Welcome to facebook!

  


I've been a regular Facebook user since June 2010. Like every user, login page is the one thing I absolutely hate. Same crappy message, everyday, everytime I log in. The very first thing facebook says on the login page is "Facebook helps you connect with the people in your life" (Awesome, we know that already fellas). In my opinion, this description is as incomplete as my education. I beg to differ. The tagline should have been, "Facebook helps you connect with the people in your life AND get to understand what they really are in reality". Use it consciously, and you'll certainly notice what's written here.


You see, I spend more more observing people than actually communicating with them. The moment you talk to someone, the mechanism called "internal firewall" begins to function and all you can see is the trojan horse, the mask that this firewall keeps outside. So, just observing people does me a hell lot of good than idiotic, mind-numbing, brainless chatter. (Dexter Morgan, are you reading this???) The same goes for facebook. Log on, get offline, watch the people. Fun (and creepy).


Well,  observation number one is, quite obvious. Everybody's a winner.. No one is a loser on facebook. Ever. everyone is friggin' perfect. Even the faults one has are described to make them sound like a saint. Have a look at this, for example: "I'm scary but cute" (???). Well, I couldn't, and still can't respond to a description like this. It makes me go all dizzy. Everyone is a demi-god here. Omnipotent and omniscient. 


Observation number two is: you'll see everyone post anything and everything, however significant or otherwise, on their facebook wall for everyone to see. Pass an exam?? post it. Get a job? share it. Celebrate your b'day? Upload the pictures. Visit a friend ?? Thank him/her by adding dozens of hearts and kisses smilies. Hell, you get a haircut, and upload it. Seems extreme, doesn't it?


Observation Three: This may be one of the few "matriarchial societies", and possibly the largest ever . If you're a guy, well, tough luck, mate. You're going to have it rough. People will ask a hundred times, "Do i know you?? Why should I accept your request?" If you're a girl.. well, no questions asked. The world is your oyster. "I'm glad to have you as a friend, ma'am!" (is anyone drunk enough to disagree with me here??) 


Then,  observation number four is actually funny and quite common, too. Go check the comments under the photograph of a pretty girl. you'll see variations of this comment: heyyy.. looking.. beauty... dear.. niceeeee! I lyk u :) (an actual comment copy-pasted from a friend's account) Check the pics of a hundred girls with pretty faces, you'll see tons of comments like these, albeit with a few variations.


Observation five is pretty straightforward: the greater number of friends you have, greater is your cool quotient. Friend invitations are just like flyers distributed everywhere. Free, open for everyone, and most of the times, equally useless. Accept a request and the only thing you're going to know about the person is... just that. His request to add you as a friend. If you don't want to interact, what's the use of being a friend?


Then there's a somewhat important, not-so-light matter. Those of you involved in creative stuff and/or have a page for your services must have experienced this. Someone unpopular does some really great stuff like, wildlife photography, creative writing, poetry, etc and shares it with people, his work will be noticed by just 10-20%  of his/her friends. Moreover, he won't get the appreciation he deserves, and hence, will feel low. On the other hand, picture this: someone popular or "cool", even if he goes to a freaking water park, will get a hundred likes and generic comments. (whatever happened to fairness in this cruel, cruel world?. (I guess "Life is a bitch" has its origin in facebook. Necessity is the mother of invention, right?)


The only thing I wish for is honesty. People feel cheated when they don't get that. Be frank guys; don't try to pretend what you're not. It always brings Headache, Heartache and bad digestion later on. I'm not anti-facebook; indeed I'm greatful to facebook for providing me an opportunity to be a part of something big like thewackyheads, which I'm almost sure i wouldn't have otherwise been able to accomplish... I just want a little transparency. So do you. Be honest!  

Omnipotent Me

Omnipotent Me...

God... probably the strongest entity  that single-handedly has the ability to unite or divide us humans, for good or evil. The funny thing is, God has become more of a political figure these days, than the pillar of faith He (or She) was originally meant to be. God is the base of faith, and religion is just the hollow building that stands upright due to it's support. Demolish the building, you can make a new one. Destroy the base, and the building tumbles down... automatically. What happens when someone refuses to believe the existence of base itself? I'll tell you.


