Hi Sheep, Happy Birthday to you.
How many pens do you have at work and home? And do you have more than you use? If not pens, we have natural tendency to keep things we really don’t want.
If we extend this line of thinking, even societies exhibit this behavior and develop totally unwanted Ideas which translate to systems that overwhelm us. Like,
- Concept of supreme being, i.e. God which is in turn converted to, Religion.
- Gender Bias
- Regionalism
- Human Admiration………and the List Goes On…..
I will discuss at length on such Idea, “Anniversaries“. Which resulted in things like New Years, Birthday’s and so on……
One can look at reasons of their present day acceptance in two important ways (There are couple more…),
- Why do individuals celebrate them?
- Why do people around that individual like Family, Friends ………care at all?
I will expand them,
1. Why do individuals celebrate Anniversaries or Birthday’s?
One must ask himself (herself) when is the last time they received well wishes form people around hime. One would receive of if he has done something worth noting.Unfortunately they is hard individuals doing worth while things.
In the form of Birthday’s and Anniversaries one entitles himself that much needed, grossly wasted Self-Attention.
Though have done nothing significantly useful in past year, people around oneself will remind that it is ok.
And encourage him for being alive and prepare him for yet another year. Only to realize that they did nothing when they reach 40 Years.
Not to mention the standard excuse, that the said day is for self-examination. If one really examines himself he must realize self-examination is not once in an year fest.
And that self-awareness is continuous, unending process.
In Summary, “Birthday’s && Anniversaries” == “Can you, the public praise my meaningless existence”.
2. Why do people around that individual like Family, Friends ………care at all for these B’Day’s and Anniversaries?
They do because their turn will come someday. And expect to receive the same kind of attention.
Else-wise they do it because they don’t want to disappoint one who celebrates.
Or at lease they just make that individual happy for that fateful day.
In Summary,
This is yet another of countless Phenomenon that Humans do like a Sheep in a Flock. Where reason is a distant cousin.
We don’t pause and ask
- Which Flock of sheep we are in?
- Why we are in that Flock of sheep?
So, to everyone in this Flock.
Hi Sheep, Happy Birthday to You (Someday).
8 Responses
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Siva Satish's Blog 
Interesting observation..
“Unwanted ideas getting turned in to systems tht overwhelm us.”
I agree with u on religion, gender bias, Regionalism or any other thing which divides ppl.
I disagree on Anniversary thing.
Life is meant to b happy. The more simple reasons to b happy the better. Life bcomes mundane if u stop enjoying simple things.
Yes, everyday we look inward , but mostly on the things we need to improve..
We can use Birthdays to contemplate on things we already achieved and b thankful for life. There is this tradition, mostly in academia, where ppl celebrate 60th Birthdays of renowned ppl by arranging conferences in their honour.
Leading unimportant life is more tougher than leading purposeful life, bcoz no one by choice want to remain useless, there could be many reasons like lack of proper exposure to life, lack of good mentors etc.. It will be better if ppl find professions which suit them rather than following flock and trying to fit in.
The simple the better,
Giridhar.
This is quite an interesting but junk topic i read. We celebrate birthdays because we are humans but not animals.
Everyone has achieved something in the past year which looks relatively different to other individuals. Birth in human is a gift in itself and those who convert it for the society are well known and praised and those who use it for themselves are criticized. In those people aspect, society is nothing to them and they lack socialism.
What differentiate us from Animals is not a “living in Dillusion of being Happy”.
Rather, Thinking & Intelligence are the key abilities that differentiates us from Animals.
May be that “Thinking & Intelligence” should be the driving force of how we live on Day-2-Day basis.
Not a well written Self-Appraisal.
Happy Bday to you!!!
Why do you think celebrating Bdays or anniversaries is so wrong?? Why do you think people do it for their selfish needs.. and wats wrong in hoping for better tomorrow.. What is wrong in thinking that being alive is something not to feel happy about. We are born like everybody else to enjoy life and be happy. Whatever you do in life or earn in life is just to be Happy. There is nothing greater in the world than being Satisfied and Happy with wat you are. End of the day it does not really matter wer u r.. if u dnt get a peaceful sleep..
Dont go so hard on life. Just Enjoy it 🙂
Being and having sense of Happiness is indisputable.
But the notion of “Enjoy” has no relevance.
Of the Billions of Living Habitat, we the humans are the only one that can make tangible difference.
We should be elements of Purpose.
But not by “Enjoyment”.
I feel that there is no relation between celebrating birthday and achiving or doing some thing useful. we celebrate birthdays because that was the day we were born on the earth. It is the one of the most important day in the everyones life, celebrating that day is not big thing. If we do some useful thing and celebrating b’bay adds self satisfaction.
interesting!!do u think that celebrating b’days and anniversaries isn’t really necessary?????