December 18, 2006

The Truth About Truth.

Woody Allen: “Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television

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It’s usually something offbeat that gets you thinking. By thinking, I mean really thinking. Thinking about life, love, loss, gain, pursuit, happiness and its usually unholy tradeoff with money.

Recently I was writing an article on stand-up comedy for a magazine. I found that, the basic premise that comedians worked on was that they would bare themselves. They would tell the truth and not leave a single shred of it out.

Lenny Bruce said, “If Jesus had been killed twenty years ago, Catholic school children would be wearing little electric chairs around their necks instead of crosses”. Bruce had nothing against good ol JC’ – he just found a way a telling, what according to him, was the truth, i.e. the hypocrisy of religion.

I believe that all jokes made by even non professional comics, reflect what they really feel… If you meet someone who makes a joke about falling for you, then that’s probably true. Humour has always been the best way to say something without actually saying it. This is exactly what they teach in the 1st class of your comedy course. Speak about what you believe in, not about what you think others find funny.
The analogy here is – SPEAK YOUR MIND & THE REST SHALL FOLLOW.

Comedians were never afraid (as suggested by Chris Rock’s spoken word album Never Scared). They just went out there and said what ordinary people were too scared to say.

Maybe, just maybe, we all need to take a lesson from them.
Maybe, we all need the balls to say things that would usually blow our egos into pieces of shark bait.
What I’m trying to say is that if you want to become a hippy then go do that. If you want to write then do that. If you want to marry your landlady then propose.
If you disagree with your parents then take them out for dinner to a nice Italian joint, and then tell them.

A very good friend is getting more homicidal by the day because he is doing a course he absolutely hates. He wants to write, but then that would be swimming against the stream.

Another bloke earns 6 Lakh p.a. He wants to enter the social sector, but then that what would his neighbors say?

Another guy, and a girl are completely into each other. If only they’d stop tap-dancing around the issue and say something about it.

Besides, think back. How many times have you done something pander to the ‘neighbors’?
And how many times have you done something just because ‘It’s the bloody right thing to do”.
How many hours of your 24, feel “Just right”?
When was the last time you felt excited about what you are doing?

I agree that India’s GDP is almost at the 10% growth mark, but then abandoning everything that’s near to you, in order build that corporate career? Surely you have better imagination. (But if that’s what gives you your kicks then by all means do It.)

However, if you have that once in a blue moon conversation in which you say, “man, I really gotta get out of this shithole”, then you know that your allegiance lies elsewhere.

Life shouldn't be about, driving to work--driving back--and then sleeping. I think too many of us are stuck in the rut. In any case, even if you win the rat race, you are still a rat right?

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Don't get me wrong. This is not just about work. This is about enjoying life.
Speaking for myself, it took a visit to a certain seaside town to figure out that I want to travel, learn a new language, make music, write, be entrepreneurial. I haven't forgotten anything from that trip... And this is just an attempt to continue to remember all of that.

It's when you are not over-analyzing and dissecting what you are about to say before you actually say it, that you are being truthful. It may take a stand-up comedy act to realize, but better late than never.

So keep a tab about the jokes you make, the stories you tell in passing and what you said during that one perfect conversation you had - for they will tell you alot.

Life is too short to figure out what's right and what's wrong.
If it makes you smile, it's probably right.

Thus Robin Williams spake, “You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

14 comments:

TS said...

Warning: This is not a wisecrack!

1) "Stories from a self confessed know-it-all... From the trenches of the city's rock music scene, to the bawdy world of management consulting - he has seen, and done it all. ...Emerges unscathed, a superhero in our midst - Just overly cynical and a 1st rate lazy slob."

Change management consultant to trainer and you've spelt out my life.

2) Eddie Murphy's Delirious: Brilliant!

3) The laziness helps me 'just right' most of the time. If not, there's always alcohol and cannabis... :)

4) Great thought, VERY well written.

5) Don't just TALK about it, go DO it!

6) “You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."
JUST a spark, are you sure??? Sometimes I feel like I'm on fire.

Cynical Consultant said...

@ts: Thanks. You seem to have really got the drift of the post. I wonder is life like this any more... Perhaps I should just buy a plot of land in manali and grow contraband substances.

TS said...

You must. I, however, get mine from my domestic help who grows it in his hometown in Himachal... :)

TS said...

Well, at least for the time being!

hedonistic hobo said...

I believe my personal comic routines are fuelled by the fact that I say things that most people have too uch dignity to say. Your post made me feel so much better. :) So cynical consultant I'm an aspiring management consultant, and also someone who was spart out of the eddy of the Delhi rock scene. Actually I left it. I like my blues and whiskey. Who am I kidding? No whiskey but it goes with the blues no? Oh pinot griggio what was my life before I found you?

hedonistic hobo said...

Sorry! Where are my manners!?! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Also thank you for gracing the comments section of my blog despite the fact that I'm a very errant blogger. The reasons are this massive tv and anime collection I have access to and these are pretty good reasons. Who doesn't like a good ninja story!?

Asmita said...

ok..so no wisecracks this side. Just an overwhelming sense of Deja vu. Been here, understand it and going this way. Unfortunately everytime I have taken a step forward, I realise that there are 5 more things that I was doing coz I have been conditioned to do so or think so. But then it also excites as thee is a sense of achievement whenever a conditioning has been rid of.

And HH has reminded that I want to wish a Wonderful New Year.

:)

Yashika Totlani Khanna said...

Man, you are a.w.e.s.o.m.e.!

Fantastic read... like a leaf right outta a self-help book. Summarised a lot into a few sententious sentences... hats off!

My fav pick-"I believe that all jokes made by even non professional comics, reflect what they really feel… If you meet someone who makes a joke about falling for you, then that’s probably true. Humour has always been the best way to say something without actually saying it."
--- It takes a lotta observation to pen that down! Im highly impressed :)

Cynical Consultant said...

@ts: no such luck here. i still gotta go pillar to post and call in favours to get my stuff.

@hh: A verry happy new year to you too. Hope it rains pinot griggio where you are. Closer home in delhi, we'll make do with idage's merlot.

@asmita: Yep, i love that feeling too. I remember when i quit my job. I had a silly grin for the next 3 days. People thought i was stoned.

@yashika: Whoa! Loved the extra use of the puntuation marks.. :) Was not going for a self help book, but was definitely going for observational material. A La Jerry Sienfeld... a darn good comic.

TS said...

You should write more often.

Keshi said...

Happy New Year!

Keshi.

TS said...

Negro!

Passion Men's Hostel???

You beat me hollow man.

*Takes a Bow*

And stop complaining. Its Friday!

TS said...

Negro!

Passion Men's Hostel???

You beat me hollow man.

*Takes a Bow*

And stop complaining. Its Friday!

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