Human wants are unlimited and the ability to meet them are limited. The wants are NOT unlimited by scale, but by scope. i.e. why somene can have $100b in the bank, but he might still be wanting more privacy and security.
We are still in a state where - we know that we have to fight to survive. Hardwired in our brains is fight when challenged, or backout when the challenge is too much (a fight vs flight decision). When our pre-historic ancestors grouped to together to kill a prey (demonstrating team work). But when they are attacked by a prey when they are alone, flight was the most preferred option. The person being attacked could get reinforcements and then attack the prey. Basically, hit where it hurts most.
But what is the brain supposed to do when it cant make the fight or flight decision? The brain suffers a nervous breakdown - or does it? I think a third option comes up, which is not really hardwired, but is picked up by experience - which is 'Suck and Prosper'. Actually, this is something that weakens the opponent. But it will work only when the opponent has something which the potential victim manages to hide - it is the opponent's ego. As absolutely no one is fully immune to others' attempts to inflate one's ego, it normally works. As ego casts shadow on the intellect, irrational decisions are the most likely outcome.
This is what we term a 'political' move. It is basically, playings of the ego.
(To be continued)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Just When I thought...
I always had this feeling of insufficiency that I am not good at Arts, Crafts or Music. I might not have had what some people call Musical or Artistic Intelligence. Can't blame anyone - it is me. My dad enrolled me for a Mridagam class when I was 14 years or so. The teacher was a very reputed Mridagam expert. My father was keen to see his children be good in Music and communication. But all effort and money was wasted, as I did not have the taste for it. I think I failed to see the benefit for developing skills in arts or music. Eventhough, my dad had told me that even great intellectuals and scientists know arts and music - and that is how they balance their lives.
Since my son is growing up, I want him to be smarter than Daddy. Oh I miss my Dad now, he too would have wanted me to be better than him, which I never di. ( I realise that by the time you understand what your father said and meant, you are a father yourselves. ) What my Dad told me as a child makes lot of sense to me now, so it does not matter whether my son listens to me now, I know it will benefit him somehow.
I wanted to try my hand in Arts. So in Dec 2008, I bought a book "How to Draw" which was basically meant for 7 year olds. If Peter Drucker can learn Japanese Art at 85, or if White Tiger can win a Booker, why cant I learn to draw? Hmm.
So I started with Rabbits, Cats, and Monkeys... wowing my wife and kids.
In December itself, I impressed my school-going nephews and brother in law with my soft art skills. That was a motivation again. I bought a book for the nephew so that he can draw better(that he already drew 10 times better than me, is another matter).
It is said to acheive something, you should know where you are going. I did have a goal... I want to draw the potraits of my Children, their expressions and the impressions in paper.
In Jan 2009 I was diagnosed with a bulging disc and was asked to take Physio-therapy exercises. What does a disc have to do with drawing? Then you have not yet read The Alchemist. (Now I wonder why Paulo Coelho did not win the Booker, or did he?) That is another matter. I should now focus, people tell me. Should not digress too much.
In Feb 2009, I was having dinner with my good buddy William, for whom I am kind friend, philosopher and guide. I was explaining my Disc problem and quite expectantly he also has a similar back pain (yes, ofcourse Willy). I took a Serviette(I like to call it tissue paper, but people say I should call it Serviette) and drew a diagram of a floor exercise so that Willy can do that exercise better to relieve HIS backpain. Oh, I hate my friends, when they dont listen or digress ( and vice versa ).
But not Willy, he listened with a smile. (I was happy and contented at my expertise at Physical Medicine and thought I should have actually been a doctor). Just when I stopped... William said.."You know, your drawing is crap....". With a hurt ego, I gained composure like Rakesh Roshan after he was hit by a bullet... and said... "but.... but... but... I can draw better" and defended my drawing skills.
Later he drew a face and which showed he knows better than me. I apologetically told him my technique of penciling, inking - which he said was the correct approach. The good friend that he is, he motivated me saying that "You just need to draw more and more and you will be good" and gave some suggestions for reference books, which I wanted to buy that same night. After few days I made my trip to the largest bookstore in Asia (so they call it) and found my right books on the shelf - all three of them - but I soon figured they were too advanced for me and particularly costly. But I bought another book by Barrington Barber and went home. (That is the discussion on Discs.)
