Category: What is

Why do we want to be Immortal?

FeaturedWhy do we want to be Immortal?

We as a species have always coveted eternal youth and eternal life, colloquially called immortality, and unlocking the key to this immortality will certainly be heralded as the ultimate triumph of man over nature. Perhaps that is why since time immemorial we the mortal beings of this ephemeral cosmos have been in pursuit of this elusive dream. A dream which on one hand is perceived as a quest for the continued existence of an immaterial soul beyond the physical body, while on the other, is one of the main catalysts that lured humanity to the fountain of knowledge that we now call science.

We may have come a long way from voodoo doctors, to alchemists, to modern string theorists, but the allure of this ultimate triumph is still as prominent and magnetic as it was, hundreds of, thousands of, years ago. The commitment and passion towards achieving this goal have transcended mythos and civilizations, a fact evident from thousands of necropolises scattered all over the world. From Great Pyramids of Giza, to Majestic Monoliths of Stonehenge. From ancient Greek myths, to urban lore, each professing of the pros and cons of this dream.

Niamh & Oisin and the Relm of Tir na n'Og
Niamh & Oisin and the Relm of Tir na n’Og

Eventhough, in the past, this quest had a philosophical undertone and more often than not was fueled by religious convictions that equated Immortality to eternal life, but mankind’s increasing prowess in science and medicine, accompanied by a better understanding of the physical and biological aspects of life has empowered us to manipulate the mechanisms of aging which in turn is dramatically altering the odds of realising this Sisyphean task. As now we know, that aging is neither mystical nor inevitable, its just a consequence that we gain by improving health and prolonging life, nothing more than a trickery of physics which the evolution hadn’t already perfected.

But still realizing this task would certainly be a triumphant feat for man, as this trick will grant us the ability to transcend time and see the world change and technology progress. Allowing us to see humans build colonies on Mars and humanity leave the confines of our solar system to voyage the interstellar space at speed of light.

Although the current methods and techniques at our disposal are insufficient in such prolonging but still, at present we are enjoying the highest standards of living that the world has ever seen. For instance, in 18th-century average life expectancy was 35, fifty was riped old age, and 90 was like forever while by the turn of the 20th-century average human life expectancy was about 45 years of age. And look at it now, average life expectancy has more than doubled over the past decades. Even if we could prolong our lives to maximum age, we still are just prolonging the wait for the body to fail. Because after all achieving eternal health and ending biological aging, would in no way be the end of death.

So does this mean there is no true immortality? Well… Yesss and no!

You see, there is no true immortality when taken in the context of time but only a perception of it. A human is immortal to a fly as a giant redwood is to us humans, Or like how a star is immortal to its planets as a galaxy is to its star. But on the other hand, its also true that even if we achieved eternal health, it will not end death but it will certainly end aging. And what is immortality? if not, not aging?

In fact, I am sure that achieving immortality or eternal health will make us make responsible humans and hopefully we would start taking better care of planet knowing we would be around longer. Although the pressures of life may not decrease, then again we would have much more time figuring out these intricacies. We will surely be spending much more time on refining our inner niches, learning about things that we are good at, goals we want to achieve and deeds to we want to do.

Then again, If given a chance to choose how long we want to live, how long would we choose? 100, 120 or perhaps forever. After all who wouldn’t want to live forever, but how long will that forever be once you reach that age?

When you have all the time in the world, you become mellow and laid back, that rushness and ephemeral essence loses its meaning. You begin to delay things, put more thoughts into risks and methodically plan your decisions. Your life becomes monotonous and predictable. Even though the sands of time continue to slip away, your life becomes static. There are no ripples on the surface, instead only a commotion inside, conspiring to send impending tsunamis out on the surface as the monotonicity starts to overwhelm your inner athlete and the sense of adventure. You begin to yearn for the ticking of the clock and ephemeral beauty of nature.

Just like a sunbather by the beach relaxing after taking a dip in the depths of the torrential ocean of time. At first, he loves the cooling effects due to the conspiracy of the sun and wind that evaporate water off his drenched skin but as the sun reaches for the apogee he beings to realize the conspiracy and once again starts to yearn for the cold and torrent ocean waves.

The cold and Torrent ocean waves
The cold and Torrent ocean waves

This reminds me of the story of Eos and Tithonus. Tithonus was the lover of goddess Eos. The goddess was cursed to fall in love for mortal men by Aphrodite. She begged Zeus to grant Tithonus immortality so that they could spend eternity together but she forgot to ask for eternal youth. The wish was granted but, Tithonus kept aging unable to die, he began begging Eos for death. But she couldn’t do anything as once immortal, there’s no turning back. Instead, she turned him into a cricket; eternally living begging for death to overcome him.

