Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl

And as a contributor to this website and others where my articles are posted, I am all for freedom of expression and speech. They make us feel as though we are in a free world

But freedom of expression/speech can be strange. One minute you are listening to an explicit music CD , warning included, and the next you are listening to an edited version of a song from that same CD on the radio. And when I first heard the Katy Perry hit single: ‘I Kissed A Girl,’ I had to listen to it a couple more times to make sure I heard right.

For freedom of expression or not, homosexuality in any form; experimental or not is still frowned upon in certain regions of the world and even in the US. And in a world in which thought provoking and explicit song lyrics are discussed at the water cooler and other meeting places, one has to give Katy Perry praise for being brave enough to sing a song about a girl who kissed another girl in an experimental sort of way.

Line from the song: ‘…you’re my experimental game…’

It is a catchy hit single with no obscenities, or cuss words. Just a song about a girl who had a little too much to drink and thought she would kiss a girl to see what it feels like.
I like it, too, the song, ‘I kissed a girl’ by Katy Perry.

Katy Perry’s CD: One Of The Boys

Robert Downy Jr. And The Burger King Hamburger

From what I have heard and read, some illegal substances can have strange side effects. Some can enhance or desensitize one’s taste buds, some can make the user hallucinate and some can make one feel totally relaxed, you get the idea.

So when actor, Robert Downy Jr. admitted to quitting his drug habit after biting into a Burger King hamburger, some persons must have wondered, what?

According to reports, back in 2003, one day he, Robert Downy Jr. was driving around in his car which contained large amounts of drugs when he decided to stop at a Burger King restaurant to get something to eat.

He ordered a hamburger. It was later reported that the hamburger tasted so badly that Mr. Downy Jr. disposed of all the drugs he had in his vehicle and ultimately quit the drug habit.

Lots of factors can enable someone to quit a bad habit. Family /friends’ intervention, health problems, the loss of a job or a loved one are just a few. But never have yours truly heard of someone quitting a drug habit because of a burger that left a sour taste in his/her mouth.

At least not until now.

It’s Not TV

Some people blame certain television shows when they learn that someone or a group of individuals has committed an undesirable act. And while certain scenes in some shows or movies can influence someone into doing something good or bad, some people forget that the television set is a device, machine or call it what you will.

It informs and entertains us. It does not hypnotize you into acting a certain way, nor does it come to life and tell you what to do. It just seems that somewhere along the way of life, some individuals have forgotten that they, themselves are responsible for their actions.

Not some square or rectangular shaped device we use to look at movies, shows or the news. And granted, television shows have a way of reaching out and influencing many people in our midst.

And next time someone does something wrong or bad you think he/she may have seen on the television, also keep in mind that some people need something or someone to blame for their actions. It’s much easier than taking responsibility.

Sad to say, but most times that something happens to be the television or the material it exposes to its audience.

Mother Theresa Was Right

Mother Theresa was a great humanitarian. And lately I have been thinking about what she said when it came to the matter of judging others.

She said: ‘If you judge people, you have no time to love them.’

And if one contemplates on the above quote long enough, he/she would discover how very true it is. For judging others does take up precious time. No one is an exception here, well maybe the newborn who has not been taught anything yet.

But for the most part, everybody has judged someone at some time or another. Sometimes this has become such a usual act that most of us do it without even being aware that we are doing it.

It can start out as easily as looking at a stranger’s shoes, or how he/she is dressed, whether or not he/she is wearing designer or non designer apparel. The list can be endless.

As humans, we just cannot seem to help ourselves when it comes to not judging someone. We end up doing it anyway. And maybe this judging others flaw is one that makes us all seem equal in being imperfect.

For the most perfect human being just might be the one who does not take so much precious time to judge others. Mother Theresa was right. How can we love anyone one hundred percent of the time if we spend a good portion of it just judging which ultimately leads to criticizing that individual we are supposed to be loving?

I have yet to meet someone who does not judge anyone, have you ever met such an individual?

There was no pregnancy pact after all

According to one of the seventeen girls from that high school in Massachusetts, there was no pregnancy pact. But the group did decide to keep one another company in their time of pregnancy.

Furthermore, it was also reported that one of the girls became pregnant deliberately because she felt lonely.

And, yes, the rest of the pregnancies were deliberate as well.

About That Alleged Pregnancy Pact

Evidence is supposed to be something material. It’s something that can be felt, touched, heard, read, or seen.

