Thoughts And Trivia

Even moderately complex equipments come with an operation manual, warranty card and maintenance support centers. But we Humans come to the world without an official operations manual, nor any warranty and nor any maintenance support. Oh! Dear GOD why did you play this trick on us?
All literature and Arts arise from the quest of humans to understand just two questions, in the absence of an operation manual from GOD:

• Who am I?
• Why am I here?

We try to the answer the fist question by pigeon-holing ourselves. We attach ourselves to various groups to define - who we are? I am a male; Indian; a non-functional Hindu; a branch in a family genealogy; member of a caste/tribe/race; alumnus of a college; employee of an organization; and so on...? To forge and sustain these identities we extol the virtues of me-groups and denigrate the not-me groups. We see not-me groups as evil and foul - and me-groups as pious and virtuous. This is the main reason for so much hatred in the world.
But by this hiding behind group identities, we mask and fudge the question - who am I? The question still remains unanswered? My groups do not define me - I must find the answer elsewhere.
Or perhaps accept that the question may not have an answer.
Lets smile and appreciate the not-me groups - they are just as lost and orphaned as me!!
Can I console myself, that I can at least answer the second question - Why am I here? See you Next Time!

Posted by Girish Bhatnagar at Thursday, March 24, 2005