Digestable People

I am grateful to Mr. Rajiv Malhotra whose many talks and books and the occasional email have awoken and inspired not only me but numerous  other people.


One can possess things but not people. 

Yet Husbands try to possess their wives and vice versa, together they try to possess their children. Employers seek to own their employees etc. Marketeers want to entrap their customers, and governments want to possess their citizens. Everyone is trying to literally possess, control and exploit  everyone else. 

Not only do they try to possess, they wish to eat and digest them completely. Most people make it easy by blindly, meekly and senselessly submitting to the expectations of powerful and dominating people making themselves easily digestible.


Powers that be, colonialists and rulers have always used this very effectively as do school teachers, military, political, religious, and community leaders. 

Get conformance from people, digest, get conformance, digest, chomp, chomp, chomp, burp!

       

 

This is why people who do not conform by thinking and behaving as per the wishes of the powerful, have to be destroyed if they cannot be possessed. To set an example and to deter non believers who might have thoughts of their own non conformists are ridiculed, isolated, locked up, expelled, and better destroyed. 





Not merely killed the non conforming individuals and groups will be crucified, burnt at the stake, quartered, and tortured in myriad ways and that too in grand public displays. 

Gandhi ji appeared to have little regard for the things the British valued greatly, personal liberty, is a case in point.

The British threatened him with imprisonment, and violence, and smilingly not only Gandhi ji but numerous of his followers marched into prison and did not flinch or recant when Police and soldiers rained blows on them.

The language also changed. When he was asked by the British, what do you want, he replied "Swaraj". How do you hope to get it? "By Satyagraha" Gandhiji replied.

The British were flummoxed, they were now hearing new words, they were encountering radical thoughts and philosophies, unrecognisable patterns of behaviour. Gandhi ji was impossible to digest.


Gandhi ji was a peoples leader, he appeared to live in simplicity, and want nothing but freedom for his country and her people.. Gandhi ji had the backing of the Indian political set up, the businessmen and even the policemen and soldiers. He was also the officially nominated leader of the Indian National Congress.

Though they wanted to be rid of this irritatingly complex mind in a simple fragile body. The British had no choice but to deal with Gandhi ji because he had the popular mandate. He was invited to come to Britain for talks and also to meet King George.

The Britishers banged their heads against the walls in exasperation at this strange and stubborn Indian, physically so frail but spiritually so Himalayan. While Gandhi ji maintained and respected all social protocols, he insisted on wearing the traditional farmers 'dhoti' and thick homespun cotton shawl and sandals. He also took along his white goat whose milk formed a staple part of his diet.

He was indigestible, refusing to be overpowered or awed by British royalty and made his point bluntly but politely that it was high time the British left India to Indians.

Britain however refused to accept Indian demands to leave India. Had Gandhi ji prevailed and had remained the leader of the Congress, India would have been free much earlier and still one people rather than the gruesome outcome of partition that took place. Unfortunately Nehru and Jinnah were both too eager to be the leaders and were easily manipulated and managed by the British.

The war against tyranny by the British for which they got global support could not provide either moral justification or legitimacy to continue with an immoral colonial policy. Eventually India got her freedom because India become unmanageable by the weakened and chastised British, and it was also the moral thing for the British to do.

The lessons are many but some are significant for all people in all lands.

1. Do not be a digestible person, group or even country.

2. India needs Indian solutions based on Indian aspirations to tackle uniquely Indian challenges. 

3. Inappropriate solutions imported at great cost and implemented by people with little or no understanding of Indian needs has always been counterproductive, wasted enormous resources and stunted Indian development. 

4. Understand oneself, the strengths and weaknesses one possesses and then take the right steps to meet the genuine aspirations of the people.

My fellow countrymen and women, awaken, realise, arise and build a greater and noble India, and a better, kinder, wealthier world. Cherish and honour the freedom you have been gifted by the efforts and sacrifice of so many named and unnamed individuals.

I congratulate all Indians on this Republic day. 

Burn Baby Burn.

I want to tell you a secret

She said, "May I come Close? I have many demons inside".

I answered, "Don't come any closer, there is already a hell inside of me, created by unwelcome gifts from others like you".

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For the frivolous and trivial minded, gossip is an important currency. 

Such people trade so called 'secrets' with one another until nothing is secret and everything is naked. All useless but extremely entertaining. 

The small and idle minded can be forgiven for that is all they can indulge in.

Humans are full of confusion and feel burdened with numerous guilty feelings. They have to unburden themselves and therefore seek to get sins and crimes off their chest. 

Of course if you want to control people then listening to their secrets and confessions gives you tremendous leverage over them, for you can extract a heavy price to make them feel better or to keep their secret. I used to enjoy people telling me their secrets for the same reason but not any more. 

As I evolve, this trait of accumulating negative and harmful thoughts have simply ceased

I do not want people to tell me their secrets, though I am good at keeping other people's secrets. It is a terrible quality to possess for I am burdened by carrying someone else demons. The burden of these secrets were burning in others now they burn inside me.

Many a times we are told, "I am going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else". Is it not foolish for people to expect someone else to keep your secret which you yourself cannot keep?

It is believed that the profession with the highest suicide rates are psychiatrists,  and why not? They are constantly overloaded with other people's treachery, complaints, secrets, guilts and problems. 

