Reading has never been my cup of tea, though I read a lot. Then why do I spend a lot of time in reading? What do I read? These questions of self contradictory features may be posted on the net for 'guess an answer competition'. I do not know for sure whether that I am unconsciously taken to Bacon's statement 'reading maketh a full man'. I was young then when I read Bacon and imagined converting myself a full man, not being happy with half-man or a moron. I am still not happy with what i am now. I would like to dabble in writing now; one more stop in making myself an exact man to quote Bacon. What do these things mean really?
I read for the sake of donning the mask of a teacher. My commitment spurs me to choose things and proceed with them. I do not want to fool around on campuses with a big face (a face grown out of shape for the everyday addition of the burden of books to it) with a 'much read man' written all over it. I assume the existence of such a face, one that gives a gloat to me and makes me look down on others, as the unread swarm around me and make me different or 'indifferent' among or from them. When I was a child, I was fond of books. I always was the first one or one among the first to grab copies of magazines meant for children adorning the 'petty shops'. I remember that the trips with my father to various shops for buying grocery or things required to run one's family always excited me with the idea of looking for the arrival of those magazines; for the sheer pleasure of buying them I agreed to accompany my father. My father was partially responsible for introducing me to those books in an age of dependence when I relied on either my father or my mother to read them to me.
I kept accumulating the magazines that i subscribed to to a greater degree that once my father felt bad about the introduction. It took me a lot of time to come out of that addiction to 'make believe and adventurous' stuff. I hardly recollect how I came out of them. The fad continued only till the age of thirteen as I was confined to a small town where it was a rarity to get access to those 'make believe and adventurous stuff'. Perhaps this too much of reading in an early age generated a hatred towards reading that I stopped reading, which I thought I had done with reading once and for all. The jinx came back to me as I chose to do a post graduate course in literature. I earlier thought of quitting studies, as you know i am not very much fond of reading. I strongly believe in the theory of predestined universe and may be my tryst (not at all secretive) with reading would go on till cutting a stone for me.
It is for these reasons I believe I still read. One, it has possessed me. Two, I do not know how to get rid of it. An additional reason may be that the jinx brings me money and knowledge (must be put only in this order as the first one happens to be more realistic and true and the second one is seldom realised).
It's very surprise to come to know from your posting that reading is not your cup of tea and your seldom realised is to get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your observation about your reading habit which becomes obsession in inital days and later it transforms to passion forcefully.
Personally, I feel that PASSION is not an automatic process. Ofcourse it comes from within, but initialization happens based on the situation and the person who influence in our childhood. Obviously Father / Mother is the first role model of every child To Become or Not to become.. Want to be Or Don't want to be.. depends on parents sanity.
In your case, now U are honoured b'coz of your Father very particulary about your reading habit.. Apart from reading every one knows that your pillar is build upon from your Mother's basement.
Here my argument is, we need not analyse about our passion instead refine it with keen interest. If we start analysing about ONION it will ends up with NOTHING. The same way if we do it in our PASSION then we ends up with NO WHERE..
Your authenticity is build up by your Labourious Reading Or Passionated Reading? This is what your question Isin'dt? I don't think it is Labourious.
B'coz "Reading' is front end process But your ATTITUDE of "Search and Finding the Truth" is back end process. ( This you called it in different way as "Reading maketh a full man" concept)
This Attitude is the driving force of every Passion. In other words, Passion is based on one's Attitude.
Tell me your friend will tell you about U is famous proverb..
The same way, Tell me your Passion will tell U about Ur Attitude Or Intension behind U is another form.
I heard from some one that "If U are involved in your passionated work then Ur age is countless.."
I agree with it.
Passion doesn't have logic. It is influenced by Beta Waves which is very essential for Healthful Heart..
If we mess up with Alpha Waves then our conscience will get collapse.
It is not necessary of what we are doing.
Rather is it very important how much we are involved in that.
So, if you think that you are a BOOK WARM, then Be a WARM in the fullest.. Zen philosophy!
Regards,
Thiru.
Dear Thiru, Thanks for your comments. I am much pleased with your interest in reading the article and analysing it with utmost earnestness. I do not come across a lot of grammatical errors, though i do come across a few. I do not think that they require any serious looking into. I am going to leave your comment as you have posted. The article is an attempt to trace the origin of the passion called reading in an individual and the individual is open about things. That's all. Thanks for your comments. Bye
ReplyDeleteyou speak about how readers and non readers tend to become different and distant,I think blogs are one way of connecting readers to form an alliance so that they don't have to feel bad about their minority status.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, above all reading and writing inspire us apart from providing knowledge,money, language etc, Words not only tell stories but tell us that there are wonderful people around us, extraordinary actsof courage and compassion being done everywhere and and this earth is not a bad place to live in, afterall
When you were akid this is what you felt. Keepfeeling the same way
dear bala,
ReplyDeletemy hearty congrats on your new blog. as how reading possessed u so writing too. hope ur writing will fetch you some money too. all the best.