Interpreting Mahabharata- Dilemma of an Indian

18 Mar 2012 2 Comments

by Bell-e-Post in Indian culture, philosophy, religion Tags: ,

An Indian mind finds itself in a unique dilemma in interpreting its cultural past. With the birth of Indian nationhood in 20th century, the search of `Indian identity in the context of the reshaping modern world, this became an urgent pursuit. Around 1947, after the Second World War, all nations were at the starting line. Then we saw many of our peers, USA, Japan, Europe, even Singapore, Malaysia, China, zipping past us in the race of development and human indices. We find ourselves searching for a non-existent United National Vision for the future (something that china has and we don’t). To shape that we first have to seek a united identity in the past. And there lies a huge problem.

Indian culture may be 5000 years old, but Indian nation is only sixty years old. Moreover Indian culture is that proverbial multidimensional giant elephant which five blind men are trying to grasp. To understand our past, our culture, our identity we need to remove our blind spots first and look at ourselves fearlessly, with confidence and with completely open mind. Indian culture and philosophy is truly great, but I think many times we attribute this greatness to wrong reasons and often with very narrow interpretations. If we have to project ourselves confidently into the future, we have to first deal confidently and rationally with our pas.t

Case in point is the great epic Mahabharata. Is it history, is it mythology, is it a work of fiction, is it religion, is it philosophy, is it a social chronicle of that time? I think the issue is complicated by presence of Bhagwad Gita in the story, especially since Gita is nowadays (in 20th century) considered as equivalent to Koran and Bible. This embedding of Gita within the epic makes a critical appraisal of Mahabharata complicated. The truth is that the Mahabharata is a worthy of interpretations from all perspective- historical, literary, sociological, mythological, philosophical, religious angle. It has great lessons for management, psychology even for ancient technology. But we need to choose our looking glass and then stick to it.

The problem is we start it as mythology and then midway we switch to history as our premise. If we are looking it as mythology, then we should have complete suspension of disbelief. Then we can enjoy it like Greek mythology. It is extremely entertaining. But then we start proving its historical relevance and there the fun is lost. Unlike mythology, history is subjected to rigorous, ruthless evaluation. When faced with gaping holes and contradictions in historical analysis, we get sensitive, offended. If our heroes are mythological, we can attribute all great things to them, they can be as flawless as a beautiful sculpture. But when we insist it as a history, all heroes, including our `Gods’ become mere mortal, susceptible to mistakes, misjudgments, vulnerabilities of human mind and constrained by contemporary social and religious norms, however absurd they seem. The insistence of considering Gita as sacred text and Krishna as God, creates confusion in deciding the premises for interpretation of Mahabharata. Many times we react and conclude contrary to what actually Gita tries to point out.

I feel it is convenient to consider Mahabharata as a work of great fiction. It gives a lot of liberty in evaluating it from many angles. I would say it is like `Dr. Zivago’ or `War and Peace’, or a historical novel. Vyaasa- like Lev Tolstoy-close but a silent and unbiased spectator of history as it happened, and who then sewed together bits and pieces and added his own creative plots and characters, creating this timeless entertaining masterpiece- a greatest critique of human mind and human life ever written.

Mahabharat War- the circular firing squad!

13 Mar 2012 1 Comment

by Bell-e-Post in Indian culture, philosophy, religion Tags: ,

When we are children, the war stories and mythology seem very exciting, especially if it is assured that the good always wins. Only when one gets older, one realizes the real cost of war and the toll of human sufferings. Since, we often consult and refer to history and religion when confronted with difficult choices in these complex times, and when faced with complicated state of affairs of today, it becomes very important that we understand our `history’ correctly and draw careful conclusions. Mahabharata is one such history.

As Vyaasa asserts in his writings about Mahabharata- the story is all about gray areas, the good and bad in every person and the susceptibility of every human being to be blind to the truth and knowledge which is as bright as sunlight.

(Let us say we keep aside the historical interpretation of Mahabharata (it is disputed). But just let us consider it as the great literary work- like say, one in modern literature- `war and peace’ by Lev Tolstoy. The story, the plot, the backdrop and characters are almost like history because they are drawn from bits of pieces of reality and seamlessly sewn again.)

