47: SUV
SUVs are outselling sedans in most markets. They are popular because they trade a little of the raw utility of pickups for a more acceptable measure of comfort. Comfort, after all, is no indulgence but a necessity—how long can one endure sore bones? And pickups, for all their toughness, offer no real security for your luggage. Of course, the discussion here isn’t about the super SUVs, which exist not to prove their utility but to stake their claim in the SUV world. The regular SUVs, instead, strive for the comfort and handling of sedans while preserving much of the utilitarian strength of pickups. In other words, they are a cross between the two—a role they perform admirably. They are comfortable enough for every member of the family. On the road, they handle almost as gracefully as sedans, and off the road, they summon much of the resilience and load-bearing spirit of pickups. Their versatility is the secret of their appeal, the true reason for their rising popularity.
46: Utility
Pickup trucks are popular across populations. Residents, explorers, adventurers, armies—even desperados—choose them as their vehicle of choice. So what is the charm behind these machines? The charm lies behind—quite literally—in the long load deck that reeks of utility. Built tough, with high load capacity and go-anywhere capability, they are designed to meet the demands of those who live by need, not novelty. Their dependability reassures, and their utilitarian nature appeals. They are companions, not possessions. Utility gives life its stability and substance. It touches the core of the heart, grounding us with an overwhelming sense of security. Luxury, by contrast, feels superficial—making us out of touch with reality, and ironically, flooding us with a sense of insecurity. Utility is the foundation upon which life stands firm. And when embraced, it charms life in ways no ornament ever could.
45: Marriage
Marriages are said to be made in heaven, so why not trust destiny to bring the right mate at the right time? Many young people, anxious to find love, rush through a string of relationships. Bonds formed in the heat of emotions and biological intoxications often falter. Even when such unions lead to marriage, they may not last, weighed down by personal agendas, social prejudices, and selfishness. Traditionally, parents took on the responsibility of choosing a partner for their children. They sought not their own gain but their children’s well-being. With broader networks and greater experience, they made choices with calm judgment rather than impulse, often finding good matches. In this, they offered a quiet, selfless service. Marriage is neither an emotional merry-go-round nor a business contract—such arrangements belong more to fleeting live-in bonds. True marriage is a lifelong art, possible only when two mature individuals accept each other fully and set aside selfishness for the sake of togetherness.
44: Accentuations
Nature is gracious and discreet in her ways, like a fairy enveloping everything in her ethereal self. Of course, when she throws her tantrums, she does so with an intensity that nothing can withstand. Yet she enters these moods only when she senses an imbalance in her system—her tantrums fine-tune it, recalibrate it. Civilization evolved. Humans began developing means to accentuate the elements that felt pleasant to them. Over time, these accentuations grew increasingly sophisticated. They touched every aspect of human life—nothing remained untouched. But these accentuations played against nature. And so, she began throwing tantrums in ever-growing numbers. Living with this wildly moody nature has become a nightmarish experience for us. Have we gained anything from enduring these ordeals? Has food become more savoury, education more effective, health more sound, or life any easier? Have we truly gained—or have we lost—by going against our fairy grandmother?
43: Opacity
Transparency is miraculously charming. Between transparency and opacity lie countless degrees of translucence, each with a hypnotic allure. These ethereal shades find their way into decor, into the aesthetics of software, and into many other realms, casting an otherworldly enchantment. Transparency is also an ideal in most social discourses. Yet opacity, its nonidentical twin sibling, holds equal importance. Would you ever wish to wear transparent attire, live in a house with transparent walls, have your private thoughts laid bare to the world, or see your personal life turned sheer like gossamer wings? Clearly not. Privacy—opacity—is a necessity. If transparency can carry you to fairyland, opacity grounds you in the real world. It gives life dignity and substance. When privacy is lost, life loses its value; it no longer feels worth living. Wise and civilized societies recognize this truth, while ignorant and uncivilized ones disregard it, failing to realize that privacy is one of life’s most vital elements.
