Santhosh's ramblings

There’s a funny little pattern I’ve spotted on my blog: the more weighty or serious the topic, the fewer people seem to read it. Oddly enough, it’s the most light-hearted, downright silly posts that get all the attention. Unless it is an emotionally moving one, which I very rarely write. Perhaps the world is such a tangled mess these days that we all just crave a bit of fun escapism now and then - a chance to unwind.   Now, if there are any psychologists out there reading this (and if so - hello!), they’re probably thinking, “This one’s hooked on feedback.” And, well, guilty as charged! I used to be much worse, obsessively checking how many people had read my posts. It is not my fault – I blame it on my brain and social media. With apps like Facebook and Instagram, your brain gets a little dopamine reward every time someone hits “like” – and my brain is still craving! I’m still working on breaking that habit, but old routines die hard.   But here I am, writing serious stuff ag...

The "gods" of Our World  -  Understanding the Ultimate Realities We Worship Today   When discussing "gods" (with a small 'g'), the term can ignite controversy. People may quickly label me as a fanatic, a liberal, or as someone following a particular religion. However, this isn't about God in the traditional sense - rather, it's about the various "ultimate realities" that we cling to, which often replace God in our lives.   According to psychological definitions, "gods" point to an ultimate reality, yet the nature of that reality differs greatly from person to person. These so-called ultimate realities are what we hold onto and allow to take the place of God.   What Are These Modern "gods"? That I too unknowingly have enthroned in my life.   One - Me, Mine, and My Own    Many people (including me a times) view themselves, their family, community, or their nation as the absolute reality. The idea is: "I am my own god....

I’m a recovering caffeine addict. Not just any coffee, mind you, but proper filter coffee brewed to perfection. I’ve managed to cut back to two cups a day, but if I can’t get the coffee I fancy, I’ll go out of my way to find it. Yesterday was one of those days - I told my wife we will just walk 600 metres (thanks, Google) but somehow ended up walking about 2 km just to get my two shots (not just one). Luckily, I’ve got a partner in crime - my wife also loves coffee, but she’s never been hooked. It’s a well-known fact in our family. So, this is a known known.  And I do not think this is a fault of mine. Coffee can never be a fault! I’m using Donald Rumsfeld’s framework to examine my little “addictions” and “holisms”. “There are known knowns, things we know that we know; and there are known unknowns, things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns, things we do not know we don't know.”   Then there’s the “known unknown”. Apparently, everyone else knew I wa...

We just returned from visiting family friends. The husband reminded me that we first met in a Jharkhand village (road side) through a mutual friend three decades ago, and that we and our families quickly became close. “We clicked,” as he put it.  As a neuroscience student, I find it fascinating: despite different backgrounds, perspectives, and states - not country cousins at all - yet perhaps with similar faith and a few shared interests, why did we connect so well? Who, after all, are friends? Formal definitions say:  “Friends are people who spend time together often, have positive interactions, and treat each other kindly. They differ from acquaintances because their connection is regular and meaningful.” Yet we have hardly spent time together over the years. Our life journeys took us to different places, but we remain almost like “soul‑mate families” even after 30 years. (like a few others too). They were the first to visit us when we moved to Kottayam from 250 km away. Neu...

Life is a corkscrew  Life, in all its unpredictability, has a knack for presenting us with circumstances we never anticipated. It bends and contorts, forming shapes and situations that seem to defy reason. We may attempt to unravel its complexities, only to find that our efforts create new tangles elsewhere. The more we try to smoothen the journey, the more it seems to twist back upon itself, like a vine that refuses to grow straight, always curling into new directions.   This ancient struggle to make sense of life is nothing new. Qohelet, (Solomon) the wise Questor chronicled in scripture, observed this confusion centuries ago. His words echo with a weary acceptance:  “Life is a corkscrew that cannot be straightened, a minus that won’t add up.”  Whether we look at old tales or modern times, people have always wrestled with the same questions, seeking clarity where none may exist.    If a sage like Qohelet, endowed with wisdom and insight, admitted that lif...