This book is for people like me

Book Review: The Simpleton's guide to Astrophysics

This short book explains, from the singularity of the big bang to the likely singularity of Big Freeze, Big Crunch, Big Rip, or Big Bounce, the possible paths our universe may take. That too, without much ado of theories, equations, and other discouraging elements of science! Making whatever are the conclusions simple, are the short introduction to theory of relativity, the description of star's life cycle, and the concise summary of other relevant objects like wormholes.

I liked the book a lot. It made me comfortable to read and understand the popular discussions about ongoing research in these areas.

The humble, materialistic origins of God

I do not agree with the idea of a God. Especially, the prevailing one, which puts it as something to do with fear of the unknown. (An unknown can cause fear only when it is linked to a known. e.g. We are afraid of heights only because we know it is painful to fall) Our ancestors too would have been right thinking people like us, who looks for a reason to do things. 

It is probable that our early forefathers found, the unknowns increasing at a much faster rate than the knowns. Since, as it is very well known to us now, the more one knows, the more unknowns, one knows. But, instead of reaching the obvious conclusion, that there always will be something left to know, they took to the unnatural maxim, 'There are many things beyond human comprehension'. Why?

I think they were looking for an excuse to escape from the drudgery of learning. Choosing the former reasoning would have entailed further study. As it is nowadays, if the proliferation of educational aids is anything to go by, in the old times too, learning would have been a pain. And the initial, natural reaction of the suffering many would have been to think of creating hurdles in the activity of learning. Like coming up with imaginative excuses for staying away from study, declaring the idea of learning itself as a misplaced, unnecessary, or useless one, like we do these days to wriggle out of things uncomfortable. Here, a really good, intelligent and effective response would have been to declare the very outcome of learning, that is, understanding the nature of things itself, as something beyond human comprehension. Sure, it would have worked well, but with a danger. A question could have come up, who then can understand it?

This would have been the time, when the concept of a superior entity dawned on them. Where the entity itself is beyond comprehension, whatever be the current levels of contemplation. An image with infinite powers. To their delight, this idea continued to serve them well, ever after. The idea could successfully stonewall, delay, or justify, anything one found inconvenient to face, handle or do, making it an essential for life. And a new activity is born, spiritual quest, which helps us by successfully replacing each object of reference, by the time it loses its novelty. 

(Incorporating such ideas into daily life would have been needing extensive manipulation of data, and unique objects of reference that remained so. This is where they found useful tools in stuff like heavenly bodies. https://hubpages.com/education/Rational-Mythology )

Over time, from the earliest images of unknowns, this would have further metamorphosed into singular shapes, unusual animals, magnificent entities, and finally to abstract ideas.

My thoughts on Sabarimala

There is commotion in every society. Wars, pestilence, or this. Also it is normal, since society is an unnatural construct. (Had we realized this long back, I think we would have already found an alternative. Even now, it is not very late.  https://hubpages.com/politics/WhyDoWeLiveAsASociety , https://roytjames.blogspot.com/2019/02/a-new-approach-to-life.html )
One can see, the prevailing atmosphere of disturbance can take any form. In some societies, these manifest as acute reactions to social change, also as total disregard to traditional ideas. Violence, addiction to drugs, etc. may appear in its many forms, while another society may opt for a less materialistic reaction. There also could be a few, whose choice, in stark opposition, might be to embrace the ancient.

In a dynamic society, there will disturbances, which always lead to something unpredictable.
Think of a few instances of global disruptions of the recent past. Like the dark, middle ages, when societies were involved in perpetual fights or wars, where each society happened to redraw its borders regularly. The age of exploration also fits here, during which, disturbance might have been a common thing, both at home and in the explored societies. The period of awakening followed by the industrial revolution, is yet another one.
In all these cases, we are quick to acknowledge, observe, analyze, and celebrate the welcome results it left us with, while forgetting totally, the large scale disturbances, the current society must have had to go through, then. Or the vehement opposition, the pioneers of such movements must have had to face. (In fact none of them might have been having, even an inkling about the phenomenal changes, their effort would be leading to, in the days to come. I am sure, they would have been giving vent to their wishes and priorities with a total disregard to the opposing forces, the true nature of a gifted one.)

So the day is not far off, when the populace will be competing with each other to garland the statues of past hero/heroines like Rehna Fatima, or Mary Sweety, while discarding to obscurity, the present protectors of Sabarimala. 

'Me too' points to something big

'Me too' points to something big that is on the way.
What we see today in movements like 'me-too' or, the chorus for and against the entry of female devotees to certain places, are in fact nothing but irrational acts with no malicious intent. You see, as a result of the progress we have achieved so far, many of the irrational acts of yesteryears got adapted suitably to our society. We are also heavily discouraging the few remaining ones like consumption of alcohol, gambling, etc. As a result, we will have to resort to multiple reuse of the few irrational acts still in acceptance, and wayward romance can be thought of as one such. Each instance of its reuse adding to its severity, we may end up exposing ourselves to acts that are too regressive. And that is what we are witnessing.
This brings up another important point to ponder. The present pattern of population growth is giving an alarming picture, where the moderate nations are showing a declining rate, while all other countries show considerable increase.  And today, among the different cultures or societies of the world, the repressive views, especially those pertaining to male-female equality and suppression of female sexuality, do face, wide, effective opposition only because the moderates are in a decent, reckon-able number. Won’t in future, with the differential rate of population growth when moderates become a minority, the regressive majority will find themselves empowered enough to take whatever steps necessary to cement the existing gender inequalities, if not furthering them? Or extermination of billions of people on Earth, incredible suffering, and many devastating upheavals result from their actions, which always will be of the extreme? Can’t this be considered as the most serious problem facing the mankind, an early example of which is, me too?

Peaceful Days?

Invent a new grammar for a bright future

Whether between people or between states, what leads to conflict? Unsettled differences. Why not settle? People do not understand each other well. Can the issue then be reduced to one of grammar?

I think yes, but in a more broader sense. Say, a new grammar that embodies the context.

We can think of it grammar as something that quickly give meaning to what we hear or say. But context is the thing needed to quickly give relevance to what we make out of it.

We are fully aware of the former. It is a part of our education, the way we prepare our young ones to meet the challenges ahead. It make us confident to communicate with one another, though there are many instances where we fail in making each other understood clearly. Presently we are quite happy with it, while ready to accept all the disturbances and failures that regularly accompany it. We revel at our successes, and readily accept excuses for our failures. The most common excuse in such instances being, to err is human.

When it comes to the latter, I think we are in the dark. I concede we recognize the importance of context, but it is limited to instances where one is to justify, condone, or propagate something inconvenient.

In which case, what will be pertinent is, rather than what I say or do, the context, that is, what made me say or do that, shall be understood, and rightly so.

Hence I feel there is scope for a linguistic revolution. We need to invent words that can represent all the relevant facets of whichever context, in a unique manner.

Now, supposing we did invent such words, what all can we expect?

Whenever we hear something, what gets registered in us shall be the (hidden) meanings that are relevant to the context. And when we say something, there will rarely be an occasion to be at a loss of words.

And the result. Misunderstandings will be a thing of the past. And no fights, and no wars.