A few people who know me personally  are aware of the fact that I'm an outspoken agnostic, despite the fact that I come from a family of devout Hindus (not superstitious, though). Not a single time has it failed to surprise people, though what's so surprising, eludes me. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit a very famous and ancient temple with a friend of mine. I agreed, out of a little guilt that had sprung up from very little socialising on my part, and I needed some fresh air anyway. 


As promised, I went to the temple with him. However, I stopped at the gates to observe the architechtural  grandiosity. The entire temple was carved out of black stone of some kind. There was a certain grace in the temple that made me stop in my tracks and pay attention to the minute carvings and details. Meanwhile, my friend had almost entered the temple, stopping only when he realised that I hadn't followed him. He impatiently signaled me to join him. I shook my head to state my refusal and asked him to offer his prayers and meet me outside. After trying to reason with me for some time, he shrugged and completed his prayers.


On our way home, he couldn't control himself and finally said, "Dude, you are a hindu, then why didn't you come inside the temple??" I said, "I'm a hindu by birth, but agnostic in nature". He stared at me as if I had just asked him to moonwalk . A few seconds later, he asked the million dollar question: "Why so?"  To which I replied, "I don't need a God". My answer obviously didn't satisfy him, and we had a round of arguments which remained unsolved for quite a few days.


In the meantime, I was searching for a way to frame a proper response for his arguments . A few days later, blasphemous me formed a convincing reply and decided to end this unfinished business forever. I caught up with him the next day and we resumed our World War.


Realising that this conversation was headed the same way as the last one, I interrupted his talk halfway and said, "Look, I'm not saying that God does not exist because of the lack of scientific proof. I'm not even saying that I lost faith because of calamities, poverty, inequality and other such reasons.  It's just that I don't believe in omnipotent-benevolent concept. I don't leave anything to God, I prefer to do it myself.  I can say that I'm responsible for my own life and decisions. I don't need to look to the heavens and mutter in the air for help, I can find it deep within myself. I don't need to create safeguards and face the consequences of my actions, however pleasing or depressing they might be.


Most importantly, I can believe in my own power than believe in someone else. I steer my own canoe rather than leaving it to the mercy of the waves. In a way, I'm my own god, and I'm omnipotent as long as things need to get done my way.... Isn't that a reason enough???"  I fell in my chair, tired from my sudden outburst.


For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then he smiled sheepishly and said, "You've scored pal ! you know you have!"

Passion

PASSION


Anyone who lives in India knows the five common features of  the Indian roads: Potholes, unruly truck drivers, cattle, jaywalkers and marriage processions. In short, it's a massacre if you're an amateur driver.However, these factors can provide some very insightful  sights if searched for. 


  Recently, I took a trip to a hill station with my friends. We stopped for our daily dose of tea at a kiosk on our way, as it was quite early in the morning and  none of us is what anyone would describe as an "Early Bird ". We were right next to a temple, where a marriage procession had arrived with the bride and the groom. The musicians, though quite exuberant  a few minutes ago, had settled down. 


I love to observe people, unnoticed. People are natural when they think no one's watching them. So I closely watched the people assembled. However, the humble musicians were the ones who caught my attention. They had a content smile on their faces, a twinkle in their eyes. They were SERENE.


Frankly, I couldn't understand why were they so happy. It was obvious their job didn't pay well. They had limited means; that's just a polite way of saying they were poor, and their job couldn't do much to their income. I wondered, "How can they be so happy?"


The answer evaded  me for many days. However, my brother  answered that question without him knowing it. During a conversation, he mentioned that he was tired of his IT sector job and wanted to work with publishing houses, as literature was always his first  priority. Although his job paid him obscene amount of money, he wasn't  getting any joy from his work. It lacked job satisfaction.


It was the eureka moment; the moment of revelation. I understood  the reason behind the serene smile of the musicians. They were happy and  loved their job. They ENJOYED their work. 


As a child, I never took the proverb "Work is Worship" too seriously. Now that I've matured a bit, I can finally understand what it means. And yes, it IS the best worship, better than spending a couple of hours reading religious scriptures each week and asking god to bring happiness in our lives.


It is the work itself and not the money that makes people happy. How many of us students (Indians, anyway) really get to do what we want? Many of  us never even realise what we want from our work, we only treat it as a way of paying the bills. When we realise what we always wanted to do, it's too late. That's the biggest regret. Ask yourself. isn't it true??
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The writer is an engineering student studying at the Pune University. You can contact him personally on facebook(http://www.facebook.com/ninad.jane) and this blog.