Introspection without action is like speculation. No good till the outcomes of reflection are not implemented…then, whereas speculation becomes a gamble, introspection is like an experiment… and experimentation is the one pure and true quality of the scientifically tempered man. However, the need for introspection arises out of feelings harbored inside the mind. And it is due to these feelings that man makes mistakes… introducing imperfection into an otherwise perfect and absolute world which works on a well defined cause and effect basis. It is due to the recognition of these imperfections as not mistakes, but as stepping-stones into the vast, untapped ocean of what may be, the promise of betterment that every tomorrow can hold, that we continue to make mistakes, learn from them and implement the lessons learnt in our everyday lives.
Making mistakes in following procedure, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is not only vital, it is critical. However, it is more important to recognize that a mistake has been made, review what caused it, and understand how much different the outcome is (whether for the better or worse… if a given situation is viewed from different viewpoints, it can appear to be a boon as well as a bane…at the same time).
Further, it is imperative that one, after all that hard work of experimentation and learning, apply this newly gained knowledge and implement it for the advancement of society. Not only does this raise our expectations for the tomorrow that we are all looking forward to, but it also broadens our horizons, thus, proving to us that there is a lot more of the ocean of knowledge than we could have ever imagined.
Machines live in a perfect world. They make no mistakes. They learn from no mistakes. They exist for a purpose. Their entire lifespan is utilized in serving that purpose as effectively as their design and implementation would allow them to. They are perfect, I agree.
They do not innovate; they cannot. To innovate one needs to make mistakes. That for them is impossible. Unless we recognize the need to make imperfect machines, we are very much away from even the concept of artificial intelligence.
What is intelligence but recognition of mistakes that one has made, or that one may make in following procedure and establishing which particular mistakes will yield a more optimal result? It is not even important to stay in the context, or domain as defined by the original method. For, some of the greatest inventions and discoveries have been made by ‘thinking out of the box’.
Why, I ask, are we afraid of making mistakes? Why does the society praise perfection and demean imperfection…unless that imperfection is so perfect that it raises the bar of perfection itself.
It is indeed mediocre to strive to achieve perfection, for perfection is nothing but the mean of all outcomes, whether good or bad, averaged over a long period of time, to such an extent that we have come to associate with it the adjective ‘ideal’. Keeping that in mind, I find it deplorable that the society is so rigid in its views on ‘the road oft taken’ that the people adventurous enough to want to tread a different terrain are not only discouraged, but are practically considered outcasts in this human society.
For the few courageous enough to whether peer pressure and the societal backlash, ‘the road less taken’ has the world to offer. The raw spirit of an experimenter, the curiosity of a 2 year old clubbed with the humor of life and the backing of one’s own will are the most credible and loyal companions on their quest to broaden their own horizons, and those of the rest of the world, consequently.
Consequently, because at first, the world will laugh off the insight, then rebuff it with conventional knowledge. Not satisfied, it will then tear apart those most beautiful jewels and leave them to rot, citing incompatibility with the current societal norms and practices. However, the truth cannot be hidden forever. Soon another adventurer will come along, rediscover, polish those same jewels and present them to the world with his own perspective.
It is well known, “No power in the world can stop an idea whose time has come.” It is the realization of the wisdom of this quote that propels further the revolutionary thinkers and experimenters into not only pursuing their dreams but also presenting their findings to the world. These are the most selfless people in the world, ready to face its wrath just so that humankind may be just that bit better off.
Some may argue that people of this nature do not deserve the glorious pedestal I intend to place them upon. For are these not the same creatures who, by their ill meaning and devilish plots are trying to destabilize society? Are these not the same felons who do not care for anything but their own single-minded pursuit of their desires, whatever they may be. How can such uncivilized people actually contribute something useful towards the society, which has, for long reveled in the glory of detailed procedures and their copybook implementation?
