Bespectacled no more?

Trading glasses for contact lenses has been quite an interesting experience. For the last five months I have been noticing tiny little things that previously escaped my notice (my contact lenses do not give me X-ray vision, if that is what you're wondering). For the first time I could see everything clearly while getting a haircut (imagine not being able to see the mirror clearly while your hair is being cut). I was able to watch a 3D movie without wearing the 3D glasses over my own glasses. The fortunate few who have never needed to wear glasses, or need to but do not need to wear them all the time, might be unable to relate to this. But I'm sure those who have been through a similar experience can understand and empathize. And keeping in mind that I've been wearing glasses for nearly ten years, this has truly been a major change.

Being the curious, inquisitive cat that I am I wonder what would have happened if I had never needed to wear glasses at all? Would I have been a more confident and lively person? Would I have needed to work harder for people to take me seriously (yes, I can see the geeks grinning)? Possibly. Often, the first impression people have of me is that I'm a studious, serious person (which is not entirely wrong, just a little bit). But there starts the problem; this vicious process called labeling that pushes the bespectacled into a category that they are more often than not, forced into. As teenagers the bespectacled are programmed to take pride in their brains because not too many people have the patience to look beyond the glasses. Before you get the feeling that I am about to start a Society for Bespectacled Teenagers, let me clarify that I do not in any way feel wronged by society, and do not hate wearing glasses. I know quite a few people who wear glasses but can be the life of a party. And (to put it in dull, statistical terms) intelligence and spectacles do not have a direct correlation. I only feel curious about the kind of person I would have been, because no one can deny can glasses do play a role in forming first impressions, particularly if you wear them during your adolescent years.

Wearing glasses through my adolescent years has taught me two invaluable lessons - that beauty is subjective, and that intelligence is more important than beauty. I was pushed to develop my brains and value my intelligence. Thanks to glasses I did not become a superficial person who is unable to relate to those who are unhappy with their physical appearance. Would the absence of glasses have helped me develop confidence and charm that would have let me have my pick of the male species? Possibly. Would it have changed the way people view me, and consequently the way I view myself? Possibly. 

I will never know the kind of person I would have been had I never needed to wear glasses. Perhaps I would not have learnt to value my intelligence and inner strength. Chances are that I might not have made the effort to make intelligent conversation the way I do now. I probably would have become a person who is lively, confident and charming but not nice and empathetic. So, in retrospect, I honestly do not regret wearing glasses. If not wearing glasses meant that I would never have learnt these valuable lessons I just mentioned, then I'm glad I wore glasses. 

Wearing contact lenses is a convenience and gives a vanity boost. But I will always be bespectacled. I will always be the geeky looking girl with curly hair and glasses, and being that girl is pretty liberating. 

Armstrong’s Confession: a Calculated PR disaster? - II

Is this fall from grace different from that of Tiger Woods? Without a doubt, it is a yes. Tiger Woods’ infidelity embroiled him in a controversy, and there were repercussions. Key sponsors - Accenture and General Motors to name a few – ended their sponsorship deals with, and others such as Tag Heur dropped him from advertising.  Since it was connected to his personal life, his talent was never put into question, and after his break he successfully reclaimed his position in the game. Armstrong’s wrongdoings were those that put his talent, and more importantly ethics, into question. The lies only added to the disgust felt by his admirers. Armstrong, unlike Woods, had a survivor story. His comeback in 1998 after battling with testicular cancer was a source of inspiration for many.  The irony lies in our secret joy in seeing a hero’s feet of clay. There is no doubt that people are shocked, disgusted and maybe even repulsed. But everyone wants to believe that a hero is just like them – flawed.

Lance Armstrong faced the brunt of his interview. He lost his Olympics medal, Tour de France titles, and SCA Promotions has sued him for $12 million. The public image of the Livestrong Foundation has taken a beating, as Armstrong’s credibility and image is on a downslide. It might take a few years before respect is regained and that can be done only by cooperating with the trial and focusing on cycling (if and when he is allowed to compete). Public memory is short-lived, and that can contribute greatly to his comeback. Only hard work and patience helps heroes come back from the dead.

Armstrong’s Confession: a Calculated PR disaster?

Seven Tour de France titles to his name and a survivor story – Lance Armstrong changed that with a recent interview with renowned talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Y ears of accusation of speculation came to a full stop. The full stop was a dignified, carefully planned one, but not everyone was convinced of his remorse. It was rather hard to believe the cyclist who had been lying through his teeth for over ten years to the world. Confessing to using performance-enhancing drugs seems like a self-made PR (Public Relations) disaster. It was a carefully executed disaster. He dug his own grave, possibly to emerge as a reformed individual in the public eye. The questions were answered with caution, which was only to be expected given the magnitude of the doping scam. Though it was implied that there are others using performing-enhancing drugs, no names were taken and for that Armstrong deserves credit. He claimed that the last time he used drugs was in 2005. He also apologized to the world at large (he had little choice). There was also no disillusionment about the consequences of his confession. He admitted that he is “not the most believable guy in the world right now.” The poker face through most of the interview did not convey emotions effectively but there was a clear attempt to come across as an honest and changed person.  