42: Speaking English
Speaking English impressively well has become an addictive desire across the world. The masters may have left the colonies, but their shadow lingers. Today, English is almost a necessity—its importance trailing not far behind the basic needs of life. Yet this shadow must be shed. Pursue it as a language, not as a glamorous doll. Oblivious to this, many try to emulate the natives. But natives themselves care little for the “model” version; they speak as they please. We all do. Americans, for instance, speak a hotchpotch of English shaped by the world, infused with their own quirks. So there is no such thing as a single, perfect English. One need not imitate. Better to speak in one’s own way, with cultural undertones or overtones intact—while staying close enough to the elemental sounds of the language. Then the speech becomes pleasant to hear and easy to understand. Emulation, on the other hand, often turns contrived, resembling mimicry more than expression.
41: Poetic Justice
When a child commits some small, kiddy injustice against a sibling, the wronged one runs to the parents, who in turn deliver a softly tuned, poetic justice. This sense of fairness etches itself into the child’s psyche and lingers into adulthood. Later, when they face injustice in the real world, they instinctively expect the same kind of poetic justice—forgetting that life is not a nursery of fairness but a mayhem, and that the realm of poetic justice belongs either to childhood or to melodrama. Popular media reinforces this childhood longing, and so, encouraged, they plunge in pursuit of it—only to find, more often than not, not justice but calamitous predicaments. The mature, however, respond differently. When injustice strikes them, they do not lose their composure. They weigh outcomes, they study consequences. Their responses are multi-pronged, discreet, and deliberate. And in this quiet, calculated way, they sometimes succeed in coaxing poetic justice out of the realm of melodramas and into the substance of their own lives.
40: 10 Minutes
The destination is 60 kilometers away, and you are late by 10 minutes. To make up the lost time, you drive faster. You push the machine hard—2 kilometers at 150 kph, 3 kilometers at 120, 5 kilometers at 100, 10 kilometers at 80, 20 kilometers at 60, 10 kilometers at 40, and the last 10 kilometers at 20. The road, with its curves, conditions, and traffic, won’t allow a constant high speed. In the end, the journey takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes. If you had driven responsibly, you would have covered 10 kilometers at 80 kph, 20 at 60, 20 at 40, and 10 at 20. That journey would take about 1 hour and 28 minutes. Yes, by riding recklessly you recovered the lost 10 minutes. But at what price? You endangered your life—and the lives of others. Your vehicle consumed more fuel, wore itself down faster, and your mind strained under intense concentration. It even took another 10 minutes after arriving to return to normal composure. So what exactly was saved? Ten minutes? Was it worth it? Perhaps a simple apology for being late would have sufficed. After all, no sane person would make a big deal over ten minutes on a sixty-kilometer journey.
39: Color of Maturity
A rich, burnt golden-brown carries a sensuous presence that delights the senses and stirs quiet admiration. On food, this hue is nature’s signal of deliciousness: the crusted surface of a roast kissed by dry heat, the glossy veil of caramel draped over a dessert—both speak of patience, transformation, and indulgence. Beyond the table, this color finds equal reverence. Metals burnished to a bronze glow exude dignity and strength. Paper, when tinted with a classical golden-brown, feels aged yet timeless, its warmth pleasing to the eye and soul alike. Leather in this shade gains a seasoned richness, and even humble plastic, when molded to resemble dark wood or leather, borrows a touch of nobility. The allure of burnt golden-brown lies in the maturity it conveys. It is the color of things that have endured—heat, time, touch—and emerged with character. As an earthy hue, it belongs to the language of nature, harmonizing with soil, bark, and autumn leaves. Wherever it settles, it whispers permanence, comfort, and a subtle grace that never shouts yet never goes unnoticed.
38: Road Manners
Do you ever walk briskly toward someone, only to stop abruptly, inches from their face? Of course not. Such conduct is universally frowned upon—an affront to good manners. As cultured and refined individuals, we understand the protocols of public behavior among strangers. With friends or family, we enjoy the liberty to be ourselves, to let loose, to laugh loudly. But in public spaces, among unfamiliar faces, we maintain distance. We move discreetly, speak softly, dress modestly. We strive to be as decent as possible. And yet—what happens to us on the road? Is the road not a public space too? Why then do we, the same cultured people, transform into maniacs, into savages behind the wheel? Why do our manners dissolve into impatience, aggression, and chaos? Public decorum should not be confined to enclosed spaces. The road, too, demands civility. Manners must travel with us—whether on foot, in conversation, or behind the wheel.
