A brief rant on the fad of Self Help Books

Self help books: If there’s one fad of our generation  that riles me up no end, it’s the fad of Self Help books on success and happiness. Its also one that's utterly hollow and total BS. When I was a kid, I used to read up on quite a few of them to fuel my “ambition” and “dreams”. But it was not very long before I could see right through the generic garbage that each of these books regurgitated with unwavering accuracy. It always followed same pattern "Think Positive", "Set Goals", "Follow some XYZ framework", "Be assertive", "Be confidence", "Have the right attitude" and a bevy of other stereotypical "formulae" and bland, cliched instructions sold as surefire keys guaranteed to open the elusive locks of success. And they package and market all this verbal diarrhoea in such a way that they appear like pearls of wisdom. And just take a cursory look at the content. It’s the same, reused and recycled pile of balderdash. Most of it is made on sweeping generalizations on what "success" is, without ever taking into account the intricate, personal and the very subjective meanings that each one of us attach to success and happiness. One person's success may be another person's just another one night stand. So to typecast happiness and success and dumbing it down to some magical formula is absurd and extremely misleading. “Success” is such a loaded term. But the way these books commoditize and sermonize their formulae as absolute truths without taking into account the "context" of each individual is laughable. Success is a very personal experience that is very different for different people. This crass commercialization of a noble human experience is one big sham and it is imperative that we see through it and not buy into this fad.. quite literally. 

So, if it is such a huge sham, why are these books so successful? That has a simple answer. Just one look around us and the world we inhabit, makes it quite clear that most of us live very unhappy and unsatisfied lives. The grass is always greener on the other side, the neighbor is always better off, friends are going places, relatives are piling on the promotions etc etc. Social Media and Internet, unwittingly or otherwise, further fuel our insecurities and generate distorted, fallacious perceptions on what "success" is and should be and it repeatedly thrusts this very surface level definition of "success" down our throats and each one of us buy into this narrow perception almost blindly and embark upon finding that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. These books just prey upon our collective fears, insecurities and discontentment and make a killing out of it. The authors of these so called books know very well that we are an instant coffee generation who are ALWAYS looking for shortcuts to anything and everything. And hey if success and happiness can be distilled into a simple, ready-to-consume generic "formulae" who wouldn't pay for it, right? They give us what we want and desire, not what we need. For the audience, it seems like solid investment. They are able to shell out a few bucks to buy what they think is an elixir, a magic potion that will make them instantly successful and eternally happy. Such simpletons, we humans are. From the author's point of view it's as perfect a product-market fit, as any. There are tons and tons of unhappy people, looking for a short cut, looking to read their way out of unhappiness, looking for that one magic formulae that will transform their sorry lives. So what do these authors do? They promise their readers a "foolproof(The irony, sigh) formula" for attaining happiness. It’s simple, but its brilliant and also very sad that the most exhilarating of human experiences(happiness and success) must hinge upon some supposed self help book that spouts out generic garbage which you already are well aware of. But the disclaimer is, while 90% of such books that profess to change your life are absolute garden variety tosh, there is indeed that 10% which does alter our perception in a way and help us look at world in a different way and present a more realistic picture of the meanings we attach to happiness and success as opposed to the formulaic trash that most books come up with. These books are few and far, but they do indeed resonate with your inner self. Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" is one such fine example. It is upon us to really wake up, single out these cancerous self help books and destroy this disgusting fad, which do nothing but prey on human desperation and insecurity, which in my view, is vile and pathetic. So let’s take a pledge to throw one useless book out of the window everyday. My quota for the day is “You can win” by Shiv Khera. The book just has success jargon thrown about all over the place. It tries to say a lot of things without saying anything really.  It’s some of the biggest crock of trash I ever had the misfortune of reading. Anyway, rant over.

     Okay this post is somewhat special because for the first time I've tried my hand at poetry. The attempt may be amateurish but nevertheless I hope its not awful. Regarding the underlying meaning, I think its pretty straightforward.

