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It is difficult to agree with Justice Singh when he avers,
"Nearly all philosophies find themselves helpless and
unavailing when they confront the ground reality…" A
philosopher, ever in touch with such ground realities, rips
apart all illusion in his quest for the truth, bringing his
intellect into full play. He rises above the mundane and is
rigorous in his investigation. The Scottish philosopher David
Hume maintains that there should be a clear demarcation between
fallacious reasoning and philosophical inquiry. Says he,
"If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity or school
metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, Does it contain any abstract
reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any
experimental reasoning, concerning matter of fact and existence?
No. Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain nothing but
sophistry and illusion."
However, Justice
Singh, now in his twilight years, looks upon life with a mature
eye. He suggests a mix of spiritual practice and a philosophical
worldview to negotiate life’s vicissitudes. Shakespeare, in Much
Ado About Nothing, observes, "For there was never
yet philosopher /That could endure the toothache patiently."
Justice Singh’s
pain is more profound than a toothache.
10 Steps to
Positive Living
by Windy Dryden. Orient
Paperbacks, New Delhi. Pages
144. Rs 50.
 One of the mantras
for success is a positive attitude. Again, even when one has
stopped pursuing success one needs a positive mindset in order
to live a tranquil life. For this a healthy mind is a
prerequisite. Windy Dryden, a professor of counselling at the
University of London, has authored a number of books based on
his experience as psychotherapist. After dealing with such
emotional problems as anger, guilt, shame etc he has now come up
with this volume that focuses on mental health.
In your quest for
positive living you may like to adopt the 10 steps suggested by
Dryden in this highly readable book, i.e. assume personal
responsibility, adopt a non-demanding philosophy, accept
reality, develop high frustration tolerance, acquire a healthy
attitude, allow yourself to experience healthy negative
emotions, think critically and creatively, develop vitally
absorbing interests, improve relationships, and evolve a
realistic outlook.
Just Kidding,
All in the Family, and Dissecting the Body Politic
Rupa & Co., N. Delhi.
Rs 50 each.
Comedy, we may
say, is society protecting itself – with a smile.
— J.
B. Priestley
 A robust sense of
humour is imperative for us to evolve into a self-confident,
mature entity. The ability to look at the funnier side of life
helps combat negative impulses. For this a certain amount of
irreverence is required. To bring down the high and mighty to
the level of the ordinary mortals through satire is an age-old
practice. Though some place comedy on a par with sodomy as an
unnatural act, one would rather go along with W. Somerset
Maugham when he observes, "Impropriety is the soul of
wit."
These three
volumes are part of a delightful series on humour. The jokes in Just
Kiddin’! would delight school-going kids. For instance, to
the query, "How did the tailor make your coat last?"
the repartee is, "By making your trousers first"! All
in the Family takes a comic but insightful view of some
quirky family situations. Here’s one example of how kids can
come up with amusingly pithy observations:
 Meenu, a typical
four-year-old girl, expressed difficulty in grasping the concept
of marriage. Her father pulled out his wedding photo album,
thinking the photographs would explain it all to her. One page
after another, he pointed out the bride arriving at the temple,
elaborate pujas, the walk around fire, the reception,
etc. "Now do you understand?" he asked. "I think
so," she said, "is that when mummy came to work for
us?" Perhaps John Waters had some such situation in mind
when he remarked, "People no longer need the jokes
explained; everyone gets irony nowadays."
For the
politically inclined the satires in Dissecting the Body
Politic will certainly prove a rollicking read. This feast
of guffaws takes a sardonic look at politicians and their ways.
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