Amusing...

Amusing….

It is rare, that a daily conversation can lead to a feeling of ‘amusement’…! 

So much of what seems to be vocalized (presumably at the top of one’s lungs) deal with problems, stresses (imaginary or exaggerated?!), inability to deliver (excuses?!), or deliver half heartedly and reasons for the same (justification?!), or the desperation to propose a solution despite it not lasting for a micro second (‘I’ am the trouble shooter blah blah!), or to divert the topic on some alien terrain to forget urgent matters (illusion, maya, intoxication, escapism?!), or to keep harping about one critical point as if the existence of the entire world depends on it (‘I’ know all?), or to keep voicing different points of views (‘I’ think differently), or to mince some sweet laden greek words that nobody understands head or tail of it (‘I’ am well read), or everyone finally agreeing with some sort of hazy notion of a vague concept (loss of time dude, we need to decide something fast), that “agreeing” perhaps resembles some sort of a myth. What are we discussing here and what are we supposed to conclude on? (Are you kidding me by asking these stupid questions?!)……This seems the nature of conversation, that I keep encountering most of the times, that if seen in a good spirited way, may look like a circus. There is no other way to read or listen to such conversations. Any critical thought (if there is any left at all), is required to be neatly encased in a box and preferably thrown out of the nearest window, if you haven’t done so far. Stop asking yourself ‘why’, ‘what’, ‘how’ and so on! Believe me, these questions will make you extremely miserable. Miserable, because you will not be heard. Even if you are heard, you will not be understood. Even if you are understood, there might not be an answer to suggest a direction. One comes to a conclusion, that one’s questions and one’s answers are a lonely affair to deal with. Everybody does have a valid question, but the point is – are we discussing it? Or, should it be really discussed? Or, would discussion lead to something concrete?

We find above conversations everywhere….the above is an indicative ‘pattern’ of conversation. I will give you a few examples where above pattern reveals itself very quickly – students not doing submissions, discussions on design exercises, mark systems, discussions on contents of tiffin boxes, discussions on probable meaning of who said what to whom and why, discussions on students’ extra curricular ‘affairs’. And then there are non academic, such as no maid for work today, bus strikes, road blocks, traffic snarls, expenses, inflation, corruptions, reservations….and if all else fails, then there is weather report!

Then there are other kinds of conversations, wherein, the sole purpose of such discussions is to prove a point, or find a purpose for existence or finally crack the code of life! I find those equally exhausting! What the heck! People seem to forget that ‘we’ are all guests here on planet earth and whatever limited time we have, we should spend some amount of it on merry making! Go see a movie, or have drinks or do something between the sheets! Why should everything be debated? Why not just accept things as they are? Slicing conversations into pieces until you come to a single point, which also doesn’t remain in the end. So what does that mean? It means that everything is man made and less than perfect. Knowing the objective truth is a futile exercise, since it is more of a self discovery than a universal truth applicable to all. This can create space for doing everything and acknowledging everything that gives one peace and happiness. We live in a grey world and all we discover are shades of grey – sometimes promising us white and sometimes taking us gravely closer to black.

In seeing people engrossed so much in their lives, thoughts, conversations, very few ones are able to see the “amusement” behind it all! Here, amusement is not used with the intention of offending anyone (which easily one is nowadays)  but it comes from the realization that we are just some actors in this grand narrative of life and any effort from our part appears rather childish. Why is there a need to struggle? Is that expected by the society? Things keep happening, whether you are here or not. Things keep happening whether you decide something or not. Things evolve, change, modify, alter, grow, diminish, despite your pleading to direct them. Yes, at times, it seems madness and hopeless. The impact of this Grand Force of life is unstoppable and eternally unpredictable. 

So who are we to say anything or do anything? Who are we to claim anything or disown anything? Who are we to expect anything or be angry or say about anything? Who are we to even imagine a concept of human life and what we try to do something out of it?! What has happened, was it your doing? What will happen, will it be your doing? What is this business of yours and mine? What is this fight over you and mine? What are these boundaries of trespassing and sophistication? What are these assumptions of romanticism? Why is this desire to cling? Why is this desire to prove? What are we proving and to whom and for what?....

Don’t these questions appear amusing?!....