Narcist psychopath in position of power

If you observe Trump, especially in the last few days in the aftermath of killing of right-wing speaker, you will get lessons on narcist psychopath. The “conservative” speaker had reprehensible racist views but wouldn’t want him physically harmed for holding such views, killing is worst act and so brings in the issue of easily accessible deadly weapons in US. His lack of empathy for gun victims can be factored into money and powerful lobby that was propping confident articulate narration to impress the herd. As a human being we condole the dead. And now observe Trump -who was supposed to be his friend and supporter, his absolute lack of compassion, indeed using the occasion for grandiosity, such blatant display is what makes this fellow extremely dangerous. Absolute disregard for the dead confidante (indeed it seems he is perversely energized as if in natural terrain of a psychopath) shows degradation and what monstrosities he is capable to do. Instead of bringing nation together he is sowing conspiracy theories. This fellow can create worst of possibilities and actively participate to perpetuate disastrous consequence to keep himself relevant (Lately he is showing signs of serious underlying health conditions and it's likely JD Vance could be the next President in very near future. Despite his posturing for the herd JD doesn't seem to be that bad a person). 

 Confident incompetent Democrats no doubt helped not in insignificant way to position a narcist psychopath as leader. Sometime back I discussed this book Corruptible: Who gets power and how it changes us (Brian Klaas) a comprehensive study on dark triad of Machiavellian narcist psychopath who are naturally drawn to power. All across the world narcist selfish people with varying shade of psychopathy are occupying position of power and influence. This also equally true in case of technology (fundamental science and research related areas seem to be few spaces that is low on narcissism since it involves less of human and attention seeking and more of passion to understand) that is meant to monetize hence works with system of exaggeration. All manipulative systems create opportunity for narcist. Egotism is not necessarily narcissism and talented perceptive artists generally do have high degree of awareness of human condition. Low quality art is manipulation space for narcist and they are given credence in society that doesn’t really have nuanced understanding or standards that value complexity. The constructed us vs them binary is fertile ground for psychopaths to slip in as benign saviors.   

If you look at human society as a system, it clearly is nurturing worst kind of people into position of power so as to influence course of humanity. It is likely that collective conscience of humanity is in self-harm mode as it has expanded beyond its limit and is severely encroaching into space of other beings and self-sustaining systems on earth. There is an imbalance that is created and it is speculated that narcist psychopath like Trump are universal subconscious of life nurtured to speed up self-destruction of arrogant specie. There doesn’t seem to be any other explanation. It seems to be increasingly beyond our control. There is no thinking, no compassion, no awareness of reality (not even an attempt) as much of humanity is nurtured in denial, kept distracted in greed and gain, incapacitated to think therefore least concerned about collapsing life nurturing systems. Wherein people have all the wherewithal and unprecedented access to knowledge, to learn and know about things, be responsible and take logical meaningful actions to prevent catastrophe. To have compassion for others and other species, be humbled by vastness of universe and uniqueness of life. Why is it difficult to understand?    

The Nepal treatment

 

There is a Ceausescu/Marcos moment happening in Nepal. Youth of Nepal have reminded the world crony capitalism is no progress. Clearly a feudal society doesn’t really have democracy entrenched hence the so-called leaders -without any redeeming quality whatsoever, turned into kleptocracy and blatant corruption. Recently we saw this in Bangladesh.  The Arab spring was on similar lines that used social media effectively. Thankfully Nepal doesn’t have organized religion to misuse this opportunity to severely diminish aspirations of common people. An impoverished scenic nation with enterprising people, sandwiched between two giant neighbors China and India, Nepal doesn’t really have strong democratic institutions and active civil society -the reason why there was an outburst from youngsters. It is very likely that this space will be taken by the army, or most likely another corrupt defunct institution called monarchy -south Asian version of amazing mediocre inbred corrupt parasitic feudals, who will take the country further down. Army would be better choice so as to calm things down, arrange and oversee democratic elections with youth actively participating into the parliament. Unless there is a vibrant democratic institutions and participation this will fizzle out and devious feudal forces will take control. What is admirable is that protest is targeted only at the corrupt politicians and seat of power and has not slipped into mayhem damaging property or looting. Youth in Nepal have shown uncommon sense of responsibility and restrain. They have become a lesson for youths around the world. They deserve better.

**Meanwhile corrupt politicians and officials beware there is Nepal treatment on the horizon! Here in India, we have contractor showcasing house made of gold to salivating despicable media -who pose it as India’s progress, while common people die in accidents regularly due to low quality roads. We had uprising against corruption that removed Congress, their entrenched sense of entitlement and arrogance (ofcourse MNREGA and RTI were great initiatives). If BJP is not careful, particularly in the interface between common people and governance, they may find it difficult. The urgency of initiatives like toilets for everyone (campaign against open defecation) could only be shown by people with grassroot understanding, to sense the need for dignity among common people. The reason why BJP is quite favorably evaluated by common people even after a decade despite immense challenges. Meanwhile communists in Kerala have built low-cost flats for fisherfolks -who face continuous onslaught of ocean that left them frequently stranded -this is happening for decades. Such specific targeted small measures have big impact unlike garibi hatao abyaan get together photo ups in starch white khadi.

Debate and discussion define liberal space

 

Let me clarify first that the word liberal is not as defined in contentious bickering partisan political space wherein meaning are fixed polarized binary nor is it as appropriated by neoliberals. Liberal means a space for individuals to express and pursue what they want to. They have their rights and rule of law to protect them. In a liberal space everyone debates, discuss and exchange ideas, to be better versions of themselves and a tolerant progressive society. It makes us understand and tolerate different views, culture and faiths. There are very few liberal spaces in the world. US surely has liberal space and means to safeguard; there is a reason why most people around the world want to migrate to US (atleast till recently). Liberal spaces around the world are diminishing with increasing intolerance, preconceived notions through misinformation and disinformation -that gives credence to conspiracies, lack of open mind and inquisitiveness, and superficial understanding of things. Limited attention is not providing simplified version but simplistic version that undermines complexities and nuances of the matter. Liberal space has degraded into polarized zones with arguments meant to assert one’s atavistic connections and consolidate primal emotions lacking thinking or understanding of contemporary reality. Liberal space is increasingly lacking humanity or compassion of the human condition.

Liberal spaces are not a given or a gift from nowhere but evolved spaces that are achieved after efforts and sacrifices of generations of brilliant compassionate people from across the world. It is collective conscience of humanity for a better world. These spaces have to protected and nurtured if humanity has any chance to progress. Herd churning systems are emboldening as they misuse and connect through the latest technology, lacking intellectual vigor and primed in values of exceptionalism and supremacism they degrade with their presence. As long as it is in the platform of views and expressions we can wince and tolerate. Liberal space provides for questioning and defending and even ridiculing. Herd churning systems use liberal space to assert into power and control. Even this is tolerated afterall it is political expression of people. The problem starts when they use it to control and diminish liberal space. This is beginning of the end unless defended with rule of law and asserted with humanity.

