As someone raised within the deep folds of India’s Hindu culture, I am frustrated when non-Indians draw parallels from the Abrahamic religions to Hinduism, assuming a one-to-one, monolithic correlation… and right away stumble in their understanding. I don’t claim to have exclusive ‘insider’ status as a commentator particularly since I don’t reside within the geographicalContinue reading “Thoughts on Hinduism”
Author Archives: Jolz
Ignorance, thy name is God.
The more we know, the less we need a god. The more we grow, the lesser god becomes. The more light shed on our past, present and future ideas, the duller the notion of god shines. The more bridges we build across conflicting systems of human welfare, the more god justifications fall through the gaps.Continue reading “Ignorance, thy name is God.”
The Religious Stockholm Syndrome
Sweden is among the least religious of countries in the world along with Estonia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Norway and Japan. So, naturally I balk at associating it, clumsily though it might be, to this concept of ‘falling’ in love with an oppressor as is the requirement for any of the fastidiously religious. Religious folk vehementlyContinue reading “The Religious Stockholm Syndrome”
71 Million Americans Can’t be Wrong! Or can they?
As I write this, the still on-going 2020 US elections has shattered the mirage of safety that Americans, and the free world by extension, had built around themselves founded on the principles of democracy. People in their personal, official and social capacities interpreted current affairs in polarizing variability, not as Republicans and Democrats but asContinue reading “71 Million Americans Can’t be Wrong! Or can they?”
Due South
The United States is voting today – November 3, 2020! It’s hard-earned reputation as a leader and upholder of democratic values is in a state of erosion because of a singular narcissist enabled by a whole bunch of ‘party’ line-toers who don’t want to shake the boat. Republicans and their propaganda machines jump at opportunitiesContinue reading “Due South”
The Memetic Imperative
Every living thing around us is a ratcheted, evolved response to support the immortality of the original form of life – a self-replicating arrangement of chemical molecules as a packet of information. If this arrangement happened about 3-1/2 billion years ago, most likely near deep-sea hydrothermal vents, all that happened at that moment of theContinue reading “The Memetic Imperative”
Knowledge is Gold
I have only recently begun to celebrate ‘not being sure’. It is a tremendously liberating experience – uncertainty! Gone are the rigorous truths and the mendacious confidence when faced with questions that belie simple knowledge. “Is now a good time to invest in real estate?” “What’s a quark?”, “Should I change jobs?” “Is there lifeContinue reading “Knowledge is Gold”
Experiments with Truth
Democracy is a ticket to experiment. This is the essence of everything good and correct – experimentation. As a scientist, you experiment with different options until you arrive at what you think is a satisfactory outcome, and when new evidence presents itself you are happy to change your mind. As a builder, you experiment withContinue reading “Experiments with Truth”
Inertia of Servitude
With hindsight 20-20, I am increasingly boggled by what kept me religious way into my 40s! What conspired to blind me to live a life built around irrational belief states? Why didn’t I ask questions that now seem so obvious for me to ask and challenge the indoctrination I was subjected to? The answer thatContinue reading “Inertia of Servitude”
‘Sapiend’ing Perception
Have you considered the distance between two galaxies? How about the empty space between electrons zipping around the nucleus? When a scientist says “I don’t know” to a question can you measure the depth of knowledge required make that proclamation? Can you articulate the magnitude of synaptic firings that begin as you attempt to recallContinue reading “‘Sapiend’ing Perception”
My 2 cents 