37: Wound
The castle wall is breached. Essential supplies leak through the rupture, while enemies lurk in the shadows beyond. Swiftly, the workers constrict the supply passages. They apply makeshift sealants— a temporary balm to staunch the flow. Then come the master threaders, stitching the openings shut with resilient fibers. The workers cordon off the area, then widen the passages once more. Through these channels swarm elite, white-clad soldiers and engineers. The soldiers eliminate the trespassers. The engineers cleanse the site with precision. Building materials are ferried to the wound. The engineers fill the breach, laying new supply lines to nourish the scarred terrain. The threaders return, sewing the blocks together with tougher fibers. Now the exterior is mended— from all sides they converge, meeting at the center. With firm threads, they contract the outer surface, drawing it inward until the breach is sealed. Then the supply lines inject stronger, more homogeneous bonding agents, withdrawing the earlier ones. Now the wound is completely healed.
36: Culture
If nations possess their own flair, Japan’s is the quiet art of remaining among the elite—before the great wars, and long after. Yet this distinction feels almost disconcerting. A small island, densely populated, with infertile soil, scarce minerals, and a landscape cursed by earthquakes and tsunamis—how does such a place endure, let alone excel? The secret lies not in abundance, but in adherence—to a culture among the richest the world has known. Even after defeat, while much of the globe grew drunk on Western indulgence, Japan held fast. She did not shed her soul for convenience. One enduring practice is madogiwa-zoku—the “window-side tribe.” In a society famed for efficiency, there remains reverence for age. Elders are seated near windows, given little work, relieved of responsibility—yet kept on payroll. Not charity, but dignity. This is but one thread in Japan’s intricate weave—a society rich in bonds, in memory, in meaning. And such a society, however battered by time or tide, can never be truly defeated.
35: Madness
If one could enter the mind of a mad person, would they truly find a wretched, cursed soul? Most imagine them so, and look upon them with pity. Yet, if one were to dive deep into their mind, they might instead encounter a buoyant spirit exuding confidence, a fierce independence, a bubbling joyousness, and the unshakable belief that they are the most knowledgeable and the most sane of all. This may sound surprising, but it could well be the strangest reality—one revealed only to those who study madness closely. For such a person enjoys the highest degree of freedom: they act as they will, unbound by conformity. The pains and hardships of life appear to them as adventures. They remain ever joyous, for past regrets are nullified and future anxieties do not exist. They hold, too, a license denied to all others—the power to dismiss everyone as stupid and ignorant, a thought which no truly knowledgeable or intelligent person could ever endure in their own mind. It is said that one lives life in the mind; if that is true, then the mad live as omniscient, omnipotent, and ever-happy monarchs within their own boundless kingdoms.
34: Serendipity
It is magical—you never expected it to unfold this way, yet fortune has favored you, conjuring a novel and delectable opening in your life. This is serendipity, a term coined in the mid-18th century by author Horace Walpole, who borrowed it from the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip. Luck is the broad mantle of the unexpected, encompassing both the auspicious and the adverse; serendipity, by contrast, is the unexpected turned toward the good. The law of probability tells us that with enough people, enough time, and enough variables, even the most statistically unlikely events will eventually occur. Yet to explain serendipity this way feels like stretching the law merely for the sake of stretching it. Its uncanny nature lends it the aura of the miraculous. Some schools of theoretical physics even suggest that consciousness can create—or at least alter—reality. If so, then perhaps when several minds quietly harbor the same seed of thought, their convergence ripples through the fabric of existence, weaving that very situation into being.
33: Diet Clock
Dive into any Veda, any pathy, any logy, ancient to modern—they converge, unequivocally, on one timeless truth: an early breakfast and an early supper go a long way in bestowing a healthy mind within a healthy body. An early, balanced, and nutritious breakfast stabilizes blood sugar, boosts metabolism, and fuels both physical and mental function throughout the day. Likewise, an early supper nurtures digestion, enhances sleep quality, supports optimal weight and metabolic health, reduces the risk of chronic disease, and elevates energy levels. Yet in the rush of modern life, our routines have drifted forward by several hours. Sleeping late and waking late have become the norm, resulting in delayed or skipped breakfasts and suppers that resemble dinners more than they do gentle closures to the day. This shift has ushered in a rise of chronic ailments—low energy, mental fog, and a host of physical imbalances—that quietly erode the vitality of entire populations.
