Why be the Advocatus Diaboli?

It's not a easy job to be the bad guy that people can easily point fingers at. You don't win the best of friends and perhaps you win enemies for life. More than that you get judged based on something that you may have made  a judgement on. You get to be the fall guy, the bad cop if you may. But. there does come a time in everyone's life when you realize that you are not here to win popularity contests, because popularity contests will never give you satisfaction.

He who says that he doesn't judge lies. He who says that making judgments is wrong is afraid of the truth. He who says that being judgmental is a passive activity has his eyes closed and brains shut down. It is human nature to make judgments so how can one possibly not do it- quite easy actually- IF you are mentally immature or under developed, a infant, a pebble, water, sand or a piece of crap. If you are an adult with a few years of life as experience, you will make judgments. Heck, if you are a 5 year old you possibly would make judgments- or a dog or a cat or a horse.

What is a freaking judgment that everyone hates to admit to making? It is nothing but the assimilation of your life's experiences coming together to form an opinion about something. This is probably one of the few things that is truly your own. However, to be "safe" people adhere to other peoples' opinions and follow what they say- that's what sheep do. If one has opinions, they call them opinionated. Unless, ofcourse, they cloak it in big fancy words and some intellectual mumbo jumbo and they suddenly become nothing short of a guru or expert. Does anyone notice the dichotomy? I have been part of this "intellectual community" but learned that there is nothing intellectual about them really. It's a farce and it's as hedonistic as it can get. When I sought to challenge the notions that prevail or the imperfect ways of research with a more rational logic, people called it radical yet unacceptable. That "intellectual" world is full of sycophants who follow the system like  sheep- speak in the same way and what they say is based on what other's have a;ready said before. As one advances in the educational levels, it becomes a race of trying to prove their favorite heroes right against the other heroes of the other "intellectuals". As you can imagine, it becomes pointless and in the end, the result is a stale piece of bread- perhaps with a different kind of mold growing on it.

Anyway, I digress. So opinions. people have them and if I express mine, people say I am opinionated. That's their opinion right? What is my opinion based on? My life's experiences- possibly life experiences of those around me or even life's experiences of people I may have read about. For many, that probably isnt enough. I dont know what their opinion is based on but I hope it is based on their experiences too and not 'cos someone told them that this was a "wrong" opinion. In fact this happens more often that not. People protest more when they do not  express their true opinions which probably do not find expression as they do have conviction in their own opinions and just decide to be a sheep and follow the herd and put out a statement. As an individualist, to me, that is very sad.

I don't really put out things that are extraordinarily bizarre or unbelievable. Just certain facts backed by not jus experience but common sense, logic, rational and often scientific research too! It's simple- you would not stand in front of a fast train (or even a slow moving train for that matter) because you know it's a bad idea. You dont have to do it to know it's a bad idea. The experience here is not important because you are already aware of the consequences. Some thing are just plain obvious. No, it's not a generalization but some things are just obvious! Yet people fight that obvious-ness because it would probably go against their beliefs/pleasures/convenience. Sad again- because rational is relegated to trash. Some people have to stand in front of that proverbial train- even rats know better- they learn to not touch a trap twice (if they survive) or not go through a blocked route twice. But humans are more complex- and stupid.

So, in the face of stupid people who refuse to listen to logic, rationale or scientific evidence and continue to live a life of denial, waste and stupidity, I have no qualms in expressing the very obvious truths as my opinions or even judgments. In the end, almost always, I have been proven right because I dont go shooting my mouth about whatever-  it is always about what I know. For instance, if I had to climb Mt Everest, I will listen to someone who has been there and got to the peak successfully- not some guy who has never seem a hill before. It is about legitimacy sometimes but usually always about sound logic and common sense.

