'Decent' living....

Had an interesting discussion in class today. The stimulus actually was a question posed to the listeners of one of the many FM Radio stations in Bangalore. "How much money does one need per month to live a decent life in Bangalore?" I was curious to know the responses. The techie crowd that had tuned in to the station did not belie my expectations. Some said one lakh and a few others said two lakhs. The techies were just being true to thier extravagant and flamboyant life style. Reaching college i thought i must get my students' views on this. How much money do you need per month to live a decent life in Bangalore? Inwardly i was hoping to get a realistic answer. As students how much they can spend every month,i thought even if it means an occasional splurge... Again my hopes were belied. They chorussed the same... one lakh, maybe two max...Seems like for today's youth living in cosmopolitan cities thousands don't count at all or may be they don't even exist. What a seachange in the attitude of the generation of today compared to the previous ones! Probably their understanding of the word decent is quite different from the one that i have. The impact of the consumerist culture is so strong among the urban youth that at times one wonders if even talking to them about value systems that we all often talk about like responsible living without being excessively self centered with a strong sense of social responsibility would only evoke laughter and derision.

Kudos to the aspiring journalists

Had the inauguration of the Journalism association of the University. Dr Chengappa, a journalist cum political scientist was the Chief Guest. Students participated in large numbers and it was a refreshing sight. Hopefully they continue and sustain the momentum as oftentimes the initial euphoria slowly in due course of time disappears. Let the students organize more such programmes and let the spirit of inquiry flourish. All the best!!!

Bicycle Thieves

Got to watch Bicycle Thieves once again.,,,.after almost two decades, thanks to the initiative taken by the MSComm students of the University led by Fr.Biju. The movie continues to impact despite the passage of time. Not surprising at all considering the fact that the theme is universal or should I say eternal. Not many of us however brought this up during the discussion – the relevance of the film to our contemporary situation. The agony and anger of post-war poverty, the director depicted clearly and the shame and guilt experienced by the protagonist at the climax- very poignant they were. Who is a thief? What makes one a thief? Who is to blame for making a perfectly decent, law abiding citizen into a law breaker? Still waiting for answers.

Welcome to Christ!

I guess it's time to break the silence. Time to renew the commitment to the profession - at the beginning of yet another wonderful year. Was happy to see so many new, anxious faces in the auditorium- took me back to my college days.

These are beautiful days, you know...one's college days, yes. But some of you will take time to experience that beauty - beauty in the campus, in the teachers, in the chosen course, in the system - in everything that you will come in contact with. My only request to all of you is this ...Take time to understand...be patient and comprehension will not elude you... and beauty will not deceive you. A beautiful quote for you.....

"Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your
thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a
goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement
and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness,
and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to
success."

-- Brian Adams


WISH ALL THE CHRISTITES GOOD LUCK!