Skip to main content

Being

I began dwelling again on the whole idea of 'being'. Not to go full on Ontological here but I cannot help it. As a race we consider ourselves the Darwinian winners - associating quotes like 'those that survive are not the strongest or the smartest but those that are most adaptable' with our species, yet in a very primitive way I wonder if we truly have mastered the art of survival.

Then again is it important to just 'survive' or ' to live'? The latter carries a sense of worth associated with the whole activity of 'being'. So then what is this 'state of being'? A rock, a mollusc, a fern or a human are all around for thousands of years on this planet but we believe we are superior. We claim to understand the hierarchy of organisms (and non organisms) in which we view our position (Home Sapiens) as being at the top of the food chain.

Hmmm...could we be incapable of comprehending another 'form of being' with a better developed adaptive quotient or intellect? So we do not know what we do not know and hence by default assume ourselves in the superior realm? That would be a gross fallacy. Even Confucius would perhaps agree.

When you think about this it does put a lot of things in perspective and shed light on the 'human condition' of being constantly in state of increasing entropy. We strive to achieve (some more than others as viewed by popular vote) chaos out of order, yet the natural saga of oxidation of all things containing electrons continues.

Relentless, we as a species have always tried to fight entropy and expend a lot of energy doing so sometimes oblivious to the true ROI (for those MBAisque mindsets).

I guess I am saying that we should try to learn to relax more - just 'be' (see its part of 'be'ing) - I know I need to - whew!

Desi Pravasi

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Of Jims and Johns

Here is another essay on the subject of first names. As in birth names. Or names provided to an offspring at birth. While the developed world tends to shy away from the exotic like Refrigerator or Coca Cola for their new production there is a plethora of Jims and Johns and Bobs or Robs. Speaking of which I do not think there is a categoric decision point at the time of birth if a child will be hereafter called as Bob. I mean have not yet met a toddler called Bob or Rob for that matter. At some point though the parental instinct to mouth out multiple syllables runs out and they switch from calling the crawler Robert to simply Robbie to Rob. Now speaking of - it is strange that the name sounds like something you would not want Rob to do - i.e. Rob anyone. Then why call someone that? After all Rob Peter to Pay Paul is not exactly a maxim to live a young life? Is it? Perhaps Peter or Paul might want to have a say in it? Then there is this matter of going to the John. Why degrad...
2 comments
Read more

But What If We're Wrong?

I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language.  Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds.  The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic.  Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'.  This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...
2 comments
Read more

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected.  I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot.  It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is.  Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy.  It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff?  Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality.  So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing?  Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...
2 comments
Read more