On Human Indifference

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.

Just came across this quote by Albert Einstein. Is indifference worst of all human qualities? What do you think?

The lions hug?!?!?

Here’s an interesting Video. I wonder what exactly is going on in that lions mind? Is it just being playful or is it really grateful for being rescued?

Are we projecting our thoughts, motivations and desires here? Do animals have complex emotions?

Change

Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.
-Anais Nin

Prisoners of our mind

We humans seek comfort zones in form of attachments, our pattern of thoughts, the way we see things, our delusions, our attitudes, masks we wear and the way we construct reality around us. As creatures of habit we begin to repeat these, we believe that life happens to us and we limit our own potential.

We view life from a cage, construct reality, see faults in others way of life, but fail to notice it in ourselves. We see others in a cage without realising that we ourselves are in a cage. We fail to look at ourselves from a distance.

We have become prisoners of our own mind. A prison created by our own irrational thoughts. In liberating ourselves from this prison lies our growth and happiness. This reminds me of Tagore’s wonderful poem:

Where The Mind is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action–
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

What if?

This one is by Bruce Plante of Chattanooga Times Free Press. It made me laugh out loud. There are more cartoons on WGA strike at http://www.cagle.com/news/WritersStrike/main.asp Worth checking it out.

For Dogs Sake leave them alone!!!

I was planning to write on politics this week, but a certain incident last week has led me to postpone it and write on the “Humanisation” craze instead.

A few days ago while browsing for books at Borders I overheard a woman who was looking for An Astrology book for Dogs!!!! “Oooh I need to get the book today. My little Casper is a bit depressed these days.”

What role can astrology play any part in pet’s life? I wonder. Do animals give a damn about ‘guidance’ from stars and planets? Or is the ‘Pet Astrology’ aimed more for humans?

Pet industry today illustrates the “Humanisation” craze. Statistics from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association show that American pet owners are poised to spend $34.3 billion this year.

Animals are not people. Personally, I think we’ve lost touch with reality and fallen prey to the psychology of marketing. Pet owners have started to project their desires, morality and standards onto the animals. Increasingly a disturbing trend is emerging towards naturopathic lifestyles and medicine for animals. There are vegetarian diets for dogs and cats. That has to be tantamount to animal abuse. Then, there are people who swear by acupuncture, homeopathy, crystal, angel therapy for animals. Does the psychosomatic effect work on animals? I don’t think so. Shame.

I’d quite like to see evidence that a pet appreciates spa and massage services, nail polish, scented wipes, air conditioned designer kennels or branded sweaters. Sadly, their inability to complain will make this “Humanisation” craze even worse.