On Feminism

For a long time, I wanted to write about Feminism. When I read following interview/article: I think author said all:

"In terms of gender equality, I'm a fully signed-up member. Yet modern feminism is a litany of complaint, fueled by observing the world through a feminist prism—and that I struggle with. It's also dominated by middle-class elitism where a small number of women obsess over the things that really matter most to a small number of elitist women. Ideology demands that women are portrayed as victims at every opportunity. They are always forced, pressured, or coerced. Women, according to feminists, are incapable of rational thought or objective decision making. And where female victims don't exist, feminists go out and manufacture them. I can't help comparing young women who support real causes—like Malala Yousafzai with girls' education in Pakistan, or Fahma Mohamed, with female genital mutilation—with feminists who campaign over getting a woman's face on a bank note or getting tits out of magazines. I'm quite clear about which ones are trying to make the world a better place. There's also that insane group who parade statements such as "Prostitution is violence against women," and "Prostitution is an expression of pure hatred of women." This stuff is rabid, toxic nonsense. Apart from expressing how strongly some women feel about prostitution, those statements don't make any literal sense."

Read full article : http://www.vice.com/read/amsterdam-prostitute-diary

Patricia

I moved to a new neighborhood about three years ago and, out of convenience, started going to the nearest grocery store (Safeway). I try to patronize small mom-and-pop type stores, but unfortunately, those stores are fast vanishing from big cities. Three years ago, my first customer service representative on the counter was Patricia (as her name badge says). Her manners, smiles, welcomes, greetings, thank-yous, patience with annoying customers, and goodbyes are so infectious that now I wait in line to go to her counter. This weekend, as expected, the store was crowded. I realized I am one of many faithful customers. Five people were ahead of me, waiting for Patricia to check them out despite two relatively shorter lines. 

Patricia may be working at minimal wage, may not have a fancy college degree, and may have bad days. I am sure she has life issues with family, health, kids, car, etc. But she puts everything on the side as she works and smiles and radiates positive energy all around. 

 It says where the core of human bonding lies and how little money we need to make this world a better place.

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Inside Out

First I went to watch Jurassic World, and screwed whole fun by doing 3D version. It kills beauty of colors. But overall, was a very good experience. It was a delight to watch Irfan Khan, with strong dialogues in a major Hollywood movie of Steven Spielberg.

Today, I went out with kids to watch Pixar's "Inside Out" and loved the whole concept of movie. Human emotions (positive or negative) have been portrayed as characters and how they influence human mind. It was interesting to see the theme that negative emotions (sadness, anger, fear, disgust) are as vital as positive (joy) emotions to live a balanced life - and how they are important to create human bonding. (In movie sadness at last brought Riley together with her family). And, how other psychological concepts like imaginary friends, core memories, unused memories, sleep, train of thought etc. play role in our lives, were well done animations. Such complex concepts were simplified in a way that even kids can watch and understand. Its a must watch for movie goers.

P.S: Indian flick of Vidya Balan and Emran Hashmi - "Hamari Adhuri Kahani" does not deserve spending of $10.

Trailers: Inside Out , Jurassic World  and Hamari Adhoori Kahani

Short Attention Spans

Within 25-30 years of my life, I have seen an immense shift in people's attention span. As one of my mentor says: "It's now limited to 140 characters"!

Starting with reading summaries, watching short adaptations with disposable items, advent of fast foods, drive thrus, death of letter writings, fast and furious internet - we have come to the point where emotions, characters, love, books, friendships... (name it)....everything is about instant gratification.

Aurat

"Sab se dilruba Aurat kesi hoti hai?"

"Jo khamoshi se yunhi pehlu main bethi rahe - aur apne hone ka aehsaas jagati rahe"

Dignity

A Few weeks back, I had a close encounter with death (escaped an almost fatal auto accident while I tried to join century club) - luckily no harm happened to anyone/property at all. I implode that situation as it was my fault of not watching my actions and getting carried away under peer pressure. As I was so close between life and death, the only lesson I walked out was:

"It's more important to die with dignity than live with dignity."
I never want my kids to remember me with a stupid death.

(As Pluto once said: "The purpose of Philosophy is to teach us how to die")

On 'The Importance Of Being Earnest'

'The Importance of Being Earnest' is considered as the best written satire from Oscar Wilde and indeed it is. It was written in 1895 and I was told it is still get performed in British theaters everyday even after 120 years. (It is now one of my bucket list to watch live at London theater district).

Over century many many reviews have been written about its wittiness, and quotes from play are plastered all over the internet. But what striked me and kept me occupied throughout its read and watch was the mastery of Oscar Wilde over psychology of men and women and interplay of that psychology in genders' bonding.

On unrelated note: What an irony of life! He made fun of french people all his life but had to run away to Paris after his infamous trial, where he died in 1900.

I will advise you to keep script in your hand as you watch adaptation.

Full script here
Adaptation (1986) here (110 minutes)

A quote

An honest man is always a child.     ~ Socrates

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Jurmana

Zindagi main kuch loge thori dair ke liye milte hain - aur apni khubsurat yaadain "imprint" ker jaate hain.

Naeem sahab mere room-mate ke khalu the. Texas se milne aaye the. 
Bazla-sanj insaan the. Kamal ki 'wit' thi. ... 
Namaz, roza se saaf bach niklte magar shabe-baraat pe koi patakha na jaane dete !!!!! 

Aik din main ne khalu se kaha: "Yahan ki magaz nihari bohat mashoor hai. Aaj chal parte hain"

Kehne lage: "Zaroor chalte hain , magar ye batao, yahan koi 'local charity' ka daftar hai?" 
Main ne unhe hairat se dekha to kehne lage:

"BarsoN se meri adat hai ke din main koi aesa kaam ho jaaye, jis pe dil mutmaeen na ho - kisi ka dil dukh jaaye - kisi se ziyadti ho jaaye - koi 'unethical' amal ho jaaye ---- jese grocery store pe kisi ki line cut ker ke aage ho gaya - store ya company se galat credit le liya - kisi ka parking spot le liya ----- to khud pe hazbe-itminaan jurmana laga ke paise side pe rakh deta hun aur hafte ke hafte kisi charity ko donate ker deta hun. Is hafte 42 dollar jama huwe hain. ..."

Ye duniya ajeeb ajeeb hoshruba insanon se bhari hai !!!