The urge for spiritual and faith to anchor one’s tribulations is an individual matter. What is not individual is when it is asserted and expressed through systems that alienate one from surrounding into fantasy hence easily manipulated by devious forces. It becomes sinister when it replicates understandings (and fractures) that bypass human progress and increased complexities of contemporary world. Simplistic versions take away responsibility and fertile human agency into fatalism and fixedness of religion. This horrendous degradation and dehumanization is an urgent threat to liberal space and humanity itself.

**Debating from position of power and entitlement has problems. When your views diminish lives of others, especially vulnerable, as also seeks the fractures of history (like race) to assert claims that dehumanizes other then there are consequences. The consequences are always borne by the vulnerable as the society has not evolved (considering that liberal space is a modern value system of evolved humans, it takes time to percolates into individuals and cave dwellers minds). You can even have horrible views like a child facing sexual abuse should give birth (as is ordained in a twisted understanding of pro-life in the miracle book) but one has to understand that these have serious real life consequences on vulnerable and make life miserable. These regressive values severely undermine and undervalue human progress and seek to take us back to caves. Ideally basic ethics and common sense should deal with these fantasies of anachronistic systems that find expressions through herd. If not, liberal state must step in with protection that asserts liberty and freedom. If you support guns, and are least bothered about gun violence unleashed on the community as children and innocent vulnerable die horrendous deaths, then that view is based on your entitlement -indeed racist, the self-assuredness, from the comfort that is blind to plight of others, that doesn’t even conceive oneself at the receiving end of the barrel. Well as it turns out you are wrong. You could also be sacrificed to appease the gun god! In polarized US guns are great equalizer. There is a bleak hope that this killing will bring sense for stricter gun regulations. On 9/11 US is again on momentous crossroad.                                                

  

Time out for Netanyahu

 

Israel's attack on Qatar (also attacked by Iran very recently but this one is qualitatively different as it plays on deep fractures) is especially concerning and made dangerous by transactional minded incompetent US president elected by revivalist forces (very much facilitated by self-centered irresponsible posing as liberal opposition). Middle east and Arab nations lack democratic institutions or progressive values. Rabid religious zealots of this oil rich region are mostly kept under check by feudal puppet leaders controlled by West, and thus making the world a safer place -considering what could be unleashed. Blatant attack like this, by increasingly unhinged Netanyahu -who should be immediately dealt without any delay whatsoever, will break that balance. Religious driven semi-literates are now connected through social media, and unlike a decade back the consequence can be severe and has possibilities to overthrow regime by popular uprising (as has happened to corrupt politicians in Nepal, they thought banning social media will solve problem). Feudal Qatar that lacks progressive values and democratic institutions was propped up by west as glittering civilized version of middle east…well with space and time as democratic institutions take root it could even become one. But the chance of falling into the lap of islamists is very likely considering how insular world is becoming. Hypocrisy of West is now so glaring with Trump (and opportunist british elite) that it is shocking. As communist can easily flip into religious fanatics so too can capitalist hedonist feudal in Arab into barbarian brotherhood. It is time up for Netanyahu before he further perils lives of common people trying to eke out a living in an increasingly hostile world.

UN is incapacitated

Nobody was expecting wonders from UN in a dangerously polarized world. At the least it was to be a collective moral authority and arbitrate peace by providing platform and forums for warring agents to find some sense by discussing or consensus building or atleast taking out their anger by posturing. More than two decades ago there was blatant undermining of UN that people, including this blogger, strongly protested (I had started to take deep interest in my surrounding -local, national and international…things that affected my life directly and indirectly- as also quality of life of common people across the world. We even arranged signature campaign against war…since there were no social media, we had to send it to regrettable legacy media). Unilateral action by US-Britain on Iraq was serious breach of international consensus. Military actions on terror groups in Afghanistan was needed but could have been under the aegis of UN. There was consensus among international community and common people in the aftermath of 9/11. It was a golden opportunity to strengthen UN and UNPKF. What we saw was serious breach of international laws and crimes against humanity. People around the world were aghast at the arrogance of few periling the world for their narrow gains and ego. These don’t go away as they build up general cynicism and distrust.

If UN was strong then terrorist organization like Hamas would have found it difficult to gain foothold. UN would have used its power to stop Israel after initial strikes that debilitated Hamas infrastructure. It is now a genocide. Also, instead of NATO UN would be active to deal with Russia. UNPKF forces (with majority vote, no veto) would be fighting for Ukraine. Importantly rule of law is important, defines democratic liberal nations, that provide opportunities for millions of people to find their best possible self and humanity to progress (there are only few places in the world that provides such spaces). Migrants have important function while people in dire situation must be extended refuge. That in no way justifies illegal immigrants and undocumented refugees (or beyond the capacity that perils common people). Sooner or later this sickening self-righteousness of selfish feudal leaders -who don’t have to face the consequences, will be tapped by devious nationalist forces. These leads to rise of revivalist authoritarian values and diminishing liberal space. Most importantly regressive values of religion cannot be condoned and normalized as diversity, nor can these be extended the largesse of liberal state. Some may say these are subjective. Anything that diminish individual right and freedom is a threat to liberal values. Collective cannot be the reason to diminish liberty. It is only rule of law that can put restrictions. Rule of law that defines ideals of democratic society. As societies evolve even rule of law may not be needed as individual becomes responsible and will be aware when to self-restrain. The collapse of international consensus has to do with distrust at the individual level leading to primal associations devoid of reason and compassion. Rule of law, asserting progressive values and being responsible, is reflected in how nation contribute to collective consensus of the world. Britain is an example of feudal society (eased into neoliberal capitalism greed) that is collapsing in its own self-righteous muck arbitrated by low quality extremely devious political elite who take common people as their entitlement. It is a debating club without any meaning and intent attached to words.  It is also time out for Starmer, the reason why Britain is churning out such low quality leaders shows much deeper flaw. 