“If you have a secret that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.”- Eric Schmidt

I would add, if you feel burdened by a guilt, ask yourself, if you are really guilty and by whose definition? Has it harmed anyone or nature? Most often we are made to feel guilty of perfectly natural behaviour but classified as sins or crimes by people who wish to trap and manipulate us. If you don't feel guilty then there is nothing to confess.

Empathy, is certainly a desirable trait in people. It is the ability to place oneself in someone else's shoes, and to be compassionate. Empathy however, is different from allowing people possession of your mind and filling it up with useless gossip and often malicious information.

Next time someone wants to bare their soul to you or tell you a secret, maybe you should reconsider whether you should be listening to it.

Show and Prove

We do not say, we show.

We do not claim, we prove.

Hank Rearden - (Atlas Shrugged written by Ayn Rand)

Third Places and Vibrant Communities

Humans are social animals who band together in cohesive groups called tribes or communities. This provides safety, companionship, pleasure, learning, livelihood and profit to individuals.

Typically a community comprises about 500 to 1000 individuals, connected to each by factors, such as, religious faith, profession, extended family, sport, politics, etc.

Communities vitally need venues where people can meet in a neutral environment and in an informal manner for individuals to socialise. Such a venue we could call as **'third place.'**

The first place is where people reside, at their homes, the second place is where people go to work, and the third place is where people go to socialise.

Communities with vibrant third places develop into centres of shared learning, art, culture, sport and the people enjoy a much higher standard of quality of life.

What are the requirements for a third place?

There are generally eight factors that are typical of third places. 

Neutral ground

Occupants of third places have little to no obligation to be there. They are not tied down to the area financially, politically, legally, or otherwise and are free to come and go as they please.

Leveler

Third places places no particular importance on an individual's economical or social status in a society. There are no prerequisites or requirements that would prevent acceptance or participation in the third place.

Community Kitchen

                                 

Conversation is main activity

Playful and happy conversation is the main but not the only activity in third places. The tone of conversation is usually light hearted and humorous; 

Accessibility and accommodation

Third places are open and readily accessible to those who occupy them. They are also accommodating, to meet the  wants of their inhabitants.

The regulars

Third places harbour a number of regulars that help give the space its tone, and help set the mood and characteristics of the area. Regulars assist newcomers to feel welcome and accommodated.

A low profile

Third places are characteristically wholesome. The inside of a third place is without extravagance or grandiosity, and has a homely feel. 

Football at Hotfut, Pune. India

The mood is playful
The tone of conversation in third places are never marked with tension or hostility. Instead, they have a playful nature, where witty conversation and frivolous banter are not only common, but highly valued.

A home away from home
Occupants of third places will often have the same feelings of warmth, possession, and belonging as they would in their own homes. They feel a piece of themselves is rooted in the space, and gain spiritual regeneration by spending time there.

Urban centres with large populations are mushrooming everywhere. People struggle to find third places which are becoming increasingly rare, if not extinct.

Intellectually and spiritually hollow people.

The desire of governments to monetise any and every available square meter of public space, makes it difficult if not impossible to create vibrant communities

It is no coincidence that the ‘helping professions’ are major and rapidly growing components of our economy as leaders and planners unwittingly help destroy local public life and communities.

Urban sprawl

Even where there are some third places available, people rarely find the time to socialise. 

Shifts from large joint to small nuclear families, non stop 24 hour work timings, has also taken a big toll on family and communities. 

Couple this with stress created by authorities, the total disregard by governments, town planners, encroachment, unsafe environments etc. has extensively damaged if not destroyed communities.

What are third places available to Indians? 

Places of religious worship are the most popular third places in India. They often provide the only succour available to people, for safe socialising. But the downside is that, religous leaders demand blind obedience and sometimes abuse the trust that this obedience provides.

The market place, village and town fairs, celebrating festivals, offer some form of community space. They may be fun, but do not satisfy fully the third place needs of individuals.

Harmandir Sahib,  The Golden Temple. Amritsar. 

Muslims at prayer

There are still some other third places left these days. Some which come to mind are, canteens, tea stalls, chapels, dhabas, play grounds, street corners, beach communities, prayer groups, etc. for the simple people. Then for others there are tea /coffee shops, bars and restaurants, sports and recreational clubs, sports facilities, etc.

Aufside bar and restaurant, Pune.

Social well-being and psychological health of individuals depend upon communities which can only exist where there are vibrant third places.

Third places are not a choice but are a vital necessity and a precondition for healthy communities. For they create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.

 Nations are relatively a recent phenomenon. Historically the real building block of humanity and a successful civilisation is the family and community. 

Civilisations and governments should be judged by how well they satisfy the safety, livelihood, etc. needs and the quality of life of individuals and communities.

Third Places build strong and resilient communities, and that is the bedrock of a strong, tolerant, peaceful, healthy, vibrant, civilised world. And that is the best legacy we can leave our children.

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Written and posted by Gurvinder Singh
Ampav Education & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. website 
Pune. India

Ampav Education and Consulting is a Pune based organisation committed to evolving better ways to live, work and play. To support programs of the community, for the community, by the community. Please write to us

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To have succeeded

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 -1889) American Essayist & Poet

(1803 - 1882) American Essayist & Poet