Tithonus, turning into a grasshopper
Tithonus eternally living begging for death to overcome

We humans always had a love-hate relationship with immortality and feared never-ending aging. But the irony is, we still want to live forever and in the now. Often neglecting or say overlooking the fact that we not only live in the now but we also die in the now, not in the future. We’re born young, we grow old, and then we die. This has been the natural order for eons. Getting old is good, right? Afterall we celebrate the idea of living long to experience old age, or why else would we call them the golden years.

But the reality is, everybody wants to become old, but nobody wants to be old. Most people want to die once they reach a certain age. After a certain age, they begin to see, death not as an enemy but a friend. For example, my granny who is 100, plans, who should be invited to her last rites and how much must be spent on the whole affair with such exuberance, as if she was a kid planning her birthday.

As the demons of time start running away from you, you begin to realize, eternal life or never-ending age is more of a curse than a boon. No matter what science offers us, the millions of years of evolutionary curiosity, adventure seeking and adrenaline rush of facing fear cannot be suppressed. Everything in this universe goes through or has to go through the cycle of life and death. Things born must age and die. It is, simply the equation that governs or has been governing the ethos of the cosmos since the beginning of the time. For the entirety of this mystic realm, death is a part of life. Without death, life loses its meaning. If one could question death, he would certainly reply, life is just a beautiful lie while I am the only truth. One can’t change the inevitable, they can only delay it, that too only to an extent. Eventually, the whip-snapper always comes to reap what he sowed.

Life asked Death
If one could question death, he would certainly reply, life is just a beautiful lie while I am the only truth

So, does this mean we should stop our quest for immortality or eternal-health and let nature have its way?

No, it in no way means that we shouldn’t look for immortality or eternal-health. The relationship between life and death is that of a hostage who grows to love the kidnapper. Of course, death is a part of life or has been so forever, but our brains need to be cleared of the millennia of death acceptance.

In the past, people who lived past the normal life expectancy were seen as something unnatural and often immoral, someone who defied the normal. They were outcasted, labeled as reapers of the soul or even witches. As a result, we were made to believe, death was something good and natural. But death is, nor was a solution.

Just because something is natural doesn’t make it good or necessary. It may be natural to live lives nasty, brutish, and short, but it’s also natural to look at what indifferent nature provides as the starting point.

The changes longer lives will bring will surely clear our brains of this death acceptance. And how soon we start this quest matters, as for the difference of, but a day might determine what side of the future chasm we are on. Journeying forever forward or falling backward into the abyss.

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झूठ, और उन झूठों को बोलने वाले झूठे

झूठ, और उन झूठों को बोलने वाले झूठे
​हम क्यों झूठ बोलते हैं?

यद्यपि झूठ को असहमति के साथ देखा जाता है और एक सामाजिक बुराई के रूप में माना जाता है, लेकिन झूठ निश्चित रूप से सामाजिक और जीवन के भौतिक पहलुओं का एक अभिन्न अंग है। समय के साथ, हम इंसानों ने इसे कला में रूपांतरित कर दिया है, कई अलग व्यक्तित्वों और रूपों वाले बहुमुखी कला में।