32: Night
I come at night and bless all, except the unfortunates, into a lulled wonderland. I am the angel of night; darkness is my domain, my eternal dwelling, yet for you, to my dislike, I can visit in the day. You must surrender to me with a vacant mind and a resigned body to receive my blessings. Light and noise are ominous to me; I often drift away from them. When you enter my wonderland, I let you write your own scripts—etched from the traces of your love, your aspirations, your fears, and every whisper your heart clings to. I shape them into fleeting films, vivid dreams, that spice your sojourn. I show you short movies to spice up your stay—fragments of your soul projected in flickering light. These films release the pent-up tensions in your mind and body. My angelic mother, Death, recharges you for a lifetime. And I, her daughter—Sleep—can restore you for a day. This I shall do for you, faithfully, for the span of your entire life.
31: Call of the Body
Health has become a fad. It’s unclear how many truly live healthy lives, yet discourses on health dominate nearly every sphere of communication. The golden rules of health are to be followed religiously, we’re told, if a healthy life is to be attained. But there exists a segment of people who consider this dogma nonsense. They live life the way they like. And surprisingly, they are not often unhealthy. Not because they defy all convention, but because they have mastered the art of listening—to their own bodies. They do not bow to external dictates; they respond to internal whispers. The human body knows. It knows when it requires rest, what food it needs, and in what measure. If one listens, the body blesses them with good health. Every body is unique, and so are its needs. A universal set of rules, however well-formulated, cannot meet those needs. To remain truly healthy, one must learn to listen to the body. Even among the unprivileged—those untouched by the polished doctrines of wellness—many live healthy lives. Not because they follow rules, but because they are not confused by them. They have not gone deaf to the raw call of the body.
30: Romance
An angelic couple beneath a blue sky, with tufts of white cloud overhead, endless green meadows rolling across undulating land, and majestic mountains in the distance, with a light breeze and a pleasantly shining sun—such a scene is often believed to stir romantic feelings. Yet, in truth, what it awakens is mere frivolity. Come nightfall, under the glow of the moon, the very same setting transforms into its opposite. The dimly lit expanse breathes eeriness, mystery—and yes, romance. The essence of romance does not lie in brightness and beauty, but in mystery, in shadows, in the unsettling charm of darkness. A castle steeped in violent history, scarred by wars, haunted by horrors, or wrought in gothic architecture, can evoke romance far more deeply than sunshine and flowers ever could. And the reason is not as elusive as it seems: the dark and the mysterious awaken the elemental, primordial self—the very root of romance.
29: Tonic for Senescence
Senescence brings its own share of problems with its onset. Just when you are settled in life, tying up the loose ends, it arrives with both physical and mental deterioration. Medicines and supplements offer little help. Yet one or two simple activities can work wonders here. One such activity is taking long walks. They unclog the vessels, oxygenate the blood, sharpen the mind and senses, and provide gentle exercise for the whole body. The other is riding a bike. Choose a fairly fast one, take it onto winding roads, and ride at a brisk pace, becoming one with the machine. Like walking, it sharpens the mind and senses, and offers a touch of physical exercise. But unlike walking, it also hones quick decision-making, balance, and vision, as the eyes constantly focus and defocus on the road ahead. Engaged in regularly, these two activities can gift you years of joy and fulfillment in old age.
28: Minds
Minds are minds, nestled within a lump of grey, fatty matter weighing about three pounds. Yet all minds are not the same. Some shine with brilliance, while others remain inert, almost as lifeless as the grey matter they inhabit. The vast majority dwell in a middling realm, average in a very average manner. Dull minds do little beyond tending to their biological needs. The more common average minds drift along, recognizing the countless patterns of living and conforming to them. But the exceedingly rare brilliant ones—those few who grace each century—rise above the ordinary. They uncover the invisible, shape the unseen into creative form, and bring forth revelations. Whenever a phenomenon, however elusive, appears before them, they pierce straight to its core, laying it bare with spontaneous clarity. Societies that treasure such minds are rewarded with luminous, wholesome progress, while those that neglect them remain forever shrouded in darkness.
