Monday, February 27

Utopia

Agent Smith: "Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through misery and suffering..."

So often I'v read about articles (by fellow bloggers and otherwise) highlighting the negatives of our lives/society etc. taking for granted all the positive aspects of thing. I guess this is given to our strive for continuous improvement which is the cause for such a widespread observance.

But all too often we talk of an utopian society, in a dream to find an Atlantis. Makes me wonder if humans can indeed live in an utopian society at all? Thats when the above dialogue from the matrix gave me some thoughts on the subject.

Of course the question of the possibility of an utopian society preceedes this. Every person has their own version of what such a society should be. Since birds of a feather flock together, you can expect groups with a common vision of such. Keep evaluating this way and you'd understand that all thats involved in coexistence of various utopian societies renders them far from what they are meant to be. Ain't what we'v arrived at, any different from the society of today that we perceive to be far from utopian?

Can humans accept and live in a perfect world? I am into thinking that human life is tending to equilibrium but never reaches it. The human intellect working rationally (much like the Architect of The Matrix trying to balance equations in sight) to bring things to a stasis, while human emotions & instinct that majorly constitute the human psyche (much like the Oracle playing dice for yet another path towards co-existence) push things into disarray.

This nature is probably remotely connected to the very nature of the universe, and as explained by Ying-Yang. Owing to unexplained reason, the universe has manifested into matter vs. anti-matter pair.

Agent smith and Neo are seen by most people as antgonist vs. protagonist, whilst in reality both are quite the same with just different perceptions over purpose of life (determinism vs free will). The interesting point I'd like you to think about is smith's quote in the movie - "temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence which is without meaning or purpose ...".

When I look around the world, I do realize that we humans are engaging ourselves in solving the very problem we'v created. I.e. what we do is to give a purpose/justification for our own lives. That which we do, becomes the very cause for which we strive to live. We are the very problem we are fighting against.

With such an understanding / misconstrued notions of the human spirit (whichever way you see this), I doubt if humans can ever live or even bring about an Atlantis. For it would negate the very purpose of our existence :-?. Just as there ain't not good without evil, there ain't no god without the devil ...

If you remember Sonny from the movie "I, Robot", towards the climax he says to detective spooner - "Now that I've fulfilled my purpose, I don't know what to do!!!". What would we humans do if at all we do attain Atlantis?

Do you see what am I hinting at /:)

Saturday, February 25

reminiscence

Over 5 years back, in a village a couple of kms from NH-7. Abode for sophomores like me, many bullies and freshmen in an amphitheatre, each cell having the vantage to look at every other from the door step. Two teams already up in the misty morning for their volley ball rendezvous churning up a grey cloud of dust from their foot work. At another end of oval structure the shuttlecork flits across a virtual court with a jute thread indicative of a net :).

As the sun begins to shine in the morning, the zephyr waving the paddy fields all around, people are waking up to the "bhoom" sound of the volleyball and to the sound of All-Indian Radio FM. Chennai FM was one of the cheapest and accessible entertainment even 75km away from chennai. At night some of the rooms will have visitors just to work as they listen to those movies broadcast on the radio, and of course songs, dance and all that follows. But the day always start with the news - "All Indian Radio, Chennai vaanooli nilayam, neeram yezhu mani mupadhu nimudam padhinaindhu nodee, inee thodarvadhu ... seidhigal, vasippadhu - saroj narayan swamy".

Mr. Ayya as he was called would come out wearing his lungee with the chair outside along with his hand radio. He was the personal alarm clock of many in this place. So he leaves the place benevolently on his errands to wake up all the folks who have made their kind reservations. Meanwhile his rommie Mr.Peey (the ghost) takes hold of the radio and picks up the news paper from the cell whose inmates would wake up the last. While other deligent followers are already at the 'Akka' kadai for the morning tea, vadai and tiffin on account of taking a puff in the morning :D. The sun light begins to sweep the amphitheatre slowly in an arch.

