Price and Value

Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

~ Oscar Wilde

From the book and play - The Picture of Dorian Gray (July 1890)

Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) was a highly versatile Irish playwright, novelist, essayist, and poet. He became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. He is remembered for his intelligence, and honesty which he used to expose hypocritical thinking and behaviour in a philosophical, outrageous and humorous manner.

Take me to your leader

Following the Followers

I must follow my followers, for I need to know where it is that they want me to lead them.

- Gurvinder Singh    (untitled work)

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A leader is someone who leads. Conversely leaders need followers. 

People however need to be motivated, to follow. Leaders resort to two primal motivating forces, fear and greed.

Nothing moves people better and faster than fear. Fear is born out of our need for survival. Fear in most cases is manufactured and induced by leaders.

Greed is fed by inducement or some sort of rewards, we could even call it a bribe. Rewards could include money, property, sex, rank, power, even heaven and paradise in the after-life.

Military, political, social, religious, business, philosophical, fashion, etc, Leaders can be of all types. Whatever the field, leadership is a lonely job, with the leader inevitably setting the agenda and getting people to follow.

Politicians in democracies make possibly the worst leaders. The followers are whimsical and opportunistic. Politicians have be even more opportunistic than the electorate, because the time window to act is extremely short. They see which way the wind blows and then they move in that direction. They are compelled to lead the mobs by following them. 

Following the followers benefits only a small group of the people, and achieves little for the vast majority, hence the frustration with democracies. Three thousand years of history reveal, that every democracy continuously decays and eventually descends into a dictatorship.

If a people are fortunate, there emerges amongst them a breed of politicians called 'statesmen', they look at the next generation not at the next election. 

Winston Churchill said "I have nothing to offer you but blood, sweat and tears", and the people of Great Britain rallied behind him. In spite of his numerous shortcomings and his cruel treatment of the people of the British colonies especially India he is considered a great leader if you consider the British view point.

There are many types of leaders but how do we judge them?

* A poor leader is someone who has to draw on rank, title, position etc to keep on announcing that he is the leader. People are always dismissive of such a leader.

* A leader is worst when his people despise him. 

* The best leader is one who the people do not even notice he is there. He or she creates an environment that makes people move as if it is their own agenda. They work on principles, beliefs and often through a self regulating constantly improving system. 

Beware of the leader who follows the followers.

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Adapted from the quote by Mahatma Gandhi

“There goes my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader.”

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

New Enemies

François-Marie Arouet a French philosopher was popularly known as Voltaire

He was also an enlightenment writer, historian. Famous for his wit, his attacks on the established aristocracy, Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state. 

Voltaire was a versatile writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. 

He was an outspoken advocate of several liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time.  He frequently made use of his works in satirical form to criticise intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day.

Not surprisingly Voltaire faced lifelong troubles with the authorities for critiques of dictatorial, unjust and hypocritical forces. 

Voltaire's activities were to result in numerous imprisonments and exiles. Yet the brave man refused to give up his principles.

He mainly argued for religious tolerance and freedom of thought. He campaigned to eradicate dictatorial priestly and aristo-monarchical authority, and supported a constitutional monarchy that protects people's rights.

The character and beliefs of the man can be judged by his words and actions. In arguing a particular case he declared, "I do not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my dying breath your right to say it."

Despite great pressure and threats from the aristocracy and the Church, Voltaire refused till his dying breath to retract his well-known criticism of the Church.

François-Marie Arouet popularly known as Voltaire (1650 -1722) 

Whilst on his deathbed, Voltaire was asked by a Catholic priest to renounce Satan. With a smile he replied, 

"Now is not the time to make new enemies"

Fools, Fanatics and Wise People

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wise people so full of doubts.

 - Bertrand Russell (Philosopher)

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Shun fanatics and fools. Foolish people are everywhere and it is often possible to avoid engaging with them. Fanatics on the other hand won't leave us alone so they have to be coped with. Fanatics can be of many kinds, political, religious, nationalists, colour, creed, professional etc. I have no clue how to cope with fanatics. If you know how, then please let me know. 

Fanatics are normally people who know little and usually have experienced little or nothing. Using borrowed thoughts and feelings, fanatics tell others how they must live, work and play. All fanatics use the twin tools of fear and greed to influence if not control others. 

All truly great people reflect on their own experiences. They all eventually realise how complex creation is, how vast the universe is and how insignificant we individuals are.  One day they too discover like Socrates did,  "I know only thing, and that is, I know nothing".

What do we discuss?

Great     minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small     minds discuss people.


   -  Eleanor Roosevelt