May | 2013 | Confessions of a Disquisitive Writer

Unintelligent Comments

May 27, 2013 Leave a comment

I find it most amusing to read comments made by readers of the news website timesofindia.com on its various news reports. I am only singling out TOI because I haven’t been reading news on any other website and so it might appear that I am only talking about TOI, but my point is not the news site but the intellectual level of the readers in general (myself excluded hopefully).

So, I would like to present a few examples of comments left by readers of some news articles which sometimes have NO RELATION whatsoever to the actual piece of news and even if there is a relation, the arguments are mostly nonsensical. It makes me wonder about the incredibly funny ways in which some people interpret what is being reported and how little they really understand speech and how narrowly their minds respond to intellectual stimulus. And, in all these cases, you will find the complete lack of intellect whatesoever, to the point of being outright idiotic.

As an example, there was a news item today that said that the latest Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism has found that the number of non religious people in India as well as the world has risen over the last 6-8 years and then goes on to give some stats. There is no judging these results, only pure stats. And now, look at what some people’s comments have been:

“THIS IS BECAUSE OF UP WALAS AND BIHARIS THEY MAKE YOUR LIFE HELL YOU STOP BELEIVING IN GOD I KNOW SOME PEOPLE IN DELHI WHO ABUSE GOD TOO THEY GONE MAD IN PITAMPURA AND WAZIRPUR INDUSTRIAL AREA“
“My stomach is full, had been everywhere, enjoyed too much, had beautiful wife & children, Having decent settled living. Now , I am looking for perfect bliss somewhere in temple or church under saddguru. Maharaj ! Now teach me what is religion? Show me the way to happiness. The donkey phase of life I just finished.”
“Just become Western slave instead–is it?”
“God will born, when believing % touch 100.”
“Effect of congress rule… Law didn’t punished but why God not punishing corrupt??? If god existed he should have punished all corrupts by now… corrupt die natural death till then he enjoys…. its simple god doesn’t exist…”
“If you don’t believe in one god then you will not feel accountable, which will lead to destruction of the society. How can anyone deny existence of god? Anyway atheists are mindless people.“
“The person who call himself an atheist is biggest believer of god. They many not attached to any religion. Because many of the religion has become corrupt because of self styled godman. So called atheist believe in helping the needy in time of distress and helping the society in their own way. They don’t go to the temple or mask or church to please god. They do there work silently without creating divide among the people in the name of god. For me they are true believer of god. They don’t identify themselves with any religion or God.”

Does it just show the depths to which the average intellectual level has fallen?

Filed under Reflections, Society Tagged with atheism, Comments, Funny, Idiots, Intelligence, News, Religion, Stupid, Unintelligent

I Started A Joke..

May 27, 2013 Leave a comment

This is a wonderful wonderful Song by the Bee Gees and it gets me everytime I listen to it…

I started a joke, which started the whole world crying,
But I didn’t see that the joke was on me, oh no.

I started to cry, which started the whole world laughing,
Oh, if I’d only seen that the joke was on me.

I looked at the skies, running my hands over my eyes,
And I fell out of bed, hurting my head from things that I’d said.

Til I finally died, which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I’d only seen that the joke was on me.

I looked at the skies, running my hands over my eyes,
And I fell out of bed, hurting my head from things that I’d said.

Til I finally died, which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I’d only seen that the joke was one me.

Filed under Music Tagged with bee gees, classics, crying, I started a joke, living, lyrics, music, songs

A Winter in Stockholm

May 26, 2013 Leave a comment

I really loved this place when I went to Stockholm for the first time. There was a lot of snow around and very few people on the streets. The colors of buses, buildings and road signs seemed magically enhanced thanks to the brilliant whiteness of the snow. This is a picture capturing the winter.

Filed under Photography, Travel Tagged with colors, Photography, scandinavia, snow, stockholm, sweden, Travel, white, winter

Biking in Barcelona

May 26, 2013 1 Comment

One of the first things I noticed when I went to Barcelona (Spain) was the vibrant red and white bikes they keep for the people to hire and ride through the city. I just loved their colors and took this picture. They call it Bicing!

Filed under Photography, Travel Tagged with barcelona, bicycles, bikes, Photography, photos, red, spain, Travel

Top of the World

May 26, 2013 2 Comments

This is a picture I took from the summit of Eiffel Tower in Paris. Really, being there you do feel like on Top of the World.

Filed under Photography Tagged with eiffel tower, france, height, Paris, Photography, photos, Travel

The phobia of reading Romance

May 25, 2013 2 Comments

There is something weird about reading novels on romance because I have never been able to read one. Yes, Love Story by Eric Segal is something almost everyone has read and so have I, but I must declare, with humbleness, that that is where my affair with the genre ends (so far as reading books is concerned).

