The ideal man - How things ought to be.

Ever since I’ve read ‘The Fountainhead’, I wanted to talk about Howard Roark. This is the best way for me.

The novel is built around, and for that character and not the other way around. In simple terms the novel describes an ideal man and celebrates him. That seems to be the cause, destiny and inspiration of Ayn Rand, the author. The character of the ideal man has been named Howard Roark.

I cannot go into story details but I will try to describe Howard Roark though I don’t think I’ll be totally successful in that either.

Howard Roark is an architect who gets expelled from college in final year of graduation because he doesn’t confirm to the norms and traditionally accepted ideas and models of architecture in his project works. And when given a chance by his dean to rejoin the college and complete his graduation considering his high academics, he refuses the offer saying that he has already learned whatever he needs to learn about architecture and hence there would be no point in coming back.

The plans of buildings sketched by Howard Roark are not traditional like that of Churches and Roman Tombs or any other kind of architectural history. They are not modernistic either. He doesn’t bother to confirm with previous rules and norms. But then again, he doesn’t bother to be a rebel either. The plan is made and built around the idea that every building has a cause and hence the design must be driven by the cause.

Bottom line is that Howard Roark works on his own terms. He doesn’t compromise for his clients, for the sake of his work or even for his survival. He is selfish in that sense. He would rather not design a building than design it in any other way than his. And he would later on destroy a building designed by him because the design and the essence of the design have been tampered with.

When he doesn’t care for the feelings of others, he doesn’t act like he does. He doesn’t get hurt when someone who hates his principles, and guts, ruins his life. He cannot be hated and hurt because hypocrites of the society cannot touch him. He calls them second-handers, who live to gain the approval of others, who just try to get accepted by other second-handers. Who accept other second-handers. Who live on the ideas of others. Parasites. It is said to be a virtue to follow and go with the flow. But the creative mind goes against the current and has to fight the force of the current to create something new.

He says that the soul or spirit of a person cannot be shared with anyone else. Which is the reason why he refuses to collaborate, cooperate and work with teams of architects. There is no such thing as collective brain. He says that selfishness in true sense is the greatest virtue of all. And the reward for a work of one’s own vision is the work in itself. Not wealth, not greatness, not social service either.

Work of Howard Roark is not for the world, for the service of fellow beings or even for his personal goals. His motivation is his work and it is the reward, and Howard Roark lives for that. He destroys that building he designed because his vision, his design has been modified and hence nullified. Because he designed that building with the only condition of it being erected as it is and for no other reason. That is his fee, not money. He did not design it as charity though it is meant to accommodate the poor. He destroyed that building because he did not get his payment but the owners got it as a gift. And Howard Roark isn’t an altruist. He doesn’t give gifts of such nature. He clearly refuses the right of any man or group of men, however large, to a single minute of his work, any part of his energy or any of his achievements. He doesn’t exist for others. And he doesn’t ask others to exist for him. To sum up his view on friendship, he says to his best friend “I would die for you, but I would never live for you”. And when it comes to love, he says – “To say I Love one must first know how to say ‘I’”

In practice, these characteristics are expressed using the word ‘ego’ which is used as a negative or even as a filth word. And Howard Roark defends the egocentric mind of his with everything he has.

He simply states that these are his terms. He doesn’t care to exist under any other.

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Tips for CA preparing students, well..almost

Before I wrote the exams, I had decided to write an article about how to prepare for CA, of course if and when I pass CA. I did pass CA but then decided not to go on with the tips because it’s not so intelligent when you think about it. But then again I thought “What the heck, at least my blog will have a new post” and here we go

·        Number of Months to study:

3 months, if you study that is.

·        Books to refer:

Whatever they are that you can procure. Just don’t spend more time thinking about books than thinking about the subjects

·        Books to borrow:

None. Prepare your own notes, buy your own books. Phukat me kuch bhi nai hota.

·        Time table:

Study at whatever time you want to.

·        Schedule:

Make your schedule around your study time. Not your study around your schedule of the Matinee or Pooja.

·        Before the Exam:

This is an actual tip. Don’t listen to idiots who study a hundred things from a hundred materials and speculate on how tough the paper is going to be and what chapters are more important. Just revise what you know and trust the text book you studied from.

