Posted this story last year when I started blogging, now it has a different relevance.
1495 Medieval England
Mary Jo is merrily walking on the cobble stoned streets of London, smiling, a song on her lips, on her way to school. Suddenly a severed head oozing with blood comes rolling down, stops at her feet, she kicks the head out of her way and continues walking, now she is very angry, because there are blood stains on her shoes. She stops to wipe them off, reaches the school and screams at her teacher for giving her low grades, she thinks she deserved more.
2006 Present England
Mary Jo is merrily walking on the streets of London on her way to the dance class. Suddenly a severed head oozing with blood comes rolling down and stops at her feet. Mary Jo screams in horror and faints. Now she needs months and months of therapy to get herself back to normal life, but still can't get rid of the nightmares and wakes up screaming in the nights. Seems impossible for her to erase that incident out of her mind.
What is the difference between Mary Jo of 1495 and Mary Jo of 2006 ?
Its plain evolution
Mary Jo of 2006 cannot accept such a gruesome act of violence.
She is civilised.
People in the past had scant respect for nature, today we humans fight for the survival of spotted owl, bald eagle, We fight for the survival of the trees.
Today chopping of trees, loss of life is unacceptable.
You respect life more today
There is a biblical Tsunami and flood coming
If you are God. What would you do ?
Would you tell Noah to build an ARK ?? and tell him to save two of each species ?
No, If you are God, you would do everything in your power to stop the Tsunami and flood, stop the disaster from happening.
That makes you more kind and more compassionate than God himself
Today there is more love than there has ever been.
Today there is more kindness and compassion than there has ever been.
Today we do everything to co exist with others against all odds, unfortunately there are few who refuse be civilised and refuse to join the process of evolution. Its like the process of natural selection has rejected them.
This little uneducated girl is more conscious of environment and she is willing to listen.
BLUNT KNIFE
WILDPIC
45 comments:
nice post!!
Also, people are more tensed up and have a thousand hidden fears within them nowadays..
but I do agree about there being more kindness and compassion nowadays, peopel are a lot more tolerant and supportive of each other ...i would say in general we human beings reached higher state of awareness emotionally and mentally..but ofcourse, so has greed and ambition become more sophisticated..:)
have u been away? i see from the blunt knife pic that you have.
Yes what u say is so true..for the first time thought it that way..otherwise the thoughts of we are ruining everything kindaa clouds any thing else..Long time since had any thought as awakeing as this one..I am happy :-)
Mystic Rose, The picture in Blunt Knife was taken during my last visit to Rajasthan, I have posted very few pictures so far. I'll post them in a couple of months.
I've not been away from past one month, have some eye infection for a week now. I'll be traveling in December. Things are a bit chaotic now as we are demolishing my house to reconstruct adding one more floor to create more room for my nephew and niece. So we are temporarily shifting to a rented place. Its a bit difficut emotionally for me to see the place where I lived for nearly 50 years being demolished. But I have to give way for development.
Yes as you say, there is tension and fear around, things don't seem to get any better. In my previous post I had asked if we humans deserve any kindness. There is no rich and poor among other species.
Animals seem to live a better life, what ever problems they have are caused by us humans. Things changed after 2nd world war. Madness of arms race occupied the first half. Things changed again after the fall of the iron curtain.
We all thought that now we would live in a safe world. Unfortunately that did not happen.
Things are changing again, people are more aware of man made disasters and are doing their best to stop them. This evolution has seen the rejection of slavery (which was accepted as normal practice in holy scriptures ) and rejection of racism. We humans are getting better and better. I have hopes on younger people like you Mystic rose. We humans deserve all the kindness from nature.
Sangita, we have seen that human intelligence is of absolutely no use, Animals seem to be a lot happier. But there is something very special about humans.
Sangita, Your parents or grand parents will tell you how happy they were without mobile phones computers or faster travel. Intelligence or technology has nothing to do with human nature.
Until recently, during my time and your parents time, hunting animals was accepted, you would have seen pictures of great grand father posing with his foot on the head of a dead tiger.
Today we reject caged animals or birds. hunting is a sin. If you have the money and power Sangita you would buy all the caged animals and birds and set them free. See how things are changing about child labour. India has a long way to go, but still child labour is no longer accepted. This is the kindness and compassion on the rise. You would give up your mobile or internet or all the comforts but you would not like to see some one bleed, you would not accept any violence.
