Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Sheer brilliance of NOT-Working



I was train`ing to pune last week, and was nicely sitting by the window berth wearing above tshirt
and was reading the following book..



And there was this gentle man sitting right in front of me and he all of sudden asked me "How are you going to change the world by Not-Working?"


For a moment I did not quite understand it but then it struck to me that he was referring to my tshirt.... It was funny... Then he went on to ask me if i had changed the world and how was I going to change the world, he was sort of rediculing me.. and I hated it...I wanted to ask him point blank what has he done to do anything in his life... but as it turned out he had done lot of work related to orphanages, he keeps visiting childrens homes and orphanges and does something about them... finally at the end of it.. it was a nice conversation.


I think I should travel more often by train, there is nothing better than a nice evening by the window with a book in hand and reading looking at all the sunflower fields and all the stations and all the people. And mostly always you always end of meeting someone very nice and interesting to talk to.

About the book: Actually the name may suggest that it is a self help book, but actually it is not so. It is a book is a collection of stories about simple and ordinary people who have done something great to bring about a social change with creativity and determinations.

Cheers and adios...

8 comments:

SUCHARITA ROY said...

the man said true.But what I find disconcerting is that people of that generation read meaning into everything written..At times it can be a bit frustrating,but then one must also consider the extreme trying conditions in which they live with a generation that is far advanced than them.

Sh'shank said...

trains are quite brilliant... they can be translated into the very veins...
i love travellng in them...
hmm most times u wouldnt realise when u change the world... somone would market ur story right for it to be known...

Pritesh Jain said...

Can I borrow that book? :)
Even I had an amazingly funny experience this time while travelling to home. Just that I am not getting enough time for writing it up. :(

Goli said...

@sucharita yups you are spot on I was thinking the same stuff, my parents always want to adjust and live whereas I want things to be perfect...we have had such a easy life as compared to them.

@pricky I love trains too

@prits... sorry i cant give you the book because it is not mine....do write your experience when you get time

Amarjeet Singh said...

I would attribute the fun and knowledgeable discussions in trains to the argumentative nature of indians. Dont agree, read - "The argumentative indian" that presents an awesome perspective of social, political and economic issues associated with India, attributing it to the argumentative nature of indians.

Chander Dogra said...

can we change the world without doing anything -> wel its definate worth trying considering everything else hasn't worked yet

Goli said...

@amarjeet... I have started reading it..

@chander...nice way to look at it.

Sathya said...

Goli - sorry to comment again on a old post...

Probably most of you already know it - but not sure if the person you were talking to understood what the T-Shirt conveyed.

Two wood choppers daily go to the forest, obviously to cut wood. One would work continously through out the day for long hours but at the end cut less wood. The other guy worked for lesser no. of hours, took breaks in between and still managed to always cut more wood. The difference is that the second guy, while taking breaks (not working) would sharpen his axe.

Newton, Archimedes, Kekule all discovered things not by 'not working at all' but their brilliance shone while not working (taking breaks). Guess your train ride was one such wonderful 'not working' time with "How to change the world"