Happiness

The steps of my stride, as I walk back home from the railway station, increases at a faster pace as I hear Pharell Williams singing the song ' Happy'. The lyrics and tune of the song, makes your feel incredibly light and inexplicably happier, when till then I was feeling quite indifferent and had been walking immersed in reviewing the incidents of the day.  I look up in the sky, watching the stars and moon in the sky as if I was without the roof over my house, strangely smelling the flowers in the trees along the road, which I would walked hundreds of times and ignored, and feel incredibly happy. This probably leads to a rush of adrenaline, which in turns makes me walk faster. 

So, what is it that makes one happier? The answers could be so broad  - it could be the small things in life-  watching the butterflies and birds fly around flowers, walking in the beach feeling the waves brush your feet, watching the mountain peak rise above the clouds, watching your new born baby smile - or it could be big things - the ones which makes us feel that we achieved success, the results of our school or college exams, the first job, the promotions or climbing the peak (literally ).

Yet, Dr Gregory House, of the House M D fame, may analyse this as a chemical reaction in the brain. I have been watching this serial with immense interest (or is it addiction?) and rate it as one of the best. The actors are fabulous and Hugh Laurie makes you believe that he is indeed one of the best diagnostician. I think, even if I meet him in person, I would half expect him to be sarcastic and rude, with his intense eyes staring back as if he can read your mind. This guy is immensely talented, a pianist and singer apart from his acting capability. 

We are diverting from the topic- what makes one happy. Clearly happiness is not a constant phenomenon. Our mood changes depending upon the circumstances. The reason why House came into the context was that he would have probably explained the reason to be happy due to some chemical reaction in the brain.  The episodes therefore, showed at various occasions, how people's behaviour can change because of abnormalities or tumours in their brain. Consequently, rectifying these can result in a change in behaviour and how a person feels. This does not, of course, mean that the principles or a character of the person can undergo a radical change, but it does explain why we all behave differently to the same set of circumstances. Because we are all wired differently to some extent.

Maybe the time is not far off, when the brain can be wired to make one happy. Alternately, one may have the capability to control the reaction in one's brain, leading one to believe that one is happy. Till such time,  we will just enjoy those moments of being happy - when one is home with loved ones or getting together with friends or just living the dream that we call Life. Afterall, happiness is also a recollection of all the moments that made us feel happy.

Michio Kaku and the Future of the Mind

Not long ago, I believed, that the brain is the seat of our ability to think, we feel with the heart and we are conscious because of our soul.There are three aspects, the mind, the body and the soul... so said the wise Teachers. I believed in this implicitly, till I watched the lecture videos of Michio Kaku and started reading about his articles. Michio Kaku is a Professor of Physics at the City University of New York and famous for being the co-founder of the string field theory (the first time I heard that was Sheldon in the Big Bang Theory mentions it) Boy! this man (I meant, Michio Kaku and not Sheldon) is amazing!. I have become one of his numerous fans. I remember, when I was a kid, enjoying watching the famous TV serial, 'Cosmos', presented by Carl Sagan. It was Sagan, who probably pioneered, during our times, the art of presenting science to common people in a simple manner, that one, with hardly a scientific bent of mind albeit curious, like myself, could understand and enjoy. Michio Kaku, goes one step ahead - he can not only explain it well, he can bring similes that you would relate to in day- to -day life. He gives examples of movies (when does he get time to watch these movies beats me) to get the concept through. His latest book ' The future of the mind'  is a best seller and just reading it, broke disappointingly, some of my long held beliefs. The mysteries of why one could have a split- Dr Jekyll and Hyde personality, or the fact that emotions reside in the brain and not the heart, the different functions of the brain, are some of those covered in the book. Who you are, could probably, is because of your frontal cortex is and not because of your soul. Not that my belief in the existence of Soul has evaporated, but my curiosity has definitely been aroused. If we had more people like him teaching science in schools, probably we would have more scientists being nurtured in our countries. Till such time, one has to satiate one's quest of knowledge with books and YouTube!.

QUEEN - THE MOVIE

Kangana Ranaut was not exactly my favourite actress. Oh! I don't have anything against her. For that matter, I confess, I have not seen any of earlier movies as well. Well, it is just that, when I watched some of the trailers of her earlier movies, somehow I got a perception that she is probably better off a model than an actress. Don't ask me why - I just got the feeling that she may not be able to express well as an actress. I decided to watch Queen after I heard excellent reviews of the movie from friends. I did not have any great expectations, but the plot of the movie, which I read in the papers, intrigued me. I was taken by surprise. It was a good movie but that is not what surprised me. I was quite taken back by Kangana's acting skills. It was amazing. I firmly believe now, that she is one to watch out for. The movie was also well shot. Simple without the typical melodrama and yet quite effective. Worth definitely a watch. I wouldn't mind watching a repeat.