A reflection

 

“why is he standing outside? Did he get caught copying or something?” I asked my friend, after finishing my half yearly exam at my old school, looking at my classmate standing outside the class. My friend later explained to me that my classmate had failed to pay the tuition fee, and hence, was stopped from writing the exam. His mom worked in our school as a caretaker and a worker, so making him stop writing did not make sense, at least at that time.  This made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Not because it’s the first time I’m seeing something like this happen, but for some reason, this was the event that slapped sense into me.

Later in the same year, the same classmate stopped showing up to classes. 

I've been oblivious to the tyranny of caste and religion In my society until I reached 12th grade in school. “the fact that you didn’t know this is a sign of privilege”, Divya Akka (kakoos movie director – do check it out if you haven’t already) told me when we were talking at a coffee shop after attending a film screening session. Her statement hit me hard. This sudden realization that I never really understood what had happened and is happening around me was a wake-up call with a slap on my face with a brick. (Me understanding the importance of feminism needs a whole other post).

I’m very glad, in some ways, that I had the opportunity to study at the American college. What I learned there changed me dramatically. And this learning did not necessarily happen because I had good professors. I’d say that I understood I was ignorant because of my classmates. From communists to hardcore theists, it was a cocktail. Questions, discussions, debates, and borderline offensive arguments with (few) professors were seen as a crucial part of a learning experience rather than disrespectful classroom behavior, which is not the case anymore I’ve been told. If asking questions and arguments are discouraged, we’re being encouraged into conformity. It is an evolved medieval all over again.

It is okay to have opinions, but it’s more important to have an open mind. Reading a lot of books is not going to make us any smarter if we can’t process the information we had read. It's like having all the high-quality ingredients and utensils and not knowing how to cook. Developing good reasoning skills is the key.  

I think this might be the right time to share this favorite quote of mine;

Once a friend of Socrates asked the oracle at Delphi “ Is anyone wiser than Socrates?”. The oracle replied “No one”. This took Socrates by surprise.

But Socrates, after thinking for a while, replied “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”  (in Plato – Apology).

The books I've chosen to post here are some of the books I believe would interest and, even entertain, people who wish to explore and understand society and humanity. These are not for experts as these are for people like me who are just curious and gets kicked out of classrooms for asking too many questions and never having them answered.