Constraint
The idea of being "tied" to get bachelors degree for FIVE years seems a lot waste. Wish I had guidance and this realization when I was selecting my field. But I didn't and nothing can be changed now. So, they are stressing us over FYP (final year project) and I am as clueless as a baby new born in this world. LITERALLY.
Today my teachers slipped off the topic and was talking about "controls" and their importance and he said:
"Religion and Society are constraints. They control our lives without which God knows what will happen of us and what will happen of this world."
Well I think RELIGION is a constraint for few. If we be honest and evaluate ourselves no matter what religion we represent we are hardly practicing the actual teachings. Every religion has promoted love and peace but as we see this world lacks both and with growing time I fear lust of power and money could drive the world deprived of both!
So religion a side, YES INDEED SOCIETY is the biggest constraint. We dress up to please society, we study to "be" someone known and respected in society which is not in any way bad. But the reins of society empowering our "free will" is something to worry about! Many dreams are crushed because of what will society say or think. For example, a woman who decides to develop a career and be stable and then think about marriage (say near thirty?). Because of society (especially in South Asia) parents dread for their daughters being single forever as they grow older than twenty four. Whats wrong with woman choosing to marry when shes stable? Well this kind of "society hold" is responsible for destroying peace from lives and destroying the very simple joys. Yes, society has left behind the word "simplicity" and yet you see society holding up the slogan of "the simpler the better". Setting up high standards, too high and involving every individual in a marathon life long, seems pretty much insane. Those who do not participate are in trouble and those who participate are never in peace too! Individual preferences. likes, happiness and joys all are lost somewhere in this marathon. When our focus remains on "getting this and that" just for the sake of society we get deviated from our aim and purpose and in this fast era individual never gets enough time or chance to actually set any aim or purpose, instead the focus is fixed on meeting the standards. At any cost. The cost we are paying is the murder of us! I hope religion becomes the constraint for all of us, it be the main driving force than there will be more love and more peace, more respect for one another than we see today...
Today my teachers slipped off the topic and was talking about "controls" and their importance and he said:
"Religion and Society are constraints. They control our lives without which God knows what will happen of us and what will happen of this world."
Well I think RELIGION is a constraint for few. If we be honest and evaluate ourselves no matter what religion we represent we are hardly practicing the actual teachings. Every religion has promoted love and peace but as we see this world lacks both and with growing time I fear lust of power and money could drive the world deprived of both!
So religion a side, YES INDEED SOCIETY is the biggest constraint. We dress up to please society, we study to "be" someone known and respected in society which is not in any way bad. But the reins of society empowering our "free will" is something to worry about! Many dreams are crushed because of what will society say or think. For example, a woman who decides to develop a career and be stable and then think about marriage (say near thirty?). Because of society (especially in South Asia) parents dread for their daughters being single forever as they grow older than twenty four. Whats wrong with woman choosing to marry when shes stable? Well this kind of "society hold" is responsible for destroying peace from lives and destroying the very simple joys. Yes, society has left behind the word "simplicity" and yet you see society holding up the slogan of "the simpler the better". Setting up high standards, too high and involving every individual in a marathon life long, seems pretty much insane. Those who do not participate are in trouble and those who participate are never in peace too! Individual preferences. likes, happiness and joys all are lost somewhere in this marathon. When our focus remains on "getting this and that" just for the sake of society we get deviated from our aim and purpose and in this fast era individual never gets enough time or chance to actually set any aim or purpose, instead the focus is fixed on meeting the standards. At any cost. The cost we are paying is the murder of us! I hope religion becomes the constraint for all of us, it be the main driving force than there will be more love and more peace, more respect for one another than we see today...
I relate well to that. My career is in pits right now. I chose a field out of love and not practical, employment related consequences. And now with doctors and engineers surrounding me and getting placed in up-shot companies within as well as outside India, I ca barely think straight. Maybe it's because of the disparity between what I think I deserve and what I have right now. Or maybe I'm just jealous. Or maybe I don't want success strongly enough or even as much as my more successful counterparts.
ReplyDeleteIn short, I am tired of this rat race where my success is only measured upon the number of people I overshadow and outrun. It's insane. It's a kind of mental slavery to the society and only the most dauntless and persistent of us can retain the temptation to carve a course for themselves away from the mainstream. I'm trying to be one. So shall you. Keep strong. :)
See it the way, keeping your dreams alive without looking at others progress (kind of hard I know!).. But you can either be bound or tied or you can break free and pursue your dreams and once you have made a decision do not question it when facing the consequences because whatever decisions we make consequences are bound to be there.
DeleteI hope we both will be discussing about dreams ten years from now in a most satisfying manner after having achieved ours :)
(P.S I hope so about myself, though usually I am never positive about myself or my stupid life)...
Thank you for sharing your thoughts :)
As the song goes 'SOCIETY......YOU ARE A CRAZY BREED'
ReplyDeleteI have long given up wasting my time trying to please them.
You have been very wise to have retired of this marathon.
Delete:) I have too.
Excellent post. You did not know how to select your field? You should have read my post on that subject. (Little attempted humor). Here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://sg-shootthebreeze.blogspot.com/2010/09/college-major.html
I was excited when I chose that field unaware that it is a five years bachelors pragramme which appears to me now as a big waste of time and useless too and I mostly and mainly regret my decision thats why and also because I repel being stuck to same thing without any change and I have been stuck to same stressful pathetic life since almost four years and I am sick and tired of it :$ Ending is hard to tolerate especially because all my friends are enjoying their last semester and I have been such a fool to step into this long bachelors!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I will definitely see your blog post :)
I completed my Master's degree this year and you know what, I have come to realize that I picked the wrong courses all my life. I think such a time comes in everyone's lives when we regret doing what we did. I hope with time I come to respect my decisions for whatever reason I took them and whatever results I got.
ReplyDeleteI second you on the societal perspective. In fact I am facing the same dilemma (being South Asian and having turned 24 this year). Honestly, can't people live and let live? I worked so hard forever my life and now when it's time to be independent people are trying to bind me again. Gawd, it's sickening! But I say, the world can go to hell but I won't. If fighting is what I have to do, I will.
Woah...this post touched a nerve or two of mine. I am glad that I am not the only one being bothered by these things. :P
My mom always says, "You give too much importance to world and people and they will snatch life out of you so be free and learn to not care, for many things you hear are only going to tie you down and stop you from reaching high."
ReplyDeleteSo when the world is trying to tie you down I think it is the time you should take off and pay no heed to anyone but your inner voice (something I am telling myself thee days so I am trying to share with you too hoping it works and we both actually do that too). I am 22 and in fourth year of B.E and I now think I have choosen the wrong field. It would have well suited me to do masters in English then read and write a little more, and have a wild imagination and philosophy filled head and not just a dry self as I am now. I read my archives and literally feel the gates of my playful imaginative mind rusted and shut and I feel sad by the fact that I am paying a heavy price for a stupid Engineering degree while I could have been so "me" if I had proper counselling and guidance and have discovered the bit of me and my interests as I know now... And added to it much to my chagrin my bachelors is of five years instead of four so imagine!
Sighs...
Nothing can be done and I must as well learn to embrace it isn't it? :(