After highlighting all the less than perfect characters, it is unlikely that  Vyaasa draws the battle line of Kurukshetra as the line between the perfectly bad and the perfectly good. That is very incongruent to the essential premises of the story. Many good people are actually highlighted on the Kaurava’s side- like Bheeshma, Drona, Krupa, Karna. But he has left out highlighting bad people on Pandava’s side to our understanding. In the final analysis-everybody on both sides, except a handful of people, die. So how can one say that the good side won? The war seemed more like a circular firing squad, in which everybody is killed, while killing each other.

For everyone who like the idea of Mahabharata war as the war between Dharma and Adharma- the good and bad, in which the good party won as God was on their side, some questions are inevitable and indeed very uncomfortable.

1) If Krishna was God himself, why such heavy and almost equal causality on his side?

2) As war progressed and Pandava’s lost their good people, including their young sons one by one, and even Krishna’s own army led by Balaram getting killed, why did not Krishna take up arms? why was not that even suggested from Pandava’s party. It was a waste of their invaluable asset. Will this not be at least discussed in any real war, when the strongest general refuses to take up arms?

3) Krishna steering Arjuna’s chariot and advising him is more like, Krishna decides whom to kill and points the formidable weapon (Arjuna) to that direction. Krishna thus choosing strategic targets to kill, which, one may argue that, if left to himself, Arjuna would not have chosen.

The way the war chapter of Mahabharata unfolds, one notice that Krishna acts with foreknowledge and ensures his strategic position besides Arjuna guiding him strategically and also in real time on the battlefield and directing him. It is almost like as if he anticipates, Arjuna going weak in his knees, ready to give up war before it starts and also later resisting killing of the big-wigs on Kaurava side- their fall being crucial to Pandava’s victory.

So it is quite clear that Krishna wanted this war fully knowing its inevitable and tragic end. He takes great efforts to convince Arjuna – the key player- without whom the war was impossible. As wise and kind hearted Arjuna, does not get convinced even till 15th chapter of bhagvad gita, finally Krishna, God himself,  breaks the convention. In desperation to convince him, he reveals his own identity to the mortal warrior and tells him the ultimate knowledge of cosmos, which is never revealed to even the enlightened yogis. God even temporarily grants him the special faculty of perception and understanding to grasp the reality as he takes him beyond space-time warp, where he gets the perspective of entire cosmos and sees time as landscape where all the people on the battlefield are already dead, including good and bad. And then Krishna candidly tells Arjuna- ` I am the one who kills and you are just a weapon, and that they are already dead, in the dimension you have just visited.’

It is only after `vishvarup darshan; Arjuna gives up resistance, as he realizes his own extreme insignificance in the grand scheme of things and sheer pointlessness of his choosing or not choosing to fight. He realizes Time as the ultimate master of every mortal life and death and realizes that it is not upto him to save or take anybody’s life.

So we conclude that War was predetermined and annihilation of both the parties was inevitable, and God went out of his way to ensure that, that what had already happened, indeed happened. God ensured the circular firing squad! The real question is why and what did he achieve. How did he save Dharma with this war?

Was Mahabharat War Justified?

09 Mar 2012 1 Comment

All of us, educated Indians find ourselves often visiting and dwelling on the epic story of Mahabharata. At different points in our lives, different parts of the story appeal us. One discovers different interpretations at different times of our lives. There is one thing though that I could never get around, and that is the purpose of Mahabharat War. It is projected as the fight between dharma vs adharma. But really , Vyaasa has not spent much time in painting Kauravas as in general bad kings to their people ( like atrocities, looting, coercing of people etc) The highlight is mostly on their animosity towards their cousins, Pandavas. The good and bad contrast is not as crisp as it is in Ramayana.

So in short the bone of contention was a property dispute that could not be resolved in court room, because there was no legal precedence in favor of Pandavas. (so it is like when you lose a case in supreme court, the loser party says..बाहर आजा. तुमको देख लूंगा.) and so it was dragged to the battle field. Then, like every chronic property dispute, the fuel is added with personal vendetta between the brothers and Draupadi. Was killing millions of people indeed justified?

Arjuna was right in every aspect in doubting this whole purpose of war and violence against his own people. I have great respect for that warrior, who knew he will win for sure, and still was willing to walk away to save millions of lives. If we calculate the loss of lives according to the description- it is like 2 million people and equivalent animals killed in 18 days! (the causality more than two atom bombs!)- over a property dispute of one dynasty!