Hoobladarf, my animosity is towards the 'concept of God' and towards all the philosophies emerged out of it. I wonder if animosity is the right word.
Anyway this concept and all the philosophies and religions failed to deliver peace and harmony as each one claims. We have no religion that advocates violence, they all speak of peace and harmony. Where do we stand today ?
I have faith in Humans, they seem to be a better image of God. I am asking you Hoobladarf, would you snap your finger and cause an earthquake ? Even if you have the power you would not cause pain suffering and deaths. That is your compassion.
none of the major religions have condemned slavery, except for Hinduism they all speak of equality and yet condoned, not condemned slavery. In Hinduism a person is born a slave and dies a slave, he has no right to dream.
Today's human has rejected what has been allowed by his religion.
Children do not know what slavery is. After hundred years children would not know what racism is. Today's society crosses all the barriers of race or religion and are doing their best to live in peace and harmony which all the philosophies failed to deliver. This is due to human nature getting better and better.
This brings us to why evil exists.
Is God so helpless ? If everything is created by God, so is evil. Why evil is so powerful ?
Human intelligence does not make one good or evil. Intelligence is used by both in their own ways.
I am hopeful that the intelligence of the good will be dominant in the future Hoobladarf.
it's an ironic world, Poms ! strange, isn't it - the more people are civilized, the more there is terror and warfare ? why is there a steady increase of both ? as you say, people are campaigning to save coral reefs, natural dams, trees and everything that moves and doesn't, and yet, more than half of America and the world agreed on the invasion of Iraq, and killing of innocents ! Looks like the value of human life has depreciated considerably ! *hugs*
nothing in the cry
of cicadas suggests they
are about to die
~ a haiku
How so sweet, that you have offered your photos. I will sure take you upto it...photo helps my inspiration at times and at time I feel photos in its silent its more poetic than poetry itself...
WHat I can say there is philosophy in you thoughts I have not even allowed to breathe towards me and here you are spraying the aroma to us..Thank you
nice one,Rauf,
It doesn't really matter whether we descended from apes or somehow appeared on Earth one day. Unfortunately all too often we find that people are being forced to memorize these facts and that misses the real point of learning about evolution.The so-called complex systems are those for which we don't have simple models but the mechanisms are the same. They are not magic. Though we cannot make detailed predictions we can characterize the systems and make intelligent decisions about how to co-exist with each other and the world in which we find ourselves.
And well,me find myself so busy these days..but never missed any of your lovely posts..but just failed to drop down here...
Anyways..all the pics here are fntastic..especially the school children coming on bicycles on the road where an ox was there..it makes some signals to me...
OWEEE UMMMMA REEE my sweet Booey!
Eye infection reee, hard to open my eyes and type. Chaos at home. Your favourite room is going. Any way when you come on a holiday there would be a new set up.
Actually booey there is lot less bloodshed now. Religion and philosophy was thrust on people in the most gruesome manner. The last we saw of it was in 2nd world war.
Very less evil left now. people are getting conscious they are more aware of horrors of war and doing their best to avoid it.
Yes the Iraq war had a great deal of support but some countries joined when the US twisted their arms. Look at your country now, there is absolutely no support for war. Tony Blair is the most unpopular person in UK. they all regret joining the US. Other European countries like France and Germany acted with wisdom and flatly refused.
lots of love and hugs my sweet booey!
Gangadhar, yes I have read that article 'Evolution is Simple and Fundamental'
The process of evolution is not perfect. It has committed blunders like the giant reptiles 65 million years ago causing extensive damage to the environment. The process is complex, there is no pattern, it goes on a trial and error method.
that is why it is called 'the process of natural selection' Had the process been perfect there would be no selection. Thankfully humans are allowed to evolve from past 4 million years. What I am saying is that we humans are not a blunder of the process. 4 million years is not much of a time though. Please check the 100 meter olympic record of Jesse Owens (10.3) 1936 Berlin to Justin Gatlin (9.85) Athens 2004. Body remains the same it is the mind which is evolving. Efficiency of mind is rising, Rising kindness love and compassion is a pleasant by product.
Until recently Americans of African decent were not allowed to vote or to sit in public transport.
Cast system in India is slowly disappearing in the cities and towns though exists in rural areas.
Unfortunately there are a few who refuse to evolve themselves and follow the same old system, most educated are still demanding dowry, such people are the rejects of the process of evolution. Some of their children would be more open minded. That is natural selection. That is how it works
Suresh, I don't understand
the idea of a blog is to communicate.
