Do we need to measure ourselves?

I am confident that every culture has come up with ways to ease out the emotions that result from comparisons.  I was hearing it a lot from my father, “Our elders were saying that, if it happens in life that you feel proud because of your achievements and started looking down to others, visit a graveyard. By looking to epitaphs or tombstones you will realize that much better people are lying there that preceded you and if it happens sometime in you life that you feel down then visit a marketplace or Bazar and you will see people of different kinds that you are much better off than a lot of them”… While, the advice is practical but the question is, do we really need to measure ourselves at first place?

We can’t think to live modestly without measurements. All businesses, sciences and most of the social interactions are based on measurements.  In fact, our sense of fairness and security in our interactions with others dominantly come from our relying on these measurements. If we are relying so heavily on measurements in our daily lives then isn’t it counterintuitive that when it comes to our personal lives, the frequent advice is to not measure ourselves with others??? (Except in the cases of emotional very high or very down; first paragraph). The reason for not measuring/comparing oneself with others is said to be “Differential abilities/talents” and “Differential beginnings” so the comparisons do not makes sense but even more important reason is its cost on the overall wellbeing of the individual. By comparison with others one either becomes illusionary flattered or becomes delusionary depressed.

 While we are advised not compare with others but we are evolved to appreciate refined things. In fact, choices that we make and prices that we willingly pay are dominantly based on the refinements. We know men with most refined works in their respective fields as great men. It is repetition but just to illustrate look at following list,

Shakespeare; most refined drama writer, Einstein; most refined Physicist, Charles Darwin; most refined biologist, Michael Angelo; most refined artist, Alexander the great; most refined general, Socrates; most refined Philosopher, Siddhartha; most refined psychologist, Edison;  most refined inventor, Gandhi;  most refined politician, Muhammad Ali; most refined boxer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan; most refined singer and so on…

If from one side we are advised to not compare with ourselves with others but from other side we are advised to takes these big names as role models and push against our limits. It seems that we actually got standards for our measurements and we do measure however, these measurements are NOT to find our worth but instead to make ourselves worthwhile.

But it does also have another aspect; looking to this very small sample out of pool of great names, one might wonder, these were the individuals who invested their lives for their respective goals. Does the goal in life is the same as “meaning in life?” or a life worthy of living despite all suffering it asks for? Majority of people are living a mediocre or below mediocre lives. What about their lives? Are their lives are devoid of meaning? Of course, no one agree with this extreme point of view except radical reductionists. But while having said that, if you look back to the list, you find that all of these great names are coming only from one dominant perspective and that is the utilitarian perspective of life; how much useful one is to society? Although it eases out everyone as no doubt everyone finds their niches of usefulness in their respective societies however, again it ignores the very person/individual in question.

For the individual, there is another perspective and that is psychological perspective. I don’t know any other person than Siddhartha who came with best explanation for this aspect of the question. Do not compare yourself at all. Making comparisons and expectations are wrong approaches. Life is not all about racing with others. It is much bigger than that. So, it is no wonder to see the popularity of yoga increases in places where races are more intensive. Although it is ironic but at least it is good that it is working. I didn’t want to suggest anything instead I just wanted to clarify that when it comes to our lives, we usually mix psychological perspective with social usefulness perspective.

I read a lot of complains that Philosophy has a depleting impacts on the meaning of life. It questions everything so brutally that leaves nothing under shades. To me, that is a mistake. Personally, I do not look to Philosophy as a specialized knowledge to provide specific answers. It is a practice of critical thinking in areas or to questions one cares or has interest in and it is not necessary that our areas of interests match. In short, if one wants to get a utilitarian perspective like level of usefulness to society, one might come with good answers. It might actually enrich the life but of course with due sufferings they ask for. But on other hand, if one is not concerned with society but just for wellbeing or with personal life then I am afraid that Philosophy is not a good place. For that, ancient Psychologists provide a template for practice and an explanation that rationalize well to live a content life. I always refer to Siddhartha (Buddha) as he had a secular and practical approach to personal wellbeing. My personal approach so far has been a combination of both. While I try my best to push against my limits to be more usefulness, I do not expect in return or at least try to minimize my expectations to the lowest levels.   