Krishna, was indeed the shrewdest and most charming guy in the whole story. It is difficult to believe that, he tried his best to avoid war. If he wanted, he would have stopped the war. He was highly influential on both sides. He would have made Pandava’s accept any compromise, such was his hold on them. But he wanted war, which becomes quite obvious from Gita. But what was the point? With due respect to great philosophy of Gita, ( which is indeed most profound), it does not explain the direct question that Arjuna asks- why kill Kauravas? Krishna never mentions name of any of Kauravas in his discourse. I am not surprised it required 18 chapters of persuation, and philosophization to make Arjuna ready to fight again.

There is interesting story, which some of you might have read. A Rishi started his तपश्चर्या just when the pre-war negotiations were going on. He came out of his तपश्चर्या unaware of the war , and he saw Krishna passing by. He said to Krishna – ` I am so glad that you were the negotiator, because I knew that only you could stop the war. It would have been a colossal loss of lives. I am sure you must have settled this’. When Krishna informed him about the war, he was extremely disappointed and angry, and cursed Krishna, about the lonely slow death he would have to face in the forest, which indeed he did. I don’t know what was Krishna’s response. It was something like- ` What did I do? i just handed over the Karma that they themselves have accumulated.’, He accepted the responsibility graciously and said that it was indeed the death he had planned for himself.’

Interestingly, though GOD himself was on Pandava’s side, they did not fare well either. Almost all the sons of Pandavas were killed. Even Arjuna was defeated by common looters soon afterwards. Krishna’s kins fought among themselves to death. I still do not see what good outcome that this war achieved which Lord Krishna encouraged Arjuna to wage!

Aside by Bell-e-Post

G.A Kulkarni and Salvador Dali

03 Mar 2012 4 Comments

by Bell-e-Post in Uncategorized

I have always liked G.A. Kulkarni’s work, since the time I read his stories in high school. They had an aura of mysticism and rich visual imagery. I hope the late author wont mind, as I write and discuss his work in English here. For one thing, his stories were timeless and used the language( Marathi) merely as a tool of expression without any cultural baggage. Of all Marathi literature, his work is the most translatable work, that will in fact may come out more vividly if translated.

I realized this when I read `Pangira’ recently, a realistic novel by Vishwas Patil, that chronicles the progression of a small village in western Maharashtra. Now this incredible book is the most untranslatable book. It will be completely disseminated in translation, and will probably will not attract many readers after 30 years, just like how Batatyachi Chal ( also untranslatable), after 25 years will fail to delight children born today. I think these books are so beautiful because they are truly time-sculptures.They capture and immortalize that time, that age, those people and that culture.

But Kulkarni’s work is timeless. For most of the stories, the backdrop could be any place and any time. The characters could be of any race, any nationality. In fact some time it feels as if it is happening in some twilight zone in author’s mind, where he alone is present as the lead character or observer, and everything else, including other characters are the props.

Recently I opened Sanjshakun- a collection of G.A.Kulkarni’s short stories. I think these are one of his earlier works. The first story was written before I was born. It is hardly a story, it is narration of a scene from a vantage point. It is poignant. An uninhabited stretch of sea-shore under scorching sun, a carcass of large animal baking on the shore and stripped off its flesh. The large skull provides a brief respite and shelter for an ancient man. The heat cracks the skull, takes the old man. His skull has the same fate as that of the large animal and serves the same purpose for a smaller animal and so on..

As as I read the story, I felt like staring at Salvador Dali’s painting. The whole story can be really one picture. Just as (some of Dali’s paintings) tell the past of that scene and are pregnant with future. So I could almost visualize Dali’sk painting of Kulkarni’s story. I wonder if any one of my friends who are a fan of both the masters, will take up challenge of painting the story or storying the picture!
On the other hand, both are equally incomprehensible. So some of my worldly-wise friends can turn to me after reading/seeing the work of either men and will say ` So.. whats the point?’ I would be lying if i have not asked this to myself sometimes. But i think art is more like a secret code between the artist and the beholder. If you `get it’, the feeling is like getting the glimpse of the artists mind- his private chamber. If you don’t get it, probably it was not for you!
Amen!

The pursuit of happiness!

24 Feb 2012 1 Comment

by Bell-e-Post in philosophy, religion

 

`Don’t worry. Be Happy’.

