demon

In our minds resides a demon, it is full of pessimism and fear. It starts seeding our thoughts with why and whatnot, and ends by making us fearful. Most of us have surrendered to it. We have accepted our limitations and have let it rule over us.

There are some days in life when I realise how I got overpowered by this demon. Then I feel blessed and thankful for where I am now. The demon still tries to prey on my thoughts and makes me miserable. It is just that, with all the accumulated past experiences, I am better equipped now to tackle it.

Nothing

When you are in a state of accepting that you don’t know things, that is when curiosity kicks in and inner motivation drives you to learn things. We live in a world of recycled knowledge, where everyone claims to be an expert. What differentiates us then is working more than the rest and understanding the nitty-gritty of a system, process, and becoming a master at it.

We overestimate ourselves and technology in making us an expert. The advancement has significantly reduced labour and made us more efficient. But in the end, it is just an aid. We are working hand in hand with the machine; we are innovating, so is the machine.

The progress of humanity has come on the account of acceptance and accountability. It is not an overnight success, drawing us to the utopia. Many more unknowns rest in the deep, and we have to be humble enough to accept that we have absolutely no clue about them.

Writer

A writer’s life is a mixed bag: happiness, pain, melancholy, and celebration. The contents flow from the subconscious with real-world experiences. Another aspect of writing involves crafting stories and achieving personal desires via the story.

In many instances, the author’s failure becomes their arsenal on which they build the script. The wildest of the dreams, the author can craft and weirdest it can be in real life, becomes the plot.

When we read a story, we get into thinking about the imagination of the author, but in reality, it is the author’s frustration that becomes a story in its own. Why will someone with multiple failed relationships write a romantic novel, or someone leaving his or her family to pursue a writing career, talk about family virtues?

The struggle, pain, and loss of loved ones cement the pivotal moment in the author’s journey. It brings authenticity and leaves no room for fakery. It is when the masterpiece gets written.

Process

We get involved in the process at times. As a result, we forget the purpose. Our life is a collection of moments; we create it. The surroundings, people, and our thoughts play a key role in it.

We know where we have to travel. At many times, we get so obsessed with the plan that it takes center stage. We forget about traveling altogether. And when we realise it, we sulk and start blaming the planning again.

Time and again, I have seen people falling for the trap of planning without leading till the end. Who knows what the end is, who knows about the path? The quest to start should take precedence over everything else.

40

I recently celebrated my 40th birthday. With age, we become wiser because we have witnessed more ups and downs. It’s the scars we carry that make us more cautious. All these things are told by authors and philosophers.

What has changed for me is nothing. I am still the same, running around and breathing. I feel more competitive than before, and above all, my willingness to go all in has increased. In the end, what can go wrong? In short, nothing. I am competing with myself.

Our life is in our thoughts. Our thoughts are governed by people around us, what we see, and what we read. I am lucky to have reached here now to have my thoughts governed by me.

Many have written their 40 learnings in reaching 40. I have nothing to share. I am still young and as Bryan Adams says: 18 till I die.

Singularity

I heard about the singularity while reading The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil, whom I consider an absolute futurist.

Also, being a Star Trek fan, seeing androids in motion was a delight. As we are entering the new era of technological advancement in AI, the amalgamation of information and technology is leading to a new frontier. Many new frontiers are coming together, and innovation is going into a new paradigm. 

The singularity is the hypothetical tipping point where AI and technology grow beyond human control or comprehension, potentially reshaping civilisation or even humanity itself.

It has a dual impact, as many are predicting in job losses and economic distress. Some others are predicting the rich getting richer. One thing is sure, that many jobs will be rewritten and many new jobs will emerge. 

Another benefit I am witnessing is the sharing of tribal knowledge guarded by a few with the world. 

Star Trek

I remember getting addicted to the Star Trek Original Series, thanks to AB. The series makes more sense now. Gene Roddenberry, the writer, was a visionary. 

Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before. 

The show begins with the punchline. It makes you think and believe in the unbelievable. The result is before us. 