I know I am not an intelligent person. i never claimed to be wise, infact I am allergic to both.
Nasra, Things are far from perfect.
It may take another million years.
History of 2006 is lot less gruesom than the history of the year 1006. I will take the liberty of saying that 2006 is lot more pleasant. Perhaps the planet was lot more greener then. The pain and suffering today is caused by few who refuse to evolve themselves
and they are the rejects of the proocess of natural selection.
Your post made me smile, Rauf, especially that final beautiful child, so innocent.
Yes we have evolved, and I think our evolution is rapidly increasing. But with that comes rapid opposition as well, to the extreme.
Ever heard of the book God: a biography by Jack Miles? He looks only at literary God in Christian and Jewish books of Old and New Testaments and shows how God evolves over time! Fascinating.
I no longer believe in that kind of God. We all have God inside, or something connected with all things, and that love keeps us going, wanting things to be better, like your post says.
Thank you for this fresh hopeful post.
I am so sorry about the upheaval in your home! I had no idea. That is so difficult, and with your Madras eye on top of it all. I hope you will find peace throughout this transition. This post tells me you are finding it.
okie okie rauf ... let me tell u what i mean ...
inspite of all the facts and our own perception tellin us that we are pretty much getting there ... i mean extinction. all the maths and science indicate depletion of resources (entropy) very soon, for eg. eat all the fish that u can now ! in 30 yrs time none will be left. global warming is not kidding us either, disaster is lurking just around the corner so travel to as many pretty places as soon as possible ! all of these are for sure, absolutely no reversing. we are talking only abt human extinction here. so many are crying, shouting out loud ...
so ... now, what are the cicadas saying ? knowing their end for this season may be even for upto 14 years or never ! ...
'nothing in the cry
of cicadas suggests they
are about to die'
we all have too much faith, right from the ceiling fan to geo thermals to asteroids ... we dont beleive in the end as yet rauf, we havent started living the end ! ...
'nothing in the cry
of cicadas suggests they
are about to die ...'
Thank you Ruth, Things are pretty chaotic, most of the things shifted already. Can't imagine how many things piled up for 48 years.
Most of them are dear to me but the younger generation has other ideas, so I gave in, but I have put my foot down on certain things.
Can't throw them away at any cost.
Eyes are getting better, I was the last one to get in the family. The place we are temporarily shifting to is just one kilometer away. I am alone in the house, every one else has moved out. Sister sends the food. I will move out in a few days just before the demolisher's first blow to a house which has generated incredible love and affection. We are coming back any way. I am thinking of a post on that right after I finish this environment series, last one to come next.
There always has been opposition to evolution Ruth, It works like a corporate office, those who don't function are sacked. If you take Peter and Lesley Anne to a house decorated with stuffed animal heads and skins they would scream in horror. Such a house was admired 50 years ago. Owners of such houses and the likes of them have gone extinct.
No Ruth, I have not heard of Jack Miles. Perhaps the book is a big mistake if it gets in to the wrong hands of people like me. That makes the idea of a God imperfect. The concept of God from day one of the creation to the last day (according to scriptures) is a perfect being.
God has four qualities
1. Eternal life
2. Infinite happiness
3. Infinite knowledge
4. I forgot Ruth Sorry
If any one having one of these qualities he or she becomes God.
If every thing is God's will then why is
questions one two three
The answer I get is
'God's ways are mysterious.
We have an omnipotent God who knows all and yet puts Abraham's faith to test. then a series of never ending testing humans of their patience of their faith
' God is testing you my child'
You would have heard that Ruth.
If He is omnipotent he should know the result before hand. He should have known that what ever be His warnings Eve is going to sink her lovely teeth in the apple. I love her Ruth, and I love the story, though the story has many holes in it. I am so thankful to her and her courage and I am thankful to the downfall of man which brought us to this wonderful and exciting world. I wouldn't last for 2 months in a paradise.
By the way sweet Eve appears in the final post in this series. You can guess where I am heading.
i think we need to hire some GM scientists to make better humans!
maybe do a gene analysis of the dalai lama's genes or something.
at least it would let god off the hook.
i read somewhere that even though we have high intelligence thanks to our frontal lobes, the final decision making ability is centred in some old part of the brain.
this dinosaur-times part measures up what action to take by a simple question - will doing this feel better than that.
and like anyone will tell you doing good rarely produces immediate rewards.
no wonder we are not getting anywhere in human compassion terms.
