While from a thermodynamic point of view,information is considered to be heat and is further simplified as energy,in a social setting such as ours,it leads to chaos,which eventually is entropy!!
Indians have this innate herd mentality.They don't experiment much.They stick to the tried and tested methods.Is it because of following traditions diligently,or pure laziness,one could never tell for sure.Indians lack neither intelligence,nor imagination.What they do lack,is the independence to make their own choices.They are afraid of failing more than in any other part of the world,simply because they are brought up in the belief that to fail is shameful.It is almost a crime here.
While westerners profess that -Failures are the stepping stone to success",back home,one failure draws a billion comparisons to the one who succeeded and criticisms for the one who didn't.Sadly,sometimes,it also decides the fate of an individual's life.
Every exam result announcement is followed by a spate of suicides.Every defeat in a sport is followed by an analysis,re-analysis and ultimate post-mortem of the defeat, by a panel of "experts".Mind you,these "experts" also consist of people who have absolutely no clue about either the game in question,or any other question for that matter!!The underlying idea here is that these experts,represent the common man,the questions the masses are seeking answers to.In other words,it represents the crowd.
But what is a crowd?It is the most random collection of people.It is the most perfect representation of the second law of thermodynamics.Watch them,observe them - in the market,theatre or bus station.Individually people may have minds of their own.But does the crowd have a mind?They come,they go,they cross each other,with no definite purpose in mind.Ever wondered why crowd control is a difficult job?
Discouraging sports in lieu of academics?Taking up engineering while your heart is in literature?Or working in the fields while you yearn to make music?Going to a job you hate everyday just coz it pays?Coz that's what is the right thing and that's what everyone else does.Really?
It's not about idealism."Be practical!What else will you do?"Being practical is what is tried and tested.But how would you know what else can be achieved unless you try?"What would the neighbours think?".Honestly,the neighbours have issues of their own to deal with.And your neighbours are not in-charge of your happiness.You are!
So what will it be then - follow the crowd or follow your dreams??
