Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

I liked this book for its comprehensible and simple language in explaining the complex and enigmatic world of Human Psychology. The author cleverly explains the pitfalls and benefits of Instinctive and adaptive unconscious.

Malcolm Gladwell explains the complex psycho - analysis through real world experiences and how the initial two seconds are enough to make important an decision.
And he very interestingly explains how excess information which seem to be relevant and in context can actually act as distraction and moves us towards wrong conclusions and false beliefs.

He takes into account both the positive aspect of the adaptive unconscious in decision making and weakness in form of impulse judgement based on stereotypes and prejudices.

However I find some of the examples paradoxical and not that suitable and relevant to justify the authors premise ....

I enjoyed reading it as a naive and amateur psychology enthusiast and looking forward to read "Outliers - The 3rd book in the series."

BJP- A Sinking Ship or In phase of Reincarnation?

Once upon a time there was a party named BJP. Everyone including Opposition thought their days are over. BJP was the new fad. Talk of the country. A party with a 'difference'. A party expected to survive the turbulence and turmoil of “Great Indian Politics”. It risen and faded. The party which came out of nowhere and now going no where. I appreciated the measures taken by NDA during their Government of India tenure. I am strong supporter of “Uniform Civil Code” which is one of the BJP's principle ideology.. Alas..All In vain....Intra-Party conflict, greed, lack of good leadership and too much intrusion of RSS makes it a party of past and with no future. For a democracy to be successful and effective its important to have a strong opposition who can keep government on its toes. Left is hopeless and BJP, as it looks is on verge of extinction in the foreseeable future.

Where are we heading and What as Citizens of India we can expect or can do ? ..
VOTE.. But to who? The one who promises development of their constituency or the one who promises a bright future for India? I would prefer amalgamation of both if possible. India is a diverse country with myriad cultures. Local and regional parties are taking a toll and because of that regionalism is on rise and National Issues are not given their due concerns.
National Party like BJP is so busy juggling and contemplating over their own differences. And It seems they don't have any time left to look at the National Issues and raise them which is suppose to be their prime concern.

But as rightly said there is no void in Politics. Exit of BJP might give rise to something more promising and sustainable substitute. Just Like Albatross rises from the ashes


Is it a phase which will lead to emergence of stronger BJP or Is it the end of another party which could prove to be effective opposition?

Optimism

An Individual Who thinks positive and always look on the brighter side of everything. A person who believes everything is happening for good and will lead to their respective goals?

Or

An Individual who negates and shun the reality and objectivity. An Individual who believes that thinking positive will eliminate the negative aspect as if it never existed. An Individual who is so scared of reality and objectivity that he\she doesn't want to think of it?

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Jane Austen certainly dissects human disposition so pragmatically and beautifully that you cant help but concur with her. She certainly was a gifted lady who exposed the basic human behavior so vividly while maintaining the curiosity among readers.

Persuasion is indeed her best novel after Pride And Prejudice and take us on a journey of characters which we can relate to and connect with.

Anne Elliot, The Protagonist certainly is a lady with distinctive disposition and taste. She epitomizes benevolence and what a lady should be like... Her unbiased tendency to look at things without judging them and not affected by cursory and superficial luring manners worth praise.
I also liked Anne Elliot for maintaining a fine balance between her friend cum guardian and her love (Lady Russel and Fredrick Wentworth).

I throughly enjoyed every part of this novel and would recommend it to anyone who wants to have an insight into basic human behavior in the form of a gripping story line which you one wont regret reading.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

A tragic story which make you ponder over many things....

Michael Henchard though presented as an evil and depraved person.. But somewhere deep down I felt bad and sorrowful for the way he died with such heavy heart and burdened soul.

"Occasional happy episode in a general drama of pain" (The Mayor of Casterbridge)

Atlas Shrugged- A Review

Atlas Shrugged is a Novel authored by Ayn Rand who is known for developing a philosophy based on Objectivism, Epistemology and Metaphysics.

