God Might Exist, But You're Wrong

Recently I read an article in New York Times about the on going battle between atheists and theists:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/opinion/23wright.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&ref=opinion

It is actually a very interesting article on how both atheists and theists could be wrong. You see the products of evolution, i.e. us, was a result of thousands of years of a selection process called Natural Selection, more popularly known as Survival of The Fittest. It makes sure that the fittest organisms in terms of physical and mental ability are allowed to live. And so, the most successful organisms in the world are...

If you said human beings, nice try. But the answer is insects.

But human beings are the most advanced product of evolution, we being capable of doing fantastic feats such as watching HBO for 6 hours straight, using the word "simply" in all the wrong places ("What are you doing here man?" - "Just standing simply"), or enduring a Vijay movie. But the point this article makes is that how did we gain characteristics like honesty, sincerity etc., when survival of the fittest supports characteristics which are directly or indirectly selfish. Th article argues that this gap in the explanation of human nature could be the hand of a being above us, preferrably God (but I hope its the Flying Spaghetti Monster).

There is a flipside to this argument which is also mentioned in the article. This God is most definitely not the God that is in any of the holy books. That makes both theists and the atheists wrong.

What makes me wonder is, even after thousands of years of evolution, how did we ever manage to fool ourselves into believing religion? Wouldn't you laugh your guts out when you hear of God's own fantastic feats? ("Hey Bob, you remember that guy we stripped, mocked, flogged and crucified 3 days ago? Well you ain't gonna believe this, but he's alive."). Lord Krishna probably had Google Earth inside his mouth because when somebody saw his mouth open, they saw "the world" inside. Why does the Pope alone have a direct hotline connection to God?

God may have made sense to some people, but religion doesn't.

***

Got this from the Net:

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.1. Life is not fair - get used to it!

2. The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something
BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

3. You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

6. If you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

10. Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.


Ciao

Independence Day

Wow, today's a holiday because...its a Saturday. Added to the fact that its also the 62nd Independence Day, the day in which all the blood, sweat and tears of the revolutionary leaders who swore to end the injustice brought upon our country by the British came to fruition - it was on this day that India had broken free from the chains of colonialism and became a democratic republic. And it just so happens that its on a Saturday.

Is it too much to ask for a holiday on a weekday?

Well then, Independence Day is not just another holiday, its the day you are reminded that the indelible ink which is on the nail of my left forefinger is a result of a bitter struggle to be given the freedom of choosing a ruler of our choice. But even if we wanted to be reminded of such a thought, we have so little ways. How many TV channels broadcast shows that are patriotic? Its Kuselan on Kalaignar TV as I am typing this now. No one knows how many good patriotic movies came out in Tamil since the time of Sivaji. At least the Bollywood has Rang De Basanti to brag about. What do we have? Vijay Kanth?

Movies aren't the only way to express our patriotism, but what about books? Even in school, Indian history is given in detail up to the point of our freedom struggle but after that? Not much on the Indian role in formation of Bangladesh. Very little about the Indo-China war and the Kargil war. How many of us know that our national anthem was made official only on 1950 eventhough our country became independent in 1947?

Its sickening when you think about all of this, how easily we forget these things, things which had a huge impact on us even when we weren't a part if them...about how much it meant to those who took part in the struggle and how it has become a casual holiday.

I know that I sound preachy but when I think about all this, this is all I can be.

***

Many thanks to the Chairman of my wonderful college who didn't listen to the government's announcement of holidays on Thursday and Friday. You've been a real pain in the ass.

Ciao

Thriller

Yeah...that last post was a little too long and a little too senti. But that was great typing practice.

In the last couple of weeks I was a out of action due to a dead phone line. But nothing great happened in the last 2 weeks. Events in the last two weeks ranged from very exciting to completely boring. The exciting part was I saw the Transformers 2 movie, and it was awesome. Probably they paid the graphics people more money than the actors, because the robots are so real. The woman who reviews movies on Pix TV channel (Chicks on Flicks), said that Transformers 2 makes Terminator : Salvation look lame. I say, the amount of CGI (Computer Generated Images) used in the movie makes Ice Age look lame. But overall, I would even go so far as to say Transformers 2 is the science fiction movie of the year. It has the best graphics since Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

Talking about Michael Jackson, it seems that I'm probably the only blogger who didn't write something about MJ after his death. So hereby I dedicate this post to Michael Jackson, The King of Paedophilia...er...um...sorry, I meant to say King of Pop.