Hi Rauf!
Your posts are provocative and it is good. And interesting with great pics. I like your comments. Sometimes I think you are very young boy, and sometimes inversely.
Wishing you great health and great weekend!
that pic sure does remind me of India!
Suresh, that is what I have been writing in this environment series
but the cicadas have been singing the wrong tune and screaming for wrong reasons, the real threat is something else.
As long as there is air to breathe
fresh or polluted we will not start living the end. I posted a picture of a butterfly in this series which has been breathing warm diesel fumes. Nature too is adapting itself to human folly. Like a Volkswagon's internal changes, our body has been undergoing changes adapting itself to the surroundings. People are surviving drinking toxic and highly polluted water. After a while the body would demand only polluted water, the person may fall sick drinking clean and fresh water. So we will never start living the end. We will go on adapting ourselves to the changes.
We'll play cricket matches with 60 degrees heat. the changes are so slow and gradual over a period of 1000 years that we may not feel them.
I'll book my tickets tomorrow Suresh, things are pretty chaotic
98843 30000 is moin's number. We have already shifted, I am alone in the house now, Ruby is trying to shift the same telephone. I'll be in Bangalore on 16th afternoon.
I can come a day or two earlier.
I never grew up Krystyna, most of my friends are very young half of them are just kids, none of my own age, (59 in january), other friends are much older than me.
Mystic Rose, The first picture was taken in Jodhpur Rajasthan, the next two in ujjain MP
Chinna, they have already done it. I wrote about euginics a couple of months ago.
The title of the blog was 'I have no right to live'
Have a great lovely Sunday Rauf!
rauf...yes, our extinction has become just another folly like religion, a collective passtime. most are simply not able to imagine the true nature of our accelerated future. just like an average joe on a F1, wants it to move faster n faster without understanding the engineering.
will great to meet up in bangalore, will call u tomorrow, on moins mobile.
so rauf, u are breaking up that lovely home ? there is so much harmony in it ... guess moin n rubina will be more comfartable in a new organised home. where r u stayin now rauf ? by the way do u have skype (skype.com) ... its a fantastic internet phone(VOIP), my id on it is 'moracea', download it, its free for comp to comp and its brilliant.
catch soon
take good care rauf ...
Rauf,
I think you are right that people are becoming more sensitive to violence. I am not sure we'll ever be able to eradicate violence and violent people. If we can just all work on personal tolerance, it would go a long way toward curing some of the ills of the world.
I am sorry to hear you are losing the house you love but I am sure your family will instill love in the new home as well. Maybe as a memorial you should post pictures of the old. Glad your eyes are better, we need you to keep educating us!
Thank you krystyna, have a great week
Suresh, booked my tickets, lot of sabrimala crowd. reaching Bangalore on 16th afternoon, I'll try to see you on the 16th itself
or on 17th morning with Asokan and Shankar. still at old house still moving things. trying for BSNL broadband at the new place
13A Mylapooran street, no phone yet. its near ponnuswamy hotel gaudiya mutt.
Thank you Bobbie, we are demolishing and reconstructing the house adding one more floor and a room on the terrace. Making way for younger generation. My house is very old nearly 100 years, right in the heart of the city. I was in 7th grade when I occupied my room 48 years ago. I remember I used to play cricket with street friends across the road. today I am afraid to cross the same road, some times it takes ten minutes. My house is a bit inside, tucked in a small lane so there is no traffic noise, it will take six months to rebuild and we will be back to the same neighbourhood, but all my childhood friends have already moved far away. I met most of them recently in a funeral at the local Church, very emotional scenes. every one was touching me with affection. Our neighbourhood
is a picture of peace and harmony. Since we are the oldeest every one knows us. I I'll post pictures of my house and my room once I finish the environment series.
The media feeds on violence Bobbie, reports are sometimes exaggerated, but we have lot less violence now. I travel a lot and I am overwhelmed at the kindness extended to me. I try my best to do the same to others. Kndness and compassion has crossed race religion and language barriers. People go out of their way to help.
Rauf, I just read your post and I think you're absolutely right. Nowadays there's a collective conscience as far as human rights are concerned and life is far better valued than a couple of centuries back. France and the United States played a crucial part in this process in the 18th century and we should give credit where it's due in spite of the atrocities they've perpetrated since then.
By the way, the picture of the girl is absolutely lovely! Such hope in her eyes! I wish her all the best.