हालांकि हमारे पास लाखों बनावटी तथा छद्म-स्पष्टीकरण हैं कि हम झूठ क्यों बोलते हैं, लेकिन यह सब एक ही सार्वभौमिक सच्चाई पर आकर रुक जाते हैं और वह है कि हम महत्व की हमारी भावना को बढ़ाने के लिए झूठ बोलते हैं। हम उन चीज़ों को प्राप्त करने के लिए झूठ बोलते हैं जिन्हें अन्यथा इनकार किया जाएगा, हम सजा से बचने के लिए झूठ बोलते हैं, या शायद हम झूठ बोलते हैं क्योंकि हमें काल्पनिक से तथ्य का भेद नहीं पता।
झूठ का जो कुछ भी कारण हो, एक बात एक संदेह की छाया से परे है, हालांकि हम निश्चित रूप से हमेशा सच्चाई जानते हैं, जानते हैं कि सच्च क्या है और झूठ क्या परन्तु झूठ सभी मानव घटनाओं में इतना प्रचलित हो गए हैं कि लोगों को सबसे अधिक विरोधाभासी झूठों के लिए भी सरल स्पष्टीकरण मिल गयें हैं। झूठ का तथ्यों के विरूपण के साथ कुछ भी लेना-देना नहीं है, अपितु मानव भावनाओं और गर्व से सब कुछ है। झूठ तो असल में अहंकार और आत्ममोह का प्रतिबिंब है। लोग हमेशा, राजनेताओं और प्रचारकों को झूठ का प्रतीक मानते हैं, लेकिन क्या यह पक्षपाता नहीं ? आख़िरकार झूठ तो सभी बोलतें हैं ।
यूँ तो झूठ की अपनी कोई विशेषता नहीं होती ,लेकिन इसे झूठ बोलनेवाले की विशेषताओं द्वारा आसानी से पचाना जा सकता है। और शयद इसीलिए हमनें झूठ को नहीं, बल्की झूठों को वर्गीकृत किया है।
हमारे पास हैं :-
कुख्यात झूठे : जो झूठ को सच्चाई की जगह पारित करने के ईमानदार प्रयासों के बावजूद, अपनी घृणित प्रतिष्ठा से ही जानें जाते हैं। ये सिर्फ़ एक अजनबी को ही बेवकूफ़ बना सकते हैं, परन्तु वो भी लंबे समय तक नहीं।
माँझे हुए झूठे: इन्होंने झूठ बोलने की कला में महारथ हासिल की है। ये अव्वल दर्जे के और सहजवृत्ति वाले झूठे होते हैं, यह असंभव है कि कोई भी इनके जैसी निपूर्णता के साथ झूठ बेल सके। इनके झूठों को हमेशा सफलता का ताज पहनाया जाता हैं, क्योंकि ये अपने शब्दों से किसी भी श्रोता को मंत्रमुग्ध कर सकते हैं। श्रोता जाने-अनजाने में इनके हर झूठ को सत्य के सुसमाचार के तैर पर में मान लेते हैं।
छंटे हुए झूठे : झूठ से इनको अभेद्य प्रेम तथा एक प्रकार की अपरिहार्य दासता है। इनके झूठों को अकसर पकड़ा जा सकते हैं, इसके बावजूद झूठ बोलतें हैं।
कट्टर झूठे : ये आदत के जीव हैं। अब झूठ न बोलना सीखना इनके लिए बहुत मुश्किल है। झूठ ने अपनी जड़ों को गहराई तक मजबूती से बांटा है, जो की इनकी आदत का रूप ले चुकी है। उनके लिए झूठ बोलना सुबह की चाय या कॉफी और टोस्ट लेने जैसा है ।
जन्मजात झूठे: इनका मिथ्याकरण का इतना लंबा इतिहास है कि कोई नीसंदेह कह सकता है, की जब ये अपनी मां के गर्भ में पुनर्वास कर रहे थे तब इनका उपाध्यक्ष शुरू हुआ। दूसरे शब्दों में, और प्रभाव के लिए अतिशयोक्ति का उपयोग करते हुए आप कह सकते हैं की ये अपने जन्म के क्षण से झूठ बोल रहे हैं।
झूठ के आदी झूठे: इन्हें कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता, ये कभी भी झूठ बोलना बंद नहीं करते। लोग अवसरों पर या अक्सर विशेष कारणों से झूठ बोलते हैं, लेकिन ये लगातार झूठ बोलते हैं, कभी-कभी या कभी-कभी नहीं, अधिक से अधिक झूठ बोलते हैं।
तर्कहीन झूठे : इन्हे एक आजीब बीमारी है। इनको सच्च और झूठ के बीच के अंतर की चिंता नहीं होती , और न ही ये तथ्यों को फंतासी से अलग करने के लिए परेशान होते हैं। वास्तव में, इनका झूठ बोलना एक लाइलाज़ बीमारी की तहर है , जिसको किस भी एंटीबायोटिक या दवा से ठीक नहीं किया जा सकता।
निर्लज्ज झूठे : ये बेशरम होते हैं, इनके लीए इन्हें मायने नहीं रखता, कि इनके झुठों के कारण निर्दोष पीड़ितों को क्या-क्या झेलना पड़ता हैं। इन्हें तो इसका पछतावा तक नहीं होता। पूरी तरह से बेईमान, इन वक्तियों से घुलना-मिलना खतरनाक होता हैं।
निपुण झूठे: इनके पास एक जीवंत कल्पनाशक्ति और लप-लपाती ज़ुबान होती है , ये तथ्यों को आसानी से तोड़-मरोड़ लेते हैं मनो जैसे अपना नाम कह रहें हों। हालांकि ऐसा नहीं है की इनका झूठ हमेशा पकड़ा नहीं जाता पर, फ़िर भी, इनकी हर बात को हमेशा संदेह से देखा जाता है। ये इतने हाज़िर ज़वाब होते हैं की अक्सर इनके उत्तरों को सच मानने में कठनाई होती है। भले ही आप इनके झुठों को तुरंत पकड़ लें, परन्तु आप पिछले बुरे अनुभव से यह जानते हैं की, जब ये बात कर रहें हो तो महत्वपूर्ण संकायों को निलंबित नहीं करना चाहिए। यूँ तो लोग इनकी चुस्त बुद्धिमत्तता की प्रशंसा करते हैं लेकिन इनको हमेशा संदेहास्पद स्वरों से ही सुनते हैं।
झूठ कैसा भी हो, वे बुरा ही है, और अक्सर अन्य लोगों के लिए हानिकारक होते हैं, परन्तु कभी-ना-कभी किसी विशेष रूप में आप पर भी खतरनाक प्रभाव दाल सकता है। अच्छे में अच्छा, यदि आपके झूठ को पकड़ लिया जाए तो केवल आपको कुछ शर्मिन्दगी भुगतनी पड़ती है। जबकि बुरे में बुरा, यदि आपको अपने धोखे में सफलता मील जाये तो पर भी, आपके चरित्र की ही विकृत होती है और ऊसूलों को छत्ती पहुँचती है।
संक्षेप में, सभी झूठ हानिकारक हैं, पर ये अनैतिकता से कम नहीं। यदि आप इनमें से किसी एक तरह के भी झूठे हैं, तो भी आपके सभी झूठ –  निन्दनीय, अनुमानीत , पूर्वनिर्धारित, नीस्नेह और जानबूझे हैं।
झूठों का वर्गीकरण वर्ड पावर नोर्मन लुईस, 1 9 4 9 [आईएसबीएन: 8183071007], से प्रेरित