                                             Musings

With great swiftness i ran,from pillar to post
The Darkness, it followed me
It glowered at me, a dark ghost
Felt a fear so great that it benumbed me


I ran till my legs became weary
And my limbs, woefully weak
The silence , ever so eerie
That i dare not even speak


"What do you want?" I cried
"I want you" It cackled, with glee
To be brave, I tried
But the shadow, it made me flee


I prayed for the light
To deliver me from this plight
Alas, it was nowhere in sight
But nor was I going down without a fight


I earnestly yearned for tranquil and peace
Through the far depths of mind did i navigate
Lo! It struck me that i held the keys
The worry and anxiety soon began to abate


Determined, I closed my eyes with hope renewed
Pushing the darkness out from my mind
Lo! From darkness to light my mind segued
Fresh life and vigor I did find


Prepared i was to face the heat
I felt the light emanate
The darkness beat a hasty retreat
And I became the master of my fate.

The Artist

I usually don't review movies. I dont consider myself that much of a movie critic to do justice to certain artistic and cinematic nuances.However i recently saw the movie 'The Artist'. In this case, the movie was so simple yet to stirring that i decided to write about it.This is not a review. This is merely my appreciation for what was an extremely enchanting and off-beat cinema.

'The Artist' is a beautiful movie. Rarely, do you come across cinema in such a pure form. I was actually pretty reluctant to watch this movie. A black & white, silent movie does not necessarily spell "fun" for me. But thank God, i wound up watching it. 'The Artist' is a vintage period movie that dates back to the early 20th century were silent movies ruled the roost. The movie narrates the story of an actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), in the peak of his powers. He's a star and the toast of Hollywood. The charming actor is the centre of all attention and basks in his fame and glory.Then comes along Peppy, a young junior artist who wishes to make it big in Hollywood.Circumstances make them very close.George mentors Peppy initially.Peppy falls for him.The chemistry between the lead actors is palpable. But things are not perpetually rosy. Soon, the audiences taste change and talkies arrive. The silent movies are phased out and George is left in the lurch all of a sudden. On the other hand, Peppy becomes the new sensation. People flock the theatres to watch her and due to the advent of talkies she becomes an overnight success. George, his ego severely hurt, takes it upon himself and directs his next silent movie in which he himself stars. His movie releases alonside Peppy's talkie and bombs miserably. Thats when he realizes that his time is gone. There's one scene which i especially admired where Peppy's guy friend tells George that 'his Dad' was a big fan, clearly indicating that George's era was over. Soon, George goes broke and literally lands on the streets. He soon takes to drinking and drowns his sorrows with large doses of liquor and cigars. All of a sudden the great George Valentin becomes a nobody. He sells all his stuff, suffers from depression and becomes a complete wreck. Inspite of all this, Peppy still loves him and how she helps George get back on his feet forms the rest of the story.

There are a number of reasons why i simply adored this movie. First is the simplicity.This movie had an old-world charm to it. The simpler the story, the greater the impact it has on the audience. While I do get a kick out of movies like Inception, Matrix.I would anyday like to come out of the theatre happy and satisfied as opposed to benumbed and mindf***ed. So, simpler the better. The other reason is the silence. This is how cinema is meant to be. This is cinema in its most pristine and immaculate form. Dialogues would have surely spoiled the beauty of this classic. The silence amplifies the impact. Due to the lack of dialogues, everything boils down to body language and facial expressions and the actors have done a fabulous job. In silent movies, the music plays a vital role. I must say, I really enjoyed the symphonic,beautifully orchestrated old-world scores in the movie. The movie scores high on emotional value too, as it deals with myriad emotions like triumph, love, failiure, depression, frustration etc. It touches upon these emotions seamlessly. And last but not the least,THE DOG. George's Terrier is one of the most amusing characters in the movie. It offers lot of comic value as well as saves his neck quite a few times. It accompanies him through thick and thin. Even when the whole world has left him in the cold, Uggi remains by his side faithfully. Indeed,the proverbial man's best friend. Call me crazy, but i could actually draw parallels to the tamil movie 'Rajapart Rangadurai' starring Sivaji Ganesan.That movie too, talks about the rise and fall of a dramatist, whos life is in utter ruins because of the advent of popular cinema. But the similarities are too few and far..