Thank you Claudia, I sent her the picture, forgot her name. My sister's husband was working on a project in Ujjain, when he found her. I went there on my way to Rajasthan. Her mother died and father remarried, and he was forcing this child to work and earn money washing dishes clothes at other people's houses. My Brother-In-Law was shocked when she came to wash his clothes, he got her admitted in to a school, bought all the books and paid five years fee together. He took interest in her because she is very intelligent. I just managed to buy her a couple of dresses. I travel on a very tight budget. My B-I-L's project is over and he is back home, I am afraid the girl's father would have pulled her out of the school and claimed the refund of the fees. He looks like a criminal. I'll go and check in the month of March if she is still at school. Its more than 1000 kilometers travel for me. I can't bear the north Indian cold now. In the State of Madhya pradesh and Rajasthan people are willing to work for 10 rupees a day (about 25 cents? ) You see a lot of child labour in India, though on paper it is illegal. South Indian states specially Kerala have been relatively succesful in implementing the law banning child labour. Th employer gets a jail sentence. But this is not a solution Claudia, its so sad. People are so poor in the north that an additional income is a great help for the survival of the family. The campaign is still on.
I'll write a post on it soon.
The biggest change the evolution bought is the idea of live and let live. Earlier people were concerned only about their own lives. Now we are concerned about other's lives as well. People want every one to lead a healthy and happy life. Human and animal rights movement is a big change
This internet thing is fantastic. Through blogging I find myself caring about people I've never met and who live thousands of miles away. I sincerely hope the girl is still at school and safe from her father's brutality and that she will have a good future. I also hope that your eyes are better, Rauf, and that all goes well with your refurbished house. Having a family home full of memories is an invaluable haven.
Rauf
sending a (((Big Hug))) your way.
love & peace,
kathy
At night deep in the mountains,
I sit in meditation
The affairs of men
Never reach here;
Everything is quiet and empty
All the incense
Has been swallowed up
By the endless night.
My robe has become
A garment of dew.
Unable to sleep
I walk out into the woods-
Suddenly,
Above the highest peak,
The full moon appears.
- Ryokan Taigu (1758-1831)
Dear Readers
I apologise for my late response and I am sorry that I have not been visiting your blogs of late.
Still there is no net connection at the place we have temporarily shifted, Hope things will be normal in a week. Thank you so much
all my love
Rauf
Yes Claudia, the internet brought people closer. I am really thankful to the idea of blogging, thankful to the people who created this huge platform to communicate.I feel the cold I feel the heat, through pictures and words of my fellow bloggers. I am in their lives and they are in mine. This is something more than friendship.
Oh sweet Kathy, I am fine, some emotional dents as my house where I grew up is getting demolised and rebuilt with more room. We are coming back to the same place anyway. It will take six months and we have taken temporary residence at a place close by.
Lot of junk had piled up for 48 years most of it is very dear to me. Shifting took time, have to dismantle my fixtures. Each removal is painful. I have always smiled when people talk about material and spiritual happiness.
Small things mean a lot Kathy, they are a part of our lives.
Thank you so much for the lovely poem. The moon will appear and there is sun in everybody's life.
The sun and the moon belong to us Kathy each one of us owns them.
You know there are a few greedy people here Kathy, They wanted to invade the sun. They were advised against it saying they will get burnt. They said we are going to invade the sun in the night you dummy !
lot of love and Hugs Kathy
like u have said before rauf
our hope is the new generation of people that have kind hearts
and strong spirits to lead them to victory
redeeming our planet earth
That is evolution for you Caroline.
You see it work at home through your children. We are not prepared for a change and we keep correcting our children according to what we see as right and wrong. Through formative years they do need guidance. Once they are old enough to think they always think better.
Hi Rauf!
Your comments are as the "iformative,interesting book".I know more about your country, about you and about your bloger friends. I like the atmosphere you created here. Friendly and familiar.
Take care and good luck to you!
Thank you Krystyna, the topics are very unpleasant I'm afraid. I'll be relived once this environment series is over, one more post to go after the next. Thank you so much for your participation, your thoughts and contribution Krystyna
hello Rauf..hope you are doing great.
"Today there is more love than there has ever been.
Today there is more kindness and compassion than there has ever been".
I like to believe the same.
Hi e2dees, Yes I belive that there is more love kindness more awareness now.
Sorry for my late response e2dees. me okkay now not so great, things are a bit painful
Hai kristeena
kerala is a beautiful state do you love kerala
sruthi mohan
Post a Comment