The convenience of Culture

Hi,

I intentionally title this piece the convenience of culture and not the oft used culture of convenience? Well, its exactly what I feel many of us modernists and neo-conservatists have come to live by.

But before I go into that, just wanted to marvel the revenue management done by the telecom companies. I was entitled for 3-month rebate on caller id, and for this month, they conveniently split the month into two parts. One for 2 days and the other for the rest 28 days. SO the rebate applies only to the 2-day period, in effect earning them a bulk of the rebate they offered me. I find mobile phone service bills relatively complicated pieces of calculation. Didnt have so much challenge in calculating the cost of capital and probabilities, as much in decphering these bill statement.

Back to the original thought, the convenience of culture just seems to be a common reference point for me and the many people I live and share my life with. Whenever there seems to be a question of doing the right thing, it seems culture takes a precedence. But only so long as it is convenient for us. The moment our cultural traditions make it inconvenient for us, we run to the other pillar of rationality and the modern world, where practicality gains favour over traditions. This to me is the "Convenience of Culture".

An example of this case, is the tradition of fasting that man of us Indians adopt. I may not be very religious, but as I understand it fasting has been meant for both a demonstration of the will power and as a dedication to God. The former being an acceptable reason, and the latter being a demonstration of private and individual faith. But when fasting, some people tend to keep away from staple foods while eating rich and nice food - this isnt something I can comprehend. To me, its just being convenient, in this case with the aid of culture. Am sure there is more to it than meets the eye, but I think there is still a case for my point.

It is not necessarily a bad thing, as I have come to believe that most of us are convenient about most of the things, most of the times. The few times we are not, are probably those situations when we make the difficult choice and gloat over it as thought our individuality was defined by them. We claim to be honest people full of conscience and integrity because we made the tougher choice on those few occasions. For me personally, I am generally convenient about most things most of the times. But I think as I grow older [and wiser ;-)], there is an increasing desire to be bolder about creating more moments of truth, where I can decide to live my individual self than in giving in to the desire of the moment.

So the convenience of culture in itself is establishing as a culture. So in essence you have another cyclical dependency that will break itself only on a few occasions of triumph of our conscience.

So how much has the culture of "convenience of culture" pervaded your life. Mine has to a certain extent, because I love the nice parts of culture- for me they represent the festivals and their rituals, the joy to be with loved ones, the food. But the other parts, where I am required to practice a non-selfish life, devotion, rituals that mean nothing without faith - are parts of culture which I have conveniently given up.

Way forward, I may choose to go down one path more consistently than the other. Or I amy just continue to be, the way I am - because its convenient.

for now anyway,
cheers!
si

Rains in Singapore and Cliches!

Hi,

The sky in Singapore has cleared today for the first time in about a week, the longest period of rains I have seen here. The weather has been depressing for most people, although I think the temperature coming down is such a welcome feeling. Not to forget that the water running it taps feels a lot colder now, and just reminds me of winters, the mild ones in India and the freezing one in Denmark I experienced last year. Hmm. . all in all, things have been different from the routine, and ma sure some couples would have found it delightful to have lush greens everywhere, just creating a spectre of freshness and a rejuvenated earth (whatever is left besides the concrete and tar).

All this thought about the weather (the most simple topic to talk about over long distance - not sure if its the most popular) coincides with the other chain of thought I am having. That of "cliches". Over the last 10-12 years, the genuinely concious part of my life, I have developed a bias against them. Maybe in themelves they are ok, but its just how much we abuse them in daily life. We use these generic statements to decide our course of action, and worse, recommend it to others. I know at times its just about the only thing we can say, but to say it in the 'form' of a cliche just defeats the substance and purpose of what is said. The bad part really is that we just say it so casually and conveniently. Like saying "Sorry". I am sure all of us use it atleast 10 times a day. This one has come to be more a figure of speech, but I just hope that there arent many more like it. Else conversations would become a picking and choosing of cliches rather than actual original thoughts.

Want to write so much more about this, but I think my coherence will be lost in the quagmire of multiple perspectives. So I will rest the case for now, probably convinced that you would have given it a fair thought, and if I were to be optimistic, evaluated your perspective on using cliches.

TGIF!
Satish

New Years - Sentiments and Social Constructs

Hej (Hi in Danish),

Here is wishing everyone a lovely and wonderful year ahead, and hope the earth will be a safer place for the whole of humanity in 2006. While going through the process of swtiching form one year to other, the only significant differences that apply to the majority of us are:

1. We plan to and try to enjoy the new years eve. There seems to be charm in counting down and a vague excitement in sharing a common thing with a whole lot of other people (known and unknown). A social construct.
2. We look forward to spending the year and getting closer to someone special. - A sentiment
3. Make some resolutions or think about making some - this I cannot categorise as a sentiment or a social constuct. Its a passing thought for me :)
4. Getting to change the last digit if you are used to writing the dates on paper - capturing change for posterity.

Anyways, there might be a few other things, but the point I wanted to make is that most of these things are either sentiments or social constructs. For that matter, new years celebration itself is a social construct. No doubt, a valuable social constuct, that lets life become a little special for some part of the ephemeral time that we endure. Often times, one starts to wonder if there is any real excitement or meaning in celebrating the coming for a new year, without even knowing whats in store. But I think it is just an eventful manifestation of that one beautiful sentiment than individuals cherish, HOPE. We hope for a good year, thinking of it in terms of the events and achievements that we want it to be marked with, for us and for the world. For the community of us human beings across the planet, we hope that the new year will provide a glimmer of miracles and prosperity rather than strife and disaster.

I just want to revel in the momentousness of the occasion, for its own sake, for what mankind has come to make of it, and for the sentiments it raises in me, mostly for the future and some for the past. I can recall some beautiful new year eves, and can only hope that there will be more in the future.

Here is wishing everyone a lovely year ahead, wishing an abundance of joy and achievement in all aspects of life, individual and social.

Cheerio!
Satish