@DeepInThought4U

ॐ तत् सत् || Truth. Dharma. Equality. Free speech. I endeavour to uphold these virtues. I lean neither to the Left nor the Right. Instead I aim to align myself with the Truth. Views expressed in this eclectic blog may be strong, amusing and/or based on personal opinions - all in keeping with the virtues listed above. All open-minded enthusiasts are welcome to peruse, share, learn and teach. Kindly remember to respect copyright and acknowledge this as the source.

Showing posts with label humanity. Show all posts

Thursday, May 7, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic - Observations and Lessons to be learnt

The Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has left us stupefied and unable to cope with the havoc wreaked upon our ostensibly modern societies.

Here in India, what were the changes that occurred in our society during the unprecedented lockdown period?

How did we cope with the sudden confinement that was impinged upon us by extraneous circumstances?

More importantly, what are the lessons we need to learn going forward from this wake-up call?

What changes do we need to bring about in ourselves, our communities, and the world as a whole, if we are to prevent the impact of any similar future catastrophe and thrive as one humanity?

https://youtu.be/VmqTaWFwXIs

I attempt to answer these questions in this video, made using all the news clippings, forwarded messages and videos, that I received and came across during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The predominant colours in the video are yellow – which indicates infectious diseases, and red – which indicates danger/emergency.

I wish to thank all writers/creators of messages and videos whose work I have used in the making of this video.

Resources:

News clippings: From the daily, Deccan Herald (www.deccanherald.com)
Music: Breathing Planet by Doug Maxwell, YouTube

Links to resources:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.png/1280px-Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.png
https://mpower360.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/final_logo_1.jpg
https://images.pexels.com/photos/362689/pexels-photo-362689.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=750&w=1260
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/5862187567_1b3ae784c1.jpg
http://m.cdn.blog.hu/pe/pekingikacsa/image/Crowd-India-C-588.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4017/4351008070_7c04884bc6.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7518336132_2a0db0cccf_z.jpg
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3655/3582266087_44b8bc85ea_z.jpg
https://c.pxhere.com/photos/a5/95/tea_plantation_landscape_scenic_greenery_agriculture_india_crop_fields-1390278.jpg!d
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2295/2205184489_a665982731_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/4093/4894253589_b32b94282a_b.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/WhatsApp_logo-color-vertical.svg/1200px-WhatsApp_logo-color-vertical.svg.png
http://fragmentsofevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/yoga_140156971.jpg
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/04/21/15/21/meditation-3338691_960_720.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Pet_parrots_in_Cuba.jpg/150px-Pet_parrots_in_Cuba.jpg
http://whatchareading.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Netflix_Logo_Digital-Video.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Prime_logo.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c4/The_office_poster.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/Zee5-official-logo.jpeg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Chandigarh_(North_India)_(399407625).jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Indian_Premier_League_Logo.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/LH_95.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Earth_Eastern_Hemisphere.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/2019-nCoV-CDC-23312.png/1200px-2019-nCoV-CDC-23312.png
http://blog.vitaminhaat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/coronavirus_1.jpg
http://omgnews.today/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018-07-10T065319Z_1_LYNXMPEE690FX_RTROPTP_4_WHATSAPP-INDIA-FAKENEWS-1024x683.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2295/2205184489_a665982731_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/4093/4894253589_b32b94282a_b.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Biohazard_symbol_%28black_and_yellow%29.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/WhatsApp_logo-color-vertical.svg/1200px-WhatsApp_logo-color-vertical.svg.png
http://fragmentsofevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/yoga_140156971.jpg
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/04/21/15/21/meditation-3338691_960_720.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wireless-icon.png
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wileyb-j/7518336132/