I’ve bought and read hundreds of books in my life – philosophy, biographies, crime, drama, humor, etc. – but I have never been able to pick up another book on romance. I’ve heard a lot about authors who write very good romance and I’ve also considered getting my hands on Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, but something doesn’t click. Trust me, I am not against the concept of romance, and like everyone else, I do aspire for it in the same way, but there is something about these books that makes me keep away from reading them.

After years and years, I finally own The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks – a book that is only about 180 pages. I’ve had it with me for over 2 months and yet I am unable to finish it.

What is this phobia then? Is it the fear of loss or the possibility of happiness that they might falsely promise?

Filed under Reflections Tagged with Books, Happiness, Life, Loss, Love, Novels, Phobia, Reading, relationships, Romance

Does everything happen for good?

May 25, 2013 2 Comments

When something bad happens and people tell you, “In the end, everything happens for the good,” I find it unbelievable how easy and simplistic they make it sound. How do you know things ALWAYS happen for the good? And how do you know that that good will be for everyone involved? Moreover, how and when will you know the end if there ever was one?

If someone was born physically challenged. Would you say everything happened for the good? You know what could have been good? Being born NOT physically challenged.

If someone contracts a fatal disease, like cancer, would you say everything happens for the good? One might give examples of survivors like Neil Armstrong and Yuvraj Singh and make a point that “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” But ask yourself this. Did cancer make them stronger or was it the fact that it was cured that made them stronger? And what about the thousands that Cancer really kills as opposed to the very few handful who survive?

Two people who love each other get separated. Would you say everything happened for the good? Good of whom? For one, I could understand, but for both? I can’t agree. And by “In the end..” what do you mean? When should that end have been? Finding the next partner? But even that might not be the end? You might separate from them also. Then what? Will the end keep shifting until the whole thing becomes pointless?

Life is not for people to pretend to simplify. Human beings are complex and their lives and situations are complex. Good doesn’t always happen. Nothing’s ever right and you can’t always make things right.

Let us not cheat each other of our tragedies by saying that everything happens for the good. Things just happen. You don’t get what is good for you, you just get what you get. There is no universe looking out for you trying to strike a balance. You just need to be happy in whatever you have.

Enjoy your happiness but equally enjoy your miseries.

Filed under Philosophy, Reflections Tagged with Bad, Death, Fate, good, Happiness, Life, Love, misery, Philosophy, sadness

Argument of God vs Evil

May 20, 2013 2 Comments

What displeases me about arguing with creationists is that in order to challenge the existence of an imaginary being (i.e. God), we must first assume the existence of another imaginary being/force (i.e. Evil) and from there start arguing backwards. Of course, just as concept of God is flawed, the concept of there being an Evil is also equally flawed because we again end up dividing good happenings and bad happenings as effects of a supernatural phenomenon, rather than using the most simple and logical explanation: That human beings behave differently and some of us do good while others do bad. Natural things happen according to the laws of nature and these laws do not presuppose the existance of a special species such as Humans. However, to creationists, the idea of assuming more and more imaginary entities is nothing of concern. Once you say Yes to religion, you can go on believing anything that you like. Even that Elvis is still alive.

Filed under Atheism, Religion Tagged with atheism, Belief, Disbelief, evil, faith, god, Religion

Blessings from God Via Facebook

May 16, 2013 Leave a comment

Is it just me or does anyone else think it equally absurd that there are apps on Facebook that pretend to send you blessings from a God of your choice? I mean, look at the picture below and tell me how does Sai Baba (who lived like a zillion years alo) send blessings to families of people who subscribe to his app on FB?

Not only that, if you go ahead and click on any link from this notification, it forwards you to a page where Sai Baba – and this is what I find most incredible – actually asks your persmission to access your public profile!!!

Now now, some will tell me that I shouldn’t make fun of people’s religious sentiments and beliefs and that everybody has a right to look like a fool, blah blah blah. But hey.. look I am just saying that I find it absolutely amusing that a God is trying to connect to me (Ok, not me but SOMEONE) via Facebook. And that he needs my permission to access their public profile?

Well, just really ticks me off everytime I see it.

Well then, I am sure a lot of people will hate me for writing this, because some do not have a sense of humor, but you’ve got to give me this – that seeing on your News Feeds that a certain someone has just received blessings from a God via facebook is actually funny.

Imagine my timeline showing that I received a Law of Nature from Einstein today. Most people would look at that piece of news and say… Duh!