బహు తేలికైన పని

లోకంలో నూడుల్స్ చెయ్యటం కంటే తేలికైన పని ఏదయునా ఉంది అంటే అది బహుశా ఉచిత సలహాలు/అభిప్రాయాలు విరజిమ్మటమేనేమో...

"లాభం లేదండీ, ఇక్కడొక ఫ్లై-ఓవర్ లేపాల్సిందే" నిస్సిగ్గుగా ఫుట్ పాత్ మీదకి బైక్ ఎక్కించేసి, సిగ్నల్ కోసం ఆత్రంగా ఎదురుచూసే ఓ పెద్ద మనిషి వ్యాఖ్యానం...

"వ్యవస్థ లో సమూలంగా మార్పు రావాలండీ..ఈ కుళ్ళు రాజకీయాలు చూస్తుంటే సమాజం ఎటు పోతుందా అని అనిపిస్తుంది" వాపోతుంటాడు ఎన్నడూ ఓటెయ్యని ఓ ప్రబుద్ధుడు...

"మనమూ ఒక బ్లాగు పెట్టేసి జనాలకి ఉపదేశం చేసేస్తేనో" అని ఆఫీసు టైం లో తెగ ఆలోచించేస్తుంటాడు నాలాంటి ఓ బడుద్ధాయి...

ఎక్కడో చదివాను...

ఓ పెద్దమనిషి బ్రతికినన్నాళ్ళూ సమాజాన్ని ఎలా సమూలంగా మర్చేద్దామా అని తెగ ప్రయత్నించి ప్రయత్నించి ఓడిపోయాట్ట. చరమాంకం లో జ్ఞానోదయం అయి తన సమాధి దగ్గర ఇలా నోట్ వ్రాపించుకున్నాడట:

"సత్యం ఆలస్యంగా అవగతం అయ్యింది...సమాజాన్ని మార్చాలనే తపనలో నా గురించే మర్చాను! మార్పుని నాతో మొదలుపెట్టి నా వ్యక్తిత్వాన్ని ఆదర్శంగా మలచుకుని ఉంటే, నన్ను చూసి కనీసం నా కుటుంబం మారేదేమో. నా కుటుంబాన్ని చూసి ఇరుగు పొరుగు, వారిని చూసి నా ఊరు, ఊరిని చూసి సమాజం మారేదేమో కదా"

లోకం సంగతి తర్వాత తమ్ముడూ...ముందు మనల్ని మనం సంస్కరించుకుందాం!!

What do you want to be?

The constant urge to be a better person is the single most quality that, I feel, separates the individuals into a respectable class and the ordinary ones. Simply because none of us are born great and this urge is the one that makes people to remain humble in the process and to succeed ultimately.

That is the reason I always used to put my "goal in life" in autograph books as "to be a better person". While I agree that I have that desire still with me, I only know to what extent I progressed in that direction. May be it's that desire that keeps me (at least try to be) humble. But it takes commitment and sincerity to actually progress, and that was something I did not have to a good extent.

Be a better person

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Take an enclosed container partitioned in the middle, one half filled by some gas and the other vacant. Remove the partition and keep an eye on the second half which was initially vacant. Observe for a life time and tell me if you ever get to see that vacant again. That's the classic example you would be taught if you were a student of statistical mechanics.

Now take a soft ball and drop it from a height. Observe it bouncing back couple of times and finally settling down. That's a very natual sight, isn't it? Now tell me if you ever get to see a ball that was lying dead on the ground, suddenly coming to life and bouncing back by itself. One wouldn't even consider that possibility!

In the first case, statistical mechanics tells us that it's merely by chance that you don't get to see the second half vacant. Meaning, there is nothing stopping it to go that way, only thing is that the probability so infinitesimal that would problably never get to see it. After all, you can theoritically reverse the motion picture to get back to the original picture. Nothing against the laws of physics - you're just not fortunate enough to see that dramatic event.

