The Elvan Syndrome

In Dec’ 08, I read Eldest (Book two of Inheritance trilogy : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inheritance_trilogy). 

On New Year 2K9, I had gone to Isckon temple in Seoul. There, I saw a child grimacing in discomfort when it saw another child in pain. Something which all of us would have seen: A child is much more compassionate than us, older , more mature people.He grimaced on seeing her cry.

As is the case in this ape-ian mind of ours, which correlates concepts which seem totally unrelated, having no thread of connectivity to each other and tries to project a thought pattern which appears very convincing, the grimace started a chain.

A bit abt Elva, for the uninitiated. Elva is a child who is blessed by Eragon (the Dragon-Rider). There is one small hitch , though. Instead of blessing her by saying:

“May luck and happiness follow you and may you be  shielded from misfortune”

He says:

“May luck and happiness follow you and may you be a shield from misfortune”

I am quoting from Wiki here :

“She was doomed to suffer from the hurts of others to “shield” them. She could foresee when a person was about to be damaged, and tried to do anything in her power to help the person. If she resists, there were “consequences.” The “consequences” are possibly her ravenous appetite and her suffering the pain the person has but worse for her.”

(http://inheritance.wikia.com/wiki/Elva)

 

Shorn of the extra adjectives, it simply means that her own compassion becomes a great burden for her. She can not help but feel sympathetic for people around her, and the magic of the words force her to take actions to guard others.

Is this the reason why we become less sympathetic as we grow up. If we start feeling sympathetic for all around us, without our will having a say in it, won’t this virtue become too big a burden to carry.

When we are a kid , we dont have the means for translating our compassion into meaningful actions. Growing up gives us this power, and consequently, if left unchannelised , all our energy will go into yielding to this side of ours.

Thought from this view point, lessening of compassion doensn’t seem such a bad thing after all. It doent mean that we dont feel sympathetic for others, just that we can focus and choose.

That, we dont suffer from “The Elvan Syndrome”.

 

P.S: What happens when everyone becomes like Elva? When compassion is not lessened by a teeny tiny bit, even as we grow up, will “The Elvan Syndrome” still be a burden. Thats for another ape-ing session

Black vs White

Oh come on, don’t listen to him.. He is a blabber .You know that. Every time you want to do what u want to, he stops u:” said the black coated one.

“What is fun? You have to do what is needed. Duty is duty, done by any means”: said the white coated one.

The arbiter shouted: “Enough is enough. Since we are human, we have to do our works, by whatever means. If my fate is being a thief, so be it. I am at peace with it. That’s what is”.

He shrugged and continued doing what he needed to do.

When he turned back, the colors of the coat reversed.

PS:Inspired by GOD of IITG

Food for Thought

“My food is better than yours”, proclaimed the senior marketing executive from HinExpan company. “Come on, your food is made from old recipy. Mine has newer ingredients, hence better “, was the vehement response from the ChrisEXpanse executive.

You know the type, marketing executives, when they sell of their products, are equally blind to the pros and cons of their and the compepitor’s products as well as to what the customer needs. All they know is that if they shout out loud, if they can get some attention, then the Boss will be happy. Get the attention, get people to use our brand: That is the tape that runs on and on in their hands, inducing a feverish desire to be what they do.

Their bosses, well, they are a different story. Two kind exists really, One, who were such a marketing executive once (and hence have greater feverishness ) and second who know this is all a gimmick, but still one has to do something, right, so why not do this Noble deed? Its another matter , that how many of them do Feel that the deed is really noble?

Coming back to this turf war of food, a hungry person asked the executive from HInExpan:”ChriExpan is providing me food for free. Why should I not take it? I am weak. I need support. What are you doing for me?”

The answer was what hurt me the most. He generalised his anwer as a response to all such queries.I quote here :”We are not just talking. We have been standing up for those persons in distress. Let people come forward and tell us about people who need our help and we are ready to stand by these people. I assure you that we we are ready to even give our lives to help such people “

(http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/18slid4.htm)

 The poor man who had asked the question, knew that there wass no point debating the point. He just grumbled and left “Will you standing by me, your life, fill my stomach, dress my wounds, get me a shelter? You ask me to buy ur Brand. I ask you : Does Brand matter when the stomach cries?”

Noone noticed that the phone which was a direct line to the real BIG BOSS was ringing off the cradle. After all, what BIG BOSS wants, when did it matter?

 

And

 

BIG BOSS continued to cry….

Rock-On

Saw Rock-On yesterday with a friend who had been pestering me to go for a movie .. [:-P]

Liked it .. Movie seems honest and not overdone. THe first Hindi movie I saw in which the music and the story are interwoven..

THe coments on the 4 main characters. First the characters’ names: Rob,KD,Joe and Aditya.

Aditya: THe lead iof the pack , and as Debby puts it , the one who was always a Hit

KD: The drummer, and a kid at heart, looking for attention

Rob: The keyboard player and as KD puts it, the guy with the sense

Joe: The guitarist and the quiet guy of the group

The support cast also does an excellent job. The movie never d rags and the emotions, when they are shown, dont appear Sharukh-esque. Wonder why cant Farhan get the same results out of Shahrukh.