So when it was reported that seventeen teenage girls allegedly made a pregnancy pact, people, including yours truly were stunned. Then later on, it was reported that there was no evidence of such a pact. To what one might ask, and what exactly determines a pact anyway?

What if the alleged pact were a verbal one? Does one go around asking all seventeen pregnant teens whether they agreed to such a pact. Because the verbal word can also be quite misleading.

It can be defined as: gossip, hearsay, one’s word over another individual’s. One gets the idea. And if there is no solid evidence, why is it even an issue. Is a lack of evidence for the alleged pact change anything?

Like will the seventeen girls undo what they are; pregnant? No it won’t. But pregnancy pact or not, maybe some people are embarrassed that seventeen teens from the same school ended up being pregnant at the same time.

And in a society in which there is so much education about safe sex and the disadvantages of teen pregnancy, maybe it is just that, one great embarrassment.

The Baby Borrowers, Maybe A Reality Show Is The Thing…

When I was a teen, the adults around me had a funny, serious and thought provoking way of informing us about teen pregnancy. We heard things like: you could become pregnant if you kissed a boy, or if a boy touched your little finger he would tell his friends he more or less had his way with you or your body, but most of all, becoming pregnant out of wedlock and while still a teenager would bring great embarrassment to you and your family.

And just when someone must have thought the teen pregnancy issue was becoming sort of manageable, we heard about the seventeen teens who supposedly made a pregnancy pact. It was a news story that shocked the nation, and as one wonders what more can be done to help curb the teen pregnancy issue, NBC came up with a reality show that might indeed send a message.

The show titled: The Baby Borrowers has a simple enough plot. Teenage couples are placed in charge of new born babies, so they would see first hand, what taking care of a baby is really all about.

And in a world in which most teens who become pregnant leave the nurturing of their new borns up to their own mothers or grandmothers, maybe this NBC show will deter some teens from even thinking of becoming mothers at such a young age.

For in this NBC reality show, as far as one can tell from the previews, it is the teens who are in charge of the diaper changing, feeding, bathing and babysitting of the babies. Not some older and experienced relative who comes to the rescue when the inexperienced teenage mother/father is acting as though she/he is freaked out by all the responsibility of what it takes to actually be a parent.

Maybe the teen pregnancy issue will never be in a situation in which there are no teen pregnancy cases in the world, but if educating teens about safe sex has not seemed to make a big enough impact, maybe, just maybe having some of these teen parents take care of their own new borns twenty four seven just might do something.

Maybe the folks at NBC had the right idea after all.

And for those of you who are interested, the reality show, The Baby Borrowers will air on NBC in a few days, June 25th 2008 at 8:00 PM central time.

Gandhi: Freedom and Democracy by Gandhi Scholar Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Being a great statesman, thinker, humanist and an apostle of peace of the 20eth Century, Mahatma Gandhi was one of those personalities whose theory and practice had similarity and one was supportive of the other. The basis of his theory and practice, as all know, was non-violence. You probably know that credit of coining a new word ‘non-violence’, in English goes to him as he used it in South Africa for the first time and was accepted as a synonym of ‘Ahimsa’. Prior to it, non-violence had not been mentioned in any dictionary. I am not going to discuss here why he coined this word and the reason for it, but would like to quote what Gandhi said about it. He has written, “Non-violence is a term I had to coin in order to bring out the root meaning of…‘Ahimsa’. It is the soul force or the power of Godhead with us…therefore; it can never mean passivity…Non-violence demands infinite courage, such a courage that surpasses the bravery of the soldier.”

Non-violence of Gandhi has no parallel. None can remain unaffected by it. Besides, each and everyone, more or less, can catch a glimpse of his own concept of non-violence reflected in Gandhi’s non-violence. Although, non-violence is a permanent characteristic of human nature, it is a social virtue also. Gandhi himself has said, “Non-violence is not merely a personal virtue. It is also a social virtue…” Why is it so? He further argues, “Society is largely regulated by the expression of non-violence in its mutual dealings.” It sounds convincing. Had it not been so, there would not have been any cooperation at any level or in any situation and the progress that we see around us day-after-day would have been non-existent.

