Man? Middle-Class? Marriage? Wait till you’re 30!

Being a middle-class, limited resource man means you ought to marry late (at least after 30) for some very obvious reasons. Gone are the days when you would see a happy family – with a woman in her early 20s carrying an infant in her arms seated along her husband riding the motor cycle. ‘’ With a complete round of doses of extravagance depicted through the T.V. Soaps, every woman has gradually understood to live her life no lesser than Queen Elizabeth.  At the same time, men have learnt that they must hunt for a partner who is independent, supportive, highly intelligent and educated, and to top it all, look very similar to Angelina Julie, or Katreena.

 

The increasing globalization, the depleting resources, the horrible Malthus’s theory of population explosion and its consequences, the soon approaching end of the time as per Mayan’s calendar,  and the MOPW campaigns have all convinced us it is seriously uneconomical, dangerous, and fruitless to continue the traditions of marriage and family making. Even if some of us do not find these negative potentialities of family making, the thought the we would not be able to feed our grandsons (and their grandsons) is strong enough, at least, to delay marrying until things turn favorable.

 

The economic hardships and unreasonable expectations are not the only causes of a delayed marriage. Education also plays a vital role in building up a mass of hapless, spouse(less), medium-income adults. For aligning our HR standards with international benchmarks, employers are seeking bachelors who have at least completed 16 years of education. This naturally makes it impossible for students to graduate before they age 23. And since most students of the middle-income families opt for a master’s degree as well, fresh post graduates are 25 before they start off their careers. 4 years are too little to get a position (and a salary) you could rely upon for a sustainable and decent living. So there you go at 30 – ready to hunt for your dream partner. But remember you are looking for Angelina, and this is no easy job!

Purpose of Existence

Do you know the purpose of existence?

Of the 72 year old who spent 35 soldier years in his country’s defence

Who, as a lieutenant, served his dearly mother country;

Dealing with challenges to save his Indian territory;

The man now has no one to depend on;

For an accident has deprived him of his wife and son

Having been retired from his work recently

He wishes to spend his end-of-life decently

He loves to experience the chilly morning walk

He loves the company of Yoga class friends and their talk

He visits a temple to read his prayer and love his god

He helps those read who he keeps dear a lot

As he returns to home after his morning affairs He devours the food he prepares

A paralyzed old aged neighbor also takes a share

From the retired man’s food and his sense of care

Hours they spent talking and sharing stories

For old agers relish their past and their past glories

When done with the lunch he heads for a cause

Into a non-profit organization that works without a boss

He helps the poor kids in their work and studies

For he understands and feels their poverty and miseries

He hands in gifts and chocolates to them on occasions

He helps them in their projects and helps them learn their lessons

Lessons which would reflect learning from his army life

Lessons which would help reduce their degree of strife

Some of these inculcate a spirit of patriotic devotion

Some of these reduce their unwanted emotion

When at times he misses his deceased son

He looks at those children with whom he has gotten no blood relation

He feels their unconditional love and calms his heart

And feels so cared for though his real son is apart

When in the evening he goes to an aged care centre

He visits his friend and read a newspaper together

And often engages in wood crafting with the other elderly

He builds his art in many shapes and forms

The favourite of which are towers, planes, boats and dorms

He assists arranging the wood craft fair at the centre

Where old age people would explore each other’s artistic wonder

This fair exhibits the height of his old friends’ celebrations

A prize for the best art-work gives reason for jubilations

He does not sleep for the sake of sleep

He does not accept that his future is in the soil’s deep

He finds his happiness in the service of others

He would die one day, but he never bothers

He deceives this reality with the happiness’s resistance

And this is what he says is the ‘Purpose of Existence’

Creativity as a Function of Madness

The mad scientist, depressed writer, and delusional painter are stereotypical perceptions of the creative elite; could there be truth behind such characterizations? In what has become known as the “Sylvia Plath Effect,” many members of the scientific community and the general public have formulated a connection between psychosis and creativity [1]. Recent research conducted around the globe is showing a correlation between delirium and ingenuity that had previously been suggested in response to the notoriously erratic behavior of visionaries such as Vincent van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, and Virginia Woolf. Despite newly surfaced research advocating such a relationship, there are still many ethical implications circumventing society’s periodic association of creativity with mania. Society often relates creative skill to mental instability, but a previous lack of research had proven solid evidence elusive. Contemporary studies may help justify such a theory. Never the less, the suggestion that creative people owe their genius to the presence of mental illness is an ethically and socially precarious topic. The science allows us to ask questions such as: Does creativity spawn from mental illness or does creativity cause mental illness? Each proposal has societal implications that could change the way we view our artistic innovators.