                             

 

           

Tree work

 

If you put your ear against the tree

You will hear the cells

Shape the earth to place the heaven

In the yin yang 

of irrevocable chloroplast and mitochondria

Whisper the tribulation of eras

Each with its share of struggles

First with spores then cones and naked seeds

Stretch your hypogeal arms

In everyday triumph of everyday life

Cradle the universe in tightening knit

In all the nook and corner of your being        

The Genius of Trees

It is rare to read a book that adds to your understanding of the world in a way that you thought was not really possible. I always had a favorite tree at any place I shifted to. As a kid shifting homes, places and schools were frequent, and one of the things I looked forward to was spotting a favorite tree. Sitting under the tree and trying to climb was a favorite occupation (later though it backfired when I shifted to Delhi as an adult. I kept trees and parks as a reference in a polluted, crowded and desperately alienating city while finding new place to stay, very soon shocked to find these were converted to noisy and unbelievably loud gathering for marriages, birthdays, religious occasions -which is almost every other day). Trees are enigmatic lifeform and so when I went with birdwatching groups their single focus on birds didn’t go well with me. For me everything around, even tiniest of creatures -ants and spiders are such special life, is as important for attention. Having read much about trees I thought I had fair idea about trees, and that is when I came across this book, The Genius of Trees -How Trees Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World (by Harriet Rix). The moment I came to know about this book in an international publication I ordered it immediately, and within few days I was holding the book (indebted to technology that make this possible, even a decade back this was impossible. There were books I wanted to read and searched in bookstalls while visiting big cities but could never find).

Choosing a book to read is an effort, as also time and money spent. Last few weeks I was reading and rereading this book. It is divided into chapters that traces how trees shaped soil, water, air, fire, fungi, plants, animals and humans. A breathtaking view, that I was terribly excited to read. So, imagine my plight when I found some basic mistakes as also jarring attitudinal issue in the beginning of the book itself. Credibility is an important thing; it is difficult to get it back when you lose it. In the second page itself “When modern humans evolved about 40,000 years ago, there were estimated 6trillion trees on the planet…”. Now I know there is a basic mistake here but since the author is an expert (as also even her grandmother is a dendrologist and that she has access to sources from across the world), I thought maybe I need to upgrade. But despite much search this seems to be a typo but then even 400,000 is not right it is accepted as 300,000 years ago (considering modern human is a reference to Homo sapiens, while 40,000-year mark is arrival of sapiens in Europe). Hence a shocking mistake, this also put question mark on the claim of 6trillion trees -what is the source? On the very next page “chlorophyll evolved in bacteria living in the sea 3.5million years ago…”, even someone with basic knowledge will know the glaring mistake made here. There are few more like for instance “…made from sand dunes of 1.7billion years ago -long before life on earth…”. It is unpardonable irresponsibility, the marketeers who publish these lack knowledge hence are least bothered to proofread on correctness of content. I was terribly upset and on verge of tears since the chapters held so much promise, and now I wasn’t so sure. Add to this the British self-flagellation cringe wherein she mentions colonial British destroying libraries in Iraq while Islamic invaders brutal dealing of pre-Islamic culture/knowledge is self-censored. The same british cringe is witnessed when she visits the region in 2020 after horrendous brutalization of Yezidis by Islamists and blames Christian travelers for the plight of Yezidis (ISIS is mentioned in passing without any reference to religion!). It is the love for trees that forced me to continue reading. And surely it was worth it despite initial hiccups, she redeems -not as a person but as a knowledge source as she travels to far off places, and I will strongly recommend this book.

