Anxiety of Influence

In 1973, an American literary critic and professor, Harold Bloom wrote a book “The Anxiety of Influence” where he suggests that every poet is inspired by the works of his predecessors and carries certain influence of it in his writings. An urge for their work to survive in posterity causes these poets to experience certain disquiet which he calls "the anxiety of influence."

Obsequious Sycophancy

So, when Amma goes to jail on corruption charges, the sycophants go frienzed! Some attempt suicides, a few more wail, and others resort to vandalism!! How can we forget a few movie personalities expressed their solidarity towards her, as well.

To those who think the bane of this Country is nepotism and Dynasty politics can do well to remember that the real bane is obsequious sycophancy that is unlikely to come off that easily.

In the words of Matthew Stewart…

 

1. A hard look at the numbers can explain much of the structure of the world around us.

2. Sometimes it is more important to build a consensus around a good decision than to make the best possible decision

3. Sometimes it is more useful to believe that a decision is sanctioned by a higher authority than to acknowledge that it rests on mere conjecture

4. Sometimes it is better to make a truly random choice than to continue to follow the predictable inclinations of one's established prejudices.

5. An outrageously unjustified level of self-confidence can add several points to one's perceived expertise quotient.

6. The pretence of knowledge where none is to be had, after all, is also a licence to represent private interest as a public good.

Molotov Cocktail

1. A crude incendiary device typically consisting of a bottle filled with flammable liquid and with a means of ignition.

Half-ass Seculars...

By "Well Thought" in Firspost.com

"Well the whole "secular" establishment can't have it both ways... when questions were raised about Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin they were jumping up and down that "according to Indian culture a bahu belongs to her husband's family and Sonia is very much daughter of India and Amethi because of her marriage to Rajiv" so using same logic isn't Sania Mirza is now the "Daughter of Pakistan" using the previous *secular* interpretation of Indian culture.. or if now they want to say that according to their fresh insights into Indian culture daughter remains a daughter then should we say that Sonia Gandhi remains very much the "Daughter of Italy" according to Indian culture.. well since these so called half-ass seculars and other India-haters are so enlightened, we can allow them to revise their interpretation of Indian culture we just request that they apply whatever their latest understanding is uniformly to the two case of Sonia Gandhi and Sania Mirza .. so either Sonia Gandhi remains a Daughter of Italy or Sania Mirza is now a Daughter of Pakistan." -- "Well Thought".

Even more pics

Smartness

You are only as smart as the average of 5 people you hang out with

Painting

Light at the End of Tunnel

Red Berries

School

Flower

Evening

Skies

Pictures

Summer’s Bloom

		Summer’s Bloom VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Clearing Up…

More on Religion...

For a religion to be a religion of peace, the fundamental or the principal tenet of the religion should be peace, like jainism. In this sense, Jainism is unparalleled and no other religion can truly claim to be as legitimate on peace as does Jainism. Any religion that realizes it cannot convincingly bring the whole civilization into its fold & practices would definitely see reason in accepting its co-existence with subjects of differing faith. This willingness to co-exist is a necessary fundamental of a religion that can genuinely bring happiness and peace to both its practitioners and disbelievers.

Religion

Religion should be like a framework, allowing for small adaptations and liberties. It should focus on how to make people lead a contended and peaceful life while on the path to salvation - whatever that may mean for that particular religion. Essentially, it must pore over or be bothered about what it is rather than how other religions must perceive it or whether other religions are religions at all.
Religion should not be hegemonic - if an individual wants to be hegemonic, it makes sense because he may be an ignorant soul wanting to rule over others, but with Religion trying to dominate others, it appears more like a human ego, and a lot less like religion.
A true religion would neither tread over law or be bothered about politics. Any religion aspiring to harmonize all these effectively becomes less of a religion and more of a tool of law / politics. And any class of citizens practising it ends up poking into law and politics. This kind of religion is definitely an effective instrument to amass a huge following for immediate political gains, like during the medieval times. But for modern days, it's a catastrophe.

Durdle Door – More pics

Decimate

Decimate was a military capital punishment practiced by the Romans, where Cohorts (abt 480 soldiers) guilty of desertions or mutiny were divided into groups of ten and one of the ten drawn by lots was executed by the remaining nine.

Durdle Door, Dorset

Durdle Door, Dorset

Bottleneck is always at top of the bottle

Bottleneck is always at top of the bottle

Suppressio Veri, Suggestio Falsi

The suppression of the truth is the suggestion of a falsehood.

Rashomon Effect

Along with Seven Samurai, Rashomon features among the best movies of the Japanese Movie director Akira Kurosawa. The movie is a 1950 Period Drama known for a style of narration where a single event is recounted in contradictory versions, much like the Godhra (train burning)/ post Godhra incidents, each providing an alternate version of the Truth, and mostly self serving.

On a Foggy Morn - Basingstoke