So really, my opinions have never been something new to be offered- they are usually a reminder of reality, the existence of possibilities and the fight against stupidity. I have made my own mistakes and people will make their own- but if someone gives good advice, I always take it. To be brazenly and consciously ignorant of certain inalienable truths is comprehensively demented. I believe in "keeping it real" - creativity indulges fantasy but it is different from stupidity. One day the stupids of the world will slowly rise from their smoky stupors and listen to reason. And till then I will be judged for allegedly "judging" them. And till then I will always be the devil's advocate- heck, by what I realized today, I am probably god's advocate, if ever there was such a thing.

Why are people hating on helmets?

So, this is becoming too frequent and its annoying. Everyone seems to have some prejudices against helmets and will discriminate people with helmets in different situations- be it the movies, the airports or hotels. In India more than anywhere else.

I am a avid biker and have custom painted helmets. When I go somewhere, I like to carry them with me in a nice sack to protect it from scratches and prevent them from being stolen- already happened once so not taking a chance ever again! The first time that I had the problem was for movies- they wont let me take them in! That was the time when even backpacks would not be allowed while women could carry their purses inside. Biased? Hell yeah! This was sort of rectified when some movie halls in India started providing lockers to lock up helmets and bags. Good job there.

Recently, I was travelling by air but carrying my helmet because I was going to be riding at my destination. I went through three airports and the airport where I was harassed because of my helmet was Nagpur!! Not Delhi, not Goa, but frigging small town Nagpur. A annoying SE Anshu Grade at the x-ray machine was the only one who was convinced that the helmet was a threat and "could be used as a weapon"!! How? By whacking someone on the head? While there were iron crutches, tripod stands and even airplane doors at disposal to do so? Seriously? Maybe in that small town there isn't much action so she decided to make my life hell and there was a huge scene. None of her colleagues agreed with her but seemed helpless in countering her- juniors perhaps. She almost insinuated that I was like a terrorist when she started to give the example of Kasab! I come from a respected family of senior government officials and if anything, we would probably unearth more problems if we checked her antecedents. I can bet on it. I made sure CISF jawans assisted me in getting proper padding and packing for the helmets done before I boarded the plane. So much grief over one person's wrong assessment of the situation!

So you would say that perhaps this cop was a less educated person who was trying to abuse her powers. However, hotels are no better. Many star hotels wont let you carry a helmet inside their buildings due to "safety" reasons! Safety my ass. Usually I make it a point to call up the hotels and ask their policies on helmets- people at the Ashok and Intercontinental (now Lalit) seemed better when it came to this. Today, I went to the dying Claridges Hotel in Delhi to meet some clients. Everyone, from the guards to the Manager said that policy would not allow them to let me take my helmet in!! They also used the lame excuse of "helmet can be used as weapon"!! Really? I saw more dangerous looking metal crutches (that could easily conceal a gun if it wanted!) go in! I think its just snobbery and general classist attitude of Indian society. And if it happens in the US, even more shameful. I think the hotel people think if people carried their helmets inside, it would degrade their inside environment because they believe that rich people dont ride motorbikes. Such ignorants pricks! Only on the intervention of a senior foreign dignitary did they yield and held my helmet with the Bell Desk taking full responsibility for the helmet. Colonial boot licking? But of course.

This is what I always say- the possibilities to do better are limitless but people are looking in the wrong places. They create a fuss over helmets while they should be directing their attention to actual things that could be security risks or debase the atmosphere of their respective surroundings. It is because of this that people normally have a lapse of judgement which leads to fatal consequences. And then they are stuck scratching their heads of what they did wrong and overcompensate with things that have nothing to do with what happened.

People will stay uneducated, ignorant, arrogant and just disconnected from reality. There needs to be a movement against such discrimination and stupid policies. Lets vote against the idiocracy of today!  India has seen too many mistakes by people in charge of "security" and by hating on helmets, they are fooling noone. After going through all these instances of helmet discrimination, I feel more unsafe knowing that truly stupid, foolish and illogical people are in charge of the safety of people's lives.