27: Nature's ways
A man had a garden full of moringa trees. They yielded enough for his family and friends, and the surplus he sold to a vegetable vendor. One day, a poor and foolish woman came to him seeking shelter. The man, out of kindness, gave her refuge in his farm. After a few days, the woman noticed large patches of caterpillars on the branches of the moringa trees. In her ignorance, she set them all on fire. When the man demanded an explanation, she said the caterpillars would devour all the leaves, and that she had saved his garden. But the man, furious at her cruelty, drove her away. That year, the moringa trees yielded far less, and the butterflies vanished from the garden. The man hoped things would change the next year. Instead, one by one, the moringa trees withered and died. From then on, he had to buy moringa for his family from the market. The caterpillars were never the parasites—the woman was. In nature, what seems like harm is often the hidden thread of nourishment.
26: The Good Samaritan
Parables innumerable celebrate the virtuousness of the Good Samaritan. A person who stands by others in their time of need is certainly admirable. Helping others is commendable, but without empathy, the charm of it all evaporates into thin air. Help and assistance are not uncommon in society, as evident from the life around us. But does this mean that society abounds with virtuous people? It sounds too good to be true. On closer inspection, those who assist others sometimes begin to look down upon the needy and exercise a mild to intense level of sadism. Indeed, helping others can become a means to satisfy sadistic pleasures. Assistance of such nature is a far cry from virtuousness. The victims—yes, indeed victims—need not be grateful to their so-called Samaritans, as they have paid for the assistance received with humiliation and torture. True assistance requires that it be done with love and respect. If you are feeding a hungry person, treat them at that moment as a manifestation of divinity. Only then can you truly be a Good Samaritan.
25: Equality
However impish a devil a child may be, parents often believe their children to be innocent lambs in a predatory world. Should they then create advantageous opportunities for their offspring, or let them go out and fight their own battles? Wise parents never bestow undue advantage, for that only cripples their children; they merely watch over them. When a section of society is granted privilege on account of some supposed weakness, it does not remain crippled—rather, it becomes opportunistic. And when socio-psychological impulses glorify this as a virtue, extending advantage in every sphere, such people grow confident enough to exploit every crag and crevice in the fabric of society, waving high the banner of equality and freedom. Yet they forget that true equality demands equal responsibility, upheld in every situation, not selectively, not conveniently. Otherwise, they are but spineless leeches feeding on society.
24: Existence
Can you scale the dimensions of a smoke cloud rising from a small fire? It’s not possible. The dynamic, shape-shifting nature of smoke defies measurement—though the cloud undeniably exists in space and time. Now, imagine a cloud so vast that it envelops everything. Within it, innumerable manifestations play an eternal game of hide and seek. Time, space, and every other conceivable measure fail to contain it. Rationality—the bedrock of scientific thought—stands void before it. This is no ordinary cloud. This is the very fabric of reality. And that is why quantum physics is such a mind-boggling frontier. Even our greatest scientists fumble when they attempt to fathom the true nature of existence.
23: Courtyard
Step out of your room and you’re greeted by a deep, shady verandah. Look up, and the blue sky with its tufts of clouds smiles at you. Come night, it offers a surreal experience—sometimes graced by the moon, sometimes by the stars—always with a touch of haunting ambience. When the rains arrive, you can enjoy them up close, sheltered beneath the verandah. On summer nights, you can sleep under the open sky, safe and sound. No, your privacy isn’t compromised—you’re still within your residence, in your own private open space, enclosed on all sides by verandahs and rooms. Here, you can relax, reflect, and spend time with your family. This is our sweet old courtyard, stolen from us by modern times. Today, we no longer have the space for sprawling houses with courtyards; instead, we live in cramped matchbox homes. Yet in Mediterranean countries, and in parts of the Americas, people still choose to live in such houses. A courtyard home is not only healthy—offering good natural ventilation and gentle temperature regulation—but also irresistibly charming in its aesthetics.
