VIRTUAL REALITIES!!!

The term “Virtual Reality” is not comparatively old, just like the Internet. But suddenly with the advancement of social networking sites like Orkut, Facebook and many more, it just became so REAL. Limits between the VIRTUAL and REAL world are blurring and new horizons are appearing, new dimensions are getting added to this ever popular term by the minutes. In this article, I have tried to take a fresh new look at this term and tried to redefine it in the context of today’s REAL world.

I was born in the late 70’s, I can say the old world. And the term “virtual reality” at that time was associated with some fancy electronic gadgets, a big goggles, a metallic hand, a shiny body suit, a 360 degree revolving chair etc etc. It was seen only in Hollywood movies (if at all they were available for us to watch in India) or some high end video games.

The world around me has changed many times since then. Be it in the 80s with the entry of TV in a common man’s life in India or opening up of Indian economy and introduction of the Internet during the 90s or the rising of India Inc. in early 21st century. Well, I have tried my level best to keep up with the change and I would say, I have done fairly good so far. But one thing that completely baffled me and continues to do so is to cop up with the emerging new VIRTUAL world of social networking and blurring limits between the VIRTUAL and the REAL world around me.

I took the plunge into this new and emerging world very early in 2006, or should I say, quite late may be, as timelines are becoming so relative now a days (A complete new breed of people emerge every two years and five years age difference is considered “generation gap”). Since my first encounter, I have been trying to establish myself, trying to build my identity in the virtual world of Orkut just like I have been trying to do so in the real world ever since I was born. However, I realized soon that it is much more difficult, much more competitive and much more challenging to establish myself and create my own identity in the VIRTUAL world than there in the REAL one. I felt so, may be because I have a mind that is adapting and flexible to change as per the new world but a heart that was born and a value system that was practiced during the late 70’s. Nevertheless, let me share some of my “Experiments with Virtual Realities”...

It all starts by creating your profile, giving a face to your personality. This is the acid test. This is where your value system gets tested. Your hidden desires come to foray because there is so much scope for imagination, honesty and untruthfulness at the same time. You can portrait yourself as someone you are or you are not, and the choice is entirely yours. There is no one to validate but your inner self. This is where you decide to bare yourself or hide behind a mask in front of the VIRTUAL world. This is where you create a VIRTUAL you. This is where you choose from one of these – “Jo hai woh dikhta hai”, “Jo dikhta hai woh bikta hai” and “Jo bikta hai wohi dikhao”. This is where you decide to draw a line between the REAL and VIRTUAL you or you decide not to have any such line at all. This is where you imagine, you assume, you contemplate, you think and you create. What more, you can create multiple copies of yourself!!!

Next comes, joining a community (or a group) or creating your own. I can join any community I want to, or can create one of my own. A community is a group of like minded individuals joining hands to work in a desired direction. And finally, you start building relations - Friends, family, activity groups, love and hate too.

But then, it is not as easy as it looks. There are so many unanswered questions like - Who controls a community? How like minded people really are in a virtual world? Who is projecting his/her true self and who is not? How can you judge someone? How can you get into the REAL mind of someone operating a VIRTUAL profile?

So the universal rule followed, it seems is - “do not trust anyone”. Well, if you do not trust anyone, how can you call it a “community”?, because a community is always based on mutual trust, understanding and courtship in the REAL world. But, that is where the VIRTUAL world differs. It has its advantage. One can pretend to be in a community but remain an individual – a true self. Something that is totally unacceptable, if not banned, in the REAL world. This is where you find thousands of profiles and hundreds of communities being created about alternate lifestyles – gays, lesbians, swingers, nudists, drug addicts, terrorists and many such activities that are considered to be the dark side of life in the REAL world. The social networking sites have no longer remained a place for “meeting your old friends from the REAL world and keeping in touch with them”. It is widely being used to create new contacts, new relations, new personalities, new communities a completely new VIRTUAL WORLD. A world full of contrast – possibilities vs. traps, opportunities vs. risks, freedom vs. addiction, fun vs. threat and so on.

It is a brave new world out there. But who are the members? Mostly youngsters. Indians, it seems, are one of the biggest users of these sites. I ask myself, “Is it just because we have tech savvy young generation?” And the answer is - No, it is not just that. It is because the young generation is changing. They are demanding a change in REAL world through the means of a VIRTUAL world or may I say, they are already changing the REAL world? The world around is surely changing faster than we can think of or imagine. If not, than a person like me from the old world, adapting nicely to the changing REAL world, would not have felt the need to write this article.

Time is not far before we see a new disease being added to the books of psychology called “Virtual Reality Disorder” or a new religion being introduced as “Orkutva”. May be, I myself, would like to open a commune for the people “affected positively or negatively by the effects to Virtual Realities”. Ultimately, it is the experience from the REAL world that counts in the end!!!

Four biggest mistakes of Humans

that we invented...

Society
Money
Religions
Borders

Can you imagine, how beautiful this world would be wothout these four things???
I can :)

Nostalgic Freedom

15th August 2008
1:45 AM

I am seating in my room in Koregaon Park with the first ever (and the only) printed copy of FLOP Magazine in my hand. I got it printed today evening only. And I am thinking or may I say, my mind is full of thoughts on which I have no control. I don’t want to control. My mind is free, after all it is Independence day today. And it goes to exactly the same time, but 2 years back. 15th August 2006. I started my tour of India then. And I was on top of tiger hills that time… and I exactly remember those words that I used to describe that moment on my tour of India blog...