One soul already up and taking a short doze off, having done with all the morning formalities ahead of the rest. There is a scuffle between people reserving their bathrooms and those in queue for their share of hot water, and of course the usual bullying using their leverage. One fat soul just waits outside his room in his towels soap box and other bath accessories, enjoying the match.

The rommie next door suddenly begins to sing :-" out loud, thinking most people are in the bath and no one would bother or be bothered. This fat soul GV (as most people addressed him) was, and decides to peep in. Notices the most unusual person singing oblivious to everything and joins in. Mr :-" pauses for a moment, then they resume their discordant singing. Its like one of those signature songs of a clique, which urges them to drop what they do and just sing along, no matter how cacophonous it is.

dooooooooin dooooin doooin dooin doin ... back to today ... ooooh btw all that was flash back :D

Been a really long time since I heard this song by aerosmith ... I love it more so for the lyrics (listen to it here) and of course I never used to miss the music video ... just to watch Liv Tyler ;). I happened to listen to it today and these were the sweet memories that flashed though as I listened to it, and of course I still remember the verses of the song very well :) to sing along. But I do mind singing =)) in view of the poor souls around, unfortunately they'll have to put up with my relentless humming.

Thursday, February 23

The Legend of Eleanor

How often do you come across a movie that most of the people don't like. Then you realise that it is just you, and maaaybe the bunch of lunatic friends (birds of a feather) who love it as much as you do. Even though the movie ain't truly great, some aspects in it just appeal to you.

Its been well over a year since I saw this movie. Its was between oct 2004 until mid nov same year that I used to watch this movie over and over, rather had to. This movie was on the list of media contents for an airline entertainment system.

And this song was my solace then to pep up my spirits - "Bring Sally up and Bring Sally down". I just luv :x that song. I remember the time when I sat in theatre with my college buddies. The moment it started as we scuffled for out seats, we stared @ one another with a unanimous smirk. And then it was a bunch of souls rocking inside to the tune :).

The movie stars a modified '67 Shelby G.T.500 @ Eleanor with "Memphis" our protagonist, who sets out with his old buddies to flip 50 cars overnight. My personal inking for the movies starts from my love of the cast, and a fast simple entertaining nature of the movie. And of course some lovely dialogues. I like the one where "kip" says "I am in control of everything" and "Memphis" cool'y retorts - "The kitchen is on fire" ;). Of course the little conversation b/w "Memphis" and "Sway" before they boost :->. The movies got a rusty tint to its appearence all through, which adds to the appeal.

Needless to mention, it ain't a great movie. This movie among many others (as gladiator, braveheart) is a good example to how much the sound and audio can add to the intensity of the feel. The entertainment industry be it movies, games, music, theatre relies on being able to touch the human emotion for it success.

The potrayal of "Memphis" slithering his palm over the GT500, well not so instilling had it not been for the background score, at times gives me goosebumps. And so with the chase and the finall showdown in the bridge to longbeach. Add to that the escapade through the canal with the nitro on, which was too conspicious that it had been shot with a higher frame rate @ lower speeds and shown @ normal frame rate to give an illusion. (Reminds me of Hyper-Thrust in the T.V. series StreetHawk, jessie mack taking a 180 degree turn @ 300mph). There was no depiction of lack of control and the vehicles tendency to slide at such speeds. The only thing that gripped me to the movie amidst such high paced action was the suave music.

But not too often when we see a movie do we take some time to appreciate the music that brings out the final touch. Think of 'Gladiator', where the enormity and Crow's flabberghasting act gave it a boost. Ever imagined how rivetting was the sounds n music? Be it that of the sword or when he finally falls? Watch 'Troy', great picturization only tantamount to its lousy sound/music which didn't live up.

Guess I'v been digressing from beginning to end #-o. Don't think what it is that I am trying to say, just read along and move :p. Been experiencing some unusual neural activity with cross synaptic firing and rybotic scarring throughout the cortex :D. So live with it ...