Then I practiced a bit. The book was my bible, which I never really read diligently, but plan to do. My biggest finding was that if the proportions are right, the potrait will be closer to perfection, and small alterations to the shapes and proportions provide a widely different output. Like the one below.
It is never easy. To draw the shadows and perspective is difficult still, but hiding features are sometimes easier and beter sometimes.
This is my daughter- with all her innocence captured.
Since my son is growing up, I want him to be smarter than Daddy. Oh I miss my Dad now, he too would have wanted me to be better than him, which I never di. ( I realise that by the time you understand what your father said and meant, you are a father yourselves. ) What my Dad told me as a child makes lot of sense to me now, so it does not matter whether my son listens to me now, I know it will benefit him somehow.
I wanted to try my hand in Arts. So in Dec 2008, I bought a book "How to Draw" which was basically meant for 7 year olds. If Peter Drucker can learn Japanese Art at 85, or if White Tiger can win a Booker, why cant I learn to draw? Hmm.
So I started with Rabbits, Cats, and Monkeys... wowing my wife and kids.
In December itself, I impressed my school-going nephews and brother in law with my soft art skills. That was a motivation again. I bought a book for the nephew so that he can draw better(that he already drew 10 times better than me, is another matter).
It is said to acheive something, you should know where you are going. I did have a goal... I want to draw the potraits of my Children, their expressions and the impressions in paper.
In Jan 2009 I was diagnosed with a bulging disc and was asked to take Physio-therapy exercises. What does a disc have to do with drawing? Then you have not yet read The Alchemist. (Now I wonder why Paulo Coelho did not win the Booker, or did he?) That is another matter. I should now focus, people tell me. Should not digress too much.
In Feb 2009, I was having dinner with my good buddy William, for whom I am kind friend, philosopher and guide. I was explaining my Disc problem and quite expectantly he also has a similar back pain (yes, ofcourse Willy). I took a Serviette(I like to call it tissue paper, but people say I should call it Serviette) and drew a diagram of a floor exercise so that Willy can do that exercise better to relieve HIS backpain. Oh, I hate my friends, when they dont listen or digress ( and vice versa ).
But not Willy, he listened with a smile. (I was happy and contented at my expertise at Physical Medicine and thought I should have actually been a doctor). Just when I stopped... William said.."You know, your drawing is crap....". With a hurt ego, I gained composure like Rakesh Roshan after he was hit by a bullet... and said... "but.... but... but... I can draw better" and defended my drawing skills.
Later he drew a face and which showed he knows better than me. I apologetically told him my technique of penciling, inking - which he said was the correct approach. The good friend that he is, he motivated me saying that "You just need to draw more and more and you will be good" and gave some suggestions for reference books, which I wanted to buy that same night. After few days I made my trip to the largest bookstore in Asia (so they call it) and found my right books on the shelf - all three of them - but I soon figured they were too advanced for me and particularly costly. But I bought another book by Barrington Barber and went home. (That is the discussion on Discs.)
Then I practiced a bit. The book was my bible, which I never really read diligently, but plan to do. My biggest finding was that if the proportions are right, the potrait will be closer to perfection, and small alterations to the shapes and proportions provide a widely different output. Like the one below.
It is never easy. To draw the shadows and perspective is difficult still, but hiding features are sometimes easier and beter sometimes.
Now after some flip-flops (not to mistaken for my bosom buddy flip-flop), I ventured a bit more to draw the picture of my children. My kids are very encouraging, no matter what I draw they will say it represents them. My wife was more pedantic, which was good in certain ways. I need the motivation and challenge. Getting my son's picture into a form that resembles his real physical appearance was tough. But then.... I came out with this..
This is my daughter- with all her innocence captured.Then I had this..... which was half right.
That was on 7th March. Then I had another slippage - on 15th March- in around L4-S1, I could barely move for about 8days. It pained a lot.
But as I would have thought - discs dont slip without a reason. Everything you can imagine is REAL. Our lives are only as big as our dreams. So I plan to develop my skills further.
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