Why I avoided talking about secularism

Life encompasses not what I choose but also what I avoid. So long I have been skirting and consciously avoiding to write anything on this topic. For long, I have curbed my biggest weakness and that is my enthusiasm to avoid cynical subjects. I can sum up this whole issue in one sentance (will be generous enough to add an extra one) - why refute something that does not exist. Remember John Wood and his Book against God - where that fella wants to write a dissertation to prove God doesn't exist which his friend points out - how he can be against something that does not exist. The same thing applies here on a different context - secularism. In sum, I hate to spend ink on refuting it because I don't think it exist in any discussion. Maybe, except in academia, where everything under the sun is given an existence. And for a good reason. Yet, the current trends in recognition in literary circles does indicate something that cannot be ignored. In the past few years, we got Naipaul and Pamuk winning the Nobel; and another just waiting at the doorstep - Rushdie. All of them have been vocal about their views to the extent where their work and personalities have unified. Each of them is as much an activist as writers.

My personal wish is to keep exploring this area and see why academic circles are so enamored by this discussion and what theories they propound. Right now, it seems that there is quite a lot of intertwining and collapsing of multiple ideas that are at best correlated. Needless to say correlation is not to be consfused with cause and effect. For example, take Pamuk. His activist agenda infuriated his right wing leaning government folks earlier this year and was arrested. Now, he spends most of his time in Columbia lecturing about secular ideas. Embedded in the whole episode is the fact that he can do so in a country like US, which by many is not considered a secular nation. There is strong evangelical ethic that runs through the country. Now, changing tracks a little bit - why are these folks or the intellegentia consider secular ideas as a good thing? I don't know. Why get so hung up on it? Turkey for example, had its share of drinking the Marxist juice a generation back (after Ataturk era) and many (including Pamuk) may belong to that breed who think with the global demise of Marxist following - the secularism baby is getting trown out with overall Marxist bathwater. The end result - increase in fundamentalism. This pattern is quite pervsive including factions in India which has seen an upsurge in growth of fundamentalism through BJP and others.

This may be an interesting aspect to analyze, but let's revert to my earlier question why promoting secularism is so high on some people's list. My immediate response is why care? Ultimately, how a society moves towards greater recognition of private property rights determines its prosperity. The development of frameworks for law enforcement that recognizes such contracts is another component. The fact that men and women are partcipants in commerce and trade without any kinds of discrimination. The same applies to people across religions and faiths. And the way this is possible is through growth of markets and expansion of channels for distribution of wealth. Included also are incentives for production. It can be very easily correlated that America's condition in terms of freedom enjoyed by her citizens compared to other countries rests more on these factors than on secular ideas. It is only recently Merry Christmas is being coined as Happy Holidays which in daily life is more about political correctness than anything else. It's not quite the same way in other parts of the world. How may places in the world do you have a place like Columbia where you have a Bhagwati, a Spivak, a Jeff Sachs, a visiting Pamuk, a Glen Hubbard... That's what America is for you in a microcosm.

So let's wrap up for now. I believe the thrust on secularism is overrated. It does not give a whole lot argued this way or that - anyway. Reminds me of a Zen koan - where the dad tries to show his kid the moon by pointing his finger and the poor little kid keeps looking at the finger thinking that's what her dad wants to show. The moon remains elusive. Dad keeps trying but nothing works. Running after secularism is like keep looking at the finger and never being able to see the moon. The moon will be visible in promoting free enterprise, innovation, seeking opportunities to create wealth, and effective regulation that keeps negative externalities at bay. Until then, I don't mind enjoying either Pamuk, Naipaul, or Rushdie. They are no doubts some of the best minds of our generation. But will I be sweat what secularism is and what it is not. Probably not.

The way we live now...

I borrow the title from Susan Sontag's short story that appeared in The New Yorker several years back. The story was written for a different context - a young man dying of AIDS - so on and so forth. The essence however, was the way their friends behave. "Customary" visits and shows of sympathy, grouping together and putting usual feuds in the back burner for the time being - all for the sake of friendship. Oh really? Not quite. The story upheld utter shallowness and exposed the mockery of modern living without actually making a mockery of it. Call me a cynic, but with Holidays and Christmas bells just ringing, I can't help thinking this.

