Insightful newsletter of Drishtikone - Issue #62: Pain and Suffering

Pain is an Occurrence. Suffering is an Interpretation.

Immense pain may not lead to suffering for some. Immense luxury may be, however, enveloped in utmost suffering for many.

Suffer comes from Latin - sub up + ferre to bear. Bearing is not acceptance but tolerance of reality. You bear the burden. Forced to carry what you consider is not yours to carry. If it was your own, then it wouldn’t be a burden. What is unpleasantly deviant from what is considered as “Self”, is a burden.

There is always an expectation from the Nature and an imaginary “God”. The expectations are categorized. As long as what we consider as good is encountered, there is no suffering. As soon as our experience matches expectation under the “Bad” category – we suffer almost automatically.

The mapping of what we perceive and encounter and how we act or feel is baked into us as our instincts. This baggage of the past – comprising of entire human-kind, perhaps existential history, is used to create newer or reinforce earlier mappings.

Suffering and Joy keep alternating because we keep comparing every moment – unique as it is - to a predetermined standard and a past map. A map that is of the mind… and of the past. Insufficient and incapable of meeting the present moment.

If we were content to live as “witnesses” of all the moments we experience, without judging or categorizing (such that we are not in constant reaction) we would be free from the results of our Karmas. The pain may still be encountered, but it will not lead to Suffering! Being aware of the maps, but not letting them dictate our actions is freedom.

“Neither seek nor avoid, take what comes.” - Swami Vivekananda

demographic battle of ages

The future of the world will be dictated by the play of ages. What age group dominates an economy will not just drive consumption but also innovation. Younger and educated the population along with cutting edge educational institutions, the more are the chances of innovation dominating that country’s output. Here is an interesting map of how the ages are going to look like in different regions.

In India, the median age is currently is currently at 28.4 and will rise to 38 by 2050.

Where India will be in 2050, is where China is today - 38.4.

We will be seeing China get older much faster very soon. That will take a toll on its economy and industry. Apart from innovation, an increase in median age of a country also impacts productivity.

Older workers tend to stay longer in their jobs than younger workers, who are more likely to change jobs and employers. This allows older workers to gain deeper experience, which can be positive for productivity growth. At the same time, lower labor mobility means workers may remain in jobs that are not the best match to their skill sets. This would be a negative for productivity growth. Indeed, one study finds that both short tenures and long tenures adversely affect productivity growth (see Auer, Berg, and Coulibaly 2005). And historical evidence suggests a hump‐shaped relationship between age and productivity, with productivity increasing when a person enters the workforce, stabilizing, and then declining toward the end of a person’s work life (see Skirbekk 2008, National Research Council 2012: chap. 6). Research also indicates that an individual’s innovative activity and scientific output peak between the ages of 30 and 40, although that age profile has been shifting older over time. (Source)

The real key is to engage the younger generation in productive education and skill improvement areas. Even populations in countries like Pakistan are young, but they are being brainwashed and pushed into non-productive and terror-linked areas.

circumventing trade imbalance

Hong Kong is a new tool for China to circumvent the restrictions on China that the other countries are trying to put. So, imports from Hong Kong will now bring greater scrutiny from Indian authorities. India has been trying to reduce its trade gap with China. In the last year, the trade surplus with Hong Kong has turned into a deficit. (Source)

making news accountable - PTI case

The news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI) has been slapped a fine of Rs 84.48 crore violating terms of the lease under which it was allotted land for its Sansad Marg office in Delhi. The agency hasn’t paid rent for Delhi office since 1984!

“Since 1984, PTI has not paid the ground rent. Besides, they have misused the land-allotment terms by converting the basement into an office. Under the lease term, the basement is to be used only for storage purposes,” the official added.

Also, public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati is reviewing its Rs 7-crore annual contract.

