Digbijoy

Why am I even here?

[Digbijoy @digbijoy_g]

I lose. You win. Happy?

[Peli Grietzer @peligrietzer]

The miracle of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy -- you can come in with zero background in a topic and come out two hours later ready to read state of the art papers -- is the real substance of analytic philosophy as a collective enterprise

[wickhan⚡ @cinnabonTea]

..

[Devdutt Pattanaik @devduttmyth]

Ram, the King Without Ambition

In the epic Ramayana, Ram encounters a peculiar demon in the forest. His name is Kabandha. Kabandha stretches his two long arms and grabs Ram and his brother and then draws them close to his mouth. That is when Ram notices that the demon has no separate head; it has merged with his stomach. In other words, he sees for his stomach, his hears for his stomach, and he thinks for his stomach. His existence is all about eating. There is no other thought. No other purpose. This is a great metaphor for Capitalism, and Socialism – the great economic philosophies that shape our societies today.

Take a look at the ambitious billionaires of the world today. They have more wealth than anyone else in the world, but they still want more, pursuing relentless growth. In interviews they appear motivated, driven, hungry, and they glamourise their discontentment. This is because modern society sees endless ambition, like relentless growth, as a virtue, rather than a pathology.

Ambition makes sense when you do not have enough to pay your bills. But what about when you have a surplus of seventy generations? At what point does one say – I have enough. Modern society says contentment is a pathology – it is equated with complacency in business schools and business world. Everyone, poor and rich, is expected to keep running – on the treadmill, in the office, on the smartphone, accessible even on vacation, chasing the next goal, the next target, the next vision. Only the lazy rest. The rest of stay productive.

Cheerleaders of Ambition

When Ram kills Kabandha and burns his body, there emerges out of Kabandha a celestial being who thanks Ram for saving him from a curse that trapped him in hunger. The affluent in our society are trapped in hunger because no one has given them permission to be satisfied and be at peace. There is no Ram to end the curse.

Saffron-clad celibate monks are of no use. They have succumbed to the role of playing Kabandha’s cheerleaders, gently enabling their rich clients to chase more, grab more, hoard more, eat more, guilt-free. Their manicured hermitages, spas, satsangs and vegetarian canteens offer a break so they can return to the hunt afresh.

Buddha said 2500 years ago that desire is the cause of suffering. The word he used was thirst, not desire. As long as we thirst for something, we will be miserable. All anxiety, all depression, all rage and jealousy come from wanting. If you have nothing, it makes sense to want something. But what if you have everything, more than everyone, what then?

Are you Communist?

If you talk about contentment, the Capitalist will accuse you of being a Socialist, a Communist, a Left-leaning activist. But Socialism also nurtures Kabandha. Here, the elite are the food, their privilege has to be consumed by the poor, since the rich have cornered all the food. Naturally, the idea of Socialism terrifies the rich and the successful. They feel punished, violated, hunted, as the state becomes the tax-grabbing hunter.

In Capitalism, the rich are Kabandha, feeding on the poor. In Socialism, the poor become Kabandha, demanding the right to feed on the rich. The oppressed aspires to be oppressor, even justifies it through reasoned debate. Everyone wants to eat; no one wants to be eaten. Socialism makes Capitalists feel like victims. Capitalism makes Socialists feel like victims. Everyone feels like a victim.

Curse of Hunger

And what do you do when you are afraid? You hoard more, you consume more. You realise this when you meet the rich and famous and powerful people. Their hunger is palpable. It is in their eyes, their lolling tongue, the dripping saliva – seeking productivity, the next success, the next billion, the next triumph. Instead of fearing them, pitying them, liberating them from the curse, we are told to feed them, by being the food they want us to be – more productive in their ventures, more attentive of their glamour, carving more of the goods and services they offer.

But the rich are also terrified. They see the world full of Kabanda – people who want to steal their wealth, their fame, their glamour, their fortune, their power. No one lets them eat in peace. Those who they eat are just demons demanding the right to eat. They need to be disciplined, controlled, and contained.

Capitalism and Socialism are all about the stomach, and not about the head. So a simple idea escapes its proponents: that more food simply amplifies hunger. Kabandha will never be satiated until Ram ends the curse.