I used to believe that MJ looked so white because of a pigmentation surgery. So does, probably, the rest of the world. But Wikipedia says he got vitiligo. So do I have to get vitiligo to if I want to become fair-skinned?

If your asking why I want to get fair-skinned, don't ask. Because you know the answer - almost all the women, starting from Shreya in Sivaji to the street vendor woman like fair looking men (don't ask how I know what the street vendor likes...I just wanted to exaggerate...really). So I was thinking about how I was going to get fair (getting vitiligo is not even an option you degenerate, vitiligo is a disease).

While I'm torn between using Fair and Handsome("Hi handsome, hi handsome!"), Garnier and Nivea, I also wanted to know your opinion. Do women really like fair-skinned men or could Karuppiah get a girlfriend without a face bleach? Does looks really matter?(of course it does, but how much?). Post you answers as comments.

***

Recently I found out that many of my readers from facebook don't know that I own a blog and that I'm typing it all out in facebook. For them, news flash : I do own a blog and what your seeing in facebook in just the RSS feed from my blog. If you don't know what an RSS feed is, its technology. If you don't know what a blog is, then you're probably from the stone age.

So here are some simple instructions for the no brainer on how to open my blog and post comments:

1. Open a browser window/tab and type http://www.placeformywords.blogspot.com/

2. You'll find the nice and not so nice stuff written by me. Read and get educated. If you don't know how to read, finish you school education and come back (on second thoughts, you should be applauded for getting this far).
3. On the right side of the page, you'll find the sidebar. It will contain the blogs I like, quotation of the day, National Geographic's Picture of the Day(where one day, even your pic might be there, keep your fingers crossed), stuff about me, Blog Archive where previous posts can be seen, subscription panel and the followers.

4. I'll be really grateful, if you become my follower. Just click on join the link and provide your relevant email id.

5. If you don't understand any of the steps above, sell your computer. Your better off with and abacus or counting with your fingers.

Hope you like what I wrote and become a follower. You can even suggest what you want me to write about. And don't forget to answer the questions that I asked you earlier.

Ciao

P.S.: Don't get pissed off with the stuff I wrote about MJ. It's just for fun.

Life's Worth

WARNING!

Those who are not the sentimental type or not even the pseudo-sentimental type, just close this window/tab and wait for the next post. If you are convinced that you are capable of human emotions, then you may continue reading.

My last post had great response from readers in my college and they wanted more of it. Honestly I was surprised that people even like my writing because I've started focusing on humour so much that the whole post looks like the script for Russell Peters Show. And to be even more honest I got sick of writing about my goddamn (blasphemy!) college. But I wanted to write one more post about it to wrap it up, until 3 days ago.

3 days ago, a friend called. She's got a beautiful telephone voice but since she had got cold, I mistook her for a prank caller. After she convinced me that she was really her, we had some small talk. Small talk got into something more serious and set me on a trail of thoughts. But they were so random and incoherent and mostly full of anger, self-contempt and sadness that I promised to call her back later and tried to figure out what I was really thinking. And I promised myself that I will make a post on my blog about this. I started retracing on what actually gave me those thoughts.

We were talking about our plans after college. She was going to do a post graduate course. Good for her. What was I going to do? Hmmm. I am also going to do a PG, perhaps an MBA. Wait, I'm so sick of studying, so maybe I'll work. But then again, I thought, who was I to decide?

Huh?

Well, I'm Eggman, the master of the eggs. Who buys the eggs? My dad. Who cooks them? My mom. So what the hell do I do? I eat. Is that the only thing my mom and dad are involved in? No. Well, what else are they Involved in? Well, there are some things...actually a lot of things.

Practically everything.

