Defining Ethics

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”

-Potter Stewart  1915 – 1985

 Lawyer and Assoc. Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1958 -1981)

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potter_Stewart

Do-pahar...

ये जीत-हार तो इस दौर का मुक्द्दर है

ये दौर जो के पुराना नही...नया भी नहीं

ये दौर जो सज़ा भी नही...जज़ा भी नहीं

ये दौर जिसका बा-जहिर कोइ खुदा भी नहीं

                          (jazza : rewards;  ba-zaahir : evidently)

तुम्हारी जीत अहम है..ना मेरी हार अहम

के इब्तिदा भी नहीं है..ये इन्तेहा भी नहीं

शुरु मारका-ए-जान ..अभी हुआ भी नहीं

शुरु तो ये हंगाम-ए-फ़ैसला भी नहीं

                         (ibtidaa : beginning; ma’arka-e-jaaN :
                   battle for life; hangaam-e-faisila : 
                   commotion before the verdict)

पयाम ज़ेर-ए-लब अब तक है सूर-ए-इसराफ़ील

सुना किसी ने किसी ने अभी सुना भी नहीं

किया किसी ने किसी ने यकीं किया भी नहीं

उठा जमीं से कोई, कोई उठा भी नहीं

                        (zer-e-lab : on the lips; 
                  Suur-e-Israafiil : According to 

                  Islamic theology, Israafil is one 
                  of the angels who would call the 
                 dead to life on the day of judgment 

                  by sounding a loud alarm. It is
                 believed that everyone would get 
                up from their graves and elsewhere
                after hearing this alarm.)

कदम कदम पर दिया है रहज़नों ने फ़रेब

के अब निगाह मे तौकीर-ए-रहनुमा भी नहीं

उसे समझते है मंजिल जो रास्ता भी नहीं

वहाँ लगाते हैं डेरा जहाँ वफ़ा भी नही

                  (rahzan : Caravan robbers; 
                 tauqiir-e-rahnuma : respect for 
                 the leader)

ये कारवाँ है तो अनज़ाम-ए-कारवाँ मालूम

के अजनबी भी नहीं कोई आशना भी नहीं

किसी से खुश भी नहीं कोई खफ़ा भी नहीं

किसी का हाल मुड़ कर कोइ पूछता भी नहीं

--Kaifi Azmi

Listen: http://aligarians.com/2006/03/do-pahar/

 

Being Angry...

Anyone can become angry - that is easy.

But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right reasons, and in the right way - that is not easy.

 

    -Aristotle

Empathy...

I think, we should always try to see things form other people’s perspective..This allows us to empathize even if we disagree.

Compassion, I believe, gives you room to relate with people because we no longer regard them as a drain/threat.

The alternate path is to be stubborn and adamant idiot…unwilling to consider anyone else’s opinions and needs…living in shear ignorance.  I have so many live examples around me..so don’t ask more.

On Money and Happyness...

 “Money and success don’t change people;

  They merely amplify what is already there.”

         -Will Smith

I believe, money, in itself, is a means to an end and not an end unto itself. (just like success is a journey and not a destination..)

This is an important distinction.

Have you heard of those really..really unhappy and *rich* people ? The ones that get depressed or get crazy and drink their lives away or kill themselves?

They are the people, at the first place, who thought that money would bring them happiness.

This is a myth.

Sure, money can help you buy nice things and open up all kinds of doors. But if you don’t have that happiness already, all money is going to do is...give you more sadness...or boredom.

It is an amplifier, and whatever you already feel(and have) will become more intense as you get more of it. This includes unhappiness.

I think...the pursuit of money is really silly.

Instead, it should be the pursuit of things and ideas that bring you money. And for the things that money can help you do or achieve.

To chase money for money’s sake...? Naah!

Do you believe the same?

Taking Inspirations...

"It is said that Sartre drank thirty cups of coffee a day in order to function correctly.

It is also said that Philip K. Dick used vast amounts of speed.

Picasso had a lot of sex.

Bandelaire surprisingly relied on routine, whilst Magritte preferred suburbia.

Charles Dickens was spurred on by deadlines.

Mozart liked solitude.

Some artists work late at night, others early in the morning.

Some are quiet, some talk a lot. Many drink a lot.

…

Clearly the whole issue of inspiration is unclear."

 

-- Storm Thorgerson, art director, Pink Floyd

Verbs and Noun...

We are all verbs. God is the only noun.

 

-Deepak Chopra

Koi Deewana Kehta Hai..

This is one of my favorites...






Update: On Popular demand, adding lyrics..

Lyrics:
Koi deewana kehta hai koi pagal samjhta hain,
magar dharti ki bechani ko bas badal samjhta hain,
Main tujhse dur kaisa hu,tu mujhse dur kaisi hain,
Yeh tera dil samjhta hain ya mera dil samjhta hain

Ke mohobbat ek ehsaason ki paawan si kahaani hain,
kabhi kabira deewana tha kabhi meera diwaani hain,
Yahaan sab log kehte hain meri aakho mein aasu hain,
Jo tu samjhe toh moti hain jo na samjhe toh paani hain

Mat poooch ki kya haal hai mera tere aage,
Tu dekh ke kya rang hain tera mere aage

Samandar peer ka andar hain lekin ro nahi sakta,
Yeh aasu pyaar ka moti hain isko kho nahi sakta,
Meri chahat ko dulhan tu bana lena magar sun le,
Jo mera ho nahi paaya woh tera ho nahi sakta

Bhramar koi kumudni par machal baitha toh hungama,
Humare dil mein koi khwaab pal baitha toh hungama,
Abhi tak doob kar sunte the sab kissa mohobbat ka,
Main kisse ko hakikat mein badal baitha toh hungama

Happyness..Epicurus Style...

Here you go again…happiness!

So it turns out that Epicurus was right about Happiness..almost.

http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/12/hedonist-philosopher-epicurus-was-right.php

"If a little is not enough for you, nothing is." –Epicurus

All the more..what’s amusing to me is the fact that philosophers..since ages..have been keen to tell the rest of us.. “how to live” and “how to be happy”.

And..if we go by it…the advice comes to us “with the lustre of intellectual achievement”…WTF?

Isn’t this in itself .. Being happy for them?

So..this is what the dude(err..I mean Epicurus) suggested..

1. Don't fear the gods (or fate, or blind chance)
2. Don't worry about death
3. What is good is easy to get
4. What is terrible is easy to endure

Philosophy: Study of philosophy is central to happiness…can help us deal with both..our fear of death and.. of the gods.

Friendship: Friendship is one of the most important aspects of the good life. Not only does it give us many benefits, it also benefits our friends as well.

Now, this is interesting.. Epicurus advised against getting married. He wasn't that impressed with sex either saying we should count ourselves lucky if sex didn't cause anyone any harm(!).

Prudence: is an excellent way of making decisions. All decisions can be seen as leading to pleasure or pain. Thinking ahead, planning for the future with these possible outcomes in mind will help lead a pleasurable life.

Security: Well you have to agree to it as-is…

 

And, according to the modern school of thought…

1. Epicurus was wrong about the detached life and commune living

2. Epicurus was wrong about avoiding marriage
3. Pleasure is not the opposite of pain

And this is what our dude got right…

1. Using cognitive strategies to deal with death and pain
2. Friendships matter more than status or money
3. Happiness comes from moderate varied pleasure

Nature and Death...

I read this interesting quote today...

"Nature is God's way of killing you."

And it occurs that..
"Aging is Nature's way of killing you".

But, you might want to ask..
Why does God want me to die?