"I have spent the first night ontiger hill (lonavale) in the midst of darkness, fog, rain and wind.. in the presence of fire and in the company of some very good friends (who came from Pune on bikes in zero visibility) just to spend some time with me,,,, it was like fusion of all five elements - fire,water, air, earth and sky!!! with mother nature at its best, it was one of the most most memorable night of my life!! Thanx to Abhay, Amit, Anish, Saumik, Mr.Wagle and Samarth. In Pratapsan's terms "It feltlike I was enjoying honeymoon with myself :)"

So, I write a sms to Abhay, a witness and part of that nostalgic moment. And I start writing again. But, don’t know where to start. Thoughts are so fast, I am trying to cope-up… so, don’t try to find any flow or logic in it. "LOGIC" is a big word, "KNOWLEDGE" is another…. I think, these words have killed my innocence somewhere in my life… now I am trying hard to unlearn and get that innocence back…If I could wish one thing from God, I would want my innocence back. But, I can’t wish. I can try for sure. So, I am trying…. Trying hard. For past two years now. I don’t know when exactly I realized it but I now know for sure that leaving my job and traveling across India was my shot at getting my innocence back and not peace or happiness… peace or happiness is simply a by product, or a permanent state of mind when we are innocent. I now remember clearly, I got inspired by not the happiness but innocence of those workers by the roadside when my car was hit by a landslide. I now know. Not know, but I now feel. Knowing is knowledge, is unreal. Feeling is real. I now don’t "know", but "feel" life. And what a life it has been in past two years….

The tour – the accident – coming back home – the Internet, flickr and orkut – the PCA – first exhibition – International Photography Award – first assignment – coming to Pune – FLOP and now the first issue. And in between these milestones, those “fill in the blank” moments…… so many of them – friends, family, loneliness, groups, activities, sleep, dreams, thoughts, depression, triumphs, feelings, contemplation, realization and freedom.

The milestones are not that important as the “feel in the blank” moments. That is what life is. FEEL. The road, the journey and not the destination.

A promise is a promise

:) Now you all know, I break my promises... well, go and read my first ever post on this blog and you will know :)

But, dont worry, I break my promises made to myself only... I dont break my promises made to someone else. Well, thats because I dont promise much to others :) Is it the reason, why girls dont find me too promising??? :):):)

IN SEARCH OF A NEW WORLD

For past many days, I was feeling the need to go far away from this world in search of a new world, a new identity for myself. A world, where I am no one. Nothing is expected out of me. No desires. No attachments of any sort. A world, full of nature and peace around.

But than, suddenly today, I realised. There exists no such world. Because, my world is inside me. Its my soul. No matter where I go, what I do, my soul will be in me. I cant run away from me.

So, I need to create a new world, of my liking, inside me. Just like Buddha did.

The Gift - sent to me by a dear friend which I want to share with everyone of you

Every single moment is a blessing. Every day is a precious gift. No sparkling piece of jewelry, no expensive high-tech gadget, no financial wealth can possibly match the value of waking up to a new day that is filled with possibilities.

How will you celebrate your good fortune today? What use will you make of the opportunities which lie open and exposed right in front of you? This moment is an empty canvas and you are an artist of extraordinary ability. What masterpiece will you create this time?

The little troubles and inconveniences have no right to hold you down. They're nothing compared to the good things you have. Those who merely endure this day are throwing away a magnificent opportunity that will never come again. What a sad and tragic mistake. Open the gift that is this moment and use it for all you can.

Love vs. Platonic relationship

As some one asked me - "tell me something on Love vs Platonic relationship"... My first question would be - "Have you ever experienced love?"... if not, whatever I say or write here, you will never be able to understand. So, stop reading if you never loved someone or have never been loved.


I dont want to define love anyways, but let me define platonic relationship. As per wikipedia - "Platonic relationship, in its modern popular sense, is a non-sexual affectionate relationship. A simple example of platonic relationships is a deep, non-sexual (i.e. overtly romantic) friendship, not subject to gender pairings and not excluding close relatives".

So, going by this definition - difference between love and platonic relationship is - plain and simple "sexual vs. non-sexual affection"... hmm... but, isnt "love making (in plain terms, sex)" inherent part of Love!!! can anyone's love be termed complete without love making? love making (or sex), in its most pure, spiritual or artistic sense one of the best gift you can give to your partner... so, its surely conclusive to say that love is not complete without love making involved...

Now, lets talk about "platonic relationship"... for example, if there are two friends of opposite gender (or even same gender... in modern times, it doesnt make much of a difference anyways), ...very close friends... and if they indulge in love making to satisfy eachother's physical urges (but actually doing it like to lovers, pure and pasionate, to the maximum satisfaction of both)... and both are positive and OK with it... they dont see any harm in it... but they say - "we are not in LOVE with eachother"... what kind of relationship would it be? the same can be termed true for close relatives that indulge in love making but never except it socially that they are actually in LOVE with eachother...

PS: I have chosen to use "love making" instead to "Sex", categorically to make a point that "i am still talking about the pure exchange of affection during the process)"... think and read ahead!

Not complicating it further, what i wanna say is - "its only socially that we want to differenciate between relationships that involve love making vs. those that does not. Psychologically and philosophically, it is a lot more complex thing to define and separate or categorise relationships with a clear and defined boundries"... in pure, human perspective, Relations are to be perceived and not defined.