It may sound too cliched, but the Artist in indeed a classic. One of those movies which come once in a blue moon. So when it does, one needs to savour it and indulge in its brilliance.

Life as a Tree

Sometimes i like to think of life as a tree. At every juncture, life presents us with myriad choices and multitude of options. Our choice further determines the course and nature of our journey. Every choice or circumstance exercise their influence on our lives. Even small things matter. Suppose, my name had not been what it is, i may have ended up in a different class,grown up in a different atmosphere with a different peer group. My character may have moulded differently and i may not be the person that i am today.So basically, from the moment we are born, there are potentially infinite number of ways we can live it. The possibilities are limitless. We all start at the root, but there are infinite leaf nodes that are potentially achievable.

Assume i'm at the root of that subtree in the image. Had i taken the left branch highlighted by yellow, i will have ended up in a completely different leaf. Had i taken the right red one, i will end up in a different leaf. This same idea has been talked about in the movie 'Butterfly Effect'. There, Ashton Kutcher goes back to the past and just changes a small insignificant detail. That will further cascade throughout his life and when he's back to the present he's in a completely different place and a different person. Of course, we humans dont have the luxury to "Backtrack" :D . So every decision counts.Right now i'm at a particular juncture but there are a thousand different endings possible here based on the decisions i take in life. So every time i screw up, i'm still hopeful i can always turn it around and end up in a favourable 'leaf' :D. That further sums up the innate beauty and intricacy of life.So, even if you are in a difficult position right now. Remember, there a thousand endings possible. The power is in your hands. A happy ending is always possible.

Rahman- A Rare Genius

A genius always makes him mark early. You always know a genius when you see one.Their stuff separates them from the herd.When Sachin Tendulkar made his debut as a 16 year old the world knew that they were witnessing a phenomenon unfold. Similarly when Roger Federer downed "Grass-emperor" Pete Sampras, the tennis community knew that he was going to make it really big. When Ilayaraja, the Maestro, started with his "Annakili" the people knew he was going to be a trendsetter and he lived upto it. Similarly, when Roja hit the screens and its music took India by storm, the country knew that this new kid on the block was going to redefine the way music was made in this country and would be the face of Indian music for many years to come. Thus started the journey of A.R.Rahman

Before Rahman broke into the scene, Tamil music was monopoplized by Ilayaraja, the Maestro. While he churned out chartbusters at a perplexing rate and while his genius was never in doubt, he started stagnating quite a bit towards a late 80's and early 90's. It was the same orchestrated scores with pallavi-charanam format, the use of same instruments, minimal technology and same voices. While the music was compelling in itself, Tamil music definitely needed a makeover. Then Roja happened.It took India by storm. The reason for its unprecedented success was because it was fresh and different. Nobody had heard anything like that before. The tunes, the intruments, voices, technology, recording everything was different.Coming from a debutant, it was bold stuff. Roja made India, stand up and take notice of A.R.Rahman. Soon a national award ensued. It was the first time ever a debutant music composer was awarded. Since then, there has been no looking back. And after 2 decades, he still is one of the most sought-after music composers not only in India but throughout the globe. So what makes Rahman's music work? Well the answer lies in the fact that Rahman has a rare musical vision and instinct. He has an impeccable knack of choosing the right voice and the right instruments. That combined with his love for experimentation works wonders. Its his succesful amalgamation of various elements and genres is what sets him apart. Take 'Thiruda Thiruda' for instance. It released in 1993, one of Rahman's earliest albums. But its music is so stunning and way ahead of its time.Every song is a gem. Whether it be the pulsating 'Chandralekha' or Bassy 'thee thee' and 'Kannum Kannum' or a very simple but attractive 'Rasathi' and the famous 'Veerapandi Kottayile', its what you call a revolutionary album.Its Rahman's guts that took him this far. He dared to do the unthinkable.This caught the fancy of the youth. Thus he gained many ardent fans and followers over a very short period of time. Most of Rahman's critics rant about his dependence on technology. But thats one of their misconceived fallacies i'm afraid. Either thet've not heard some of his scores especially in period films or they've chosen to ignore it. While Rahman pioneered the use of technology to enhance his compositions, he never used technology as a substitute for music.He has always maintained that perfect balance. And he has excelled in movies had no or very little technology. The best example would be an another outstanding score for 'Lagaan' which won him another National award. He is the king of period movies. He always manages to dole out some fabulous and grand scores. 'Water' '1947 earth', 'Lagaan', 'Jodha Akbar','Bose-the Forgotten hero', 'Guru' etc are testimony to the fact. Another impressive quality in Rahman is his versatility.He can handle melodies, period scores, Youthful albums,Classical scores,Techno etc. He has composed for movies spanning across various genres.His recent number 'Aaromale' for Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya is a fantastic case of experimentation and is one of my recent favourites.Like all composers he's also had rough patches and bumps along the path, but he's always managed to reinvent himself and bounce back.