Right from the shoes I buy, the clothes I wear, the money I spend, etc., if my mom or dad's better judgement is not involved then I'm not Involved. And readers, atleast those of my age will agree with me on this point. But have you ever asked yourself why this is so? Because you already know the answer to that question. Because that’s the way it is. It’s like gravity. You know that when the apple fell down, gravity was responsible for that, but you don't know why it was responsible.

Let me take you on a ride through my memory lane as I tell you my side of the story as to why my thoughts on what I was going to do after college made me sad with self contempt. I guess I was so happy in my childhood that I don't really remember much about it. The fog in my memory lifts as I can see some of my life in my mind when I was 10 years old. It’s like watching old black and white Polaroid pictures. I know that I was me when I was 10 years old, but I cannot believe that I grew up to be the same guy. I'm much less happier now.

12 years old, memory gets clearer as I can see myself transferred to a new school. When my dad filled out the application form, or when I wrote the entrance examination, I really didn't feel how much that this will change the way I lived. I thought I did the exam badly, but I was the first of the five to get selected. I got to go to school in a car since its 40 minutes from my home.

First day at school. Remember it quite clearly...as if watching a high definition movie. Tailor did a bad job with my uniform, my trousers are embarrassingly short. Teacher asks me a question in English, and I don't understand what she's telling. The most embarrassing day of my life.

13 years old. I got a crush on a girl. Did a lot of things that when I think about it now, I can't help laughing at myself.

14 years old. Everyone's focussed on the public exam except me. People tell me to get serious but I don't. Life becomes harsh on me all in the sudden. I give up on my crush; decide it’s a passing cloud. Should've done it earlier. I am forced to go to school on MTC buses. My father must have thought I was a bad investment and decided to reduce transportation costs. Exam is over and the results come out and I pass with very average marks. Now my father was convinced that I was a bad investment. I meet a few old school friends. They ask my marks. I tell them. They laugh at me. They can't believe I went to a school 40 minutes away from my home to get these marks. I change the topic.

15 years old. I think I might be good enough to make it to the IITs. 3 months into the school year, I'm convinced I'm not even fit for school. I barely pass that year.

16 years old. I already knew what was going to happen at the end of the school year. I get marks so low that I get a counselling date a month after the counselling began. My father gets me a seat in a reputed college which, I find out after a week in it, is worse than a nut house.

17 years old and life is hectic. It was so much for me that I don't remember much about it except the good times I had with my friends. 18th year was a little easy on me. I get my driver's license and passport. Soon I realise that both will not be useful any soon. My dad says the only way I get to go abroad is for my studies. Useless passport. My brother advises my parents that I'm a rash driver and shouldn't own a bike, out of vendetta because I gave him a troubled time (tore his stamp collection when I was 4 years old, poured water on him when he was sleeping, that was when I was 11 years old) when he was back in India (He works in US of A now). Useless license.

19 years old, I have an argument with my mom about my love life, my point being that since I am the one who is going to tie the knot, I get the freedom of choosing the one I want to marry. Her point is that she gets what she wants...which is actually not a point but a suppressed expression of dictatorship.

And at this point of time I had the same feeling that I had 3 days ago and I looked back on my life just like this. If I had stayed in my old school, I might have scored better marks. When I left my old school at the end of 7th grade, I had the top marks for that year. I have a picture of me getting a prize for that. Now you may think that I blame my dad for getting me transferred to another school and eventually leading me into a pothole of failures, but I don't. He had the best intentions in his mind when he got me into that school. But shit happens. People screw up. Especially those who spend more than two hours on commuting to school.

Getting back to the present, I finally figure out, why I recollected all of this. It’s because I wanted to get reminded of how much my life is worth. I thought am not in control of my life but actually I was. Everything in my life happened with my silent approval. If I had told my father that I was fine in my old school, things might have been better. And I honestly I should not have poured water on my brother when he was sleeping, bad move. So to sum it up, I fucked up.

And I feel absolutely great. Now I know that i'm in control. I have a mom, who makes the best lunch for college (and I regret that sometimes because my classmates eat my lunch), a dad who can buy my bare necessities, even if they are branded. I passed math in middle school because my brother tutored me. I have great friends who expect nothing from me except to be myself. And for these reasons I am forever grateful to the above mentioned people.

Now I am happy.