 

What is Life? 2.0

What is Life? 2.0
What is life? Isn’t it an abyss full of unrealized dreams and shattered hopes. You may spend an eternity, it’s improbable that you will ever be able to comprehend its grandness or the sheer scale of it. Even if you have the courage to scale its depths to piece together those shattered hopes and unrealized dreams, it will still be an incongruous endeavor.

Nothing matters, you will always remain insouciant and capitulated in a quotidian disarray praying, maybe the next day will better than today. The more you will try, the harder it will become, to end this perpetual commotion and slumber of thoughts or to gaze into that rabbit hole. In fact, a will of steel and wit of a child is needed, to even garner courage of peeping into that bleak hole.
Your inner-voice keep on saying, not to get too bothered, but the bickering world never stops meddling, unless you jump into this chasm. But, the moment you leap over the ledge and plunge into this darkness, a never-ending stream of thoughts overwhelms you. And suddenly you realize that this realm of darkness is not all black, but there’s something to it that is surreal, almost dreamlike.
A dream from which you don’t want to wake up. Though the sense of euphoria accompanying this endless emptiness feels almost haunting and you think maybe you were content without exploring, but in reality, you were much more curious than a 2-year-old child. The adrenaline rush now fuels your inner self to go deeper. And as you go deeper you become more conscious and confident that you are the king of this realm, all you had to do, was try, try what nobody ever tried. The moment you realize this, you will see the darkness giving way to light, and there’s a mirror at the bottom of this never ending Abyss.
It’s you looking at yourself staring at the skies, from the bottom of a well. Staring at a vanilla sky full of hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
Read the original here : What is Life

What is Excitement

The anticipation of something new or unknown is always much more euphoric than that thing itself. Your imagination goes into a frenzy, painting vivid and ebullient pictures of the events about to unfold. You feel giddy, butterflies start titillating your innermost desires, enticing feelings like that, of a new love or the passion of a consummated one. Summoning emotions that transcend mendacity of this pretentious world, absolving you of your dark desires. Yielding an amalgamation of thoughts with emotions & desires that elates you into a trans, as if you have achieved nirvana and are ready to ascend to a final abode.

Excitement is a drug so powerful that even morphine seems like an overrate artisanal water. The whirlwind of thoughts, comotion of emotions and beguilement of desires, that it entrails are like the ubiquitous longing of a chronic methhead. You start contemplating the improbable; imploring to elements to incite time dilation. So, that you can have both the physical and the metaphysical experiences at once.