One study, done by Jordan Peterson of the University of Toronto and Sheeley Carson and Daniel Higgins of Harvard University, analyzed the tendency of creative people to discern stimuli from their surroundings further from what is needed to carry on with day-to-day life. In contrast to this intuitive population, the study showed that uncreative people block out unwanted stimuli. This phenomenon, known as “latent inhibition” may explain the enigmatic relationship between creativity and madness. The unusually lithe minds characteristic of people with low latent inhibition allows for those people to either accept the extra stimuli as limitless possibilities or as sources of discontent [2]. Another study, conducted by researchers at Stanford University, supports the vague line between positively applied latent inhibition and negatively applied latent inhibition, suggesting that “discontent is the mother of invention. [3]” This proposes that the creativity of the mentally ill arises from emotions originating from the negative energy used to resolve conflicts in their day-to-day lives. This negative energy could be the result of the inability to sort through excess stimuli. In efforts to prove this theory, the researchers noted that patients at the bipolar clinic were often highly intelligent people that led compelling lives [3]. Following this observation, the researchers conducted a study that showed personality parallels between artists and individuals that are bipolar. During the study, patients, many of whom were on medication, were given psychiatric examinations before taking the Barron-Welsh Art Scale. The BWAS is used to measure a person’s creativity based on whether or not the patient “likes” or “dislikes” various images. The results of the study suggest that the more creatively attuned disliked the straightforward and symmetrical figures, or in other words, the images that many artists would also dislike [3]. While the two investigations can be used together fittingly to support the theory of creativity being related to madness, they advocate opposing origins. The first study suggests that creativity and madness are rather interchangeable, depending on what a person, by nature, does with given conditions. The second study, on the other hand, suggests that creativity is born of mental illness. The later illustrates some of the profound ethical implications relevant to this topic. Is it fair to imply that successful figures in the creative industry acquired their success compliments of a handicap provided by a history of psychosis?

However, historical figures make the connection between creativity and madness seem not only plausible, but probable. Scientific evidence strengthens society’s previous perceptions of the creatively attuned. Vincent van Gogh is world renowned for being an artistic visionary and pioneer while he is also known for depression and the notorious mutilation of his left ear. It seems that even van Gogh him self acknowledged his ever questionable lucidity, stating, while in the hospital, “my health is good, and as for my brain, that will be, let us hope, a matter of time and patience [4].” He describes his most famous piece, “Starry Night,” as a place where, “one can ruin one’s self [5].” Is van Gogh’s success then, due, in large part, to his lunacy? Can the same be said of people such as Virginia Woolf, who like van Gogh, suffered from mental instability? Woolf, a bipolar writer, is said to have, “identified with the fringe, with those on the margins, with the silenced, the mute, and the mad [6].” It seems that her mental illness made her more relatable to readers, and therefore more successful. In her essay, “Modern Fiction,” Woolf critiques writers of her time, asserting that it’s impossible to know what it going on inside one’s head by simply observing what’s going on in their surroundings [6]. This implies that she believe that her depression was not a product of her surroundings but a product of her impression of her surroundings. It also allows one to wonder whether or not it is correct to perceive one as mentally ill simply because they are creatively inclined when, according to Woolf, such assumptions are futilely related to action. In contrast, studies conducted at the University of Oxford and the University of Hungary show that the expression of mental diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as creativity, is genetic. Researchers at the University of Oxford observed Icelandic, Scottish, Irish, British, Dutch, and Asian populations for specific variations of expression for the gene Neuregulin 1. Neuregulin 1, abbreviated NRG1, is a gene, often linked to schizophrenia, that plays several roles in the development of the brain and determining the capability of the brain of coping with changes in its environment [7]. The researchers concluded that there is a link between schizophrenia and NRG1 by tracking specific mutations that occur at a specific place on the gene. They back up their research with evidence that mice carrying the mutated gene display behavior comparable to rodent equivalents of human schizophrenics. The study conducted at the University of Hungary found the link between NRG1 and creativity. Researchers measured the creative capacity of a group of volunteers who “considered themselves to be very creative,” and compared the results to each volunteer’s specific discrepancies of Neuregulin 1. The results of the study suggest an obvious correlation between a person’s variation of Neuregulin 1 and their creative ability. Participants with a specific form of Neuregulin 1 had higher scores on creative evaluations and boasted more “lifetime creative achievements” than those expressing a different form of Neuregulin 1[8]. Like the researchers from Stanford, one of the Hungarian researchers noted that the variation coding for mental illness can be somewhat beneficial in terms of helping the subject think more creatively.