And Rahman always reserves his very best for "chosen" directors. Mani-ARR combo is one of the greatest associations in Indian cinema.'Roja','Thiruda thiruda','Dil se','Iruvar', 'Kannathil Muthammital', 'Alaipayuthe' , etc etc. Every album that has come out of their association has been nothing short of legendary. Another personal favourite of mine is Ashutosh Gowariker-Rahman combine.Even though they recently split, they have created magic on screen. I cannot imagine anyone producing and album like 'Swades' other than Rahman. I also like Raykesh mehra-ARR combo."Rang De Basanti" is one of my all time favourites.

With all these path breaking scores it was only a matter of time before the West would take notice of his talent. While he composed for 'Bombay Dreams', 'Elizabeth', 'The warriors of heaven and Earth' it was 'Slumdod Millionaire' that gave him his big break in Hollywood.Even though it was by no means his best work,he won 2 oscars for it.Thus Rahman fulfilled what Destiny had in store for him.Now, Rahman is a very sought-after composer in Hollywood and is juggling between Indian and Western projects.

In spite of being such a runaway success the most charming thing about Rahman is that he has his head firmly on his shoulders. He never indulges in mud-slinging of any sort. He is a very humble person inpite of all the fame and popularity. This endearing quality is what makes this man a legend. He's here to stay and will continue to revolutionize music for many more years to come.

Sad state of Indian Politics

India, is known to be the largest democracy in the world. Ours is a country which takes pride in fusing the high ideals of the west and the oriental teachings of our forefathers. We have ample Human resource,great minds and the potential to reach the very pinnacle and yet after 63 years of "building" the nation i would say we have not at all lived upto our caliber. One of the major contributing factors has been the complete inefficacy of our politicians. The current scenario of our political system presents a really sorry picture for the future and beyond. We need miracles to bail us out of the abyss that we have plunged into.

There are a plethora of issues that are plaguing our nation today.We are currently living in an era which has been marred by corruption of the highest and the most perverted order.We switch on the TV and we see new and shocking scams unearthed every day.Newspapers are all screaming about it.Corruption has become so rampant that it has become a part of the system.The statistics and figures and appalling. Our whole federal system is in shambles.Politicians, once they capture a post of power, make use of that 5 years not for solving legitimate issues, but unfortunately they are more bent upon filling their bank balances and what is even more sorrowful is that these "thieves" have the backing of "great" and "tall" leaders of this country.
Just look at the number scams: CWG , 2G, Aadarsh,land greab scam, swiss bank scam, the newly unravelled "S Band" scam...I'm starting to lose count. And what is more sickening and pathetic is that some leaders are now playing the caste card to bail their man out of trouble.Its been 63 years and its heart-wrenching to see still public is being hoodwinked by petty caste politics. When will we rise above it? I'm starting to lose faith in the system and the leaders.Are there any genuine leaders around today? I cant help but notice that almost all the corruption cases are linked to the congress party directly or indirectly.This cancer called corruption is slowly enveloping the entire nation and we need to weed it out as fast as possible.