These people dare to break the rules, the very rules that form the fabric of the society. They do not even flinch before attempting the unthinkable. These are exactly the kind of people the establishment fears the most. They are afraid of nothing, no one and will go to any lengths to achieve the objectives they set out to achieve, unless someone more experienced than them, but on the same plane of motivation, can, while identifying with them, guide them towards the path that they believe to be most rewarding in terms of their desires.
The common man either looks down upon these people with contempt or looks up to them with reverence. Whatever such people may do, they excel in their respective domains. The most interesting trait of such people is that they are extremely approachable and down to earth, for they consider their achievements not as of their making, but as opportunistic mistakes they have been fortunate enough to make and interpret correctly. They are not the workaholics who would rather die in the office; they love nothing more than leisure. They refuse to live their lives like moths flying into the elusive and fatal bright light only to die a glorious death before ever meeting their lofty ambitions. No, the people I am referring to would rather die happy; spending their leisure time with their loved ones, doing whatever it is that caught their fancy. Such people live a moment at a time, enjoy all of life’s bountiful treasures and have no regrets.
One can only imagine how damaging a person such as the above would be to the society of today. Indeed, if these ideals infected a subsequently large domain of individuals, the world would be headed towards a revolution. And then where would we be?
Throughout history, it has been the quest of power that has caused revolutions and coups. Our society, however insecure it may be, needs to recognize the fact that people being talked about here are either rendered absolutely powerless by the circumstances fate manufactures around them or are so powerful that they can make governments bow towards them at the drop of a hat. They do not desire power. They only desire happiness. And they are no fools. They are mature enough to realize that money and power are no pathways to happiness. Happiness is a state of mind. It is bliss in its purest form. Something one can derive just by looking at the smile of a loved one. The one commodity that neither was, nor is and never will be for sale. The one commodity that cannot be stolen by anyone in power. Indeed the true test of success is the volumes of happiness that has transpired through one.
The ills with today’s society can be best summed up in the following words- constant comparison, jealousy and insecurity. For if only people would recognize that all are different, if only they would accept that like everyone else, they too have their repertoire of special gifts and that no one, not even the almighty can steal their skills from them, they would realize that everyone is the same. Everyone has the same zeal towards whatever one really loves. And in loving different things and by discovering hitherto unknown terrains in their respective domains, everyone is truly unique, no more that everyone else. It is this uniqueness, which, if and when pursued, will remove all the ills of the society.
Comparisons will become meaningless. For it is pointless to compare two subjects as different as lions and whales. It is only important to recognize their respective individual beauties and praise them. Jealousy will cease to exist. If one cannot compare, then what can one possibly be jealous of? Finally, about insecurity, all I have to say is that everyone would be so busy doing whatever they love doing that no one would have the time to feel insecure.
Thus, within two hundred words, I have dispensed with all the ills of the society of today. A hilarious matter, I agree. For I am overlooking everything. In fact, all I have been reeling about all this time is idealism, and that too by undermining it and referring to it at one point of time as ‘deplorable’. Where is the practicality? What about the integration of these presumable lofty and, if I can call them that, then “PERFECT” ideals with the present day society?
Impracticality arises due to the fact that the society today is not honest and reliable. It is driven by passion, sex, crime, impulse etc, in short, sensational stuff. People today are only concerned with instant gratification. They do not care for what happens to them tomorrow. They live in the now. Subsequently, it is impossible to get them to change over to this regime.
Let us hence forget that I had ever attempted to pen the thoughts I ended up portraying and carry on with life, as usual.
Do you see the pattern? Do you see where this chain of reasoning is headed? Sure this may be the worst piece of writing you may have ever witnessed, and the ideas presented not only stale, but redundant and inexcusably pathetic. But does it suffice to cite reasons of incompatibility with society and hence call for abandonment. All I ask for is a debate. The debate does not have to be out in the open, it can take place in your very mind. People cite ‘ a bad feeling about this’ as the reason for abandonment. I will accept that reason if only they can convince me that this ‘bad feeling’ is not because of their resultant insecurity and laziness in seeing the new system in place.
