Timepiece

Microblog on Timepiece

The clock. Yes, it's the clock! The timepiece has created all the hegemonic virtues around punctuality, and vices around 'free-will' to be 'natural being'. Had there been no clocks, there been nobody to be on 'time' and hence nobody would ever be 'late'. . .  No need to give undue respect to those who are on time, and no need to despise those who are late. Cursed be the day on which clock was invented! There is no surprise - 'Horology' (study of time) sounds like 'horror'.

Selfie in Literature

#Selfie in #literature is not a new phenomenon.
Actually, this is going beyond autobiographies. As autobiographies have yet another battle to fight n win and that's about it being called "real" literature. But, quite interestingly, writers have used "words" as now people use "camera" to take selfie of what they do, eat, drink, travel . . . and what not!

The only difference is that this new form is just done with camera phones rather than with words. There are great many #narcissists in literary world.
Walt Whitman with his '*Song of Myself* which begins with this line
"I celebrate myself, and sing myself"
is an example enough to prove it.
*Kamala Das*/ *Madavikutty's '* *An Introduction* ' is yet another interesting example of selfie in poem:

"I am Indian, very brown, born in Malabar,
I speak three languages, write in
Two, dream in one.
...
It is I who drink lonely
Drinks at twelve, midnight, in hotels of strange towns,
It is I who laugh, it is I who make love
And then, feel shame, it is I who lie dying
With a rattle in my throat. I am sinner,
I am saint. I am the beloved and the
Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no
Aches which are not yours.
I too call myself I*."

(The image is gujarati poem (?) by Chandrakant Bakshi. Shared by Jay Metra in comment on fb post.

Existentialism: Video Resources

Existentialism: Learn to think and 'be' an Existentialist

This blog contains two web resources and nine short video to learn the fundamentals of Existentialist philosophy (apart from additional reading resources for deeper understanding).

1) Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe. It focuses on the question of human existence, and the feeling that there is no purpose or explanation at the core of existence. It holds that, as there is no God or any other transcendent force, the only way to counter this nothingness (and hence to find meaning in life) is by embracing existence.

Thus, Existentialism believes that individuals are entirely free and must take personal responsibility for themselves (although with this responsibility comes angst, a profound anguish or dread). It therefore emphasizes action, freedom and decision as fundamental, and holds that the only way to rise above the essentially absurd condition of humanity (which is characterized bysuffering and inevitable death) is by exercising our personal freedom and choice (a complete rejection of Determinism) (The Basics of Philosophy) (Click here to read full article)

Existentialism

2) Existentialism is a catch-all term for those philosophers who consider the nature of the human condition as a key philosophical problem and who share the view that this problem is best addressed through ontology. This very broad definition will be clarified by discussing seven key themes that existentialist thinkers address, i.e. 

a.                   Philosophy as a Way of Life; b.                  Anxiety and Authenticity; c.                   Freedom; 

d.                  Situatedness; e.                   Existence; f.                   Irrationality/Absurdity g.                  The Crowd

Key Existentialist Philosophers are:

1. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) as an Existentialist Philosopher
2. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) as an Existentialist Philosopher
3. Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) as an Existentialist Philosopher
4. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) as an Existentialist Philosopher
5. Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) as an Existentialist Philosopher
6. Albert Camus (1913-1960) as an Existentialist Philosopher

(Click on the themes or names to read the article by Douglas Burnham)

Apart from the philosopher mentioned above, the contribution of Hegel, Dostoevsky, Husserl and Samuel Beckett is significant in the 'Existenlialism'.

Video 1: What is Existentialism? (Click the link to watch the video)

Video 2: The Myth of Sisyphus: The Absurd Reasoning (Feeling of the Absurd) (Click the link to watch the video)

Video 3: The Myth of Sisyphus: the notion of philosophical suicide (Click the link to watch video)

Video 4: Dadaism, Nihilism and Existentialism

Video 5: Existentialism - a gloomy philosophy (Click the link to watch the video)

Video 6: Existentialism and Nihilism: Is it one and the same?

Video 7: Let us introduce Existentialism again!

If you still find it difficult to understand this philosophy, view this video:

Video 8: Explain like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche:

Video 9: Why I like Existentialism? Eric Dodson

Video 10: Let us sum up: From Essentialism to Existentialism

Additional reading resources:

If you want to read more about

1. What is Existentialism?

   o   Read Existentialism (Burnham and Papandreopoulos)  
   o   Read Existentialism (C. Wikipedia, Existentialism)

2. What is the theme of The Myth of Sisyphus?

   

   
   

   o   Read The Myth of Sisyphus. Translated from the French by Justin O'Brien, 1955 (Camus)

   o   Read brief on The Myth of Sisyphus (C. Wikipedia)

   o   Read brief on Alber Camus Society website(Schrahé)
   

   
3. 
   

   Do you agree that Existentialism is Humanism?

   

   
   

   
   

   o   Read original lecture (1946) in English translated by Philip Mairet (Sartre)

   o   Read brief note on Existentialism is Humanism (C. Wikipedia, Existentialism and Humanism)

   o   A Student’s guide to Existentialism and Humanism(Warburton)
4. 
   