·        In the Exam:

Sit down and concentrate on how to write. Don’t think about the result when writing the paper and don’t think about the paper when reading the result.

·        Subject wise tips:

Do the sums in accounts and SFM. Study the theory well in Auditing and Law. Do the problems in Costing. Study smartly in ISCA. Study the whole thing in IDT and DT. Thing is, in a practical paper, pass in the practical part itself keeping theory for spare or safety and vise versa.

·        Waiting for the Results:

Just do something worth your while and forget about the results. I am sick of all the results tension dialogs from people.

·        Bottom Line:

If you want to do something (CA in this case), just do whatever is required to finish that task. Stop BS-ing around and work towards it.

Karmaniye vadika something..

It’s a famous Sanskrit poem which says that one should do the task with his best efforts but not expect to reap the seeds thereof.

My CA results are due tomorrow and people are so worried about them. As if they had a say in what subjects they could flunk.. Actually they had, just not now.

People think too much about the ends even though they know very well that they are not meant to. Everyone educated up to a certain level has had a formal lesson in context about concentrating on your to do’s and forget about the end result and yet when the situation arises, it is the same old story of working less or more and expecting that there will be a miracle and a disaster. We know it doesn’t matter what we expect and yet we speculate that the world is coming to an end tomorrow and start packing the bags today itself just in case.

I am no exception to the anxiety that all are feeling at this moment but I at least am trying to keep the thinking process away from the emotions because when those two combine, the effect is silly in reality.. Which is quite hard when everyone around is thinking, talking and giving various expressions to describe how anxious they are.

What each of us did when the exams were due back then and preparation was required is none of the business of anyone else. But then again, my friend could have actually tried to study before the exams rather than try to analyze the paper after just in case he was asked for his opinion in an interview by Times. He is expecting a miracle at least. I want to say Karmaniye vadikaraste to him but its impossible for me to remember those words after the next 2 minutes on Fb.

You already decided what you are going to get. Live with it.

Creativity - killed

There was a time when ideas occurred at will to me. My blog always had a new post in works. And people, they were actually impressed by the articles I used to write. That was me even till last year. But then CA took over. I had to write my exams. Had to prepare for months on a roll and whenever I wanted to do something else, there was this guilt feeling that I shouldn’t be fooling around away from books. So my thought process lost that freedom which makes it flow and make things happen.

There you go, my creativity was restricted and slowly nullified. People think that creativity is like, you know like, those things which never go away. It does. Especially when you prepare 8 mammoth subjects for an exam. More so when you don’t expect to use any of them practically to earn a living.

My ability to write about interesting things slowly but surely went down. I specifically miss the good feeling I get when I know that an article turned out to be something meaningful and good enough to be posted under my name.

And this, yet another attempt to bring back a bit of that.

India at the Top

Let’s just say India is the super power in place of US/UK. And our system is our advantage for a change. Two teens of US are talking (It could be UK teens too, there will just be more mate’s than dude’s in that case)

“Hey dude, have you heard, there is yet another scam in India after the Telecom thing, it’s about some CW Games, ever heard of it?”

“No. These Indians are awesome man; they totally make money out of nowhere. Wish I could go there and get into some kind of public unit”

“I mean come on; India is not at the top for no reason. If it were here, you’ll have to wage a war on some other country, kill a few million people and only then can you dream of making some wealth – That too if you are prepared to be a called a villain like Bush and there, all you have to do is to be born as a politicians kid. And you are the prince. No questions asked. Everything in India is awesome man. From the way they take shit to their music. Take have Teen maar and classical music – So extreme to each other and yet so fun and not making any sense whatsoever. We here have the Eminem Rap bitching about the Congress all the time. When are we going to learn from India that the best way to be is let the politics go their own way. Out there, the opposition is more worried about a ragged mosque-turned temple than who their fucking party leader is. Look at the Black money they are thinking of getting back from Swiss, they’ll get even richer then eh. Show me one American dollar outside the US huh? Even the sports they play rock man, even some loser like Irfan Pathan can earn millions and he doesn’t even know which IPL team picked him this time around! I am telling you India is the place to be. Anyways, That is so not the accent you want to have if you want to get abroad to Indian States. Start working on that accent. You’ll have to say ‘India’ with a stressed ‘D’ there”