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Tuesday, February 21

IT = Idiosyncratic Technocrats

I have been trying to view IT from a non-IT point of view for a while now. Ironically I do belong to the IT bandwagon, thought am not all too merry about it :) under the current circumstances. Little did I know 13 years back how all-pervasive and banal it would turn into. So here is a little quirk of these crackpots brought to your noice ;).

The clause "High Level" is used to hint at something obscure for a person. Likewise the clause "Low Level" is used to indicate something down to earth to graps - "piece of cake", no complication. Any pedestrian learned person would concur with this, wouldn't they?

Unless he belong to IT, who would argue that a "High Level Language" is easy to understand, whilst "Low Level Language" are obstruce.

And and rationalization for it - "from a certain point of view YES what you say is right, but blah blah blah" *sigh*, as if he /she were as insightful as Darth Sidious trying to convince Anakin that Good and Bad are just a point of view.

What a bunch of oddballs =))

Friday, February 17

so much for your love for HOME ...

Glum stuck home ... the shadows of the tragedy frought in every heart ... only eyes and tears can speack ... the loss of a loved one in the most undeserved manner ... some consolation on the fact that life in the concrete jungle is as much unsafe as it is safe ... the felon now counting ... enervate to prosecute ... when life seems so dark ... the least u have the energy for is to perform the rigmarole with full spirit ... against all those tirade of disbelief expressed all through life

the victim is delivered in a bag after postmortem ... jurisdiction :( ... definitely undeserved

but why dyu have to bribe to get whats left of a dead person? you are hell broken ... and people make money out of ur situation

how is a person expected to love his / her country when they have the least respect for person dead / alive ... behind all the greatness ... as aristotle once said "east of frought with barbarism"

as for those who say don't bribe ... try it thyself in the most uneventful circumstances ... sad but true that I can do nothing more than empathize :(

so much for a place you love and cherish and call it you home *sigh*

Tuesday, February 14

Why So?

Why is that Indians are so servile and not commanding? There are a vast difference between being nice and being so fawning (pammaradhu as known in local chennai dialect). It was disgusting to watch it. How do such people even expect others to have a respect for them *sigh*. Even in desperation that would be just way too much. Blandly said, the person was cringing to say "I am desperate to impress you", the words a bit scattered through the talk though.

Worse than that most Indians are subjective in contrast to the objectiveness of the others (predominantly non-asian residents if I might add). You are having a discussion on a subject and just to make a conversation (or to brag, or maybe to refrain from being silenced) people talk of gibberish and everything remotely connected to it. Was that to show there excellence in related subject matter? That they know something, though they know nothing of subject at hand?

If there is one thing about Indians, it would be their excessively outspoken nature. We talk, talk and talk. Nothing can shut us down. Lost the very little respect that I had for that person, not that what I had before was any substantial. Realized how loyal a subject he/she was.

Is this servitude emanating from the labour intensive society that we live in?

Friday, February 10

When u can't say "I Love You"


I came home after a regular day of work :) ... with trifling gaiety as ever ... unaware of the glum atmosphere :-| ... reason for which is beyond my comprehension :-?? ... all that mattered to me was that someone I loved was right there upfront ... with tears rolling down ... I did not know what to do or how to react :( ... had it been for the ego I would have run down n hug'd tight >:D< n wept in arms cover ... but I couldn't, I didn't ... I was compelled to stay put

I was confused ~x( ... I stood appalled and lost ... staring at you with hesitation and anticipation ... n so did you ... I wanted to say how much I loved you ... but I couldn't utter a single word ... if I could I'd give up all else and come to you ... my beloved's care and love means soo much to me ... I am bereft of it for no fault of mine :( ... what did I do to deserve this? ... am so living in memory and yearning for those good times we'v spent before ... together 8-> ... only a dream now