Though it is hard to comprehend or possibly explain such longings. Perhaps our inner child could explain it as we adults are overly-cautious and intensely disturbed about the directions of our own thrills. Unfortunately and Ironically, the baroque explanations pulled from deepest childhood memories, are so odd to ourselves, that we unwittingly try to repress them.

Enthusiasms arising from excitement is so overwhelming that we thwart for in its obviation. This may sound odd but this enthusiasm is in fact motivated by a search for extrication of truth and eloquence. It not only paints a utopian perspective of things about to unfold but, also provides solutions to the thing we fear; making us feel more at ease, more relaxed and true to ourselves.

What is Forgiveness?

When we talk about forgiveness it is very important for all of us . When you don’t forgive someone, you are not hurting your beliefs, you are not hurting the company that did you wrong, you are hurting yourself. 

In fact, Forgiveness is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. Everyone should have the ability to forgive. Learning to forgive doesn’t mean you’ll never stand up for yourself, it doesn’t mean you’ll let others hurt you. You are simply telling them how you feel. Forgiveness is, one of the secrets for a long and fruitful life. Forgiveness is not devine it’s simply a feeling that helps you tap into the inner bliss of universal positivity. 


By : Nshika Agarwal, my 11 yrs old cousin. 

What is Altruism ?

Image result for Altruism

Altruism is not for those who are inherently perfect nor is it for those trying to be perfect. Altruism is for those who show disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of other or for those who believe in doing the selfless deed without ranting about it to the entire world. It is all about being magnanimous, showing benevolence and performing self-sacrifice.

But tell me, have you ever found a deed that is selfless or magnanimous. It doesn’t matter whether you are a saint or an ordinary man. Some way or other your altruistic instincts are always fed by the hunger for glory or fame. Whether consciously or unconsciously, it is this thirst for glory and fame that is steering you towards generosity and bounteousness.

In fact, the entire premise of altruism is fueled by the insecurities and paranoia instilled by religion over the centuries. Take away the premise of heavenly adobe or nirvana and poof goes the concept into the thin air. Even Atheist, heathens and agnostics are no better than theist or deist. The atheists may not believe in God or religion but they sure do believe in making a name for themselves in history.

Just think about it, If people donate for the construction of churches, temples or mosque they are glorified for generosity and poise. But wouldn’t it would have been same if they just burnt that money on a pyre. There are far more important issues in this world than making a glorified hall for someone whose very existing is questionable.

This society condemns philanthropy by labeling it as a means to rinse one’s sin. But why the heck does it forgets to look at a mirror when it does the same every day. You or me paying a beggar is not altruism at the very best it’s egotism.

People act for many reasons; but for whom, or what, they act or should act is immaterial. No individual can ever act only according to his or her own interests without regard for others nor can they ever truly act for others in complete disregard for his or her own interests.

In fact, a person’s acts are determined by prior events; essentially taking away the concept of choice. But as it turns out in the grand scheme of things, a person obviously possesses some control over his or her next action. So, morally speaking, the ideals of altruism or egotism or egoism are illogical. One should pursue their own interests but without disregard to others’ interest and to an extent which is praiseworthy when compared to self-regarding acts.

The definitions in case you were wondering:
Heathens: Those who don’t adhere to a widely held religion (pagans)
Theist: believes in God but does not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity, nor in a divine revelation
Deist: believes in God but does not believe in his superintendence and government, not in the doctrine of the trinity or divine revelation.
Agnostic: believes only what is knowable.

 

 

Spirituality and India

What is spirituality?

Its was an alien concept in India, Only the west knew spirituality. The word spirituality was defined by Christians. India never wanted spirituality.
All india wanted was to be a salve to dharma a concept far boarded and complex then spirituality.
Dharma a 1000’s of years old concept that almost per-dates religion itself or say spirituality.
Yes! dharma is not religion. Its more a way of life or perhaps a pathway that leads to a peaceful of life.
This concept was lost somewhere along the history. Now a days spirituality starts with money and ends with money.
We have some how got it mixed with the ridiculous notion that listening to hypocrite and god-men rant random verses from books of wisdom is spirituality.
Spirituality is not something you can earn its something that can only be experienced. You cannot share it nor can you preach it.
Yes indeed, India or for that matter the entire world lacks spirituality. We have polluted it with religion and terms like self-discovery.
Spirituality is more about self-belief, awareness and empathy.