HEAD ON

Have you ever wondered why even though the user's catalogue tells not to bang a Television, the easiest way to rectify grainy picture quality is to bang the damn thing?
It doesn't really break anything inside the television (the same way spanking a kid isn;t gonna permanenetly damage his butt). Yet, the guys who make it tell you not to do it.

before you dismiss this as just a minor hippocratic fact/flaw with the world that we live in, look around you; there are many more things wrong with it.

there are two kinds of people: the people who know what to do and tell others ("teachers") and people who are told (directly/indirectly) how to do things and do it.
there is a reason why the people who know things don't do that as much - it isn't sustainable and one day, you will either kill yourself doing it, or you will have nothing to do.

Picture the World as a long road that we are all jogging on. We are all part of a massive marathon.
We carry our bosses on our shoulders for which he'll throw peanuts down at us. The better we run, the closer we get to the primary channel of peanut supply from our bosses (more salary). Different business owners have different groups of people carrying them to the "finish line".
The ones amongst us who are striving for world peace, human equality and things like that are carrying people too- Though in this case, the ratio of the number of people being carried to that carrying is in favour of those being carried.
What none of these people realise is that the world is running to a "finish line" but there isn't gonna be any award ceremony once we get there. We'll just keep running until we fall off the cliff of this flat world (armageddon).

So, the next time someone tells you that people used to believe that the world was flat, all you have to do is smirk, knock them on their head, and tell them that it was only a figurative way of saying that "even this will pass".

Accept it, the world we are made to see is meaningless.

Let me explain with examples:

Every year, Forbes lists the richest people from around the world based on their net worth.
Warren Buffet was last rated as the richest man on Earth. His rating was primarily based on he large number of shares of berkshire hathaway that he owns.
Think about it. Berkshire has such an exorbitant valuation because of the businesses that it owns. Warren Buffet made the company buy these shares because he thought that they were good businesses.
No doubt, the man is an economical genius. So, a major portion of the value of the business can be attributed to that fact that Warren Buffet still works for the company. In other words, the "Warren Buffet" tag adds value to the company. Therefore, Warren Buffet's value is determined by the "Warren Buffet" Tag around Berkshire.
It doesn't make sense actually, does it?

Indians aren't too great either. Do you really think that the Ambani bros are worth the billions that we are told they are?
Consider the scenario:
A is a Bank. A makes good profit and decides to by some land. Once built, A decides to run a routine check on the land and finds that there is plenty of oil under the newly bought land. You may know that if a sandle wood tree happens to grow in your backyard, it belongs to our beloved government.
But, in certain areas, if you strike oil, you can actually drill it out, sell it, and give a little to te government and get away with it.
So, the major owners of A decide to form another company (B).
They spend 100 on making the company. They convince the owners of A that the company B will generate the cash to drill the oil out if they hand over the land to them. In return, they'll get 50% of the shares of the company. Driven by the idea of becoming the Oil Kings of India, these share holders decide to go for it.
The initial capital of B was 100 (money to setup the company and cannot be recovered). But the Oil Field may be worth 1000. So, the company A owns 500 worth of the field and the owners of B (the major holders of A) own 500 worth (an immediate value multiplication of 5 times). Then, the owners of company B decide to sell 25 units of the initial 100 to the public at 250 units (a premium of 225 units). Now, the total value of the company is 1250 (maybe more). so, the initial owners have (50-12.5)% of B. ie. 593 (600 approx). And if you consider the money from the ownership of A, it will be even more.
Thereby, instantly multiplying their value.

How did they get rich? Hmm... interesting.

There are many many more examples. From people buying art to fancy cars; Money is a gimmick.
Though we may choose to ignore the guys at WestCoast Customs "Pimp"ing up rides and Super Powers running tanks and hummers in far away lands, we have to wake up to the fact that it might affect us too.
There might be a Head on collission up ahead.

How do we get around this?
By thinking rationally.
Keep visiting... This blog will be filled with more rationality soon :)

To the logical positivists, the Humanists and curious others

This blog is my attempt to reach out to people who look at life the way i do. This blog is intended towards those who can appreciate my views and from whom i can learn. I welcome everyone to comment on whatever i write.

"WHY BLOG??" - the obvious question
This is not my diary. These are things that i would have told you if i met you - just a bunch of things that i would tell people.
However, though i may want to say all that i want to, you may not want to listen to it.
Hence, this is the best solution (as of now).