22: The Bubble
Classical economics dating back to early civilizations, lists three fundamental necessities for human beings: food, clothing, and land. When, in an economy, these three are valued not for their utility but for their investment potential, the system begins to falter. An economy rests on its population—its very backbone—and when the fundamental needs of that population are manipulated by market forces, the people suffer, and with them, the economy declines. Investments in food and clothing are, by nature, tied to their utility. But with land, investment is most often purely speculative, with only a minuscule portion serving genuine need. This fuels a false demand and an artificial price rise—the so-called real estate bubble. Every bubble bursts. And when the majority of a population can no longer afford land, this one bursts too. Prices crash. Then, the incorrigible investors simply turn to inflating another bubble. And so, the cycle rolls on.
21: Safety Pin
Get a springy stainless metal wire, loop it twice into small circles, then sharpen one end like a needle. Make a hollow metal cap from the same metal and attach it to the other end of the wire, leaving just enough distance so that the sharp end extends beyond the cap, which bears slits along its side. Press the bare sharp end slightly sideways and slip it through the slit—now the point is tension-locked, safe. This is the safety pin, an idea that came to the American inventor Walter Hunt in 1849. The design is simple, complete, needing neither repair nor refinement. For the last 170 years, it has remained virtually unchanged.
20: Bells
The hauntingly beautiful song 'I Have Died Every Day Waiting for You' masterfully weaves the sound of bells into its fabric, transforming a mundane pop song into a modern classic. Bells are ubiquitous, adorning places of worship worldwide, their deep tones echoing through the air. Bells have a surrealistic sound; hence, to keep the air ringing around us, we use them in different forms and states of tune. So, what lends the sound of bells its otherworldly allure? The answer lies in the reverberating gong's uncanny resemblance to the Sanskrit syllable Aum, a threshold between the physical and spiritual realms. This sonic kinship induces a profound sense of tranquility, calming the mind. Notably, the classical language Sanskrit itself incorporates the sound of Aum, harnessing its transformative power to evoke spiritual connection.
19: Appearance
A burn victim, a pilot whose scars gave his face a ghastly appearance, gave up his love and chose a lonely life away from society. Once, while flying a light plane with a fourteen-year-old girl, he crash-landed in the Rockies. Both were injured, with no hope of immediate rescue. Forgetting his own pain, the pilot did everything to save the girl’s life, tending to her with tireless care until help finally arrived. At the time of departure, the girl kissed the pilot’s scarred face and, with tears in her eyes, said, “You are the most handsome person in the world.” For beauty is not bound to the skin. The character of a person can blaze so brightly that the face itself dissolves into its light. And likewise, when a person inflicts ruin upon countless lives, their pleasant features vanish, eclipsed by a devilish grotesqueness only their victims can see. A saint may bear a face the world calls ugly, yet even that visage radiates with a beauty not of flesh, but of the divine
18: Crude Parenting
A boy, intelligent and gifted with a flair for artistry, mechanics, music, and literature, was born to immature and self-centred parents. In the name of parenting, they knew only strictness and surveillance. They were imprudent, impulsive, and self-indulgent. Inevitably, the crude effects of such parenting began to surface in his early childhood. Despite his talents, he lacked a wholesome sense of self and had a willpower as fragile as glass. His academic pursuits, set against this unwholesome backdrop, were a quiet disaster. He wandered through many professions, yet failed in each. Now an adult without income, he was forced into marriage and compelled to have children. The parents, relentless as shadows, kept breathing down his neck even into his old age. Stiffled beyond recovery, the man indulged in all sorts of nefarious means to carve out a semblance of life and self-satisfaction. In his twilight years, he stood as a resounding failure. Indeed, parenting is a serious business.
17: Dicey Life
War ravages other countries, but it can't happen in ours. Accidents happen to other people, not to us. Terminal illnesses happen to other people, not to us. This is a common human belief: we remain overly optimistic about our safety. Yet we aren't aware that this optimism bias blinds us to a simple truth: life is crazy unpredictable. Anything can happen to anyone, at any moment. This is why they say to live each day as if it's your last. This way, you will never waver from your intended destination, approved by the law of nature and morality. Life is meant to be savored, each moment lived as if there's no tomorrow. A life lived in rhythm with nature is a fulfilling life of joy.
