Engineering Mania

I was chatting recently with a friend of my realtive who was searching for a job. He was an "Engineer". He had done his Engineering from a college in remote part of Karnataka. I had not heard its name, so tried googling- believe it or not, the college didn't had a website. That generated in me a new thought series that led to this blog.

We are gripped by "Engineering mania". Everybody wants to be/ their children to be an "Engineer". Without BE you are a shame to your parents, you may not get girl for marriage, you may not get loans and may be you may not hold yourself in good esteem; somewhere down you would be cursing- yourself, your parents, stars or God.

My own friend surprises me with his stupidity. I wonder how he even passed his 10th. But lo, he is an "Engineer". He is not one of his kinds. A relative of mine can't frame a sentence in English and he too is an Engineer. My experience tells me that our farmer, vegetable vendor or auto rickshaw have better wisdom, intelligence and managing skills than we "Engineers".

I have nothing against Engineers and I myself am an Engineer. But due to the drop in the quality of technical education, they are Engineers just for name sake. The tag of 'BE' just creates a fake self image. This is devastating. The states of Karnataka, TN and AP have ridiculous number of Engineering colleges.

My take is, study anything, Engineering or otherwise, but do it in among top say 10-15 colleges of your country (or at least your state), else don't. I feel it is far better doing any other course in a college that has quality that doing Engineering is a poor college. The fields of Medicine, Law, Administrative Services, Defence Services, Threatre, Fashion, Arts, Politics, Journalism etc are like forgotten.

There is scarcity of quality. In a scene from 3 Idiots where Farhan explains to his dad- if I take up photography, my salary might be small, car might be small, house might be small, but I will be happy- has a great lesson for all of us. It is far better being a good photographer than a bad Engineer. Isn't it?

Let's come out of our "follow" mentality as the one who we are following may be blind. Let's be ourselves and do that what's good for us. It's always better to trust our judgment as none knows us better.

Best things in life are free

In this cashocratic (rule of cash) day, there may not be many takers for this line, but that will not stop me from saying what I have to. Best things in life are indeed, free.

There is a notion that I have seen in my near and dear ones that money somehow brings happiness- more money is more happiness. I don't deny that money is needed for sustenance and to give you all that you need as a human being. But I fail to understand the link between money and happiness and as an extension, freedom. I recollect a few lines from what my teacher had once said- money can give you food but not hunger, bed but not sleep, medicine but not health, fear in people but not their love.

My friend wanted to buy a car and he bought, did it end there and was he happy? No, now he wants a "better" model one. Will this “better” phenomenon ever see an end? Think for yourself. This is not just about cars, it can be anything.

In contrast, have we ever experienced a silent walk watching the sun set, have we hugged our loved ones tight, have we chatted away with our friends and laughed loudly, have we appreciated someone for a good job done, have we sung and danced for ourselves,  or just lied down quietly doing just nothing, weren't they magical? Weren't they the things that made us more humans? Weren't they the moments when we felt connected to our real selves, shedding all our assumed "profiles"? What is a human being without feelings or emotions? A machine? Did you notice that none of these things cost me anything. By cost, I don't mean just money. Didn't we feel happy and blissful? What is the purpose of all human efforts and actions? Isn't it happiness and freedom? And we found that without spending anything. That's because we already have all that is required to be happy and free.

I am reminded of a story in Alexander the Great's life. Alexander comes to Diogenes, a philosopher, to seek his blessing before he sets out on a war. Diogenes is lying on a riverside with his pet dog. Diogenes (D) - why war? Alexander (A) - Because I want to become the king of whole world. D- Why? A- So that I can rest peacefully. Diogenes smiles and tells the dog - 'Look at this foolish king, he will kill people and destroy lives just to do what we both are doing already without moving an inch'.

Just because something is free or less expensive, it need not be useless.

5th Blogversary

Don't scratch your head, indeed there is no word- blogvesary, it's my contribution to English. Blog + Anniversary= Blogversary. Not convinced? Like I care...

Last August 30th, my blog completed 5 full years. Even after all these years, if I am still motivated to write blogs- of course, I am- I think it is the only thing that I have done with consistency in my life. I started this blog after getting inspired by my cousin, who was a blogger. I had created it in 'Net Centre' of my alma-mater- R V College of Engineering, Bengaluru. My first post was a travellogue, about a trip we friends had made to Shravanabelagola.

I have seen so many changes from that day. The 'BlogSpot' where my blog is, has been now taken by Google, my blog which had simple template has had hundreds of changes, the lengths of my posts have dropped.

A friend of mine pointed to me that the bandwidth of my topics should increase. I smiled. For, I am neither a news reporter nor a philosopher to give my take on different issues. I write about whatever I feel strongly at that moment. I don't prepare my posts, I simply write them. So there is space for small contradictions in my writings. The posts are leisurely wanderings of my mind.

The blog has given me a wonderful opportunity to express and concretize my feelings. Special thanks and love to all of you, the readers, as your comments and opinions have been a great motivator to keep this going. Hope you continue doing so... honestly, that doesn't matter. ;)

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are by far the most popular invention in the history of humankind. Popular, for nothing seems to have reached the masses as much as the mobiles phones have. In countries like India, in villages where we cannot find a school, a clinic or even a toilet mobile phones galore.

The advantages of mobile phones are already known to the reader- staying in touch, networking, emergencies etc etc. But like any other thing in this world- as long as there is limited use it is good but overuse can be devastating. Mobiles are no exception to this rule.

By using mobiles, the bliss of now here is lost. It is important to enjoy the present. But in the tussle to keep in touch with someone in a distant land, the beauty of this moment is ignored. I have practiced No-Mobile days a few times and believe me they have been beautiful memories. You care for yourself and your family and friends who are present with you. The beauty of Mother Nature is experienced.

Touch the leaves and flowers with your bare hands, walk bare footed and just see the magic of connecting with Nature. Talk to a stranger. Spend a quite walk with yourself. Here's life.

For all the important duties which need the use of phones, we can happily use the land line (or similar alternatives). By being in the present and appreciating the wonder that is this moment, living as if its our last moment bring the flood of bliss. What I am saying of mobiles holds good for other technological developments too, the overuse is making us less humans.

Our past is dead, future is uncertain; this moment is what we have got... Let's bloody live.