Consistency, positivity, activity, coupled with common good and perpetuality are the main characteristics of Gandhi’s non-violence. To realize them, faith in God is essential, for Truth is its other aspect. Non-violence stands diametrically opposite cowardice. For human beings it is a means as well as the goal. There is no alternative to it. That why; Gandhi considered the system based on non-violence supreme and essential. Now, a question may arise. What is the system which is based on non-violence as conceived by Gandhi? According to him, that system can only be the real and pure democracy as Ramarajya. Whatever the basis of the democratic system of governance that exist in the countries all over the world including India may be, the real democracy i.e. Ramarajya is altogether different. This kind of democratic system can be introduced in the present ones by evolving non-violence with all its other facets.

Democracy is the government of the people. In fact, justice and freedom for every citizen are possible only under this system. There is also every possibility of having opportunity for progress. It is a source of general welfare too. Gandhi has also said, “Democracy must be in essence…meaning the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of people in the service of common good of all.”

But the common good can be certain when everyone is aware of his or her responsibilities, is disciplined and dedicated to the moral and ethical values. In the absence of these, the freedom of citizens will always remain questionable and the democracy in which freedom is called in question will be a democracy only in name. In such a condition, the possibility of justice, the main pillar of people’s government, will remain veiled in doubt. Therefore, Gandhi holds freedom in prominence in true democracy based on non-violence. All of us know how Gandhi showed the world a unique way to freedom by following non-violence and also gave suggestions for the development of true democracy. Accordingly, he elaborated three main conditions for the application of non-violence. According to him, non-violence cannot be used only against a constituted authority i.e. in the struggle of independence, it is equally applicable during any internal disturbance as communal or caste riots. Besides, it can be used against an external aggression. In 20eth Century, he inspired non-violent movements for independence not only in India, but also in many countries all over the world and explained the value of freedom to millions of people. The Civil Rights Movement inspired and directed by Martin Luther King Jr. in America in sixth decade of 20eth Century, the successful non-violent struggle of the people against the tyranny of Marcos in Philippines, about 40 years’ non-violent action against Apartheid under the leadership of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, people’s resistance against General Pinochet in Chile, the glorious victory achieved through non-violent action against the dictatorship in Latin America are historic examples in view before us that extol Gandhi’s ever remembering, worth emulating and unique achievements and their relevance. They urge us to realize the importance of the lesson of freedom taught by Gandhi time and again and motivate us to develop on its basis the democracy permeated with non-violence.

In fact, complete individual freedom holds a dominant position in the democracy advocated by Gandhi. Without complete freedom a slave is always a slave; and a man with servile disposition can never think of progress in any walk of life. Such a man can do something for society, state or the world is also unthinkable. Therefore, Gandhi has stated, “…if individual liberty goes, then surely all is lost, for, if the individual ceases to count, what is left of society? Individual freedom also can make a man voluntarily surrender himself completely to the service of society. If it wrested from him, he becomes automation and society is ruined. No society can possibly be built on denial of individual freedom…”

How can it be assured that everyone has complete freedom and following the path of progress contributes to the development of true democracy? In this context, before we learn about the views of Gandhi, it is better we discuss what the purpose of freedom is.

Freedom is a concept that has been in the mind of thinkers for ages. Its importance has always been felt by mankind. ‘Freedom’ has been derived from the word ‘free’. When we discuss the word ‘free’ a question naturally comes to our mind-free from what. Defining freedom, Hobbes says, “…freedom signifieth the absence of opposition by external impediments to motion.” A scholar like Carritt regards “free to do what one wills” is freedom, whereas for Taylor it is “free to act for the realization of a coherent rational purpose.” There are many other opinions as there, but I would like to mention one of John Locke. In his opinion freedom is that allows him to do all, not prohibited by law, as he wills. He should not be subjected to others fickle, uncertain and unrestrained wishes. However, it is evident that there are situations when a man is completely free from external impediments and can do as he wills. In spite of it he has a servile state of mind. Contrary to it, another person faces the external and internal impediments out, gets rid of them and thus being free takes his own course. It is now obvious that freedom is associated with mentality. Gandhi himself has accepted that freedom is a mental state.

As far as the question of ‘doing what one wills’ or ‘freedom from any external impediment’, is concerned, the concept of ‘free’ and ‘freedom’ is not clear. To do freely according to one’s own free will is not freedom. How can one enjoy freedom at the cost of others? If one cannot, what is the meaning of freedom then? Gandhi, giving a comprehensible meaning to it, writes, “My conception of freedom is no narrow conception. It is co-extensive with the freedom of man in all his majesty”, and so “Every individual must have the fullest liberty to use his talent consistently with equal use by neighbours, but no one is entitled to the arbitrary use of the gains from the talent. He is a part of the nation or, say, the social structure surrounding him. Therefore, he can use his talent not for self only but for the social structure of which he is but a part and on whose sufferance he lives.” It now becomes clear that for Gandhi freedom, like non-violence, is concerned with an individual as well as the society. Moreover, the feeling of common good is foremost here.