   What is Übermensch?

   
   

   o   Nietzsche had his character Zarathustra posit the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra

   o   Read brief on Übermensch? (C. Wikipedia, Ubermensch)

   o   Nietzsche’s idea of an overman and life from his point of view (Stanford)

   o   Nietzsche’s Übermensch: A Hero of Our Time?(Cybulska)
   

   

Simple explanation by Suman Shah in Gujarati language

Ministerial Endorsement: Will PM demand an apology as Sushma Swaraj once did?

Should Ministers in Office Endorse Private Products or Services?

Should Prime Minister Narendra Modi demand an apology from Reliance Jio for featuring his photograph in their launch advertisement? 

But more importantly, should he demand an apology?

Image 1: Font page newspaper ad with PM's photo

Image 1: PM Modi in Reliance Jio’s Advertisement

Reliance Jio placed a full-page front-cover advertisement in leading national newspapers featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph, creating the impression that he is endorsing the product.

While this may not be inherently problematic, it raises an important question: Should the Prime Minister be held accountable for products or services that are implicitly endorsed using his image or quotes?

This debate gains relevance as discussions continue around holding brand ambassadors accountable for the products they endorse. A similar issue was highlighted during the controversy surrounding the Maggi ban, where cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni faced scrutiny for his endorsement of the brand.

Now, as many parliamentarians advocate for making celebrities legally liable for the products they promote, should we not also question whether ministers in key decision-making positions should object to private companies using their quotes or photographs in advertisements? If they do not object, does their silence imply consent? And if so, should they also be held accountable?

Image 2

Image 2: The 2003 Pepsi-Coca-Cola Controversy

This situation is reminiscent of 2003 when Coca-Cola and Pepsi faced allegations of containing pesticides in their beverages, triggering nationwide outrage.

A report from The Times of India dated August 3, 2003, shows that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government was under immense pressure. Following extensive testing in national and international laboratories, then-Health and Family Welfare Minister Sushma Swaraj addressed Parliament on August 21, 2003, stating that Pepsi and Coca-Cola were "well within the safety limits."

Image 3: Minister quoted in Pepsi Ad

Image 3: Pepsi’s Advertisement Featuring a Minister’s Statement

The very next day, on August 22, 2003, Pepsi strategically used the minister’s statement in a half-page newspaper advertisement. The ad directly quoted the Health Minister, suggesting that her remarks restored and reinforced public confidence in their product.

However, this did not sit well with Minister Swaraj, who objected to the use of her statement in a corporate advertisement. Her objection may have been rooted in personal ethics, or she may have felt that it was inappropriate for a private company to leverage a minister’s words for commercial gain. This case remains a significant precedent, serving as a cautionary example in discussions about ministerial endorsement of private products and services.

Following her objection, Pepsi issued another advertisement in the same newspapers apologizing for the misuse of her statement. (See Image 4.)

Will PM Modi Take Similar Action?

Can we expect a similar response from Prime Minister Modi? Will the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) demand an apology from Reliance Jio for using his photograph in their advertisement?

Here are some of the news regarding the controversy:

1) PM endorsement is Wrong

2) Isn't it wrong?

3) Right or Wrong: Debate is On

Image 4: Minister's Objection.

Why Is This Controversial?

One of the reasons this issue has sparked controversy is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s perceived relationship with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.

A widely circulated photograph shows Mukesh Ambani placing his hand on the Prime Minister’s shoulder while PM Modi holds the hand of Nita Ambani (Mukesh Ambani’s wife) along with Mukesh Ambani. While hand-holding itself is not the issue, the way Mukesh Ambani places his hand in a gesture of "support" toward the PM has drawn significant public and media scrutiny.

These factors contribute to the larger debate: Should ministers and government officials allow their likeness to be used for corporate promotions? And if they do not object, does it set a precedent for indirect endorsements of private enterprises?

Ek Villain: Tramps in Films and Literature

Ek Villain - Hindi Film Poster

#EkVillainFilm Mohit Suri has matured his art of portraying psychopaths and the evil within the human psyche with Ek Villain Hindi Film ... fromZeher, Kalyug, Raaz – The Mystery Continues, Murder 2, Ashiqui2 to Ek Villain. Let us remember the Master of this genre - Edgar Allan Poe - and his short stories: A Cask of Amontillado, A Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe/The Black Cat.
Ek Villian takes its credit in screenplay and editing... Beautiful use of flashback technique... timing of scenes is perfectly edited. Most Mohit-Suri-Films have this in common.
Ritesh Deshmukh: It was surprise to see him 'acting' and freeing himself from slapstick comedies.
Siddharth Malhotra: Has done justice to his role.
Shraddha Kapoor: Normally, females don't have much to do in such movies. They are portrayed on Theresa-Complex - good Samaritan makes ideal sacrificial lamb.

(This is stub - will be developed with observations from characters in Waiting for Godot and other literature and films)