We know about the critical life-giving role trees play but the comprehensive spread in shaping life on the planet is what left me in awe. This is one book that kept be riveted, and changed me significantly in the way I look at trees -and that is something since I have been observing trees for decades. Imagine never heard about Rubisco -the most common enzyme on earth, comprising almost 50% of the protein in leaves! The first chapter is about Tree shaping water. Tree uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and transfer electron onto carbondioxide to make sugar. This means tree needs large quantities of water and air, and unlike human trees cannot move hence must control their own environment in dynamic equilibrium. In a sense, trees developed into trees to gain power over water. Trees grow tall to interrupt air flow with their leaves and branches, emitting VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) to seed clouds, releasing water vapor out of their stomata, and thus a consistent cycle of moisture. A recent study has found that trees release more VOCs during drought conditions to encourage rain. Since trees are exposed to sun they spent as much as 97% of water to cool itself (as water molecules cools they take sun’s energy with them), as water rises and cools it condenses, lowering the air pressure, and if this happens next to moisture laden air from sea they sucked in by the forest. An unbroken chain of forests can use transpiration to cycle water deep into inland from coast by setting up pressure gradient, an air stream laden with water -a flying river, while roots collect and redistribute water to create water table. All these have significant impact on global water flow. Gymnosperm ruled earth until about 66m years ago when asteroid impact led to great extinction after which flowering angiosperm took over to initiate diversity of life with their ability to produce flowers and fruits, short time scale of reproduction. They also cycled water quickly, dropping leaves to conserve energy for next opportunity. Thus, the tree productivity increased dramatically and unlike gymnosperms, that grew in elegantly spaced forests with an imposing dominant specie, angiosperm rainforests were crowded, multilayered, packed with diverse species. How trees shaped distribution of water and help thrive life on earth is an interesting read. Next chapter is on Trees shaping soil. As tree grew the roots help to anchor as also probe deep to search water. They grew into rocks and turn it into dust, thus availability of mineral mainly phosphate (it is essential element for life, forming DNA, RNA, protein so on. Hunger for phosphorus is reason for tree breaking rock) and others like iron, zinc, magnesium so on, and these extracted minerals can be seen on the top of canopy of the tree 60m above ground! Importantly trees also convert this dust into soil -a chain of carbon sequestered from air, to trap water as also by addition of nitrogen (as the tree became dominant in carboniferous period there was shortage of nitrogen which was fixed by cycads -they produced oxygen free areas to nurture nitrogen fixing bacteria) thus making it fertile. Studies show that older and larger trees trap exponentially more carbon into earth as they mature. As rocks weathered phosphate were hard to find, and trees shifted to breaking limestone as also evolved strategies to recapture (while gymnosperms were eaters of rocks angiosperms evolved diverse strategies as competitive recyclers). Through shaping soil trees make essential mineral available for life to thrive. Trees shaping fire is an exceptionally interesting chapter, and did change many of my understanding of trees. Trees manipulating fire is a crazy thought but that is genius of trees, indeed life. Some species of trees have managed to get fire on their side. Take the case of how a specie of Pine actively help start fire, indeed self-immolate, to burn away its neighbor- a Fir specie. Some trees encourage mock fire at low temperature to prevent real hot fire from happening. And if fire does go out of hand and reaches trunk (of say chir pine) they turn mock fire into real fire, slow burning hot fire that clears everything and allows the pines to start again from seeds. There are many species of trees that need catastrophic fires to regenerate, they use fire to create chaos. Some trees fill itself with volatile resin up to the brim particularly at the upper canopy waiting for lighting to strike and inflame. There is mention of devastating impact of eucalyptus trees that is being used for afforestation, not only they grow fast, burn easily and poison anything that tries to eat them (except koalas) they also lower water table – an adaptation mechanism to kill nearby trees. There is a ominous warning that climate change fueled forest fires are causing fire adapted trees not to burn but explode, fires are becoming too hot for seeds to germinate, underground re-sprouting mechanism to work. Trees shaping air gives some practical insight that helps us understand the role of trees on the air we breathe. Carboniferous period (a warm wet period between the end of Devonian -358m years ago, and the beginning of Permian -300m years ago) was characterized by gigantism of insect life -when you see reference of large dragonflies or gigantic millipedes you can associate it to this period. The reason for this was content of oxygen in the air -35%, allowing this gas to diffuse into body and power its muscles that is not possible with 21% oxygen we have now. Trees not only release oxygen but also compounds to seed clouds and attract animals and communicate with other trees. Locking away of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen changed the atmosphere to an extent that it led to dramatic global cooling (temperature fell by as much as 20degree centigrade) to carboniferous rainforest collapse. Trees also lessen impact of wind, for instance, shape of tulip tree leaves curl up into a tube thereby lessening the force. Araucarias are one of my favorite trees for the reason that they were munched on by dinosaurs, what I didn’t know was they evolved their shape to manipulate wind for complex pollination. Just like human trees also enlist bacteria to perform sophisticated function. There is mention of enigmatic Lynn Margulis and her brilliant contribution to understand biochemistry of life particularly endosymbiotic theory -bacteria being enveloped and enslaved into symbiosis and cooperation. Trees shaping fungi talks about mycelium network, and awkward interface of trees with fungi as it balances support (nitrogen and phosphorus source) and harm, some evolved to so much sophistication as to mete out right carbon reward to the right fungus (trees have evolved a plant hormone specifically meant to control and shape fungi). Trees balance nutrient from roots with sugar from the shoots, by directing growth of both root and shoot. There is also constant mycelium interaction that connects trees in an underground network proposed as 'wood wide web'. There is richness to the diversity in an old forest that implies connected systems based on feedback. The author has problem with these and faults it for anthropomorphizing, there are overwhelming evidence of mycorrhizal connections but the trees connecting through these suffer from confirmation bias is the stand taken. …a tree’s ability to be dispassionate -to think and feel like wood -is one of its greatest wonders (arguably one of the best sentences in the book, later in the book author mentions animist communities who do not anthropomorphize -there is an aesthetic appreciation of what a tree is and acute observation of how they function). Trees shaping plants provides insights into areas I wasn’t aware of. The author quotes writer Zoe Schlanger ‘What if, instead of hunting, our food was sunlight that rained down on us, so we were bathed in it and we had to evolve only to be prepared to receive it?’. To understand life of plants author adds to the quote ‘what if all the sunlight is consistently blocked off?’. Majority of plants are angiosperms that evolved under conifer canopies that were rapidly losing diversity and eventually devastated in the aftermath of KT extinction event 66m years ago. Like the case of mammals this event boosted angiosperms while severely restricting gymnosperms. Plants were foremost shaped by trees (specifically gymnosperms) as they absorb much of carbon and sunlight, and then adapting out from under them. Specific adaptations like coping to constant disturbance, creeping phase along forest floor and waiting for opportune circumstance to shoot up, there roots and shoots could layer and root again making them extremely resistant to trampling (Mesozoic forest frequented by dinosaurs), they had many possible shoots and could respond to damage as also adaptation to absorb light better. Angiosperms were thus intrinsically flexible, adaptable and creatively chaotic. The cataclysmic asteroid impact and intense dust and ash led to two years of no photosynthesis, soon open forest of gymnosperms turned into multilayered forest of angiosperms and became basis for stupendous evolution of modern day terrestrial biodiversity. Many angiosperms rose to become tall canopy trees but not as structurally shaped or tall as gymnosperms. Tree shaping animals is penultimate chapter that starts with example of sloths that are completely shaped by trees to the extent that they have almost become tree. Another interesting example is that of a specie of bats that is so manipulated that its nose can only be used to access nectar thus blocking them from any other source of food and so completely dependent on the tree thus transporting pollens over long distance and optimizing genetic flow. Bees are modified by trees to see only UV rays, blue and green (wavelength longer than purple) and no red. There is discussion on relationship between birds and trees, and how birds were manipulated to distinguish red and green hence ripeness of fruit. Pollination and seed dispersal are two main reasons why tree shape animals. I found large seeded fruit adaptation to allow only large animal access so that seeds can be carried to farther distance quite interesting particularly example of cocoa, the toxicity of which will knock off small monkeys as it prefers larger monkeys, high fat content of cocoa butter ensures physical energy to travel long distance. The book ends appropriately with how Trees shaping people. Human history, the human brain, the human hand and human leg, all start in the forest canopy. Primate brains developed by sensing and balancing on trees. Our ability to stand upright negotiating branches, desire to build nests and the compelling scent of wood (hence books or even cupcakes), are all adaptation of primates shaped by trees. Trees and tree dwelling shaped the physical evolution of early humans. Shifting from leaf eating to fruit eating impacted development of intelligence and memory. In the safety of nest deep REM sleep resulted in development of brain, enlarging and shaping our brain. Cells of humans and trees diverged 1.7b years back (and we do share 30% of genetic code), the shared lifestyle ended when one daughter cell engulfed a photosynthetic bacterium and became a light eater while the other remained an amorphous blob hunting for food. Trees pathway of development is therefore creative as they produce more and more inventive molecules while human pursued path of avarice by taking these molecules for own use. Trees therefore are shaping humans chemically for last 500,000years by providing compounds we cannot make -medicines, supplements, vitamins, spices to antioxidants are provided by trees. Trees shape us through what we eat and air we breathe. Take for instance the case of cocoa (source for chocolates that we crave). Is it that as the world warmed up cocoa and humans expanded their range together? That the seeds of interdependence survived in our DNA, encoding a human protein (an adenosine receptor) that was chemically reshaped by the rings and oxygens of theobromine (alkaloid found in cocoa)? It is speculated by the author that some of our rootedness as humans, our wish to temper the excitement of technological advances with a grounding in nature by planting trees around our newest cities, is part of how trees shaped us. The book ends poignantly with the mention of last painting by Van Gogh (Tree Roots) -throughout the book there are many literary references that makes it quite interesting. The author writes, the painting is his last masterpiece, gnarled bright blue tree roots and green foliage bursting out of a taupe bank. It is a picture of trees holding it all together, making sense out of a bewildering world.

Despite earlier misgivings this is one of those books that one will like to go back again and again.