The other issue is that we have become a very "soft" nation. China makes unwarranted provocations and encroachments into our land. But we simply let it go.We do not respond strongly. A strong leadership is the need of the hour. We must show the world that we are a force to reckon with. But we give a free hand to people like Arundhati Roy who is giving seditious speeches time and again. She openly said that Kashmir should be freed from "bhooka nanga hindustan". When such outrageous acts of treason are tolerated you can imagine how utterly spineless the central leadership has become. Such anti-national acts should be cast down with an iron fist. But right now we are completely helpless about the naxal problem that is threatening to explode into a major problem if not controlled.

There are innumerable other issues like price rise, inflation, which have spun out of control. Onion is now a luxury for most people. Inflation has hit the common man hard as the prices of the essential commodities have rocketed. The recent Nira Radia tapes have revealed that even corporates have hand in this grand "loot". I was really shocked when i found out even Ratan Tata was involved. He was like a role-model for so many of us.

The whole political system is in utter chaos. This is primarily because politicians think they can get away with anything.They think themselves to be greater than law. This should first be solved. These criminals who are in the garb of leaders must be taken to task and must be jailed irrespective of their "stature". We must teach these politicos a lesson and must free the system from their iron clutches.

I would still say its not too late. The ball is partially in our court. We must make sure we vote these hooligans out of power. Well the public is in such a position that it has to now choose between the lesser of the evils. There is no great leader to lead by example, atleast at the national level. A towering, honest and a strong leader in the urgent need of the hour. I believe in miracles and i believe there is still a way out of this horror. Lets hope...

Christmas is here!...its that period of the year where joy and happiness rule the roost and emotions like hatred and anger are put on the backburner! Christmas wasnt as dull and unhappening as it is today!...Christmas used to be one of the festivals which i looked forward to with glee and expectation! So, at the mere thought of christmas iam flooded with sweet and unforgettable memories. Till i was at xaviers, christmas time used to be a blast and the whole school wore a festive look. I was a part of the choir and we used to sing christmas carols. i remember all the carols till this day. 'joy to the world', 'Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer','santa claus is coming to town'...and many more. After each session we were given sweets. :) And Christmas was always accompanied with the legend of Santa Claus. A legend which i used to have great belief in. Because every year Santa used to come to our school and dstribute goodies and you cannot imagine how much i used to love santa!...he was the darling of all kids alike. With his great white beard and a perpetual smile on his face he was a 'phenomenon'. Legend has it that Santa used to examine if the kids were nice to others and whether or not they were naughty,before distributin gifts. So every year from dec 1st, i used to temporarily cease being naughty and try being nice! :). I used to believe that santa really came from the north pole,riding on his sled along with his reindeer. All of those beliefs came crashing one day!

When i was around 8 or 9 years old ,right before my christmas hols my friends had assured me that Santa would come during midnight on christmas eve and give you what you demand. I implicitly believed them. So as my friends had told i wrote a letter to santa assuring him i had been a nice kid and that i was worthy of his gifts(which i was :P). I dont exactly remember what i asked him.I am sure a cricket bat was on the fairly lengthy list and also a new yonex badminton racquet. i folded the letter with great care and placed it in a newly washed pure white sock.i placed the sock under my pillow as i was told and went to sleep,positive that santa would appear out of nowhere in midnight and shower me with the gifts that i had demanded. I was very excited and had to force myself to sleep as santa wouldn appear if we were awake. So i woke up next morning with happiness and hope,brushed my teeth and ran to bed, looked under my pillow. The sock was intact and hadnt moved an inch. I searched the whole house. But couldnt find anything that i had asked for. Oh! The dissappointment! It was too much for me to bear.All my hopes came crashing down.I even asked my dad if santa had come...he merely laughed!. It was then that i realized that the myth of santa was balderdash and that real santa were parents themselves.The dissapointment was quite huge,you know.Nevertheless till i was at xaviers christmas was always great fun.
This is one memory of christmas which i can never forget. Of course now when i look back at this incident i laugh it off. But those sweet childhood memories of christmas will always remain in my heart as vivid as it is today!. It is when i think of these memories and incidents that i long for childhood and miss childhood a lot. *sigh* Anyway! HO hO HO! Merry christmas and a happy new year to all!.Ciao.
P.S:I'm too lazy to post articles frequently, but i will definitely make an effort to return soon. Bye till then! ...:)