We are progressing in the Artificial Intelligence era. We are witnessing more advancements and many new frontiers emerging, and many boring businesses are being automated. We can either be on the side of adopting the technology, progressing, or getting ready to be redundant. 

📊 Star Trek Gadgets → Real-World Inventions (Roddenberry Era: TOS + TNG)
Star Trek GadgetDescription in TrekReal-World Inspiration/OutcomeDate/Period
CommunicatorHandheld device for voice commsMotorola Flip Phone (StarTAC), then Smartphones1996 onward
TricorderPortable sensor for scanning environment, health, sciencePortable Ultrasound, IR Thermometers, Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE2000s–2010s
Universal TranslatorInstantly translates alien languagesGoogle Translate, Skype Translator, AI-powered real-time translation2010s onward
TransporterTeleports matter across distancesQuantum Teleportation (info transfer, not people yet)1997 onward
PhasersDirected energy weapon (stun → kill settings)Laser weapons, directed-energy systems (military)2000s–Present
HyposprayNeedle-free medical injectorJet injector systems, modern needle-free vaccine tech2010s–2020s
Sickbay Biobeds & SensorsBeds that auto-diagnose patientsMRI, CT scans, hospital bedside monitoring1980s onward
Starship Computer (Voice AI)Conversational ship computer with memory + logicSiri, Alexa, ChatGPT, Voice-driven AI systems2010s onward
Warp DriveFaster-than-light travel via space-time bendingAlcubierre Warp Drive theory (NASA research)1994 onward
Holodeck (TNG)Immersive simulation environmentVirtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality, Immersive training sims2010s onward
Replicator (TNG)Materializes food/objects from energy3D Printing (early steps toward Trek-like fabrication)2000s onward
PADD (Personal Access Display Device) (TNG)Tablet-like control deviceiPad/tablets, touchscreen interfaces2010 onward
Data (Soong-type Android)(TNG)Humanoid android officer exploring humanityAI + Robotics (Boston Dynamics, AI assistants, humanoid robots)2000s–Present
Via ChatGPT

⚡ You can see how Roddenberry’s “gadgets” spanned decades of influence — from 1960s Star Trek inspiring flip phones → to 1980s TNG predicting tablets, VR, replicators, and humanoid AI.

unknown

Going through Ruskin Bond’s short stories takes me back to childhood. Even though I was born in a plain, but after school, Delhi became home. The frequent trips to the hills from the ISBT bus stand. It seems every other house on the hill had a unique story. Or it was a favorite time for the oldies, those when we had no mobile phones or internet.

The bone-chilling winters, bus breakdowns, and overcrowded routes. The trip had it all. The hardship of living in the hills is different from us out here in the plain. The unavailability of basic amenities, followed by healthcare. Even with all the limitations, people out there celebrate and live merrily.

Yesterday I got to know about the place with a cloud burst. All over social media and news channels, it was there. It was so unknown for people who were stuck there, losing their lives and property.

test

If we look objectively, life seems to be some kind of test. There is one or the other surprise hidden in every aspect of it during our existence. It is not something one can overcome. We can only celebrate and lead our lives.

The definition of happiness, the power of money, or freedom are all manifestations of our mind. The sooner we realise this, humility will shower upon us.

Our journey of life defines how many years we lived and what we contributed back to humanity. The fickle mind exists to create maya and confuse us. It is upon us to understand what our calling is. The test is never-ending.

Connect

We are living in an automated world. Our emotions are like air, impossible to catch. Our moments are slaves to the digital sphere. The connections are mostly plastic and hollow.

The rat race of proving something or someone has superseded the act of becoming human. We appear too busy to live with essence. We are running invincibly, with no end in sight. Nothing is enough anymore.

The more I move away from the metro, the more I see life. I see people connecting for real. The togetherness, the jostle, and the joy of festivities are still intact.

As humans, how did we end up becoming so ignorant? How did we forget the virtue of connection beyond materialistic desires or pleasures? Is it because we are no longer God-fearing? Or is it because consumerism has rewritten all the rules and definitions for us?

The connection is no longer there.