It was Gandhi’s wish that an individual must be at liberty to make progress. He may keep his personal interest in view but at the same time he must realize his responsibility for the society as a whole and use the opportunities in social, economic and political fields equally with others. There is no place for exploitation in democracy. Accepting this irrevocable truth that man is a social being and an inseparable part of society, an individual will feel his presence and importance in every social structure. Furthermore, he would certainly have a role in the system governing a state. In this context, Gandhi emphasized the decentralization of power in economic and political spheres and wrote that it was necessary to assure freedom to one and all and develop democracy based on non-violence. In people’s government no one should feel that he/she is not free and has not got a role in its administration.

Thus, Gandhi has given prominence to freedom in democracy and in human life as well. He has laid emphasis on decentralization of power as guarantee for freedom. Indeed, it is very important and worth giving a thought and acceptable for maturity of democracy.

*Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a universally renowned Gandhian scholar, Indologist and writer. He is the former Vice Chancellor of Meerut University, Meerut, India.

It’s All About Control

When you get up  every morning and  clean/groom yourself, you are in control of the way you present yourself to the world  or society  you are in.

When you decide to discontinue a bad habit, you are in control  of how you conduct your life.

When you refuse to  become involved in some adulterous affair, you take control of your own morals.

When that invisible compass that we carry around with us  at all times, silently make us aware of the right and wrong deeds, we are in control. Especially if we perform more right/good  deeds than wrong ones.

But be it a little or  a lot, we all want the same thing. Just a little control in our lives. Those who want more of it, may do or try to do greater deeds to get more control.

A person, for example  who  wants     a more powerful position in his/her workplace, will do all the things he/she has to in order to obtain  it so he/she could secure more control in his/her life. Maybe he/she wants to get married and start a family. That’s a form of control.

Let’s face it, we  all want to live in a world that is orderly and  law abiding. And in order for us to live in this world, there has to be control.

And it’s all right here in all its forms: laws, rules, religion. All designed to keep  our little world from rocking out of control.

It’s The Journey

There are some journeys in life that require prompt attention such as the case of certain family emergencies. Then there are other times when the journey is what keeps things together, such as a story or novel, or even a movie, for it’s the journey that makes the reader want to keep on reading or the movie goer riveted to his/her  seat.

If, for example, a writer were to start a story and wrap things up two sentences later, it might not seem interesting, would it? For instance, there would be no details as to how the characters, protagonist and antagonist alike interact with each other and what problems could have arisen if they did not interact with one another too well. It’s the conflict that  keeps  a reader interested to see what happens next.

Similarly, if you are looking at a movie and have already, in your mind, summed up the ending, would you get up and walk out of the cinema, or would you stay to see how the characters involved end up achieving whatever they are supposed to achieve? Be it a romantic union, or thwarting a villainous character from any more wrong doings.

Most people would stay and see how it all unfolds. It was the whole point of watching the movie. From the moment you sit down to watch a movie or read a book, you know, there is going to be some conflict. What keeps you turning the pages or looking at the screen is the curiosity of how the protagonist and hero(ine) will eventually obtain success.

Even when you take a trip somewhere, there are also certain things you do before reaching your destination. If you’re travelling by plane, you may have to change planes or remain on just one, depending on the distance of your destination or  what kind of flight it is that you are on.

Ultimately, it’s the destination we’re after, but it’s the things that are occurring during the journey that may bring about certain changes within us. Maybe along the way you will see something you have not taken the time to observe before. It’s that one observation that could bring a change in you.

Sometimes, not all destinations can be met as quickly as one would like, for life is a journey of its own. A journey that has numerous destinations that can start with pre school. You have to complete that or reach that destination before moving on. Along the way though, you would have made some friends and learned a few things you would need later on, so some journeys are essential.

So go on that trip, no matter whatever form it should come in, but enjoy the journey as well. Even if you suspect how that book or movie might end, sit through it if you can. The destination is important, but sometimes, so is the journey. It’s what makes the destination all the more interesting, by the time you get there.

Ultimately it’s because of some journeys, we are sometimes able to learn what we have learned and meet the people we have come to know. For if you get to the destination too fast, that won’t happen.