 

Attack on humanity

 

“We need to stop trusting the experts... Trusting the experts is not a feature of science or democracy, it's a feature of religion and totalitarianism” RFK Jr (US Secretary of Health)

This is a glaring and disturbing attempt to wreck the foundation of carefully built understanding that is essentially foundation to human progress, indeed, defines what is to be human. What makes it much sinister is the clever usage of semantics of reason while upturning the very concept of reason. This is not an isolated incident; these kinds of dangerous people are finding credence all across the world as social media consolidate herd habituated in comfort of mediocre world and unquestioning mind. Equality is an important benchmark for human rights and rule of law. It is a framework for better world, a possibility. Everyone must have opportunity to be equal, which means access to everything that makes it possible and deconstructing everything that stands against it. This doesn’t mean all are equal. State provides equity and justice for possibilities to affirm oneself. Herd has lost their individuality, that which defines what is to be a human, hence cannot claim to be equal. A lazy unthinking mind lacking self-awareness cannot claim all the rights without being responsible. An egalitarian liberal state is duty bound to restrict, restrain and ridicule herd churning systems. Or else enlightened values of democracy are periled as hypocrisy and cynicism takes hold. Eventually we have people like RFK Jr in important positions that decide on fate of millions while emboldening regressive forces across the world. These have potential to undo centuries of effort that has led to spectacular progress and possibilities. This fellow is a deeply disturbing symptom of the world we live in. The strong welfare state that safeguards what is meant to be human in free world is being replaced by neoliberal transactional state. Democracy is not given, it is not a privilege, it has to be earned, sacrifices and values behind it must be understood. Genes can create you as a human (genetically not very far from a chimp or a potato) but is not enough to be a human in the world we live in. It needs effort to be a human, indeed an onerous effort in the complexities that is present. Human beings are therefore not equal. Rights are not gift wrap. You need to present your humanity and basic human attributes that make you a human in attitude and action.

Awareness creates immensity of responsibility and necessary humility of insignificance. Critical thinking is an important benchmark that defines a human being. It is important to understand authority bias, what it means is that a person in authority position shouldn’t be mistaken for knowledge or an expert. In a feudal society herd shows distinct attributes of authority bias, lacking any discerning qualities they supplicate for power and money as source of knowledge and vice versa. Herd are nurtured by controlling degrading systems like religion, the malleable trust that is constructed is channelized to authenticate authority as sign of blessing hence their distinct favour for authoritarian leaders as messenger from god or representation as fulfillment of what religion proposes. Democracy and all egalitarian values therefore becomes conduit to god’s design (equally dangerously communism too use democracy as a conduit). RFK Jr is using this fault line to gain credibility among herd as genuine. We have crossed a threshold where even charlatans are adept in semantics of reasoning to spread convincing balderdash as the herd is incapacitated to decipher.

When we trust experts the word trust is not same as trusting religion or holy book or scripture. It is not faith. Nor is it trusting an expert. We trust the system that has peer reviewed, evidence based transparency, rigorously analyzing what is proposed into the possible frame, which then stands to be reviewed in future when presented with contrary evidence, with same rigorous procedure that system demands. What it means is that as of now there is fair to near certain consensus of a specific possibility. There is a reason why vehicle runs, bulb lights or a medicine saves life, after hundreds and thousands of years of darkness, immobility and preventable deaths, it is not a miracle but culmination of rigorous work of brilliant collaborative minds over centuries.  What is to be understood is that these have very strong element of common sense connection with reality and self that rational inquisitive mind valued while understanding basic frame of their own limitations in cosmic scheme so as to be humble. Arrogant all-knowing mindset without having basic understanding or empathy are nurtured by systems of faith, a supremacist mind living in fantasy and ready to supplicate to bigger force, that bypass basic scrutiny. With authority bestowed as entitlement they set out to question and tap on insecurities of herd.

Clearly there is a failure of education, as standards are lowered to please herd. There is nurturing of stupidity and barbarian values as diversity. There is a failure of science to communicate, also arrogance of experts lacking empathy for human condition. Meanwhile there is wanton commodification with humans evaluated as consumers. The complexity of issue is lost in lack of simple explanation that common people crave while charlatans easily provide. Neoliberal transactional values not only make it worst but also incentivize these into authority. It is vital that critical thinking is part of all stages of education while herd churning systems like religion is severely scrutinized and demystified so that it doesn’t degrade young minds. Religion infected dogmatism and fantastical ways can easily seep into egalitarian and rational frame in the garb of diversity of views, these fractures, as also lack of necessary humility that knowledge places, create extreme views of all knowing science while primitive ways incapacitate to fathom nuances of human condition. Rather than sense of wonder and appreciation faith nurtured minds create deference and submission (it is also extension of feudal values that places knowledge as authority to supplicate).

What must be understood is that science is an expression that sync with best possibilities of human mind. It does not function in isolation and nurtures in best of ecosystem that see excellence in creative expressions and expansion of human possibilities in every possible way. It necessarily thrives in open society and free minds. Poor societies (and limited minds in richer societies) in everyday struggle create insecurities and overwhelming beggar mindset of want and crave, with entrenched biases lacking culture of critical thinking or capacity to nurture inquisitive free minds, are in bleak situation. Advanced societies and best minds have a responsibility. As inimitable Carl Sagan warned “If we are not wise enough to use science to understand the world, we may stumble into a future where science is used against us.” 

Post script: After writing this I had a discussion with one of the chatAI for feedback. Please note the term "herd" is carefully chosen, if it is inflammatory or not is not my concern. People have all the access to information and means to educate but they actively choose appealing falsehoods over difficult evidence. This isn't about lack of opportunity; it's about preference for comfortable lies, they're actively preferring appealing narratives over rigorous analysis. They have chosen (not forced) to reject evidence-based reasoning and critical judgment. They are therefore herd. The task is to actively engage to remove herd churning systems. We have well passed classical liberalism that take all viewpoints as equally valid. A line has to be drawn, herd identified and what sustains them must be questioned and ridiculed for its lack in basic common sense and humanistic concerns. Egalitarian free thinking ecosystems and democratic institutions are under attack. Not by right wing or left wing neat binary but herd churning dehumanizing systems and irresponsible values.    

