted
idea of death. We can merely speculate. And for that very reason, death is
never a deciding factor in any of the judgments we make. What we actually do
consider- and it is VERY important that you understand the difference- is pain,
serious injury, and the fear of not knowing what will happen when we die. We are
not afraid of dying. We cannot possibly be afraid of dying because none of us
know what it even is. What we ARE afraid of is the UNCERTAINTY revolving around
the concept of death. Of being unsure of what is going to happen. <br />
That being said, I now realize how off-topic I went. Still, I think that was a
pretty constructive hypothesis.<br />
The second reason why “X” may save “Y” is, once again like I mentioned before,
because of the ideas of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. The two reasons may co-relate to a
certain extent but there is a thin line separating them. In essence, “X” knows it’s
a ‘good’ thing to save another life, be it at the cost of his own. Subconsciously,
we may convince ourselves to do that act knowing the satisfaction we will get
at its completion. But then the problem again arises… at the cost of his own
life? Reiterating once more what I said; we do not know what death is hence it
is not a deciding factor in one’s decision making process. “X” may be
apprehensive about serious injury, but he will go through with saving “Y”
solely because he is convinced it is the right thing to do. Even if he is not ‘remembered’,
the thoughts right before he dies would be ones of utmost satisfaction. For doing
the highest service one can for a fellow human being. <br />
Let’s take another example. Let’s bring love into the occasion. We all know
emotions sometimes may defy logic. This just might get tricky.<br />
We will now see what “Y” does to honour the fact that he was given a second
chance at life.<br />
First off, he pays his respects to “X”. Next, he does something ‘selfless’ for
his spouse “Z” without anyone knowing.<br />
Why?<br />
Self gratification. He felt good about it. He loves “Z”. For some people,
acknowledgment for doing something for their loved one gives them immense
happiness. To others, just the mere knowledge that they did something selfless
for their loved one without anyone else knowing is enough to keep them
satisfied. This is a subjective standard; varies from person to person
depending on their nature.<br />
But in essence, everything everyone does has a selfish motive. The only ‘problem’
as I like to call it is that we have stereotyped some selfish motives to be
selfless. Some things are seemingly more selfish than others, but in essence no
act is completely selfless. It can be NEARLY selfless. But never quite gets
there. Just like we can get to 99.9% the speed of light but never 100%, it’s
the same thing with selflessness. You won’t ever get there. Some acts may seem
COMPLETELY selfless to you, but not from the actor’s subjective view. Some things
appeal to him, which may not appeal to you and vice versa.<br />
Seems legit. Still, not quite.<br />
What about sacrifices? Things people do which they do not personally like, but
do them anyway for someone else?<br />
Let’s break it down. Don’t look it as what act the person is doing and their
preference. Look at it this way: by doing said act, that person is pleasing
someone else. Subsequently, by pleasing that other person, the actor gets satisfaction.
The chain of sacrifices can be as long as you want, but in essence the answer
will always be simple. You just need to break it down.<br />
<br />
I hope I’ve managed to provoke some thinking into the matter. Any arguments
would be welcome. I don’t claim to be right. This is merely a hypothesis
designed on the basis of rational thinking to help me comprehend the world the
way it is. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Thanks for reading.<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
P.S: Thanks to Umair Khan, who inception-ed this into my head 2 years ago.
Credit goes to him for the idea (which I heartily disagreed with at first).<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-2687876136670264082013-02-16T00:31:00.002-08:002013-02-16T00:38:36.710-08:00Breaking Stereotypes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The glass is half full. Or is it half empty? The fictional world we create in our heads about the importance of petty things is commendable. We give meaning and authority to things that will otherwise have no affect on our lives whatsoever. Giving social and moral norms precedence over our own autonomy, it is us who ensure the propagation of this system that has been created. Breaking stereotypes is one of the most important matters that may be resolved, given the open-mindedness of individuals. Why must we associate certain things with certain emotions, why must we judge? What comes of it? Unproductive conversations, inefficient thought processes and a lack of personal autonomy are just a few of the byproducts of adhering to norms set by society and the world as a whole.</div>
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<br /></div>
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From what I have inferred, a situation seems much more foreboding than it actually is if you haven’t been exposed to it. Lack of knowledge about a certain matter is what instigates fear in our hearts. Associating Africa with famine, Middle-East and South Asia with terrorism, these connections are not our fault. The media plays a pivotal role in developing what we seem to think of as our own personal opinions. We are dictated by the mechanisms of “civilization” and we still seem to believe that we have individualistic concepts. At some point or the other, there is a common overlap between the mindsets of two “individuals”.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming back to the lack of information inciting fear in us, think about it for a minute. Let’s take an example for the purposes of understanding. Depending on what sort of background you come from, your opinions fluctuate accordingly. A person raised in the west may believe that consuming alcohol is morally fine, whereas someone who grew up in the Middle East may believe that consuming alcohol is palpably wrong and goes against their religion and social norms. Once again, by stereotyping the mindsets of people in their respective regions, I have proven that I am no different from the rest of the world. However, the point I am trying to make is that no individual is an individual. Our immediate surroundings define who we are.