Is it our Moral Responsibility to Save Drowning Children?

Most emphatically yes, if it is within your power to do so. A child accidentally falls into a river and you jump in without a second’s thought – assuming that you can swim – and save the child. But what if there are people who are thoughtlessly or even deliberately pushing children into the river. Should you continue to be fully engaged in saving the drowning children or must you at least tackle the problem where it originates, and go tie up the adults who are dropping children into the river? Continue reading “Is it our Moral Responsibility to Save Drowning Children?”

Manmohan Singh is a Despicably Dishonest Man

Dr Manmohan Singh -- Pitiable
“Give a man a reputation as an early riser, and he can sleep until noon.” Mark Twain’s pithy remark is illustrated most forcefully in the case of Mr Manmohan Singh and his integrity. In his case, give the man a reputation as an honest person, and he can rob the country blind with impunity. Continue reading “Manmohan Singh is a Despicably Dishonest Man”

Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Confucian Genius

Lee Kuan Yew
Mr Lee Kuan Yew
There are few leaders of the contemporary world that I admire more than former Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Actually, strike that. I admire Lee Kuan Yew more than any other living world leader. Continue reading “Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Confucian Genius”

Everybody Draw a Buddha Day

The Buddha in California
The Buddha in California
The Buddha’s birthday is coming up soon. It is on the day of the full moon in May. This time around it is on 27th May. So let’s just all draw a Buddha. Since my drawing skills are somewhat primitive, I will go hi-tech. I post this picture — one that I had taken years ago in California. Now if someone would please start a Facebook page for “Everybody Draw a Buddha Day” — just to keep abreast of the competition here.

The End of Work: An Essay on the Dawning of the Post-work World

“The progress of civilization can be measured by how many people are available to not do any work. The trend has been that of an increasing number of (as well as a larger percentage of) people that don’t have to work. The lower the percentage of people in it that work, the better off the civilization.” Continue reading “The End of Work: An Essay on the Dawning of the Post-work World”

Expectations Matter

How society actually functions depends on how people expect it to function. Which means that if you could change expectations you could change society. Which requires will and wisdom. Continue reading “Expectations Matter”

Life is All About Choices — and Paradoxes

Life is also about the paradox of choice. Economists obsess about choice because at the heart of it all, we have to choose among competing wants since we are bound by limits. Being able to choose freely is a good thing but even with choice, you could have too much of a good thing. Continue reading “Life is All About Choices — and Paradoxes”

General Patton’s Speech

Recently I was reminded of General Patton’s speech to his troops. I have been pondering the matter of urban educated Indians and their apparent apathy towards participating in the political process that fundamentally affects the way India is and how it is going to be. India lacks effective leadership. Continue reading “General Patton’s Speech”

Extraordinary Claims Investigated by the Profoundly Stupid

Would you believe it that there are newspapers that report total bs without an apology? Here’s one from the newpaper DNA with the rather puzzling slogan “Read the world” : a yogi has gone without food or water for 65 years. That’s an extraordinary claim. But it does not stop there. There are “scientists” who are seriously investigating the claim. That the more extraordinary bit. Continue reading “Extraordinary Claims Investigated by the Profoundly Stupid”