Tiger Mom's interesting analysis of empires' history and lessons for contemporary world

'A Universe From Nothing' by Lawrence Krauss, AAI 2009

Sartre on Intellectualism

Are Hazaras of Quetta really trapped???

So we are in midst of 2^nd World Wide Protest against ongoing Genocide of Hazaras in Quetta, Pakistan, something that didn’t materialize when Taliban were systematically massacring Hazaras in Kabul, Mazar Sharif and Hazarajat from 1998 until Fall of 2001. Of course, it is the fruit of a decade long struggle of Hazaras to recollect their torn off society to rebuild their civic life. I don’t find any other nation on the face of earth that have faced more than a century long systematic genocides as Hazaras have been facing since 1885. Just in my life time, there have been three systematic genocides in three decades so far. It seems that Hazaras populations are the hotspots of Genocides.

While the Genocides of Hazaras in Quetta is continued and the culprits appear to have strong support and will to carry on their genocidal plans without any check from Government, there are fears of civil war in Afghanistan after withdrawal of international forces after 2014. Both sides of tunnel are dark and there is no light to show the way out. In this situation the migration is natural phenomenon but there are fears that the brain drain of capable men and women make these already torn off populations of Hazaras more vulnerable.
 

Now, what are the options? I am really glad that there are brains inside Hazaras who frequently speak their minds and there are political forces and organizations that are duly responding to crises in very civic manners. If I focus on current issue that is Genocide of Hazaras in Quetta, I should acknowledge that the Political forces have been wise and successful in making Genocide of Hazaras a national issue and are heading towards making it an international issue. As we are all aware that Countries act according to their national interests and it is really hard to conceive that Pakistan, neighboring countries and Gulf States will give concessions on the costs of their foreign policies. Then if Hazaras have been and are victims of geopolitical interests then it is really hard to believe that being a minority in Pakistan, Hazaras can make very big impacts in avoiding their victimizations. Similarly, internationalizing the Genocide of Hazaras might not influence international community to stand for Human Rights of a minority that do not affect global economy and global politics.

Having said all these continued civic movements and protests of Hazaras might influence the international organizations and people that really believe in Human Rights and do not link it just to their national interests. But more important than Human Rights are the Hazaras populations that are now scattered around the world. Their active participations not only make it more costly for forces to continue freely their genocidal plans but also benefit these communities themselves. It is natural to expect that Hazaras feel insecure after facing a century long genocides and they feel more secure within themselves. These protests and activisms will make them to reach out other communities and become active part of plural and democratic societies and let their potentials benefit all.

In short, I am hopeful about the political activism in the Hazaras society and as there are more able and experienced people in the field so I just wanted to express my gratitude to their struggles. BUT, the purpose of this piece of writing was expressing my concerns over other neglected areas.

Hazaras in Quetta was known for their contributions in civil services, education, sports, philanthropy and social activism. In facing the current crisis, politics have dominated the society and all other parts have gone into shades. For long, I am reading and listening to the suggestions about, what Hazaras need to do in face of ongoing crises but I fail to find anything beyond politics. Pakistan for six decades focused just on defense and the result of this one factor policy is now obvious to all. Despite of having a nuclear arsenal, well developed missile defense system, Six hundred thousand strong and organized military, she is moving towards a failed state. Now that Government has realized the mistakes and are trying to focus on the 3D (Defense, Developments and Diplomacy) it doesn’t have the means to do so. Pakistan might need more than a dedicated decade to develop the capacity of implementing her 3D policy.

I may be wrong but I feel that relying just on politics may harm Hazaras on the long run. While political maneuver of Hazaras are local and national more or less but their Economical, Cultural and Social activism have the potential to go global.

As I said earlier that Hazaras in Quetta is known for their contributions in non-political sectors of Province and the country. Learning and encouraged by organizing worldwide protests and activisms, it is time that Hazaras get out of the trap, evolve and bring to light their other areas. When I read the banners, “Hazaras of the world get united”, I do not see any other ways except that we take out our experiences and potentials in education, sport, arts, literature, music, philanthropy, social activism and most importantly economy to go global by networking, working together and most importantly REACHING OUT OTHER COMMUNITIES.

Please feel free to correct me in part that you feel, I have misunderstood… Thanks