God said to Adam and Eve. And He meant it. He looked lovingly at both, His creation in His own Image.He looked into their eyes, which were filled with innocence and joy. He looked around in the Garden of Eden. What was there not to be happy about? They had everything they want for all their needs and beyond, and they have each other!  God was pleased and he left the garden to run some errands. On his way out he told the Happiness to hang around. The naughty boy he was, he indeed hung around but never let himself in their sight. But really there was no need and his mere presence was all that mattered.

As God left Adam told Eve, ` He is so Nice. He said don’t worry. Be happy. We are happy aren’t we? But I don’t know what worry is. But do we have to KNOW?’. `Not at all’. Eve said giggling. Let’s play hide and seek. How that Happiness plays with us. Let’s catch him’.  And indeed three of them played and laughed and time passed.

One day, it was Happiness’s turn to hide and Adam & Eve were to seek him. As they turned around a densely shaded tree, they bumped into a stranger.

`Hi there’. He said, in the sweetest voice they have ever heard.

`Hi’  Eve was first to respond. `Who are you? Do you want to play with us?’

`Oh No. I don’t play. I am a serious guy.’ Stranger said.

This was all new to Adam. `Why don’t you play? God told us to Play’.  He said.

`Really?’ The stranger said with a weird tone. `And what else did Mr. God tell you?’

`Well, he told us to be Happy!’ Adam replied.

`I see.’ The stranger said. `And.. are you?’

`Yes we are. Aren’t we?’ Adam looked at Eve questioningly.

Eve considered.`I guess .’  She said with a hint of uncertainty.

`There there, let us all sit down.’ The stranger made both sit down under that fabulous tree.

Happiness was watching all this from behind the tree. He didn’t like what was happening. But he still decided to hang on, as  God had told him to.

`So God has told you to BE HAPPY. He didn’t say you ARE HAPPY. Did he? So do you have any plan how to be happy?

This was new. And first time in the history of humanity, Adam’s brow furrowed. Indeed he didn’t have any plan.

`I guessed so.’  Stranger said reading Adam’s face. ` Well. You are lucky that you have ME now.’

`And Who are you?’ Eve finally asked.

`I am Mr. Serpent. I am Happiness Management Consultant. I offer my services for free. Absolutely FREE! ‘  He stressed and looked at Adam.

Adam didn’t know if he was suppose to understand something. But FREE was the only word he knew.

`Well, the only thing I ask you in return is that you follow my advice, because, believe me, it is only for your good that I will be your consultant for ever in your pursuit of happiness.’

Eve didn’t understand anything. But she liked the way serpent talked with authority and control, which Adam never showed before.

Just then a fruit fell down right in front of them from the tree. They have never seen this before. It was ruby-red and had such a sweet smell.

`Let me explain to you, why you need me.’ Serpent took the apple in his hand. `Look at this fruit. Adam, what do you think of this.?’

Adam shrugged `It is nice.’

`And Eve?  What do you think?’

`Well, it is red and it must be soft and sweet.’ Eve said

`And you think it will make you happy?’ Serpent asked, expecting the obvious.

` I think so.’  Eve said.

`But what if it is not red inside?  There are many fruits that are not sweet at all and some fruits have a bitter hard-core. You will not be happy if you eat the wrong fruit.’

That got Adam worried.  God has explicitly told him to be happy. Adam has to make sure that he is happy. He really needed help.

God had also told him to not to worry (As He had provided the best for him all around. There were no rotten apples in the Garden of Eden.) But now there was a doubt and with doubt came the worry. Since Adam never knew what worry was, he did not know what was happening.

`You see, you will KNOW only when you eat the fruit. And don’t you think that you have to KNOW?’  Serpent continued, ` You think you are happy. But are you happy enough? Perhaps there is more happiness to be found, there may be different kinds of happiness that needs to be explored. You may have to trade a bit of happiness to get more happiness. You may have to invest happiness, and do without for a while, so that you get lot more of it in future.’

All this was beyond Adam and Eve. It started dawning on Adam that he needed help to be happy and he definitely should have a good plan to do so.

Eve was consumed with a feeling that she is not happy at all and happiness is something more and something different that should to be explored.

So both of them decided to hire the serpent as their Happiness Management Consultant forever and took bite of the apple.

Happiness was watching all this from behind the tree of Knowledge. When he realized he is going to be managed, he ran away as far as he can. That is how the pursuit of Happiness began!