It took me more than 3 month to complete this "Magnum Opus " of "Thinker Philosopher and Doer" AYN RAND as she liked to call herself.

I concur with her in pieces... I agree with her definition of Morality.. Ethics ... Guilt... Selfishness... Love ...Objectivism.. Metaphysics... Self Interest..

But at the same time her strong biased attitude towards Capitalism & Anarchism and neglecting the positive aspects of other forms of economy (for say Mixed Economy) is certainly not pragmatic enough. Her abhorrence towards Socialism and Faith is prevalent throughout the novel. In accordance with her creed.. Faith is just a way to escape reality and objectivity.

Other than that I like her for being a Male Chauvinist (satiates my male ego ;) ).. Because the protagonist Dagny Taggart first submit herself to Francisco D Anconia then Hank Rearden and finally to John Galt (which she pronounce as her true love ). On more serious note She understood and explained the basic human demeanour so precisely that you cant help but relate yourself to the characters of this very masterpiece.

I reckon, After reading Atlas Shrugged I am a changed person now..for the better...

Please go for this masterpiece of Ayn Rand..... Its worth reading and will help you understand yourself better

Arjun Singh Saga

Our very own Arjun Singh, Human Resource Minister of India symbolizes Capriciousness, Sycophancy and Vandalism. I wonder does he have anything 'human' in him?

Lets start with the controversies he was and he is part of

1. His Karwa Dam palace has been differently assessed between 10 to 20 crore although he claims that it cost him only forty lakhs to build. (Is he ready to sell that palace for 40 lakhs?...I am sure many buyers are there in the queue …Liar)

2. While Arjun Singh was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he was involved in the scandal which was called by some the Churhat Lottery case in the 1980s, in which allegations, never proved, were leveled that he had helped set up a phony state lottery. (No wonder he can do that…or may be he is continuing till now)

3. A case under the Anti-Dowry Act has been registered against Arjun Singh. Mayawati government has decided to seek CBI inquiry into dowry harassment case. (The Education minister who is directly involved with future of young generation of India is involved in DOWRY…. Shame)

4. And of course reservation controversy…( And he claim himself to be secular…huh)

Well people designate him with different adjective(s) i.e. Arjun Singh a 'sycophant'… Arjun Singh a 'Coward', Arjun Singh a 'Dowry seeker'... And he is proving it right by his actions. He certainly deserves these designation(s) to the fullest.

His stand and actions are ambiguous and confusing. At one side he is projecting naïve Rahul Gandhi as a Congress candidate for Prime Minister Post and on the other side in his latest book he is criticizing Indira Gandhi Emergency Episode and his very own Congress Party for Groupism and Incipient Undemocratic Culture. Or may be this whole melodrama is a way to encash loyalty…Err...I mean 'sycophancy'....Phew

His stand on reservation certainly epitomizes arbitration. His efforts to segregate India on basis of casts and religion are not at all justifiable. Why doesn't he favor reservation on basis of merit rather than caste? …

I certainly believe that such an important ministry shouldn't be headed by a person whose actions are so ambiguous and who is involved in controversies related to dowry and scandal…He is certainly jeopardizing the future of young generation by his discriminational and scandalous acts.

Mr. Arjun Singh should seriously consider of taking voluntary retirement to prevent this very nation from capitulating in front of social evils like caste and racial discrimination which were fuelled by his very action(s).

Nature Beauty Personified

These pictures epitomizes Nature's beauty and been taken by me at the bank of river Yamuna , Mathura.

Note >> Click the photo(s) to enlarge them.

Fanatical Cricket Loving Nation

Ladies and Gentlemen (North and South American Nationals) I am not talking about insect species belongs to Gryllidae Family. This is what usually Latin and North American people think when I talk with them about “cricket”. I want to clarify this misconception. We are not insect fanatic Nation. WE ARE NOT… Sigh!!!!!!!

Ladies And Gentlemen (Rest of the world).. Yes you guessed it rightly. We indeed follow cricket religiously. WE DO

We shout…We slang…We criticize when India lost… But latest DLF India Premiere league is putting me in such a dilemma. I don’t know whom to support and whom not to..