Science as ritual: if civilized evolved systems are not careful then the world will be ransacked by low quality people. These are skilled technicians posing as scientists without having any inkling of what science as an idea and philosophy represents, and how humanity’s progress is precariously hinged on these evolved ideas. Scientific mind is an attitude nurtured diligently, a systematic thought process that probe world. These irresponsible and juvenile actions of technicians have debilitating impact on common people as it authenticates squatter’s regressive value systems, fantastical ways, superstitions and fatalism, pseudo science and make them easy prey for charlatans. It attacks on the idea of science as a thinking skeptical mind and critical thinking as an attitude. Spiritualism is an evolved idea/experience that really has nothing to do with religion, indeed a spiritual person will very clearly see the futility and ridiculousness of such rituals and will discern regressive systems of control at work. Skilled technicians have limited mind and lack awareness beyond their narrow skills and dealing. They cannot use authority to work semantics of science and push in wares of fantasy and juvenile practices. They have to diligently work to make themselves suited to represent as scientists. Technicians work under fixed system that is laid out with possibilities of incremental modifications hence can be emulated as ritual. Science has a process that is definitely not a ritual. It questions and probes all established ideas as it progresses.                   

Adoor in a rat trap: Adoor Gopalakrishnan is a repeat offender that too in an extremely malicious way. The tone and tenor of his views (amazingly crass that you wonder whether this fellow is a respected artist or a charlatan selling stolen goods in train!) put a serious question mark on his mental state -has he become senile with age, or that this is his real self that we aren’t aware of considering this society despite its “world famous Kerala model”- thanks to early influence of Buddhism, Christian missionaries and communism, is essentially uncouth and primitive (overwhelmingly mediocre mainstream, but I have across some amazingly smart people at the fringes). I recall watching his movie in mid 1990s in empty theatre, interesting in part but nothing stood out. Another movie about hangman was more of documentary than anything incisive. Some say his movies are too intellectual and rife with symbolism, an afterthought and lack of appreciation by discerning international audience (like say for Iranian or Japanese directors) shows that these were mostly pretentious to showcase herd back home his intellectual bearing without ever deeply involved as an artist or indeed a human -which is now evident. I haven’t really watched all his movies (liked Elipathayam – isolated male in crumbling feudalism –a repeated motif, and Mathillukal -carries much empathy thanks to Basheer’s story) but what stands out is slow pace, so slow paced that a deliberate attempt to delineate from mainstream. Film experts and thinkers of caliber must reevaluate his oeuvre since the fellow is now a suspect -exposed his bearing as a primitive nurtured by deep state narration. It is clear that he doesn’t carry the complexity and nuance to represent high art reflecting the society (one shouldn’t get personal but when child chooses career in bureaucracy -crave for power, while so much opportunities to evolve. It puts a serious question mark on value system that was nurtured. Petty beggar minded middle class). He seems to be another of icons constructed by primitive society that doesn’t pass the scrutiny. It’s a pity. Frankly this is something that was least expected, quite shocking the first time around, gave him benefit of doubt, but when repeated one has to straighten up to take note. Last many decades castetva force’s ecosystem was richly rewarded hence people like him weren’t scrutinized closely (or most likely by self-affirming coterie convinced of its own greatness or shall we say blessedness!). One though wonders why communists are carrying this fellow’s burden? He should be blacklisted from state patronage. 

Sabarimala as tourist spot: anywhere religion is diluted as tourism I am for it. Herd are conceived and presented for exploitation. Common people in India rarely spent on holidays, the only travel they do is to visit holy places. These temples are located in ecologically fragile locations (flash floods in north Indian hills must make policy planners wary). Sabarimala temple upholds regressive value system that blatantly discriminates against women under the garb of faith and juvenile cringe backstory meant to percolate into herd as morals (a more civilized society would severely deal with these serious ethical transgressions, I personally think such sites should be demolished. Civilized societies must take note of spreading barbarians in the garb of faith, you will eventually pay heavy price for hosting these despicable), even the so-called god is assimilation of feudal values (it is easy for most gods to be kings and princes or squatter himself part timing as savior…authority bias makes herd trapping easy!), this one even rides a tiger -the arrogance of it, laughable staid story. To awe the herd state machinery is used to even shoot flares on auspicious day for auspicious sighting. This is duly reported as blessed miracle by media posers. Imagine the level of deception. All for the wellbeing of literate primitives determinedly incapacitated to be civilized, duly authenticated by inbred dimwit squatters with highest estimation of themselves in center of universe, orchestrated by deep state. With percolation of social media the herd litters are now moving away from the control of devious legacy media, a possibility for redemption for beleaguered society. Meanwhile squatters must be kept on tight leash and words like "shudhikaran" rituals must be strictly dealt, these are gangrene on humanity.   

Two squealing pigs of Kerala: these two attention seeking swine when they squeal legacy media of putrefied society rush in with pacifiers, they are not elected leaders nor hold any authority or appeal but work for the narration of primitive forces hence nurtured. These kind of pigs are nurtured all across wasteland of India to keep herd distracted. Not surprisingly the louts posing as journalists haven’t cultivated “dalit community”, since the views will not only rock the carefully constructed applecart of castetva narration but shove it up their constipated a*rse rituals and diversity! Purifying Gandhians singed badly while attempting their entitled patronizing crap, since then they shifted their shop for easy picking in lazy angst driven west.                    

 

                   

Urgent need for climate resilient cities

 

"Climate vulnerable cities with dense population must get their act together to focus on climate adaptive mechanism. Sponge cities is one compelling alternative that must be taken seriously. Like, for instance, you can create huge stadium like structures with deep underground parking facilities which during summer act as recreational place while during flooding turns into water storage. Policy makers must take responsibility" (https://depalan.blogspot.com/2021/11/chennai-is-facing-brunt-of-climate.html).  

As situation turns grim in India's megacity Mumbai there is an urgent need for policy makers to work for climate resilient cities. There are clear indications that we have well passed mitigative action stage. Densely populated coastal cities like Mumbai are at the forefront of unfolding climate disaster hence must take steps for climate adapted infrastructure. Retrofitting for climate resilient buildings and creating standby temporary structures during waterlogging are urgently needed. Functional recoverability of infrastructure is paramount. There are many innovative measures being taken across the world.       

