1) Level of thoughts and comparisons:
When they say quality of life moves from one level to the next, they are actually right. I strongly believe that we belong to a certain level/class; not only in terms of money, but also in terms of thoughts and comparisons. The problem occurs when we intermix these levels. Let's understand this via an example.
Bibek is analysing his earnings and he thinks he can easily afford an iPhone at his income/thought level. He observes that some of his ideals (say Anant Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Abhishek Singh) use iPhone. He is quite a matured chap and does not spend unnecessarily. But, he wants to live a life like his ideals.
The intermixing of levels work in the following way. In a level lower to him, many people have to take a hard decision whether to travel via a auto or bus for saving INR 100 (say). Bibek needs not to think about that saving when compared to a better purpose (eg. going home early to spend more time with kids). But he may think or mayn't think much about that INR 100. If he decides to save, that's an example of level mixing.
Say, at his level, he can buy any good quality phone, say between 20K to 30K. Now, at a level up, although he can easily afford to spend 70K for an iPhone. Now, without any specific better purpose, the desire to have an iPhone, is what I call again as level mixing.
When level mixing happens, the result is unsustainable and painful at times. You will know internally something is not right, not quite sure what that is. This is also applicable (I think) in case of relationship, gift etc. Like people say 'aukaat pe roho', I think this dialogue makes sense.
Solution- well, some say before buying anything, you should calculate can you spend double/triple tomorrow; some say, ask yourself- if you lose this tomorrow will you be alright? If the answers to these questions are positive, then you should go ahead. However, I don't think these can give you absolute clarity. The thoughts will still hover in your mind - I could have saved INR 100 or I could have owned that iPhone. The best way is to know that we think and decide in this way, and such thoughts will continue bothering us.
2) Unseen and hidden objectives
In politics, a candidate spends years after years to get a party ticket, and eventually to win an election. As a common public, we feel sympathy for the candidate if he does not get ticket even after years of efforts. However, close observation will reveal that getting the party ticket is only one of the many aspirations that the candidate has. Even though he does not get any, there are lot of other avenues to compensate his desires. There are some tangible things such as designation, money, contract, other seats etc as well, much beyond common themes such as power and popularity.
Another example was the Ambani wedding. Many people criticised that such a lavish wedding was just a waste of money. However, another section of people think that's the way rich people do networking and fix business deals. Networking during conference tea breaks or in elevator are just middle class things. 'Big' people take that to personal homes. Even birthdays, big schools are also 'soft' places for networking/searching clients for 'Big' people. The middle class just kept criticising and tries networking at odd places which does not work in most occasions.
This leads us to a general theme - there are unseen and hidden objectives in many of the activities smart people undertake. Sometimes, this is deliberate and sometimes not. So, if you see something very obvious or very unique, please take a pause. Whatever you are seeing might not be happening in the background.
3) Does Karma really exist?
When a criminal is put behind the bar, we tell - see karma! We don't follow the news that he gets bail after a few months and starts roaming free.
When a corrupt legislator loses an election or denied party ticket after 1/2/3 terms, we tell - see karma! We don't discuss that he was already a people representative for several years, and will be in limelight later also, with all the perks and benefits of an ex legislator.
Shouldn't the calculation of karma should have some timeline, some definitive intensity of the pain etc.?A temporary setback should not be called as karma. Atiq Ansar maybe an example of karma, but if Bhubaneswar Kalita gets expelled from party and/or suffers cancer tomorrow will you call karma is in work? If Prodyut Borodoloi or Bhupen Borah loses election this time, will you call karma? How about their probable engagement as head of any state PSU 5 months later? Common citizens will say "bhale hoise, sikhya paise", but for them, winning election maybe only one of the many things. The concept of karma is itself confusing in these cases.
Learning: let's not get contented that karma is real and everyone will get his/her own share. The reality is that injustice and inequality are the norms of this planet and let's embrace that. At least, try not to get injustice in your own life, and don't victimise yourself by labelling all your sufferings as karma.
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