Who is Ram? Ram is the content king – the tapasvi raja, who feeds, rather than eats, as he always has enough. Ramayan is the story of a king without ambition. Not a complacent or lazy king, but a compassionate king – sensitive to other people’s hunger. Some like Kabandha want the curse to end. Others like Ravana passionately argue – like a Vedic debater – the need for ambition, and war, even as they inhabit a city of gold.

Published November 11, 2023 in Economic Times

https://t.co/eyB2JjotE8

[Arun Bothra 🇮🇳 @arunbothra]

History talks about violent conflicts between Shaiva and Vaishnav sects of Hinduism.

Now lakhs of temples have Vishnu idol and Shivlinga in same premises. You can hear Krishna bhajans in many Shiva temples and vice-versa.

[Abhinandan Sekhri @AbhinandanSekhr]

Exactly what I thought when i read tweets from actors and SM influencers about how conflict or even violence is inevitable. If the poor were to demand justice the way we demand comfort things would be scary.

[CinemaRare @CinemaRareIN]

#12thFail among @letterboxd's Highest Rated Drama Films of 2023. Lands at no. 10.

The Letterboxd 2023 Year in Review: https://t.co/Xj4fTtv5rP

#VidhuVinodChopra @VVCFilms
@VikrantMassey @MedhaShankr @anantvijayjoshi @Anshumaanpushk1 @theHarishKhanna @priyanshuchats

[Jason Carman @jasonjoyride]

Alright fine, here are my 29 slides explaining Tenet

[jolad rotti @jolad_rotti]

Your fake-ass company exists solely coz westerners don't work 70 hours a week for shitty pay. You filled that gap.

[Rahul Desai @ReelReptile]

Fav Hindi films of 2023: Goldfish, 12th Fail, Three of Us, Joram, Pokhar Ke Dunu Paar, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, Jawan, Mast Mein Rehne Ka

Fav Hindi shows: Trial By Fire, Kohrra, School of Lies, Farzi, Dahaad, Mumbai Diaries 2

[Shah Rukh Khan @iamsrk]

#Dunki Fixed hi hai. Aur kya karoon Maathe pe gudwa loon!!!!

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

I mean 🤷‍♂️

[Piyush Sharma @misterpiyush]

In the battle between Humans of New York, Humans of Bombay and People of India…. the clear winner is Reptiles of Kurla

[Sanzzz @_thatmemergirl]

@HumansOfBombay No one.

HOB:

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

नफ़रत के बाज़ार में मोहब्बत की दुकान

[Social Justice:சமூகநீதி @sathyantweets]

UP + Bihar - 222 seats.

Entire South - 165 seats.

Any party that thought of this and any party that plans to implement this and any party that supports this should exit south lock stock and barrel.

The south should oppose this with all its might.

Pc.@dstock_insights

[Digbijoy @digbijoy_g]

Hair stylist

[Chesta Gupta @simp_lyliving]

Guys what’s stopping you from styling your hair like this 🔥🥵😭❤️

[Digbijoy @digbijoy_g]

@simp_lyliving @iamsrk Lack of time

[Abijit Ganguly @AbijitG]

Boarded a flight and walked up to my seat. I was at 8A, but there was a young 20 something slightly built man already sitting there. He was in plain unbranded clothes. He asked me nervously 'yeh window seat aapki hai kya'. Generally I am adamant about sitting on my seat, especially with entitled folks. But saw this guy and felt what do I have to lose. Clearly this was his first flight. Let him have an experience. I said 'aap baith jaiye' and smiled. Whole flight the guy looked out of the window in awe and I kept getting that fuzzy feeling. On landing he again thanked me as I smiled and said 'No problem'. Then he got a phone call from someone and shouted '20 peti laga de Bharti Airtel pe. Marwadi hu yeh mauka jaane nahi dunga'.

Chu*iya kat gaya bc.

[Rofl Gandhi 2.0 🏹 Commentary @RoflGandhi_]

But Supriya ji,

Have they stopped you from reporting ? NO

Have they raided your office? NO

Have they cancelled your licence? NO

Have they curtailed your broadcast? NO.

They have just decided not to be engaged in hate fest. Is that democratic?

YESSSSSSS !

[Biswapati Sarkar @ChhotaThalaiva]

Most hidden gem restaurants recommended by Instagram should remain hidden.