Other side of light 

You will be surprised with how much little

The world can go about

Wayside leaf shaped to home like a haiku

Barnacled rock refresh in salty water

Dent on earth lifeline of sort

A cube of sugar maneuvered by colony in grand festivity

Milky way reflected somewhere in dark depth of ocean

A speck of photon spray all the colour it can gather

Whirlpool shaped to space pursue the possible

Collect all the fallen star jasmines you can

Arrange in scent of mist

Pray for the only passing freight of life

Look at sickle moon hangs just about

Slip in a standby dream

And hold it in place

World cannot carry white people’s burden any longer

Past few centuries colonial racists had assumed the burden of civilizing the world. Whether colonizing was natural in the power matrix that existed a century back is debatable. Without rule of law and civilized dealing any group or collective, even most individuals, located anywhere in the world with slight advantage than others will likely dominate and maximize their gain. So this blogger is not ready to brand only whites as racist –a virulent form of discrimination, nor the reason for colonialism. Any primitive mind will look for opportunity and weave reason to dominate, exploit and amass resources. West was able to provide civilized space for best mind to create values that sustain and advance civilization. Ofcourse there were many before like the Egyptians, Greeks and many more but they didn’t have the advantage of printing press, fast dissemination and consolidation of knowledge. Chance and choice created a favourable mix for advancement. Sophisticated philosophy, that sought to understand complexity of reality, created framework of inquiry hinged on critical thinking and reasoning hence science and technology –it also built on inputs from collective knowledge across the world. There is no debate that the West created framework for best minds to thrive and consolidate. What can be ofcourse negated is role of race. This could have happened in any part of the world, if all the critical factors had aligned. Not that it was fated but what is true is that civilizational advancement was primed in West with white people at the core of advancement. There is nothing racist about it. Nor is there any racism to understand that few centuries back this kind of advancement would have made people feel superior from the power they wielded and therefore create racial ideologies and exaggeration on this narrow premise, and in the context of the world they lived in they unleashed brutal exploitations to gain control. Therefore it is logical for colonial racism to have existed and indeed thrived till a century back. World was a brutal place. This doesn’t ofcourse mean that there weren’t humanist people among whites nor that among non-whites there weren’t individuals, or even collective, that had potential to be much advanced as we are today.  

It is therefore necessary to remove this baggage of colonial racism that is propped up by devious people (sometimes well meaning) into contemporary debate as if the world has not changed in last one century. I for one will strongly defend the contemporary world from infective incursions of history. Complexities of the world we inhabit and the challenges of future has no space for regressive values and illogical (indeed laughable) fractures of past. What needs focus is the present –the world we live in, which essentially means to remove the possibilities of repeat of the past. Past repeats if people are trapped and controlled in semantics and sensibilities of past and are disconnected from complexities of present and immense possibilities of future. Past repeats if people are not connected to the reality of their existence, and are systematically degraded into herd, through myths and fantasy as their senses and reasoning faculties are compromised. Herd by its very nature lack empathy and are unconcerned about broader ramification than what they are controlled to react. The urgent need for the world therefore is to remove possibilities of the past mindsets from the present, the regressive ways and values that affirm structures that sustain past brutalities -hence continuation of dehumanizing sensibilities and tragedy of history repeating. Any structure that segregates (specifically values that is sustained from past) and degrades is a live threat. Indeed, almost all conflict at the international to regional (to even societal and individual) can be traced to primitive values of past that are sustained by anachronistic structures controlled by devious people. Feudal structures severely undermine individual liberty and are persistent threat to democratic institutions and to the idea of democracy itself. When these are supported by powerful systems and influential people it becomes extension of primitiveness of past and immune to the progress of present and so eat into possibilities of common people’s life. Colonial mindset, entitled values –quite naturally extending to racism and supremacist ideas, no longer remains forgotten regrettable past but immediate threatening presence.

To create a semblance of civilized in this severely compromised dehumanizing value system the powerful feudal elite have worked out a compromise. This is the morphing of white people’s burden that we now face. It wouldn’t be much problematic if it were limited to weekend hedonistic get together. The influence of colonial structures and reach of colonial language around the world, particularly erstwhile colonies, makes it a serious threat to humanity. They have the power to control ideas and nurture narration across the world, particularly in poor neglected societies (many with mediocre corrupt well fed feudal elite –a trademark of post-colonial societies) through recognition and benefits (while suppressing inconvenient narrations). Semantics of control therefore infect discourse and bring back dead cold hand of history into reckoning, and thus the absurdity we face.  

Racist white Christians, neoliberal right, are blatant revivalist (this is true for all religions) hence easily isolated and rightly condemned. What is particularly sinister is humanist posturing by those white people who are nurtured under feudal and value system of exceptionalism. It is here, in this hypocrisy, white people’s compromise is streamed as exaggerated egalitarian concerns, lacking basic egalitarian foundation or humanity affirming values. They are desperate so as to not be exposed hence lose their control, they use semantics of concern and viciously control meanings and narrations. To associate with bleak reality of common people they manipulate egalitarian semantics of socialism and thus pose as neoliberal left to represent. They create narrations of multiculturalism and relativism (mystifying the crass, normalizing the vulgar) to nurture worst of people and regressive values from across the world at the expense of marginalized, and ofcourse diluting quaint ideas of multiculturism and inclusive values (which then fuels competing binary of myth by neoliberal right). Regressive barbarian cultures and practices, especially the one couched in the garb of faith, has severely degraded societies across the world. Humanist ethical concerns in a religion cannot be classified and pushed out as atheism to maintain sanctity of barbaric values and primitive practices under the garb of faith. It needs to be made clear in no uncertain terms that you cannot be part of a religion without strongly condemning the regressive mentions in holy books, scriptures, traditions so on and persistently question the degrading practices and traditions in the religion on every conceivable occasion. If you do not then you also have no right to practice that religion in open liberal society nor can be part of any human right activism. This hypocrisy cannot be kept hidden under faith or personal. This white people’s compromise has severely damaged human right concerns across the world. Common people can no longer take white people’s burden. Please don’t be our saviour. We have enough burdens as it is, indeed many insurmountable, and we cannot compromise our sense of reality, our only claim for survival, to fit in your manipulation. Neoliberal right revivalist jingoism of majoritarian supremacism is a known threat and can be resisted through rule of law and humanism. The neoliberal left’s opportunist minoritarian spurious identity driven posturing is much insidious as it not only make concocted grievances of neoliberal right credible but also nurture the worst as minority while usurping from the needy and marginalized. This elitist competing binary is the reason for increasingly lack of empathy and criminal inactions for truly suffering people across the world. The use of semantics of care and concern to work out opportunist narration is what makes it sinister. By nurturing and mainstreaming regressive values and practices they have severely undermined incremental gains of humanist egalitarian traditions over obscurantist forces by divergent communities across the world –which is now exploited by rightist. And with market driven media and chaos of social media nuanced traditions are now pushed out as outrageous and blasphemous. The loss is immeasurable.     