So when you feel sad or depressed or simply "feel like shit", think about all those people that I mentioned above. They have all spent a chunk of their life for you, they have made an investment on you and some don’t expect returns. And to them you owe a lot. And for the same reason, pull yourself together and go on living your life. If bullies in your school beat you up, fight back. Even if you get your nose broken, you will feel great. Can't have fun in college because of too many rules? Break the rules without getting caught, it’s much more fun. Hate working at your workplace? Save up some money, quit your job and get a new one.

So whatever you do in your life, do it because you want to, not because you have to. You can say no when you don't want to do something. If they don't listen to you, say no louder. Say louder until they listen to you.

I fell great after writing this. Thank you for reading this. And thank you for being my dad/mom/brother/friend.

Ciao

Learn The Hard Way

This college thing is more time consuming than I had thought. I now have less time to play games, orkutting, chatting, facebooking and doing nothing. So when the weekend comes I go all the way. Finished the game Prototype an hour ago and got bored already. So here I am typing away like I'm writing record due tomorrow but the difference is, this doesn't have a deadline but I have the duty of satisfying my fans who are now less than the number of fingers in my hand if both my hands are cut. So without further ado, as I promised you, I'll introduce my lecturers and professors.

No, not all of them, just the ones who deserve to be mentioned. Personally I think everyone in my college is a egocentric weirdos who don't even have the least bit of decency not to scratch their balls in front of female staff but there are some weirdos who can cause more damage than sleeping gas with their teaching skills. They are,

The Dumb Bums

I had great expectations from this guy who teaches me Dynamics. He's an author of many books which students actually like, not the usual copy-from-the-standard-text shit. Now this guy walks into the class room and everybody is like standing up and a good friend of mine just had to laugh after hearing a joke. The prof doesn't even bother greeting us with a customary good morning, he calls out to my friend, referring to him by the word which is the Tamil equivalent of "waste-land". I wasn't impressed. Turns out that the word was his favourite.

Then there is this guy who teaches me Gas dynamics. His problem wasn't his language, his problem was his mouth. He can't stop talking something as if its some kind of an obsession. In the name of recalling the previous day's stuff he repeats the same thing for a week. We were going no where with this guy.

Then comes the guy who tops them all. His was a problem of completely different sort. He graduated from the IIT with a degree in Chemistry. It was probably Fate's dark hand that threw him in this college but he seemed to enjoy every moment of teaching. The only problem was that we weren't. Actually most of us don't know whatever that goes on in his class because we will be sleeping. I try to avoid sleeping in his classes(not that I love to hear his lecture, I don't sleep in class because it disrupts my sleep-wake cycle), but since it is so difficult I try to distract myself from sleeping. This was how : instead of taking notes, I noted down every mistake he makes in his pronunciation. These are some samples :

"Forests act as a large sponse(sponge) absorbing all the rainwater".

A student irritated him very much and he decided to flaunt his knowledge :

"I have laand(learned) more than you".

He's probably a rich landlord from the country. The other day he was explaining the blue baby syndrome :

"Even the footus(foetus) gets affected".

Some other day he was explaining the dangers or using pesticides :

"Some pesticides affect both tarjet(target) as well as non-tarjet organisms".

The same day he was explaining how burning fossil fuels affect the environment :

"Banning(burning) of fossil fuels lead to pollution".

And how could I forget today???

"Deforestation leads to degrees(decrease) of rainfall".

God I feel sick already. Look I'll be honest with you, I didn't graduate from the Oxford with a literature degree but no one has to be to speak good English. Especially its got to be the teachers who have to be careful in these things because they're going to stay in the same college for probably the rest of the eternity but in a few years we will be going places and we don't want to show off in the office meeting what we "laand" in college.

I always thought learning by experience was the hard way and learning through schools and teachers was easy. And in the place where I study, its the other way around.

Ciao

RIP Poovaraghavan, 3rd yr EEE student who lost his life to a dreadful road accident. Loss of life could have been avoided if he was wearing an helmet. Once again it has shown us that a simple precaution like wearing a helmet can make the difference between life and death.

Update

I just got my result! And I passed!! I fucking passed!!!