Tomichan Matheikal's blog

Social psychology tells us that friendly relationships and a lot of inevitable gossip can keep a group or organization functioning successfully as long as the number of members does not exceed 150.  Intimacy is impossible when the number of people is large. In such large organizations people will remain strangers to each other to a significant extent. How can strangers be held together for the successful functioning of the group? Myth is the answer. Two total strangers coming from entirely different cultures can be united by a myth to such an extent that they can together fly a jet plane with hundreds of unsuspecting passengers into a skyscraper housing hundreds of innocent people. "Any large-scale human cooperation - whether a modern state, a medieval church, an ancient city or an archaic tribe - is rooted in common myths that exist only in people's collective imagination," according to historian Yuval Noah Harari. Holy cows bind people more strongly than plain tr

“Yesterday’s gone ... and tomorrow may never be mine,” says a Christian hymn .  Only today, this moment, is mine to act in.  But is it really possible to live in the present moment much as that is the best thing to do.  It is best to live without the hangovers of yesterday and also without the mirages of tomorrow.  Is it really possible, however? One plain truth is that we are a product of our past to a very large extent.  Whatever we may do, it is impossible to erase all of our past.  The past has shaped our attitudes, thinking and our very character so much so it steps in whenever we are trying to find solutions to the current problem.  It is impossible to ignore the past.  The past is an integral part of our very being. Religion never lets the past go Not even in the life next! I spent my youth with certain people who rendered unenviable assistance in making a mess of my life.  They were apparently trying to help me shape my character which, according to them, was p

Fiction Every scoundrel I come across these days preaches patriotism. Or nationalism. A few months back it used to be also called Hindutva or the great Indian Culture. I often wondered why only scoundrels preached patriotism while all gentlemen and ladies went to work to earn their living. Nowadays more people think of becoming patriots.  Earning your living is almost impossible otherwise.  The scoundrels make the rules.  They decide who will have how much money with them. And they know how to look after themselves and their chelas. And also to make us sing the national anthem in the theatre of the absurd. Ignorance is patriotism, my boy.  It's a game.  You make rules.  More rules.  Bind people by rules.  After taking away their cash so that they have no means to fight anything.  Make people beggars.  Then they will lick your feet.  You become a god.  And you decide who are patriots.  And who are traitors. Shoot the traitors.  Call it encounter killing.  You are an exper