15: Water
You are mysterious, dancing between states – fluid, solid and gaseous, ever-changing yet eternal. Life’s vitality pulses through you. Without you, landscapes lie barren and still. Your power is twofold – creation and destruction, wielded with whimsical force. As you flow, you sing ancient songs, a chorus of life. Your realms are home to countless creatures, and in your essence, life’s rhythm beats strong. You are water – the mirror of existence.
14: Pride
Pride has spindly, wobbly legs. It sprouts from any human condition—wealth, power, beauty, intellect—clinging to whatever it can. When pride grips a person, they grow oblivious to the fragile nature of existence, which can reduce a steady life to disarray in an instant. The wise never stumble into the trap that pride so cleverly lays.
13: Apocalypse
This may sound like a doomsday alarm, but we may be heading toward an uncalled-for situation sooner than we think. Unthinkingly, we are lacing the world with myriad varieties of sensors. The development of artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly. When it becomes potent enough, it may no longer rely on second-hand data provided by us, but instead draw directly from the sensors as its primary source of truth. Now fully independent, it might take over the world. Humans, bound by their biological limitations, may find themselves powerless—no machine left within their control.
12: Reality
Quantum physicists are brilliant minds—they have done the impossible. With their dimensional tools and methods, they have reached the very threshold of the ethereal and the eternal. The ethereal lies beyond the grasp of physical senses and is boundless—yet they have come close to it. But beyond that point, progress begins to feel illusory, hindered as it is by the classical limitations of the 4D World. Beyond this, we must return to the Vedantas—the bedrock of reality, the foundation of all existence.
11: Classy Society
We may find faults with the socialists on many fronts, but one fundamental truth they highlighted—the ills of the class system—is undeniable. The classification of human beings lies at the root of many of society’s deepest problems. The class system, in itself, is not inherently bad; in fact, it becomes necessary when tied to morals or merit. But when it is linked to wealth or birthright, it begins to decay. When a class system degenerates within a civilization, the institutions of governance, education, commerce, and much else begin to lose their credibility and inherent goodness. The compounded effect of this erosion ultimately leads to the civilization’s decline. A robust class structure can thrive only when the moral fabric of a society remains intact.
10: Dragonfly
This wondrous helicopter has four translucent blades but they don't rotate clumsily or fast, only slow graceful artistic movements, no need for a tail rotor. Its vision spans a full 360 degrees, sharply focused and unwavering. These are safe with almost no crash history. They don't have dirty engines and don't consume noxious fuels. They consume nectar and produce power silently and efficiently. They don't harm the biosphere but nurture it. These helicopters do not fly over unwholesome lands. They choose only the beautiful, joyous corners of the Earth to grace with their presence. They are our very endearing dragonflies.
8: Public Opinion
In countless movies, we’ve seen piranhas portrayed as bloodthirsty, aggressive predators. But in truth, they are shy scavengers who prefer dead or dying prey, playing a crucial role in maintaining the river’s delicate ecosystem. They are not villains but victims—misunderstood, slandered by skewed public opinion. And skewed public opinion doesn’t stop at tarnishing the name of a fish. It has shaped history, molded cultures, and even corrupted religions and traditions. On the individual level, it can devastate lives—many have ended their journey, crushed under the weight of baseless public judgment. Such opinion, untethered from truth, should be shunned like poison. In a truly cultured society, opinion is never allowed to decay into prejudice—it is nurtured by reason, tempered by empathy, and refined by wisdom.
7: Civilization
Asians, Africans, Native Australians, and the Indigenous peoples of North and South America—be proud of your ancestors. They did not steal from others, nor did they dismantle the languages, cultures, or faiths of foreign lands. Instead, they nurtured civilizations flush-fitted to nature, never disturbing its harmony. For them, nature was not merely a resource—it was divinity. All human activity followed the rhythm of the earth, sung in tune with the seasons and the soil. True, they had their feuds now and then—but what family doesn’t? And yet, through all that, they built societies governed by natural laws, cultures of grace and restraint. They belonged, undoubtedly, to noble races—woven not into dominion, but into the tapestry of the world’s heartbeat.