What I really loved about the movie is the way it touches on the impact of people giving up their dreams too easily. The angst inside each one of them is something we see in us, around us all the time. But as with Aditya, we find it very difficult to accept it.

None of the characters, even the one in small roles, seem a waste. Each seem to have their purpose, even Tanya. Go watch the movie , and watch it in a Movie Hall is what I would recommend. An Honest movie.

Journey..part1

4 days – 16000 Km

Writing this blog after reaching Korea. Waiting for system to be fully functional. So, killing time by writing this blog.

Lets approach this blog in a non-linear way. What is the first exp I am reminded of? It has to be the story titled “Ek ticket Mahavikat” (A ticket which turned out to be a BIG problem).

So, here I am, waiting in B1/003, in PrayagRaj Express. Journey is from Delhi to Allahabd. Saurabh is in next compartment. But I am all alone here, or so I thought. Wiating for that guy in black coat to come. Thinking of all possible ways to explain to him as to why he should allow me to travel on an e-ticket when I dont have the corresponding I-card, my PAN card. The guy approacheth, I sayeth some two-three lines, then my role in the drama of next half hour is complete. Because then my case is taken over by two other people. No, they were not the lawyers of the prosecution and defendant. But just two people trying to help me.
I was trying to explain to the TT that I have misplaced my PAN card, but he should allow me on the company card instead. I get un-expected support from all the passengers in the cabin. I really felt happy and grateful for that support. One person(lets call him Mr.A), in fact, started to really take my case with the TT. For me, he seemed an angel then. He took a tough stance with the TT. Asserting that any card should be fine, as it is only an ID-proof that is required.
In between this discussion, another Mr.B came, occupant of seat no.14, if I remember correctly. He immediatley took a contradictory stand. HE fully agreed with the TT that the ID proof is indeed the ticket. For a brief moment, I really was upset with this guy, why did he have to interfere when he was not helping. I later realised that First impressions may be very mis-leadng. The TT , and these two guys were discussing these things amongst themselves. The TT got a bit worked up, and said will come back later.
After he left temporarily, I got to know the Mr.A better. The first lines of his introduction made me feel at ease immediately. He was a journalist from Aaj Tak. Now thats a case of being “Sabse Tej, sabse aage ” even in helping others. His name was Anil Kumar Singh, same as my brother, for whose operation I was in New Delhi. Anil, Aaj tak one,assured me that it was his duty now to take me to Allahabad. I immediately felt relaxed and assured that come what may, TT or no TT, I will reach Allahabad, w/o paying anything. Come on, who will not feel it, you have a journalist on your side man. I thought that the drama was over. Boy, was I wrong.

Next time , when the TT came, which was just two minutes after the above. The TT did looked a bit worked up. This time, Mr.Anil said a few lines, Mr. B also said a few lines and the TT left again. This time Mr.B tried to pacify the TT, saying :”Though this kid is wrong, but for my behalf, allow him to travel”. He showed him some sort of I-card and then again repeated the request. The TT did not commit anything and then left. Then, Mr. B said something to Mr.A”By trying to help this guy (meaning me), you have spoilt his case”. Anil immediately retorted, “I am a journalist and now it is my responsibilty to take this kid to Allahabad”. Mr. B’s reply was more shocking : “I am also a journalist and it is my responsibilty to take him to Allahabad”. So, here I was, with two people, both hell-bent (why is heaven-bent not a word) on taking me to Allahabad. Both having totally different approaches, but united on the goal.
By this time, Saurabh had come. I explained to him briefly what was happening. He gave the age-old advice: “Get the TT in a corner and give him 100 bucks”. I said :”Yaar, mujhe kuch kahne ko mile, tab na” The TT then suddenly appeared . I approached him. This time , there was only Mr.B, no Mr.A. The TT was a bit worked up: “Dont try to argue with me when you are wrong. ” Mr.B immediately pacified him :”Sir, I have already shown you my card. Please consider it my perosnal request and allow him to travel”. Some more pacifying lines followed. The TT left with the following words:”I can not mark you as present. Just go and sleep, before I change my mind”.What else is requied, just a place to sleep, a place to relax the already travel-weary body. Saurabh had already left by that time. Went to his place, explained what had happened and got my back. On the return, met Mr.B in the way.
He then told me his details. He was a TV journalist, working in Zee TV, was earlier with B4U. The summary of the conversation :”You should use a hard stand only when you are right….. Where a smile and politeness can do the trick, dont use a sword… I have never used my I-card but somehow today have used it for you”.
After he finished his ciggarete, we said good-bye. I went to my upper-birth . Firs reaction after lying down: “Thanks bade bhaiya for not letting any thing happen to me. ” These two people, for a moment, just appeared His instrument, for ensuring that nothing happens to me. At moments like these, how can one not feel grateful?

P.S.: In these entire conversations, I was called a kid so many times that I now feel that I have a few more years before I make that marriage plunge.