Voltaire

He died on this day in 1778, leaving behind an inspirational legacy of tolerance towards dissent. Voltaire was a prolific French writer, critic, historian and philosopher, who employed wit and logic to advocate the cause of civil liberties, freedom and social reform. He produced works in varied literary forms of plays, poetry, novels and essays. His ideas influenced important thinkers of the American and French Revolutions.

However the oft-cited Voltaire quotation - “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” – is said to be incorrectly credited to him. The words were used by Evelyn Beatrice Hall in her book - The Friends of Voltaire - to state Voltaire's attitude. Voltaire championed the cause of tolerance to such an extent that he supported the rights of the people who disagreed with him.

Today in an increasingly intolerant world, we need to be better at inculcating Voltaire’s attitude and approach. We need to be more open minded in very passionate debate and discussion. And to do so we have to genuinely believe like Voltaire did, that all human beings are not only equal, but also that they have a right to disagree. It is all about disagreeing without being disagreeable.

I must BE BETTER at ensuring real tolerance in me

by not being disagreeable every time I disagree!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

EXCUSITIS

It is said so well that if somebody speaks of lack of time, it means one of two things... the person does not know how to or does not want to and is being unabashedly untruthful! Effectively it is a skill thing in the first case and an attitude thing in the latter. But both situations are ones of excuses, as in a plausible case of being pre-occupied with other priorities, one would opt for real reasons not unreasonable excuses!

The syndrome of excusitis refers to the behaviour that finds all sorts of excuses to justify lack of action. So often we come up with unoriginal justifications for the unjustifiable. The person seized by excusitis not only wrongly believes that his stance appears logical, but also tends to be gripped by recurring excusitis in other situations as well!

It is common to hear excuses for not having called or visited due to the lack of knowledge about telephone numbers and addresses. In today’s age of information explosion, such excuses are most bizarre. When my mother wished to see her cousin whom we had no information about other than that he lived in Pune, it took just a few minutes with the telephone directory and a dozen calls to trace him down and visit him.

The problem with the overpowering impact of excusitis is that it blinds us from our own abilities. It makes us shirk responsibility and give up on our own competencies to face any challenge. Hence every time, an excuse arises in our mind, let’s opt to be better at taking charge of our choices, our actions or the lack of them! Escaping excusitis leads to embracing the ownership of our lives and our true potential!

Let’s BE BETTER at ownership of our every action...

instead of embracing excusitis as a regular reaction!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Bengaluru, India.

ON CAMERA!

So often, nowadays at every little event, you see a crowd of young and old enthusiasts, standing in an awkward pose, back bent backwards and forefinger on the trigger... all set to capture the scene on cameras of different sizes and types. Never mind that the hosts have commissioned a professional photographer to document the event.

Earlier the camera was meant for the ones who could afford it or the ones who could use it. Now it is easily affordable as well as usable. It comes as an add-on with other tools like mobile phones. It has empowered the needs of photo documentation. Journalism and even activism has found its uses to capture, chronicle and transfer visual information.

However the fundamental focus of the camera’s real potential is lost on its many converts. More often not, the furious frenzy of such photographers displays that they are only interested in clicking the shot rather than experiencing the activity being captured. They rush from shot to shot, observing nothing. It is akin to W H Davies’ poetic lament, ‘no time to wait till her mouth can... enrich the smile her eyes began’!

The camera is a highly useful invention, but it remains secondary to the human eye and its sensitivity to the minute detail and the larger vision. It would be better for us to use our eyes before we use the camera. The personal experience and the understanding that comes from it helps empower the photographer’s penchant for perfecting the skill... like so many talented lensmen so well display!

Let’s BE BETTER at experiencing the real activity...

Instead of a mechanical capture for needless posterity!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Mumbai, India.

FIREWALKING

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The feat of walking barefoot, on a bed of red hot embers, is performed among many communities across the world. The ritual continues to be identified as a test of courage and strength or as a test of one’s faith. However science has demystified the practice. Burn will not be induced unless the skin remains in contact with the fiery coals for substantial time. The same principle is seen when we move our finger over a flame.

Nevertheless, hazards and risks remain, if firewalking is done improperly. Hasty running as well as over cautious slow walking will result in blisters. In my tribe of trainers, the firewalk is an increasingly used confidence-building activity during self-help seminars and corporate team working workshops.

The activity of firewalking holds many lessons. The firewalk helps connect to a dynamic self belief that helps reach beyond limiting beliefs. Breaking through one’s perceived boundaries frees an incredible amount of creative energy, allowing people to redefine themselves as people to whom the impossible becomes achievable.

The most valuable learning is that the fiery path will not be a painful experience, except for the hasty and the reluctant. To be better at taking on every scorching challenge that lies in our path, we must combine self belief, and an understanding of the situation, with a well planned and time bound approach.

Let’s BE BETTER at walking every fiery section...

with a plan empowered by self belief and action!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

HELPING HANDS

In his first years in the field of clinical biochemistry, Narendra Nayak had collected blood specimens from a variety of patients. This had inured him to the suffering of disease. But a recent experience tugged at his gut! His restaurateur friends Ajit and Raja wanted to do something for needy children. His wife Asha suggested feeding children who were in a special home for the HIV positive, in Mangalore.

Narendra wrote about their moving experience with the kids, none above 18, and their predicament of a short life despite the available medication. He wrote about resource deficit at the home and appealed for the generosity of helping hands to support the tender needs of a shunned childhood. The write up tugged strings in many a mind as help started coming in from all over the world.

Some sponsored utility stuff. Others made liberal donations. Vijetha chose to spend her entire vacation with the children. When she realised that some needed footwear, she decided to buy for all so that none felt left out. But the owner of the shop, Alwyn Rosario was himself moved that the generous discount that he offered made it look as if the shoes were being given free. Indeed the circle of helping hands had widened.

Narendra who heads the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) likes to state that ‘helping hands are always better than lips which pray!’ So often, so many of us are moved by the pain of others... but so few extend a helping hand. But it is not enough to extend the helping hand, it would be better to extend the number of helping hands!

For the world to BE BETTER some earnestly pray...

But it is the helping hands that show the real way!

- Pravin K. Sabnis