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The conflicting mindsets of the regions around the world subsequently result in generations to come to have conflicting ideologies. That being said, I still believe that we cannot have a Utopian world in which everyone is like-minded and doesn't fight about matters pertaining to fundamental belief. Through the ages, humans have evolved, not letting go of their beliefs. Co-existence, however, was lost somewhere along the way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You have religious views, well; we all need a feeling of righteousness. What seems to be the issue with other people having differing religious views? By asserting your views and condemning other views are preposterous and incorrect, you don’t end up establishing supremacy. You just look like an insecure subject who needs to convince himself more than anyone else that his views are right.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We have planet Earth to live in. Nothing more, nothing less. Let’s downscale. Imagine that planet Earth is an apartment with 2 rooms and a living room which has an Xbox, LCD screen, and a really nice atmosphere to spend time in. Now you and your room mate both want to play Xbox and chill, right? What are you going to do? Beat him half to death, lock him in the bathroom, and then have a good time without feeling remorse? Or would you try to find middle ground in which no one is being oppressed?<br />
Well whatever you may want to do, it’s too bad because presently the former is being implemented.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The oppressed will continue to be oppressed and may think that he has no real power over the oppressor. However, people are oppressed because they <u>allow</u> themselves to be oppressed. But then again, the idea of being weak is fixated in their mind similar to the way stereotypes are, and so there’s a slim chance they’ll ever be able to break the cycle.</div>
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Then there are those who overdo it. Being someone who believes in equality of all races, religions and both the genders, I couldn't help but notice a few things. When the oppressed begin understanding what “could have been”, they really overdo it. Individuals of an African-American descent have pushed so much for racial equality, and for this very reason they will never get it. There is a lawsuit filed every time a Caucasian individual gets something instead of an African-American one, if they are the only two eligible candidates for it.</div>
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<br />
Similarly, there are feminists. Sure, empower women, give them equal rights, stop sexual harassment, but where is the line drawn? Feminists push for all these things, yet demand special treatment. The concept they are pushing for, is reasonable, logical. However, overdoing it, wanting to be better, filing lawsuits left right and center for gender discrimination, it once again is a reflection of their insecurity and lust for supremacy.<br />
My question is, if someone who is oppressed takes a stand based on moral high ground, how can they be so hypocritical as to take advantage of it and raise their stand one up and aim for higher than what even morality would agree with? Are they trying to turn the tables completely? Is it revenge? Or is it a way to strike a balance: the oppressed becoming the oppressor (and vice versa) for a certain period of time until the former oppressor gets what he deserves? Disproportional attacks will not stop this war.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once again, we have proven that co-existence is but an idealistic concept. The psychological setbacks are too predictable, yet the world seems oblivious to them and how to tackle situations without being unreasonable.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Coming back to breaking stereotypes and what society has made us, I would feel purposeful if I managed to make people understand that whatever we think that we are ‘supposed’ to do, we really don’t. We feel morally inclined to do it because society has evolved in such a way that we were never given a choice to follow or not to follow. Being children, society’s views have been etched into our psyche, giving leeway only when we attain maturity. Question them, ponder over the reason that they are there in the first place, debate on whether you would be losing your genetic personality by adhering to it. Nothing ‘must happen’. Be yourself, don’t hesitate to disagree. Break the stereotypes that have been created, think outside the box, and be an individual.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Question everything. Apply logic. Infer.</div>
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P.S: There are exceptions to everything, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.</div>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518610660837956649.post-69699981152985697522012-11-01T03:04:00.005-07:002014-03-21T03:44:41.148-07:00Stereotypical Emotions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Even the most feeling-less of people can have
feelings. One can convince themselves that they feel nothing. But that's not
true. They have just not been subjected to a situation that triggers their
feelings, and that situation may be very unpleasant.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Impartiality. What
is it? Driven by circumstances, one's mind subconsciously bars those thoughts
from entering the conscious mind. Puts them behind a "wall". If the
magnitude of the enclosed emotions is large enough, it leaves a void in the
conscious mind. A gaping hole. The sudden transition of those emotions from the
conscious into an enclosed section makes the person feel empty. Something they
can mistake for 'feeling nothing'. Feeling 'numb'. A strong person may be able
to handle those pent up emotions for a long time. A weaker person may succumb
to those emotions and vent out negatively. The 'piling' up of emotions within
the 'walls' can have many repercussions. The person in question deals with it
in accordance to his or her emotional stability. Some may vent in a positive
manner: exercise, music, art. Some may vent in a negative manner: inflicting
pain on themselves or others, causing people harm, being reckless, committing
suicide.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">The void cannot be
filled, unless the person in question wants it to be filled. This is not
denial. This is a way of locking matters up when they get too much to handle.