The confession was in one sense unavoidable. Tests conducted by USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) and inquiries made by US federal prosecutors would have revealed the truth sooner than later. Instead of being caught and being forced to apologize, it was wise to do it in a dignified manner where he could explain that it was “the ruthless desire to win” that fueled his poor judgment. Instead of letting the world perceive him as a liar and a cheat he decided to project himself as a man who has changed and is attempting to change. It was sensible appealing to the emotional side of people, conveying that he is “flawed” (in his words).  He even claimed that he couldn’t have won the titles without the drugs. There is no doubt that he was projecting himself as an ordinary, fallible human being with blatant honesty. 

Ignorance is easy

“Ignorance is bliss” – this is one quote I’ve always had an ambiguous view about. Ignorance cannot be equated with bliss! Our knowledge of medicine has ensured that we live longer, healthier lives. The invention of the wheel has helped us go from one place to another rapidly, effectively making the world a smaller place to live in. The internet has made knowledge easily accessible, and is in fact filled with unnecessary information. I think you get the drift. At a rational level, knowledge is wonderful and helps us lead better lives. In an ideal world, it would also be used for the right reasons. There would be no terrorism and no hackers on the internet.  Knowledge unfortunately is often used for not-so-nice purposes (I find the term evil strong).

However, knowledge pricks the bubbles we live in. We wouldn’t have the desire to travel if we didn’t know there are places to explore. We could live in bubbles of ignorance, in true bliss. But the problem arises when we realize that we are living in a bubble. You would be happy eating at Beijing Bites, until you discover Mainland China. Our perceptions of people too change when we discover more about their lives. We understand why they do what they do, and we can’t interpret their actions in the same manner. Last week’s incident in Delhi where a 23 year-old was gang-raped horrified several women across the country as we could be next. It is the knowledge of the possibility that it could happen to any woman that is terrifying. We could live our lives as a bachelor or spinster but the knowledge that a happily (howsoever one may choose to define happiness) married life is possible bothers us. Hallucinations and fantasy are another story altogether; you wouldn’t be bothered by them until you know you are hallucinating or fantasizing. Knowledge is indeed a killjoy.

I think it boils down to our choices. Ignorance is the easy way out. Complications are minimal, and it is less exhausting. Indians are discontented with their lives so they move abroad in search of greener pastures, and that creates the larger problems of identity confusion and brain drain. Plane crashes would not occur if the airplane hadn’t been invented in the first place. Do you see the chain of events? It would be as easy as counting from 1 to 3 if we were unaware of the options. Sometimes because one lacks the courage or strength they choose an easy career. Our experiences, perceptions and more importantly choices are what determine whether ignorance is truly bliss or not. It is we who decide what to ignore and what not to ignore. The flight or fight response (slightly exaggerated analogy) applies to this too. The irony, however is that only when one gains knowledge can one truly say whether ignorance is bliss or not. Doesn't the very fact that you know it is ignorance mean you understand what knowledge is? You cannot consciously ignore something without acknowledging it. Maybe there is a need for rephrasing. Or maybe it is best to leave it as a mystery, not complicate it and live in bliss!

Kasab's ticking clock

The Supreme Court has upheld Ajmal Kasab’s death sentence. Ever since November 26^th 2008, his death sentence has been a topic of discussion and the joke is that after 26/11 Kasab is the safest person in India. As I write this, my family is in the living room, watching a panel discussion on Times Now on the very topic I’m writing on (if you’re wondering why I’m not watching it, it’s because I avoid Times Now on principle. But yes, I can hear the shouts and accusations). In a span of a few hours, a great deal has been said about the recent development. If the judiciary was even half as quick as the news media, Kasab would have been history.

The Indian judiciary has been erratic on death penalty. Since 1995, only one execution has taken place, that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee. However, between 1975 and 1991, 40 executions took place (if Wikipedia is to be believed). It could reflect two things – greater concentration on human rights, or an increasingly lethargic judiciary. He does have a chance to save his skin, by filing a review petition (and a curative petition, if that is rejected). After all, self-preservation can be a powerful instinct. The President’s pardon, if granted, will be the last saving grace. Indian law is providing him escape routes, with goodwill no doubt, but is running out of reasons to spend over 5 crores of tax-payers’ money on his security. Though keeping him alive has not been futile as he has confessed to the terrorist attack and given a couple of names, four years is a long time.

