Grapevine - Filter it before you have it!

image : www.mylot.com

I have observed that news mongering, spreading rumours, talking about people behind their back, gossiping about everyone around is a favourite time pass for many people.  Sometimes, unknowingly we get into this web.  This is an unproductive activity, which we should avoid at all costs.  Rather, we should develop straight forwardness in our character, and try to say things as we feel about it or think about it.  That does not mean one should be rude, or blunt, but still you can try to convey your honest thoughts. 

I heard this saying a few years back, and after that tried not to be a small minded person by avoiding talking about people generally, especially in one's absence. I cannot say one can really follow it all the time, but one can try. Here goes the saying:

Great Minds Discuss Ideas;

Average Minds Discuss Events;

Small Mind Discuss People

I want to share this short story published in, The Times of India, with my readers to reflect upon it. People enjoy talking about others, like to churn more and more stories without knowing the facts about a person. 

Think before you believe in something

GRAPEVINE

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.  One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said,

"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. 

"Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. 

Its called the Triple filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"that's right," Socrates continued.

"Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea

to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.

That's why I call it the triple filter test. 

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that 

what you are about to tell  me is true?"

"No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it and..."

"Alright," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if its true or not.

Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness.

Is what you are going to tell me about my friend, something good?"

"No, on the contrary....."

"So", Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something bad

about him, but you're not certain if its true. 

You may still pass the test though,

because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really...."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

(This little article was published in The Speaking Tree, a spiritual magazine of Times of India, on 08 Aug 2010. I really wanted it on my blog. I could not find it on e-paper, but I am reproducing it.)

A Restless Mind With
A Sensitive Heart

PS: added an image and changed the title later.

Do We Really Need Common Wealth Games?

Personally speaking, I never liked games.  Never watched any match, the only exception being India-Pakistan cricket match years back! But we know why we like to watch it, totally a non-game reason!

I never understood why so much hype about people playing with a bat and a ball, or a hockey or a foot ball or ....  But, I have due respect for the players, as they work hard for a cause, they feel right about.  But, what about the viewers, the cheerers, the supporters and the fans?? Apart from supporting their favourite players/teams, if they had themselves taken care to take up a sport as a hobby or worked towards making themselves healthier and fitter, I think we would be a physically healthy nation. 

I see only one good thing about the big sporting events - people enjoy themselves (entertainment), and there is bonding amongst supporters of a team.  Recently, during FIFA World Cup, I read how football has become a religion of the game lovers all over the world. People felt that bond, that common thread across the Continents. That was a heartening news! I liked that.

image courtesy : www.bharatchronicle.com

But, don't you think that joy, that enthusiasm is marred many a times, as sports are not being taken as sports any more.  They have become a battle somewhere, they have become a big money spinner somewhere, and somewhere sports and the victory has become a prestige issue for the teams and for the countries.

A Game is a game is a game.  Some one will lose it. What's so shameful about it? In principle, there is nothing wrong about losing a game.  The spirit of sportsmanship is the most important thing.  Why this basic value about sport is forgotten when a team loses?  I read in newspaper sometime back that the coach of a team is having a threat to his life because his team lost a match?  Isn't it ridiculous? Are we not stretching games too far?  Were the games not meant to entertain us?  From where this issue of prestige came in?

Now about the fan's anger over "decided non-performance" (match fixing); "ill performance" (read fun n frolic at night parties) and "no-motivation to perform" performances (when a few seconds in Ads get me money, then why slog).  This anger is understandable.  I don't know, hence I won't comment on how far all that is true about the sports persons.  If anybody knows better, please add it as a comment.

Coming back to, should sports be given so much importance? Now, if you are a die hard cricket fan, or any sport for that matter, you will say, why do we watch movies then? Are we not mere spectators there and what do we learn from movies.(I have heard this argument from people earlier, so thought of adding it here). I would say that movies are a form of art, it portrays lives of people, it has a reflection of the society - sometimes imagined.  It is art, and we watch a form of art - enjoy it , criticize it and reflect about it.  Movies touch us in some way (I am only talking about meaningful movies here, rest I don't watch).

I would once again say, that I have all the due regards for the great sports persons who have worked all their lives and wondered the whole world with their talent and magic.  Its commendable.  Their efforts should be, must be recognized and rewarded.

Having said that, I would say that, ultimately, its a sport, and ultimately, movies are another form of art.  We live in a country where people slog to get just two meagre meals.  They allow themselves to live a life of a housefly - living on and eating dirt and die like dirt.  They are caught in a cycle of poverty.  Poverty means no education, which means no or unskilled job which again means poverty.  Its quite hard for them to break this cycle on their own, of course there are exceptions, but we know mostly the State has to support them, uplift them.

This picture is much more gloomy with caste system still in place at many places and gets worsened because of corruption, which seeps down to the roots of the smallest unit of governance of the country, the village level.  We should be working towards that direction, but we idolise sports - sports persons, (and movie actors also).  We are ready to fight for them, we are ready to spend crores and  crores of money for hoisting sporting events.  It disgusts me! 

image courtesy : www.geotauaisay.com

We, a developing country, with dreamy eyes, have to set our priorities right.  We cannot spend our hard earned money on decorating the terrace, the exterior of our house, when we don't have money or will to feed the people in the house.  The decision to hold the Common Wealth Games was correct at this juncture? I have doubts.   The thought behind it, as I have understood, was to showcase the country to the world, and generating employment and revenue for the country.  Noble thoughts, really good.

But, why do we need the scrutinizing eyes of our neighbours (read other countries) to set our house in order (read better public transport system, infrastructure, better aesthetics, better heritage management ). Just why do we need an even to better our country? I fail to understand, why do I need an International Event to be hoisted in my city to see it in a better position, to have a better place to live in?

I have failed... completely!

A Restless Mind With
A Sensitive Heart