News websites:
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/social-media-becoming-primary-source-of-fake-news-on-coronavirus-study-2594307.html
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/ibrahim-ali-khan-bonds-with-sister-sara-and-mum-amrita-singh-over-household-chores-amid-lockdown/articleshow/75325090.cms
https://www.gqindia.com/entertainment/content/indian-royals-self-isolating-multi-crore-palaces
https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/malaika-arora-shares-a-sun-kissed-selfie-pens-a-note-of-gratitude-amid-lock-down/
https://www.gqindia.com/binge-watch/collection/7-best-movies-on-netflix-amazon-prime-video-and-disney-hotstar-that-earned-rs-100-crore/
https://www.afternoonvoice.com/lamb-meat-gone-overpriced-amid-covid-19.html
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/covid-19-patients-will-be-cremated-irrespective-of-their-religion-bmc-chief-11585577157692.html
https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/it-is-very-easy-trump-after-namaste-exchange-with-irish-pm-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/story/398138.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8153619/Infectious-disease-specialists-warn-COVID-19-survive-soles-shoes-five-days.html
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/covid-19-lockdown-west-bengal-schools-and-colleges-to-remain-closed-till-june-10-1668965-2020-04-20
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/-covid-19-an-opportunity-to-create-lasting-memories-for-children-11585630001656.html
https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/covid-19-impact-more-staff-in-services-sector-companies-to-work-from-home-in-future-as-well/1940050/
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/online-weddings-in-vogue-as-lockdown-leaves-no-space-for-lavish-indian-nuptials-11587705957823.html
https://www.indiatvnews.com/lifestyle/news-10-days-10-games-indoor-game-ideas-to-play-with-your-kids-at-home-602362
https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/los-angeles/19519-overpopulation-global-warming-covid-19-modern-plague
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3080360/why-covid-19-human-overpopulation-problem
https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/covid-19-pandemic-ab-de-villiers-virat-kohli-auction-cricket-gear-from-ipl-2016-match-vs-gujarat-lions-1671635-2020-04-27
https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/news/kiara-advani-recounts-her-fan-moment-salman-khan-i-was-smitten-first-time-i-saw-him-527990
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52198588
https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/residents-rethink-daily-menu-as-meat-shortage-hits-hard/story-IDyEzwVx0wXLusleR82rWL.html
https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/namaste-is-the-new-hello-prince-charles-goes-desi-opts-for-namaste-to-greet-people-6310765/
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/04/07/828317535/coronavirus-is-changing-the-rituals-of-death-for-many-religions
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/7-activities-to-keep-your-kids-busy-during-covid-19-lockdown-1664334-2020-04-07
https://news.abplive.com/news/india/covid-19-coronavirus-weddings-during-lockdown-lockdown-does-not-stop-these-couples-from-getting-married-1200043
https://www.cntraveller.in/story/surviving-coronavirus-lockdown-practical-tips-covid-19-indian-wellness-retreats-mumbai-maharashtra-bengaluru-karnataka-uttarakhand/
https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2020/4/27/Practice-Yoga-at-home-to-beat-COVID-19-virus.html
https://www.templepurohit.com/mantras-slokas-stotras/shanti-mantra/om-purnamadah-purnamidam/
https://greenmesg.org/stotras/vedas/om_purnamadah_purnamidam.php

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Refugee crisis

No, I am not going to insert the actual image.

It is too painful to even look at: a little boy, lying face down on a beach. As though he has turned his back on this cruel world, which abandoned when he was most vulnerable.

How can one even begin to comprehend the pain that the parents of the child had to endure? It is indescribable.

And before we get on with our mundane lives, hoping that somebody else will take care of the humanitarian crisis, let us remind ourselves that we are all in it together.

It is human beings who are suffering in the Syrian refugee crisis. And we are all living on the same planet. If we don't come to the aid of each other, who else will? Aliens?

Therefore I suggest that we have all lost a child. His parents' pain is our pain. We are all in crisis.

We are all equally culpable. We all share an equal responsibility to help them and the other refugees.

I just appealed to the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister of our country to help out.

Wherever you are, you can do the same. Help out in whichever way you can.

Perhaps this might suggest some ways:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/03/refugee-crisis-what-can-you-do-to-help

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Being inhuman

Recently we have seen two occurrences which show us in a poor light as a people.

One of course, is idol worship. Blind idol worship; the kind that makes you lose your sense of reasoning. Idolatry at its worst.

Now before I sound like a missionary, let me clarify.

I am talking here about the superstar and his fans. No prizes for guessing which one.

When he was sentenced, they came out in hordes to support him. 'We are with you' they said, regardless of what he had done.

Then when he was granted bail, they rejoiced. So much so that he had to tell one of them off for climbing dangerously high on to a vantage point to see him - or so it seemed from TV reports.

Cut to the southern state and its sycophants.

When she was jailed, people wept. They beat their chests. Injustice, they lamented.

When she had to step down as CM, the stop-gap man cried while taking oath. So did the rest of the ministers. It was as though they were swearing allegiance to her and her principles, and not to the constitution.

Whatever the legal shortcomings in these two cases, they have served to expose our ailments as a society.

Blind hero worship - where fans believe that their favourite hero could do no wrong, and that he is above law. The gap between the on-screen persona and true life personality seems to be non-existent in our country.

And sycophancy - where obsequiousness rules roost. It is worth noting that the lady in question also had an on-screen persona once.

Humanity, law & justice, democracy, human rights, impartiality. What the hell are all those?

To put it shortly, there is probably no better term than Being Inhuman.