However, what all of us need to remember is that his death sentence does not directly affect us. He has given  the information he wanted to, and it will be comforting to know that if he is executed it will save quite a bit of money. Yes, we must be aware and ponder on the issue as concerned citizens, but we will not feel the immediate effect of the verdict. The ones who will be affected are the survivors of the terror attack, a handful of politicians, the Supreme Court, the people who lost their loved ones in terror attack. It is possible that some families have lost hope, but I’m sure that there are a number of those who will receive closure. Discussing and analyzing the issue is not a bad thing, if one can keep in mind that the decision is not going to affect them directly. You may watch panel discussions, read blog posts and editorials, but those directly affected will look at it through different eyes. The eyes of the survivors, in particular will look at the situation in a way only they can. It is easy to support the saying “an eye for an eye makes the world blind”, until it is your eye at threat. The survival instinct does reveal hidden layers of a person's character, doesn't it?

For further inputs you could take a look at this article on NDTV:

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/supreme-court-upholds-ajmal-kasab-s-death-sentence-says-he-waged-war-against-india-260696?pfrom=home-lateststories

Rotate the Picture or Stop Looking

Every day we search for answers to a wide range of questions. Some are trivial, such as the location of a pair of keys or glasses, or the solution to a puzzle in the newspaper. Others are harder to answer, for example, “Where is my life going?” and “Am I doing something worthwhile with my life? In my case, it is “What do I blog about?” We go through lot of trouble looking for these answers - we rummage through drawers and cupboards, chew our pencils while we think of solutions, and for the questions about life we seek spiritual guidance or talk to a friend or family member. We don’t cease seeking for the answer, which often works wonders. Even if we don’t find the answer, we might come closer to the answer.

What only a few people will tell you, is that sometimes the best way to get an answer is to stop looking for it. Have you ever turned your drawer upside down to find a bracelet, only to find it unexpectedly in your cupboard a few months later when you were looking for something else all together! Whenever I’m baffled by the complexity of a Sudoku, I’ve found that after taking a break I’ve managed to progress a good deal in the puzzle. The puzzle doesn’t change, the only difference lies in what my eyes and brain processed. The answers to some of the deep questions in life too are often simple. Say you are in a pessimistic mood and wondering if there is any real happiness in the world at all, all that you will see is sadness around you. However, when you are in a slightly better mood and sitting in a park, you will see that the children playing are happy and not afraid of expressing it. Maybe you weren’t consciously thinking about the question, but there is your answer! If only we had the luxury of not looking during exams or emergencies!

Another way of obtaining an answer is to rotate the picture, or think in a different direction. When you have misplaced a key, you look in the usual places more than once. You behave like Sherlock Holmes on a case and look in the usual places with a magnifying glass. The key is probably in the pocket of your jeans, which are hanging on a hook in the bathroom. You look everywhere but the bathroom, but the moment you think of your jeans you might remember that you kept it there when you were in a tearing hurry. I have never been a math wizard and am probably the last person to tell you how to solve math problems. But I have noticed that often the solutions to tricky problems are often simple; they only require you to think differently. Ever wondered why retail therapy doesn’t help you find true happiness? That is because you are looking in the wrong place! If you change your perception, you might find that true happiness and peace is found in simple things like listening to music, for instance.

While we may not always have the time to wait for the answer to pop in our head, we can learn to pause and take a deep breath whenever we can. The idea may be impractical, but it is is effective. The pressure of finding the answer can cloud our perception and the ability to think clearly, with results that can be disastrous. It is no surprise we often hear parents and friends advising us to write exams with a calm mind, without any anxiety. Next time you are tearing your hair over a math problem, close your book, shut your eyes and attempt it after a few minutes. Whether you stop looking or rotate the picture, the secret is to look at the question with a fresh pair of eyes.

And after three months of laziness, I did finally find my answer to the question “What do I blog about?” The result is in front of your eyes. Did I rotate the picture or stop looking?

Perhaps it was a little of both!

The Witch's Victory

Note: I wrote this for my english assignment. I combined the concepts of reverse fairytale and death. 

Once upon a time there was a kingdom called Life. It was a special place and no one ever exited the world. Seven generations of people coexisted in peace and harmony. The elderly did not face the usual ailments of old age, and sickness was unheard of. If someone was injured by accident, they would be nursed back to health.

This serenity lasted for a long time, until an immortal witch called Kera visited this tranquil kingdom. She was baffled by the fact that there was no violence. She was jealous, and this jealousy led her to curse Life. Soon, violence and conflicts became a part of people’s daily routine. More often than not, the violence was fatal. There was no punishment for the murderers. The only silver lining was the nursing provided to the aged and the sick. Kera smiled as she watched this. The smile lingered for years, until Death came along.

Death was a young boy who wanted murderers to have a taste of their own medicine. So, he killed every culprit he could lay his hands on. The violence in the kingdom did not disappear, but simmered. Kera was furious as Death had foiled her plans. She wanted revenge, so she decided to kill Death’s mother.

Death was angry and sad after his mother’s death. He was never the same person again. He became a demon, and decided to take away people’s loved ones from them. Even today, Death takes away several people from this world, innocent or guilty.

Kera smiled and laughed. After all, she was victorious.