Strengthen democratic institutions, nurture human liberty and freedom, value critical thinking as indelible part of collective understanding. Always question, undermine, and deconstruct feudal institutions and values (that continue to shape global economic and local social institutions), ascriptive exceptional values, supremacist ideas and systems that dehumanize into herd. Use words carefully, understand its import and control. Words must reflect the complex realities of present with awareness of past and possibilities of future. Most importantly, please don’t be complacent. Your complacent classifications, simplistic understandings and narrations carry a heavy price for people across the world just, like the carbon emission, the effect are felt in far off places.                                                                  

 

The gap in time 

Sometimes I experience 

That I am part of infinite

That pursues me every moment

The world streams through me

Back and forth

Like a pulsating being

That connects everything in stream of light

Losing sense of time and space

All shapes commingled, blurred

Sometimes stacked, always dissipating

In a curving spiralling streaks of colours

As if in Einstein’s thought train

I anchor to get the shape of things

There is a surge of thoughts

Brief brightness, then the silence

The everlasting stillness

As it is meant to be    

 *Where acknowledgement is due: well I thought I will get away with it. You read something truly beautiful and are riveted to defining words and expansive world it unleashes that you want to replicate it. As long as you are adding to the world in your own perspective it is fine. It is patently wrong to copy words, eventhough it may not be the same context. And that is precisely what I did in the above poem, and since then it's been troubling me. I read this iconic short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (written in 1890 by Ambrose Bierce), it is such an amazing work of art that leaves you awestruck and deeply moved (simultaneously selfishly wistful for not writing something like this!). I haven’t come across the word “commingled” before and the usage here was brilliant. Meanwhile I was seeped into a framework of stretching-time-by-dying-mind after watching 1990 movie Jacob’s Ladder (Tim Robbins as always did restraint work of brilliance) as also 2005 movie Stay -it is difficult to enact the concept, it is a space beyond words, the movie therefore is kind of messed and ends up as an explanation rather than an experience (despite some brilliant actors –I like Naomi Watts- one of the best, I recall a movie about screen test or something where her instant change of character left me astounded. She is someone I like to keep an eye on). The last few minutes of Stay is remarkable in its impact. Coming back to Ambrose Bierce, I not only took the word ‘commingled’ but also the next word ‘blurred’ –truly unbecoming on my part. Ofcourse that doesn’t really take away anything from the above poem -it is also part of my awareness, I start to like it after few reading, and ofcourse the omniscient ChatAIs too rate it above average!                  

Increasing hazard of GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)

With climate warming mountainous region along the Himalayan glacier have become particularly vulnerable. Himalayan region is changing rapidly. There is increased intensity and frequency of cloud bursts and intense rains. GLOF is adding to hazardous conditions as they become frequent with glacier melting, there is an increase in glacial lake formation in last few years. With glacial retreat the melted water collect as glacial lake and with debris (moraine wall) it can grow much large and triggered by rainfall, avalanche, landslides, seismic activities ('development' activities along the geologically unstable region). GLOF are extremely unpredictable and destructive, and set to increase in frequency and intensity according to latest report of UN. There is a need for increased investment in GLOF adaptive technology like early warning systems, glacier monitoring and local awareness.

*Yesterday's disaster in Uttarkashi (Dharali) is reported as cloudburst, not yet confirmed by experts. Looks like cloudburst but for the horrifying intensity and rapidity GLOF cannot be ruled out. GLOF remains a serious rapidly evolving threat for the region in the coming years. In 2013 a major GLOF in Uttarakhand left more than 5000 people dead.    

correction

 *correction from earlier post during India Pakistan confrontation. So, I gather from independent sources that Indian jets were shot down with latest Chinese tech -pointing to failure in intelligence gathering of technological upgradation by adversary. The earlier reports were therefore correct (but that doesn't exonerate the media which didn't have independent confirmation). This blogger stands corrected.  

The Chinese rise

Clearly authoritarian China is not only becoming a regional threat but an international danger. China is replacing US (and with madcap semiliterate US president and his lunatic base the demise is faster than expected) as a major centre of technological advancement, sports as well as culture -specifically contemporary Chinese literature. There is a realtime shift happening. If only China was democratic and inclusive country it would make world a better place. Sincerely hope people have more say in decision making. More than a decade back I mentioned about Chinese writing https://depalan.blogspot.com/2014/07/watch-out-for-chinese-talent.html I was reading Yu Hua, he is terrific. Since then I mentioned about Chinese American writer Ted Chiang (as also the movie Arrival, and later the connection between LLM so on) https://depalan.blogspot.com/2021/07/story-of-your-life.html Ken Liu (Paper Menagerie, really haven't read much as I am no longer into serious science fiction). 

Cixin Liu, the China based writer has emerged as significant science fiction writer. The Three Body Problem is a well known work (now available on Netflix), an aware sensitive writer with enhanced skills (interestingly in the original Chinese version he put the criticism of communist regime somewhere in the middle to hoodwink censor). The Three Body Problem is also a sophisticated metaphor against forces working against critical thinking and therefore periling  human race. I also happen to read graphic novel Yuanyaun's Bubbles -a science fiction story of possibilities, I like the sensibilities here. Ofcourse it is an interesting story but the mindset that is being presented is what makes it valuable. Meanwhile I was also reading Wednesday's Child by Yiyun Li, on and off, it was during this time that I came across information regarding death of both of her sons by suicide, though writer's personal life shouldn't really matter in good writing but this one really affected me and started seeing things between the lines and words, the abyss of utter grief, I really couldn't finish.    

In 2008 I recall mentioning about Lao She, Beneath the Red Banner -the book I picked up from second hand book stall in Pune, that help me understand life of ordinary Chinese people during early part of last century as also about Chinese theatre https://depalan.blogspot.com/2008/04/meet-lao-she-shu-quingchu.html. In the same blog I mentioned about Pearl Buck (and a lucky find My Several World at second hand book seller on Bangalore pavement -quite coincidently today I saw a pic of Pearl Buck's The Good Earth on Lahore pavement). Pearl Buck has written extensively about China. Unlike Buck I would praise communism for breaking Chinese feudal family driven nepotistic ties, and focussing on social cohesion through education and health care. The reason why China is able to emerge as technological and cultural powerhouse. With this strong base of egalitarian value system China can easily shift towards vibrant democracy. People must and should care about their liberty and freedom or else all these developments are limiting and limited. Hopefully people assert their right so that insular expansionist China doesn't pose threat to the world. Democracy will bring its challenges, and that is what development means, and is negotiated. It brings possibilities that is inconceivable in controlled society.  In this era we need more "carefree and relaxed" people.        

Post script: In one entry in 2008 https://depalan.blogspot.com/2008/04/great-chinese-civilization.html i discussed need for democracy in China, also quoted poignant lines from Soul Mountain by Nobel leaurate Gao Xingjian (who escaped Chinese dictators) on how communist unleashed atrocities  “…….he said that hiding in the cabin he had witnessed a terrible massacre during Cultural revolution…. people were tied with wires at the wrists in groups of three and forced into the river by spraying them with machine gun fire, if one was hit all the three fell. They were like fish on the hook, they splashed and struggled for a while, then floated down like a dead dogs. Oddly, the more the people killed off the more people there are, whereas with the fish the more that are caught the fewer there are. Wouldn’t it be better if it were the other way around?...”