Ultimately, research is strengthening the relationship between creativity and madness, though how the correlation came to be remains ambiguous. The affiliation could result from a person’s ability or inability to separate various stimuli, a person’s perception of their surroundings, or from genetic discrepancies. However, regardless of origin, scientific evidence supporting such a connection creates interesting ethical and societal dilemmas. How will society view and accept their creative members knowing that their creativity may be abetted with, or a result of, a psychotic counterpart? Is it ok to credit artistic prosperity to what many would view as a socially inacceptable ailment? For now, the answer rests in society’s own ability to sort through the creative environment to develop an opinion. Lindsay Weinick is an undergraduate at Arizona State University. Reproduced from [9] ASU

Sourced from:

References:
1. Bailey DS. Monitor on Psychology. [homepage on the Internet]. 2007 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/11/
2. Biological Basis for Creativity Linked to Mental Illness. [homepage on the Internet]. 2003 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www.eurekalert.org/ pub_releases/2003-09/uot-bbf093003.php
3. Children of Bipolar Parents Score Higher on Creativity Test, Stanford Study Finds. [homepage on the Internet]. 2005 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-11
4. Rindo R. Gyromancy. Gettysburg Review [serial on the Internet]. 2009 [cited 2009 Nov 25].;3(22) Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/
5. Kagan D. Night Vision. Apollo [serial on the Internet]. 1998 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. ;148(442) Available from: http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu
6. Friedman SS. Woolf, Virginia. [database on the Internet]. 2005 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from:http://www.oxford-britishliterature.com/entry?entry=t198.e0497
7. Law AJ, Lipska BK, Weickert CS. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. [database on the Internet]. 2005 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from: Arizona State University, Web site: http://www.pnas.org.ezproxy1. lib.asu.edu/
8. Wei T. Genetic Variation Helps to Understand Predisposition to Schizophrenia. [database on the Internet]. 2007 [cited 2009 Nov 25]. Available from: http://www. eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/>
9. http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-7625883-mental-intruder.php

Losing your Job

Timothy walked to the bus stop faster and earlier than the usual; not because he was late, but because he was intrinsically motivated for his new job. Surprisingly, he got a seating place in the bus, which on other days, was something he would never have. As the cool morning breeze hit over his face, he went into a ‘world of thoughts’.

He knew that when he would return from the office in the evening, he would have got his first salary with him. He had already planned a party with his wife Harsha and had promised Wimpson, his seven-year-old son, a mini-bicycle.

‘Papa, get me a bicycle, and I will ride you office everyday’ he remembered how his son insisted for his toy.

‘I’m glad you finally got this job, I was really scared what would happen if I had to quit my job for our expecting baby’, he recalled the words of his wife the previous night. ‘Honey, I’m really sorry you had to work when I was unemployed for so long; but I have good faith in this job. I won’t even think of sending you to work as soon as I’m fit here. The bosses told me they will soon promote me.’

As the bus conductor arrived for the ticket, he reached his pocket. ‘This is probably the last time I am travelling in this worn-out and sluggish state buses. From now on, I am going by a taxi; or a fast train at least.’ he thought.

Timothy threw a look around the bus for a while. Next to him probably was a student going for classes at a community school. He remembered how difficult it was for him to attend school while he had to work part time at his father’s grocery shop. The front-most seats were occupied by the elderly. On the left rows of seats, there were women going for work at V-work factory at the end of the town. V-work workers were typically clad in the blue uniforms; and it was by this means he could recognize them. The thought that Harsha too would be travelling for the work similar to these women quickly ran into his mind.

‘Darwin Street,’ called the conductor. The voice immediately reminded him of his workplace. He got off the bus and viewed the office gate. As he passed through it, the gatekeeper gave him a strange smile. It seemed strange because it was first time in the 30 or so days he smiled at him. Usually, the gatekeeper would give a short stare and move to his work. For the sake of courtesy, anyways, he smiled back.

Because he was a bit earlier, he had to wait before he could greet good morning to his colleagues and collect his day’s work. Excited about the salary, he rode to the notice panel where news like these would typically appear. To his great delight, the notice did appear. The panel also had different announcements on it.

‘Our new project is reaching stars; we are heading for the sky.’ Under this notice were the growth rates for the second quarter. He was not smart enough to see through what those growth percentages meant. All he could think was that the growth would soon be reflected in his salary in the days to come.