Granted, it’s unhealthy. But a strong defense mechanism does not allow the
person to deal with it and makes them 'forget' it ever happened. The unanswered
question is: what happens when they eventually reach the breaking point of all
the 'forgotten' emotions? Not the ones they put on pending, but the ones their
minds chose to 'forget'? Because information once plugged into the brain, does
NOT get lost. It just goes deeper within, and becomes harder to access
consciously. You never 'forget'. You just 'lose' the memory within the vast
realms of your subconscious mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqd4B0XZHxJdsAckhw6FNl-y-K7Tut1_h_uDd3XV0uSCwBhizZ7rHcqMJD_nDR47-gvbuRjMHZubpLfb5QGui4PsCCctASde59EwHvqVYkhNSNdUYlcvOSV9P8flBBKRf93jv7K9gzRVuH/s1600/blogpic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqd4B0XZHxJdsAckhw6FNl-y-K7Tut1_h_uDd3XV0uSCwBhizZ7rHcqMJD_nDR47-gvbuRjMHZubpLfb5QGui4PsCCctASde59EwHvqVYkhNSNdUYlcvOSV9P8flBBKRf93jv7K9gzRVuH/s320/blogpic3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Everyone and everything has a breaking point. There
is no ‘unbreakable’ material that we know of in our universe. It defies the
laws of physics. We generally apply the same concept when we say ‘I’ve reached
my breaking point’ and so on and so forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Here is where I’d like to go out on a limb and say
that MOST of the time, humans do not just (emotionally) break or snap. They bend.
I like to think of our emotional threshold to be of a malleable nature. SurrealSuperElasticTypeThing. Keep applying pressure, it’ll keep bending,
and MOST of the time, it won’t snap. (Emphasis on MOST, because sometimes
people DO snap, that much is obvious)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Some people can find a
way to deal with the emotional pressure and get back to the way they were
normally. Some people take a long time to deal with things, some don’t. Some can
be normal, some stay scarred for a long time. It all depends on what your mind –in
essence, YOU- want to do. Mourn, rebel, vent, rationalise, ignore?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The ages-old question
has been: What is the best way to deal with problems? ‘Cause let’s face it, EVERYONE has problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">To start off, stop
CREATING problems for yourself. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">ß</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> What have I said? Who would create
problems for themselves?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, don’t be
surprised. People, at times, ENJOY being depressed or angry. They enjoy the
sympathy they get. They enjoy the misery they feel, and then they feel sorry
for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are those who
state their problems to the world at large, portraying themselves as people who
have been wronged, and enjoy themselves thoroughly as the sympathy comes
pouring in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are those who do
not advertise their misery but act depressed and wait for people to ask what’s
wrong. They get an ego boost as well as a sympathetic companion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are those who cry
about their issues, then pretend to be completely fine instantly and get both
sympathy as well as praise for being so ‘strong’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s alright to fall
into one of these categories. I’m QUITE sure only humans will be reading this. :P
It is deep-rooted in human beings to be attracted towards peace, towards
sanctity, solace. One can find peace in sympathy, praise, support, understanding,
or simply by sharing their burdens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Let go of things. Try rationalising
WHY they happened, nothing ever happens without a reason. Vent out, in a
positive manner. Refrain from depending completely on people: it’ll become a
never ending cycle of trusting someone, getting shattered, trusting someone,
getting shattered- with the person changing every time you decide to trust or
depend on someone. </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Sure, you can talk about your problems, but do
so to SOLVE the issues, not just to share what’s happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">We complicate our lives ourselves. Seldom have I
observed people having a conversation about their problems that leads
somewhere. Very rarely have I seen two people reach a consensus on how to go
about a certain issue, and more often than not, the two are not completely
convinced or satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvcTrTAHSstmeuZB_O92SMDXlPomRB9vchDGHVrBOBfb6hllb8vqqOxba6kNwzZ5T8L-m3KkXr6akZCGqZsvJPEOe6UqJt9-pKHr5RWZZh3hHv6apT2FHpLgXE01S4bz1l-wa73BOzhD6/s1600/easy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvcTrTAHSstmeuZB_O92SMDXlPomRB9vchDGHVrBOBfb6hllb8vqqOxba6kNwzZ5T8L-m3KkXr6akZCGqZsvJPEOe6UqJt9-pKHr5RWZZh3hHv6apT2FHpLgXE01S4bz1l-wa73BOzhD6/s320/easy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Think about it this way: it’s YOUR problem… YOU
hold the power to solve it. YOU get to choose the way you think is right. Why
would you want sympathy? It won’t get you anywhere. But oh well, we’re all
human. We regard sympathy to be as important as water is to sustain life. You disagree,
don’t you? That’s because you’ve never thought about it. You’ve done so
subconsciously. Typically, we function on a system of give and take, but I completely
disagree with the efficiency of it. It takes far too long, and has too many hurdles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Strive to fix things before they get too much
to handle. Trust me, if you want a problem to be solved, it will be. You just
need to be willing to compromise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">P.S: To everything I have said, there are
exceptions. To every category I have stated, there is a lot more that can be
said. What I have written is my way of trying to understand this better, to
convince MYSELF of it. So if you happen to disagree with me, fair enough. Everyone’s
entitled to their own opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Thanks for reading. Ciao!</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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