But the second case seems to be interesting. Kinetic energy dissipating into heat/sound energy is quite natural but the reverse is not so. The second law of thermodynamics says that system tends to achieve thermal equilibrium, and there is some irreversibility somewhere. An arrow of time?

The question here is if the second law of thermodynamics is purely statistical in nature, or is it an absolute law. And does it say that the things can never become organised by themselves? If so, doesn't it contradict the theory of evolution of life - which says we grow into more and more organised species?

(still to conclude...)

Is there a vacuum?

What is this world made up of? Is it ultimately the energy that is distributed in various forms - one being mass - across the space? So what does it mean when one says that there are some places where there is nothing. That there is no energy at those points, at a particular instant of time.So there are pockets of voids for the energy distribution in the space. Can that really happen?

What is it that exactly defines a particular point in space? Is it only the type and quantity of energy at that point? Of course, the laws of nature must somewhere associated with each point - otherwise how will that energy pocket, sitting at that point, know what do next?

And what about the spatial co-ordinates?

(still to conclude...)

Goals & Responsibilities

I have heard many 'accomplished' people mentioning proudly about their achievements in life - be it intellectual, social or any other. In general being very happy talking about those accomplishments, these people also do not forget expressing their regrets. Regrets like "I had to struggle so hard to come to this position, so had worked day and night, in the process unfortunately could not spend much needed time with the family". They also invariably thank spouses for their understanding nature, and for being patient throught out their life, so that they can better focus and achieve their goals.

That's escapism at its best! You neglect your duties intentionally and try to compensate for all that with few words of regret. Is that what you want to be? My friend, life is all about balancing - you come to this world not only to achieve certain goals, but also to perform your duties first. You are a responsible citizen, a caring spouse, a father/mother, a son/daughter, and you have various roles in the society. If every one in this world ignores one's social responsibilites so as to better concentrate on achieving goals, the world would have been a hell to live in. Try to understand - the satisfaction of being publicly recognised for some great achievements is nothing compared to the inner satisfaction of being a balanced person.

Duties first, Goals next.

Loveliest place on Earth

For me, it's this place called BITS-Pilani, at Latitude 028°37’ North and Longitude 075°75’ East. I must confess that I have not travelled much or seen many places on this globe to prove the point. But then I am not trying to convince anyone, and may be it's not the most beautiful spot. It's the special relationship that you hold with a particular place that makes you feel so attached to it. Not just the beauty of the place itself. Those dark corridors of the Physics department, the lovely new wing of Malviya Bhawan (NWDFM - new wing downstairs facing MB), and the splendid surroundings of Sharada Temlpe are, by far and probably remain so forever, the loveliest spots on this earth for me.

So what's in it? Well, a lot, I would say. The days I have spent at BITS, especially my last semester (Au-Dec'00) are the most memorable ones. Ummm....just memorable? I can't say that. The pleasant afternoon hours spent watching those little squirrels, peacocks and other birds (and occassinally graced by four legged creatures), at that tiny man-made pool are not just memorable. Also not are those hours spent in the early winter mornings circling the D-Lawns. And those visits to the Sharada Temple - such a lovely temple it is, the Diety, the temple the famous clock tower view and importantly numerous beautiful creatures taking shelter in the temple, their squeaks coupled with the morning song "Om Jai Jjagadish ..." Don't you say that's a wonderful experience? It's more than that...experience that remains with you forever.

And above all these, are the frequent ramblings across the dark corridors of the Physics Department, occassionally taking the 'balcony view' near the cooler. Well, nothing great, ordinary corridors, and a little beter-than-ordinary balcony view. But if everything is ordinary there, why do I mention it here? If everything there is ordninary why would one feel so much attached to that place? So attached that I intentionally try to avoid recollecting those memories! Yes, the feelings and emotions that this place has left in me are so strong that I feel completely taken over and ruined by those thoughts - the feeling that I missing it, that I am missing myself.

It's no paradise, it's BITS!