I am in New York City and the whole day I have spent watching two movies - "The Last Temptation of Chirst" which I saw finally because Martin Scorcese's signature was on it. I did not like it. The second one I had seen before, "Scent of a Woman" which needless to say is watchable many many times. More relevant more apt to "The way we live now"

While flying the shuttle today morning, there was a couple standing in front of me. A middle aged man, pretty round in figure - wearing pants that reached almost over his chest, glasses that made him look like a salesman. And he was behaving like one - that too a cheap one. "What are we getting them? Russel Stover or Walt Whitman? Godiva? Oh my God! Just then my eyes rolled over to take a sneek peek at a Godiva packet peeping out of large Nordstrom bag. Hmm... the argument went on. The man won't stop. "What did they give us last year? A $20 pack. Why are we spending $45 for them." The wife mumbled some explanation and soon realized that it is better not to mess (or it is futile) to explain the male species on domestication beyond a certain point. With a all-too-obvious-you-wont-understand look on the face, she dismissed herself from the chitty-chat to fetch some morning coffee. I was left wondering, early on a sunday morning, which also happens to be Christmas eve, with bag loads full off goodies - where in the world are they going. Friends? Relatives? It did not take a minute to stereotype this couple within the context of archtypal modern day living. It is Christmas time and you have to be with your family giving and receiving gifts - whether you like or not. It is Thanksgiving - you have to eat the turkey. It is Christmas time again - so run around the shopping malls to pick up the sweater for uncle Bob. Oh! big uncle Bob - is becoming bigger every year. Last year he broke our chair, this time I hope he behaves soberly.

I see most of us walk around searching for relatives and friends who are lost for the rest of the year, because Holiday spent alone is crazy. Same as those friends who came to visit the AIDS patient in Sontag's story. You dont like it but we do it because our title is that of a friend. There may be some, however, who have braved each year, and live a bit differently than we live now. For them, it is not the make belief world created by goodies or anything else. It is about the spirit that embodies the happy days spent in the past, and rejoicing what others feel at this time. Looking around I may find one or two. I'll look for them in the same street where Sontag tread and wrote "The way we live now"

Dealing with ultimate certainty

A couple of posts back I spoke about how incapable we are when it comes to dealing with uncertainty. We all venture in our own ways in dealing with it - striving to transform all uncertain elements into sure and certain outcomes. Yet, when it comes to dealing with the ultimate undertainty it is beyond any sane piece of mind. I am talking about "death". What is it? Is there any way I dont have to face it? Will I live long? Of yeah, I have heard you saying many times, "I dont want to live long, old age is a curse - yadayadayada." Come on, give me a break. Deep inside, everyone desires to live long. So how do I deal with it. Every time I board the plane, I feel scared. Last time, I was flying from JFK to SF and there was this guy next to me who started doing crazy things like standing up, calling on cell phone while the plane was about to take off. Man, I was scared for a moment. At that time, I feel statements like, "I dont want to live long" are such loads of crap which befits a shallow living room conversation over a glass of Merlot. But when life throws instances of mortal fear - all phoniness goes out. One thing that I have learned, it is to accept the truth that really sets one free - and it is the fact that I am so scared of death and hate to face it really means that I love my life. And I am much better accepting that and live it just the way I love it.

The last month to go ...

I have never been so eager for an year to end than this one. Does New Year really brings new hopes, joy, resolutions, and new beginnings. I wish it does! Or, let's at least believe that. I am at my last leg in San Francisco, and truly I am convinced that after visiting and staying a considerable time is many places - this city is the best in the world. I was in Las Vegas and LA over Thanksgiving, visited the Grand Canyon, which I thought was a nothing but a big hole in the ground. There are some who look at such stuff and keep wondering how nature created something like this. They see mounds of rocks jutting out as temples or the smiling Buddha. Reminds me of the Woody Allen joke - (paraphrasing) "Someone pukes in the Carnegie Hall and others look at it and find art in it." Anyway, anything static, unchanging in human years timeframe is just as good as looking at a picture. I love things that change. A moving river, changes in people's costumes, etc. etc. I really hope this year ends. I think I have had my share of upsets - failed relationships, Adcom rejecting my application after iinterviews, and so on ... But the most important part of this year, was I really felt the gift of true friends - people who have selflessly taken my venom and anger, shared my pain, and directed me in a way that kept me from disintegrating. I have come to know interesting people and visited many new places. Each of these places, will have a sweet sad story to say. I may be visiting these places again, hopefully in a happier setup - but it will never be the same. I will breathe the air that will string in the memories of this year - making me a bit forlorn. I hope that will allow me to cherish and enjoy the day that is still to come. What goes down has to go up. And maybe 2007 will be the year to go up. At least there is no harm in hoping ...