Great video- collective subconscious

23 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by Bell-e-Post in philosophy

I don’t like your jokes Mr. World, especially when it is on me.

30 Jan 2012 1 Comment

by Bell-e-Post in India, Indian culture, politics Tags: , ,

Mr. World, you are mistaken if you think we will respond to your jokes with a smile. To randomly spot a smiling Indian on a road is like randomly spotting tiger on the road in India. They are very rare. You see, Smiling is not an essential part of etiquette in India and Indians don’t necessarily smile when they are happy. (Most of us are not.) We do not smile unless the joke is explained (ask all the script writers of the film). The attempts to make us smile is a tricky affair as we are generally not very kind to the jokers

Indians don’t like joke. We especially do not like jokes that are not announced first as a joke and then delivered. So we won’t mind the Great Indian Laughter Challenge Show. We in fact like it. We expect a humor, we expect not to be serious, and we expect to be entertained. As long as we know it is not serious, it is just a joke, we can take a nasty poke as pure entertainment, laugh and forget about it before we get down to serious business of being hurt and responding to insults.

We are especially hurt when the joke is on our culture and our history. UNESCO got it all wrong when they started looking for places in India to declare world heritage sites. The MINDS of INDIANS are the true world heritage sites. And we are taking a very good care of preserving our minds locked in those time periods, never mind the actual sites. We don’t believe in that material outlook of preserving buildings and architecture.  Only degenerate cultures do that.

See how Egyptians have preserved the pyramid, but they no more talk about inspiration of Pharaoh in their political, social dialogue today.  Look at Greece, Alexander is no more their hero. They are only concerned about their debts. Look at British, Newton and Shakespeare are no more their national icons, they have lost them to the world. But we are different. Shivaji, Rana Pratap are still our heros, enough to riot if somebody tries any funny joke about them. We are hoping that Lord Ram would reappear as promised and take care of all the mess. We still hold our Vedas, Bhagvad Gita, as our cultural and national heritage that we are not going to lose to the world as world literature. Our Music is our music, our Yoga is our Yoga, so what if tons of foreigners learn and practice it. The  point is that we are far more rooted in our past than any other civilization.

So as we are busy repeating to ourselves our glorious culture and heritage, it is extremely annoying when somebody makes a joke on dirty Indian toilets, late trains, poverty and corruption. First of all, that is not at all US. We are those glorious descendants of even more Glorious culture. So identifying us as the people who don’t mind dirty toilets, delayed trains and mind-boggling corruption is a very one-dimensional way of looking at us.  When one adds great literature, philosophy, cuisine and arts to the above inconvenient three, it creates more realistic picture of us. To say that others also have all that culture-stuff but also have clean toilets, on-time trains and minimum corruption, is a very unfair comparison. It hurts our feelings.

We can tolerate dirty toilets, but what we cannot tolerate is a dirty joke, or particularly a joke on dirty toilet. We don’t think it is very civilized for the world to make a joke on our dirty toilet. If humor is about stating the obvious in most unobvious way, that does not quite work with us.  You see, we are not obvious people. We are special people. We are not materialistic beings to be perturbed by dirty toilets and corruption. We believe in spirituality, and we practice it every day while dealing with dirty toilets, late trains, corruption and the general state of `nothing works’.

So we think it is very frivolous and childish of you, Mr. World to make a joke about us. Your clean toilets, clean roads and good governance do not make you a superior culture. Successful may be. But in the land of nirvana who cares about success?

 

Introducing IsiriS- siri-version 2.53. with iOS7

30 Jan 2012 2 Comments

by Bell-e-Post in technology Tags: , ,

iSiriS is the Fairy of your i phone!
IsiriS will help you in all your quests!
If you are a knight-in-shining amour searching for the dragon to slay to save the princess, or if you are star gazing astronaut searching for earth-like planets..what you need is next-gen siri- iSiriS by your side!

iSiriS is intuitive!
You don’t have to tell siri..what you want to search. siri’s new cognitive algorithm will guess what you want to search from your body language, and your facial expressions..

So don’t get confused if she asks you in her irresistible and seductive voice..
“Hi honey.. what do you want me to search…?” Actually this is just a formality or (if you wish) just a foreplay.