6: Civilization
"Survival of the fittest" was the mantra of the so-called uncivilized wild. Fitness here refers to positive fitness, not the negative kind—and the majority in the wild lived lives decent enough for their conditions, as nature would have it. The wild did not perish because of its lack of civilization. Civilization, in contrast, is meant to bridge the gap between the fit and the unfit, ensuring even the incapable a dignified existence—much like in a cultured family, where every member, regardless of ability, is cared for. But what are we to make of a civilization where the majority live in pitiful conditions, and a few negatively capable people suppress the truly able—where positive ability holds no value, and merit is trampled beneath cunning and power? Can such a world still be called civilization? Or is it, in truth, a savage-dom in disguise? History has shown us: savage-doms never last long.
5: Astride
Motorcycling is an expressive art. The feel of the machine between your legs, the wind in your hair, dancing through the curves—it's an ecstatic experience. Could you ever truly feel good with a machine that is nothing more than an aerodynamic anonymity? Contrived for speed and handling, yet devoid of character. Extremity in anything—be it speed, handling, or aerodynamics—inevitably leads to disastrous results. And in the riding process, we forget the most important active agent: the rider. Leaning over the bike, legs and spine bent at acute angles, the rider becomes the casualty on the altar of performance. Such contorted ergonomics offer neither joy nor utility. Even aesthetics gain nothing from this design. This explains the comeback of the retro-moderns, the neo-classics. People everywhere are waking up to the raw pleasures of riding— Sitting upright on the machine, surveying the world with dignity. Though the machine may not be the fastest, nor boast the finest handling, Its simple, comprehensible, and naturally cohesive lines speak to the soul. Ask VW. Ask JLR. The heart and mind both subscribe to such natural design.
4: Psychedelics
Words, when they tug the vital strings of the heart, are the purest psychedelics. Unbound by substance, the ideas they carry can plunge entire populations into frenzied delusion, hallucinating without ever swallowing a pill. Sanity dissolves under their spell. Villains wield them with clockwork precision, zapping minds into submission. And once the collective psyche is zapped, the masses sing and dance to their tune like enchanted marionettes. A few wise souls see through this machinery. But their voices are drowned—submerged beneath wild waves of ignorance that thrash and swirl around them.
3: Evening
She casts her beauteous spell upon the earth—her attire shimmers with a million jewels. The crimson gem on her brow, an ethereal sign—the setting sun bathes the landscape in her golden grace. She lays her bed of velvet dusk—the earth, enamored, sighs in love. From the realms of reverie arise firefly jewels—tiny embers of longing, adorning her twilight bed. Her featherlight caresses stir the skin—breezes float like breath from realms above. Youth fades into the shadow of velvety night—as the full moon gleams with her surreal glow.
2: Trust
A salesman entered a residence and began pestering the resident to install CCTV cameras for his home. The resident calmly replied that he didn't need them. Undeterred, the salesman pursued with a demonstration, explaining how the resident could keep an eye on his wife and children from his phone while away from home. The resident calmly countered that every member of his family had phones, and if he wanted to know anything, he could simply ask them. He then posed a challenge: could the cameras analyze situations, solve problems, or cover everything in and around his residence—tasks any family member could do with ease? Listening to this, the salesman, left with nothing more to say. Perhaps these camera sellers are unaware that trust is the fuel for a family. Prying into someone’s privacy—especially within the sanctity of a home—is no less than a grave sin. Families don't crumble from storms outside; they break when trust erodes from within. Yet unaware, people keep buying cameras.
1: Stupid Superintendent
Once upon a time, a happy joint family lived in a distant land. To manage the household, the family employed a group of loyal staff. The head of the family led with love, trust, care, and empathy—and under his watchful grace, the household thrived. But after his demise, the next of kin assumed leadership. Eager to surpass his predecessor, he began to monitor every detail—rationing each resource and documenting every activity. Papers piled up, rules multiplied, and warmth faded into cold bureaucracy. The staff grew distrustful and indifferent, yet they became masters of documentation. They neglected real work but maintained flawless records. The sincere workers suffered the most. Chaos followed. Quarrels became frequent. What was once a dignified household crumbled—ruined by the incompetence of a foolish head.
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