Modi govt slaps Rs 84.4-cr fine on PTI, says it hasn't paid rent for Delhi office since 1984

Officials of the Union housing ministry confirmed that PTI has been slapped with the fine, but denied the news agency is being singled out.

theprint.in • Share

Prasar Bharati had said that PTI’s actions were contrary to values that it upholds as a public service broadcaster, especially those listed under section 12 of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990. Section 12 2 (a) of the Prasar Bharati Act mandates that the public service broadcaster, in the discharge of its functions, be guided by the objective of upholding the unity and integrity of the country. This happened after the PTI published an interview with Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong at the height of the Galwan crisis in order to provide the rogue nation, China, to air its narrative and legitimize its aggression on India.

militant and abusive left in the US

Officers Edelmiro Garza, Jr., 45, and Ismael Chavez, 39, of the McAllen Police Department in Texas were shot and killed on Saturday.

Two McAllen police officers killed in line of duty - The Monitor

www.themonitor.com • Share

The officers were reportedly ambushed while responding to a domestic disturbance call at a residence. Savannah Chavez wrote a heartfelt message about her Dad which became a lightning rod for many leftists because she used the hash-tag #BlueLivesmatter.

words cannot describe the pain I’m in, but I’m glad my dad is at peace. you were an amazing man and anyone who ever came across you knew that. I’m going to miss you so much. you died doing what you loved most, you died a hero. i love you daddy, see you soon. #BlueLivesMatter

She has since deleted the post because the extreme hate and insensitive comments it received! (Source) After all, she lost her father to a vile act of well-planned ambush. She has a right to uphold the her Dad’s honor and work as much as the next of kin of George Floyd did.

In US now, it is almost as if there is only one narrative that will have legitimacy. Anyone else even suggesting that their lives even matter are being run down and abused as a matter of self-righteous violence.

data accountability for large tech in India

Given how the Indian government is planning to bring new tech related legislation, the large tech giants will have to fall in line with the data laws of the land. Which is fair and just.

India seeks to limit Facebook, Amazon, Google dominance over online data - The Economic Times

The document named U.S. giants Facebook Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Uber Technologies Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google as the beneficiaries of first-mover advantages and network effects that have “left many new entrants and start-ups being squeezed and faced with significant entry barriers.”

economictimes.indiatimes.com • Share

nota bene

$10 billion investment by Google: Technology giant Google has announced that it plans to invest over ₹75,000 crore($10 billion) in India over a period of 5-7 years. Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai made the announcement today at ‘Google for India’ virtual event. The Google’s investment in India will be made through equity investments and tie-ups, marking its biggest commitment to a growth market. (Source)

Zootie calls: Dating scene in the lockdown/quarantine world has changed. No more bars to go to or parties to find the right person. Its the world of Zootie calls. As CNN’s article describes - Virtual dates have also made people throw their old notions of dating out of the window, as they are forced to get creative. For example, “there are ‘Zootie’ calls now,” Xu explained. “Zoom booty calls.” (Source)

Church sells Bleach as COVID cure: A Florida father and sons have continued to sell a potentially deadly bleach product billed as a miracle cure for COVID-19 through a fake church, despite a federal judge ordering them to stop, federal officials said in filing criminal charges against them. (Source)

Uber for boat rides: Uber is to offer boat rides in London as new commuter service in partnership with Thames Clippers. The partnership will see the existing 20-strong fleet of boats and 23 piers between Putney and Woolwich branded as “Uber Boats by Thames Clippers,” and the service will continue to be operated by the river bus service. (Source)

drishtikone recommendations

Evernote: One-stop shop for all note-taking and content clipping. // Fiverr: Get everything done by professionals for cheap. // Grammarly: your personal grammar checking tool // Ferns n Petals: Send cakes, flowers, gifts, rakhis in India // Sling TV: take out cable and dish TV and get the same channels for less

attention economy

Your attention has a value. Those 6-8 seconds that your attention and focus has now been reduced to is very valuable to the large tech and marketing companies. In the new world, Attention economy is the new market and your attention is the new currency. Please check out this facts-laden episode of VRA tv channel as Vivek Agnihotri takes you through the many aspects of this crazy world.