~So called Mumbai Indians have more “Non-Indians” than Indians. I wonder still they proudly tag themselves as Indians.

~Rajasthan Royals hardly have anything “royal+loyal” in them. The latest Jaipur bomb blasts were enough to scare “royal” people (Shane Warne, Shane Watson etcetera) and they were in verge of flying back to their respective countries… Royalty+Loyalty epitomized” … Sigh!!!!

I can’t help myself but wonder Is cricket no more a sport? ...Heavy commercialization of most sought after game has put the very game on path of retrogression…

Owned by few eminent personalities, auction of Cricket players, Negligence of Playing for nation are enough to support my perspective. I believe Cricket is not just a source of entertainment but much more than that. The negligence of other sports and not getting the much deserved attention to regional cricket is certainly not good for future of this great nation ... That is the real jeopardy. I feel lot can be done for regional cricket instead of just making cricket a means of earning money and entertainment.

Period!!

Bleeding heart: Jaipur Serial Blast

Tara Chand Sharma is no more. A priest by profession and choice… It was the usual evening time. With other priests he was carrying out regular pooja –archna(prayer) in a famous temple of Jaipur . He had never thought in his wildest dream that this is his last day on earth. Tara Chand Sharma is survived by six daughters, a 14 year old son and wife. He was the only bread winner in the family… The future of his family is uncertain. No one knows what will happen?..How the family will survive?.. Who will take care of them?

I want to ask those inhuman people who carried out these dastard act … Which mission they have accomplished?...Surely their coward act is epitome of lameness…. Shame..

May their Gentle Souls rest in Peace and God bestow strength to those who hurt and survived… Amen!!!!

In the name of Religion? :Jaipur Serial Blast

May 13 2008
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Jaipur Blast in Pics
Jaipur Blast in NEWS

Headline : More than 60 people killed on spot. More than 200 people injured.
Inhuman, Stoic, Farcical, Hate, Sadness, Pain, Revenge, Treachery, Wrongly Motivated, Cruel, Cold Blooded, Ruthless, Barbaric, Pitiless…….

These are the words which crawls in my mind when I think of “Inhuman Terror-ist” … I HATE THEM

The recent Serial blast in my peace loving city (Jaipur) is a living example of how helpless and cruel these terrorist can go... They are doing it in the name of religion...But I feel they all are “atheist”.. Why they target innocent people who don’t even have anything to do with them…Not even remotely…

Many of the people who died are Muslims also. How can they justify this? They are killing their own people...Killing people of their own religion and putting a tag of “Jihad”?????… Pity on them and on their intentions.

The gOd must be really CrAzY

I wonder does God really exist or it is just a figment of imagination. Personally I believe there is some positive force which does exist …

Let me start by putting some extraordinarily strange but amusing facts regarding our very own “almighty”. According to Hindu mythology god exist in more than 360 million forms and by adding other forms of god as perceived and worshiped in different parts of world I sometimes feel the population of god must be far more than that of human population…Still we make such a fuss about population explosion? :-). Before you all start calling me brat and start hitting me, I want to add few more dimensions to this “ultra serious thought” … Just imagine One god for each human being. In accordance with above mentioned facts this could be a possibility….Sounds like god himself is very much concern about the “god –human ratio”, just like today’s schools and universities which make hay of adequate “teacher –student ratio”…Such crazy thoughts always hit my mind and tickle my funny bone.

We people of this very planet are such strange creatures and Almighty is strangest. ...Sometimes it become to hard to decipher what is actually happening and what is hallucination. But that is why I call this place “Strange ...Unpredictable …. Beautiful... and ofcourse Unique”…

Nothing is absolute...Everything is relative…Don’t misunderstand me to be nihilistic but yes I proudly designate myself as “Maverick”...

Disclaimer: I am not an Atheist or Anarchist. It is just that i am too curious and confuse :-)