What are we thinking about?

Thinking about life is like looking at the world through a telescope – sometimes things appear bigger than they are and other times, smaller than they are – depending on which end we are using!

- Contributed by R.V.K.

The Power To Think

Humans are endowed the power of complex thinking which has significantly evolved beyond the capacity of any other species. It is surprising how people think differently both individually and as a function of time. Individuals think based on their circumstances and the environment they live in. For example, a poor person in an impoverished country thinks mostly about how to get enough food for himself and his family and not as per how to buy an iPad. But among more affluent countries, people think beyond simple necessities like food and clothing. However, it is a matter of interesting conjecture if rich people whether they hail from rich or poor countries, think alike?  It has been said that aid to a poor country is transfer of assets from the rich of one country to the rich of the other!  In any event, the distinction in the way of thinking of all persons with age is more interesting to discuss.

Evolving Perspectives

When a person is a child there is very little thinking as most of the things needed are provided by the elders (more by the affluent and less by the poor). At this time, the right side of the telescope of matters or the treadmill effect does not yet come in to play. As the child grows to a teenager, the first glimpse of the telescope effect appears. The world and its challenges appear much bigger than they really are. One feels the necessity and obligation to correct the wrongs and unfairness of the world. They feel not only obligated but capable of correcting all the ills of the world.

Then comes the age of love. This is a peculiarly strong, but short lived phenomenon. During this period, emotions are so captivating, that the youth is willing to make any sacrifice. There are instances of kingdoms being lost and suicides committed just for this. At this stage it is practically impossible to envisage that it is a transient phenomenon and does not last more than a short period. They do not yet realize that the only way to live amicably for a long period of time is not through the intensity of emotion, but caring for each other and show affection towards each other.   However, one can dispassionately observe, that no one will be willing to sign up for the long slog, were it not for the intensity of emotion to get started in the first place.

Another telescopic effect is the need to achieve wealth and renknown. We work hard and sacrifice a lot to achieve this elusive goal.

It is also this point that the life’s treadmill will start entering the life of individuals. Day after day, they keep running on the life’s treadmill on which they keep running but not going anywhere. We sacrifice a lot including rest and relaxation to earn more and more money. This effect lasts almost four decades. 

This is also the period when  people strongly believe that they must accumulate as much wealth by any means possible and they will live forever to enjoy the same. We sacrifice everything for the sake of the children and try their best to place the children in a better position than themselves in life. Since we on average enjoy good health during this period, they strongly believe that life will continue forever the same way. The thought of old age or death seldom enters thought.   

A choice about thinking

Beyond sixty, old age slowly creeps in and all the things that appeared bigger than life will now start appearing extremely small, similar to the images seen in a telescope from the reverse side. Children will go up and go their own way, partnership with spouse will continue for some time - it is this time; profound thinking comes to the forefront.  Indeed, normal life goes on complete with friends, family, hobbies, passions, travel and adventure.  But there is no question that profound questions come much more to the fore, than ever before.

Three paths exist for one to tackle these profound questions, disregarding the potential for apathy as well.

One is total submission to the almighty. Whatever it may mean depending on the religion, and pray for salvation and a peaceful end to the life.

The second path is becoming an atheist and total disbelief of any religious dogmas or teachings.

The third is to contemplate on the ultimate reality.

For me at least, this third category is of interest. Here, I distinguish faith from religion. The first is personal and is strongly imbedded in the person. It brings peace, tranquility and happiness to one’s life.

Religion on the other hand is organized and used to inculcate a way of thinking and a way of forming a culture. Right from my childhood, I have questions and doubts about what the function of religion is.

To start with, most religions express that there are something called a Heaven and Hell. Though, no one can exactly define what they are, it is generally believed that Heaven is where people who do good deeds go and Hell is where who do bad things go.

Religions also believe that there is something called a soul, though different interpretations are given for the same. No one knows or can define exactly what it is.  The debate seems to be, to what extent in an individual, there is something more than the physical body.

A big question is that after a person dies, whether the ‘something that is more than the physical body’ has size, shape or mass, what can heaven or hell do to it? Further, if it is dispersed in to the universe and does not have any relation to the person it resided in, what is the meaning of its going to either Heaven or Hell? Since it is not a physical quantity, pleasure or pain, which is associated with only the physical body, what does it mean to asign physical attributes of experience to it?

Summing up to a legacy

There is another thinking that humans engage in the latter part of  life. That is leaving a ‘legacy.’ We believe that they have to be remembered for their wealth or wisdom. The fact is that once persons leave this world, hardly anybody cares for them. Perhaps great people like Gandhi or Lincoln are remembered for a few centuries. Even that is miniscule in a cosmic scale. In fact human existence itself is insignificant compared to cosmic events. In case of ordinary people, no matter how much wealth they acquire or how great are their accomplishments, hardly any one remembers them. At best, the children and grandchildren might remember them for some years. Life goes on. They themselves go through the same stages and disappear from the earth like all others. So, what should one think about?  

A strange game

I am repeating here what I read some time ago. Life is a strange game. It is not played because one wishes to play it. The game begins and ends in the same way - alone! The rules are not given at any time and it has to be played as it comes each day. There nothing called fairness in this game. Each can play as best as they can and believe that they can take all the winnings with them. Each will have to believe that the game is ‘real’ as long as they play. Once it is started, it cannot be stopped till the end. Most important of all – no one knows why this game has to be played at all. As long as it is being played, one has to, as in any game, think, strategize and play to win.

Levels of thinking

One can think about playing the game well.  One can also wonder about the game itself and how it works.  Finally one can question what our invidual role is in all this, given the very tiny fraction of time we actually spend playing it, given the scale of what is happening both in terms of time and space.