The new i phone with iSiriS is designed to keep you searching.
It is for the next-generation of young explorers!
So if you take your finger or ears or eyes off your iPhone for 10 seconds..iSiriS will get into action.
You see, iSiriS was designed as a jealous lover, she wants your undivided attention, all the time!- To keep your finger and mind glued to the iPhone..

iSiriS is like a Genie of the lamp, she is extremely resourceful. You just have to keep telling her what to do.
If you don’t give her a job to search for next 10 seconds, not even any body language, topological or facial clues, iSiriS will be forthright and will break the ice..
She is designed to automatically upgrade her seductive tone, to `look-at-me’ level, and say..
`Darling, if you don’t want me to explore the world, perhaps you want me to search your mind..all over…..’

After pausing for ten seconds if you still don’t reply…she will coo in excited tone, in a last ditch effort to attract your attention-…`Oh my God, your mind seems to be full of wonderful things. I don’t know where to begin., can you help me..’

If you still don’t respond after ten seconds..It will assume that you are sleeping and will say..

`Aah, well.. i searched your mind anyways, and it is full of all the junk that i have told you..Otherwise basically you are empty, there is nothing to search.. good night!’

Why do you have to bother me with free speech?

30 Jan 2012 2 Comments

by Bell-e-Post in India, politics Tags: , , ,

`I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.’ Voltaire famously said. When Voltaire rooted for Freedom of Speech as an essential instrument of democracy he never realized the likely possibility of its sudden transformation into a naughty tool to insult and hurt sentiments of a group of people.

Lately we Indians seem to be an object of insult and hurt from almost every corner of the world,. So we have Jay Leno from USA insulting golden temple, in the guise of making a joke about a republican candidate. We Indians are very perceptive people; we immediately understood that the joke was on us not on the US candidate. USA is making a big mistake in defending this misadventure in the name of freedom of speech.  I was so offended that, though I do not watch Jay Leno show, I went to the website and watched the insulting clip. I had to watch it three times to realize that, the photo was actually that of golden temple, (it was flashed for less than 2 second). But once I realized that it was so, (as it was clearly explained in the blog below), I was thoroughly offended.  Thanks to the vigilant UK and Indian media and the Indian government that this insult was brought to my notice which would have gone otherwise unnoticed. I made special effort to watch the clip to get insulted. I have decided to watch Jay leno show every day to keep a watch on him, if he gets into any more insulting business.

We were just recovering from the affair of Russia banning Bhagwad Geeta, our sacred text. How can they stifle freedom of speech and freedom of expression of our ancient Godhead? It may hurt sentiments of group of people in Russia, but what about freedom of expression? Shouldn’t the greatest democracy in the world expect and stand by the freedom of speech when it is stifled in post-communist oligarchy in Russia?

When it comes to religion, Indians unite in a rare show of solidarity. If USA thinks that governments cannot work with religious extremist groups to agree on a common agenda, Rushdie case was a case in point. I have not read` Satanic Verses’. I have been taught English in India by the English curriculum that was designed by Macaulay in early nineteenth century. So I know pure English and authentic English literature of the likes of Shakespeare. These new writers like Rushdie have really altered English in its content, subject and style, which I think is very unbritish. So I don’t read Rushdie partly because I don’t understand and partly because I don’t care if I don’t understand. But when somebody says he insults, I HAVE to make that effort to read and understand at least the insulting part. Having to make that effort is annoying enough to feel hurt by Rushdie, the fact that he writes and then that we have to read it to find attempts of insults.  So when both government and the terrorists groups did a united `three monkeys’ on Rushdie that they do not want to see, hear or speak Rushdie in India, I was a bit relieved.

I am all for freedom for speech. My problem is when I am sleeping peacefully, I hate to be woken up and told that somebody spoke to me insultingly while I was sleeping. Then I have to take efforts to seek and understand the insult. I had to dig in the books and read out-of-context those remarks which otherwise I would have gone for many lifetimes not knowing. I had to watch shows which I would have been happily unaware that they ever existed.  And then I have root for rights of foreign people reading Bhagwad Geeta, which I have no intention of reading myself. This all is so tiring and infuriating at the same time. Can I please ignore? I don’t think that will hurt anybody. And if it does, I am happy that I have come up with the most-energy efficient response to insults. So I would like to propose a coup on Voltaire. I want to say that ` I don’t like that you ignore me, but I shall defend to death your right to ignore’.