Posts

The Monkey and the Monk: Why being human can be so hard.

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  ‘One of the biggest tragedies of human existence is that we have the potential to decipher the greatest  mysteries of the universe, but would much rather kill one another for shiny yellow rocks’        - Chirag Roy     For a long time, I was extremely curious about the decision making process of the human mind. I never really got the whole ‘follow your heart ’ line of thinking. The hearts just a muscle pumping blood, why blame it for all the stupid crap we pull. The human mind is an extremely shrewd operator; successfully transferring the blame for all of its biggest failures on a muscle to busy keeping us alive to raise a voice in protest. One must resist the temptation to agree with everything the brain tells you, instead take a moment and think a bit more deeply. Or even better, overthink about it for months to the point of insanity. You might get answers, you’ll definitely get content for a pretentious blog post. The trick to understanding o...

The Edmundian : How high school elitism has created a generation of entitled man children.

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“S E S for St.Edmund’s.  Leaders in every field !”    The entire assembly of about a thousand boys between the age of 6 to 16 loudly sang the school  anthem. We were taught to be proud of this anthem, for the legacy it resonated with; a legacy we  had now become a part of.  To be an Edmundian was a matter of pride .We were taught that we were  the best- the brightest students, the most accomplished athletes and the suavest personalities.As  young impressionable boys we bought into the hype; that somehow the school our parents had worked  so hard to get us admitted into as unassuming children was a testament to our own talents.We were  convinced that we are a cut above the rest. Few leave school and outgrow this attitude; most never do. The power of the brand is such an incredible force in the modern day. Everything from the clothes on your back to the degree hanging on your wall becomes an indicator of who you are, y...

Crocs . And how they Perfectly Embody my life's Philosophy.

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                                                                             I was gifted my first pair of Crocs by my aunt . I was visiting her in Mumbai en route to a month long student conference spread across parts of Western and Southern India.I hated those ugly shoes then but was too kind to do anything but smile and thank my wonderful aunt for introducing me to the ‘hip new fashion trend’. And this was during the month of July with the sweltering Indian summer was in full swing. I didn't realize it then but in typical coming of age fashion; I was to embark on a summer of growth, adventure and first love. Not with a pretty lady but something much better, my wonderful pair of Crocs!                 ...

Random Musings: Of Shrubs and Men

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A Squash 1 vine is growing outside my bedroom window. Over the past week as I observe the vine grow,mentally marking the pace at which its height increases day by day I am reminded of O.Henry’s short story ‘The Last Leaf’ and the beautiful message it conveyed. The feeling of hopelessness that can sometimes latch on to our minds  and the the Ivy leaf that the universe sends our way to get us through the mental muddle of our own creation- ‘C’ste la vie’   The slow march of progress outside my bedroom window This lockdown has certainly been difficult and the bouts of boredom, anxiety and full blown existential crisis I have experienced over the past few months have exposed glaring flaws in my own world view.Six months in I'm not sure what will peak first, the virus curve or my mental resilience.But just like little miss Johnsy who was all but ready to slip into the arms of pneumonia that last leaf has held on. For me that leaf came in the shape of close friends and family,random...

Choices : Making a difference

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‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -  I took the one less traveled by,  And that has made all the difference.’                                                                                                                           -Robert Frost   When I first read this poem, I had come to a simple conclusion about its core message  - ‘Don't follow the herd. Be yourself’.And books,movies,entrepreneurs and pop culture has repeatedly taught us the same. Be yourself.Find your own truth.Follow your passion.Your life is for you to live as best you please. After all YOLO ! I personally was a bit sceptical of th...