“Yeah I know that. And you are forgetting about the languages they have, the cool words they use. Again what is ‘cool’ eh? Say ‘Bindass’ and that’s something. Heard of the word Kiraak? Its something new and it’s a rage out there. Bet it would be tough for us lads to get the same kick in those words as they do. Even they swear cool man, Fucker is nothing compared to them, they use the freedom of speech to the limits. And every region specializes in its own language and every language invariably has a minimum of zillion swear words inbuilt”

“Whats more, Bollywood as a rule rocks the world over anyways and with the new Shiela ki jawaani and Munni, its killing. I mean, you have the whole theater to yourself in a hall showing a movie of RGV. You can’t ask for more - Even if you are an Indian! Our fucked up workaholic directors will never understand that the job of a movie is to – keep it simple- provide a good afternoon’s nap at the minimum and any more privacy other than that is just patronage to the audience. Also, the scope for a script in India is so wide, all you have to do is take a case of failed justice like that of Jessica and you have a ‘critically applauded’ film. Wait a minute, you take a top hero, give him some stupid dance steps and a heroine and what do you get? Blockbuster Dabangg! Wonder where they get those awesome titles from. If that doesn’t blow you away, watch Robot, Only in India will something like that sell so much. Our Spiderman’s and Batman’s will have to go begging if they were in India. They are not efficient. Rajni will blow them away in a cough, literally!”

“Talking of ‘Heroes’, do you have any episodes of that shit in your sys? I am getting bored in the evenings”

“Dude, I only keep Bhabhi Bahu serials, get real man! Who watches the US series and reality shows these days when you have Indian versions for all of them. You will also find the funniest shows only in those channels these days. That guy named Navjot Siddu or something must be the dumbest guy on earth and people love him. Enough with that, here take some Roadies episodes and have a blast with the fake cries and drama.”

“You are Bindass man. And since you seem to know so much about the Indian system, tell me something. Why do they have an Economist as a PM when they have a guy like Lalu? I mean he took over the railways, for what – a year? And turned it to pure gold. Of course on paper that is, by false accounts. I mean, what else can you ask. If he were the PM, the rest of the government could go on a rampage of money laundering right? Why did they screw up on such a simple trick?”

“Indian politics isn’t as simple as using their ’bindass’ dude, Its complex and elaborate, you’ll have to go do some research to understand the reasoning of compromise and the behind the scene field work that goes into the running of such an efficiently corrupt system. There is a reason why many people in India don’t know what Wikileaks is yet. Damn if even our President understands those dynamics. Anyways I’ll leave. Tata mate”

On 2010

Whenever I really want to fill something new in this space and don’t have anything to say, I pick up this New Year article (or ‘Independence day’ wala etc depending on the opportunity)

Anyways the record is not broken yet. 2009 is still the most happening year of my life with the exception of the year I was born. Of course a few things happened in 2010, it wasn’t totally lame. My office training is done with for one. My college is over. I graduated successfully and as opposed to popular reactions relating to the event, it doesn’t affect me whatsoever. No offense but it never did. I did not look at college in that kind of way. Let’s say I was managing it. If anything, I am glad that I don’t have to worry about the attendance and exam fees. My friend list is short as ever but I was able to filter out a few and add a few others which doesn’t matter anyways, so I think it doesn’t deserve the mention here. All those birthday’s, treats and night outs were as usual and fun.

Had some really beautiful events which I will not share obviously .Except Sachin’s 200, I was practically jumping in front of the TV! (Was it in 2010 or 09?) And some stupid and/or ugly and/or regrettable moments which I am trying to forget if I didn’t yet.

People tend to think that the childhood is the best phase of life especially after all that they have gone through later. But in reality the more time we are alive, the better you we are getting as persons. Because everyday we learn something new or learn to do something better. So today you are more wise and informed than yesterday and tomorrow you can only be better. Irrespective of whether good happens or bad. So in 365 days (If 2010 wasn’t leap) we all grew and added a bit more value to the package of ours.

Anyways, dividing life into chapters is good. Makes it easier to recall (Not for me though). And 2010 as a chapter was like that ‘yet another chapter in the book with practically same answers but different questions’. Because it did not matter as much but it is a part of the package.