Under this notice was a handwritten notice endorsed by the senior manager. The notice read: ‘To improve our manpower, we are glad to align our human resource standards with the international benchmarks. As a result of this, we are setting a new recruitment criterion effective from the month of March. Under the new criteria, all workers in the firm should have an internationally recognized bachelor’s degree. This would entail better productivity and would contribute to organizational reputation. Workers whose employment tenure exceeds three years are however, exempted.’

Timothy did not remember if he had had a breadth while he read the notice. He knew very well that his under-graduation degree had a local mark. He never had finances to learn in institutions of international repute, let alone a full-fledged international institution. Does that mean they no longer need me; and others like me? his fears took him over.

‘So good you read this yourself, I had almost scrambled my communication skills to convey this news.’

He looked back to see the personnel manager griming with a smile.

‘As you know our company is setting new heights, this was very necessary. You have been an excellent contributor to our company. In fact, only a couple of workers did as well as you. Unfortunately however, we need to incorporate this change which is seriously desirable. I hope you understand this. Since you did remarkably during this the period you spent here, we are glad to give you a salary in addition to your current dues. Do collect them before you leave today.’

Timothy was speechless. It seemed that a bullet was fired straight at his head. A rush of depressive thoughts ran in his mind as he collected his receivables from the cabin and the finance office. By the moment he was out of the gate, he perspired like an athlete would have after finishing a race. Feared he would lose his consciousness, he headed into a pub. Waiting for his drink, a spiral of memories rushed into his mind.

‘Papa, get me a bicycle, and I will ride you office everyday’, the innocent plea of his son appeared to echo his ear. After the fifth glass, Timothy laid fainted. Some pub men had threw him out of the shop. A passerby dragged him down to his house. When he woke in his stinky clothes, Harsha lay beside him. She had already read his resignation letter and the accompanying payslips that his shirt pocket contained when he arrived home.

Never mind hearty, you will soon find a new and better job; and I am going to continue my work as well. And yes, do not forget to collect the money mentioned in these slips. Like a flash Timothy reached pockets in his waistcoat and his pant. Disappointed, he burst out crying!

As long As We are Different

I am dark

Coz you’re white

I am unhappy

Coz you’re content

I am deprived

Coz you’re blessed

I hate everything

Coz you’re obsessed

I can”t rest

Coz you dont work

I am alone

Coz you’ve company

I can’t speak

Coz you don’t listen

We’re just normal

As long as we are different

Synonymous Stupidity

In the absence of your non presence you might have wondered and thought why contrary oppositions are against you. Even when you are positively optimistic, different types and various kinds of distinctly categorized classifications often bother and frequently disturb you. You may believe, among other convictions, that wisdom lies when you rest your doubt at confusion. Also, some of the few basic and primary fundamentals that have major foundations contain major factors and important elements that are significant enough to be easily recognized for their simple identities. But the fact of the matter in fact, is that, you seldom meet the expectations of which others are sometimes hopeful.
You will be free from, and devoid of, all the history of the intolerable and painful past, if you learn to rightfully correct your erring mistakes.

Khuda Mera Hai

Zamane Mein Ajab Inteshar Ka Basera Hai

Mein Mutmayin Hun Khuda Mera Hai

Hawas ki aghoosh ne kis kis ko ghhera Hai

Mein Mutmayin Hun Khuda Mera Hai

Iss Tariqi K Baad Bada Azeem Saweera Hai

Mein Mutmayin Hun Khuda Mera Hai

Iss Umeed Pe Bande Gunahun Ka Sehra Hai

Mein Mutmayin Hun Khuda Mera Hai

Lung cancer

Bombs To Eat

 

Ruled upon the so called democracy

Poisoned with the evils of illiteracy

Is the nation who has lost the worth of its independence

Ruled by the leaders who neither had sense nor patience

Even the nature curses us with its calamities

For God punishes those who worship false deities

We thought the time would stop, it never did

Our conviction in ignorance led our faces hid

And now we hate ourselves, no one else do we beat

The starving nation is left with tears to drink; and bombs to eat…

Things best left unsaid (or at least unpublished) (via I'll be waiting / with a gun and a pack of sandwiches.)

THOUGHTS UNPUBLISHED

A defining moment of my youth came one cold November afternoon when I was dinging around on the family computer. I was 14 or 15 years old. Trolling through the list of Word documents, I found one titled "Letter," password-protected and authored by my mother the previous week. Of course, it immediately piqued my interest and I made it my mission to open that file. Fortunately, my mother's not nearly as creative as she thinks, so I easily figured o … Read More

via I'll be waiting / with a gun and a pack of sandwiches.