Uncle Whitman says
By Abhishek Pandey
illustration by Pranav Vashisht
Perusing the horizon at sunset has always been an experience which brings many latent thoughts from the back of my mind into consideration. On such day, a line hummed in my head. It was a line by Walt Whitman from his poem, ‘I Sit and Look Out’.
The line goes like-
“I hear secret convulsive sobs from young men, at anguish with themselves, remorseful after deeds done…”
This line had always been a kind of revelation to me, though in my own unorthodox way. I just had my own way of interpreting it, not so different from the traditional sense though, which the poem inculcates.
Even though we have developed so much in every field, even though we have our so called constitutional rights amongst other things, man is not free. Instead of going for long hunts for getting a morsel of food, we can order it online. Every necessity is now a few minutes away, but ALL you need is money. And that is one of the things we are bound by. Society, traditions, class have limited the true sense of freedom that every man is ‘supposed’ to get as a birthright.
I think my point would be better put across with this example. Every man aspires for a life with three basic things - food, housing and clothing. This was true at a time, until the era of industrial development began. Now, an average man aspires for a furnished apartment, good food, money, a happy family, cable T.V. and many more of these wants (which he terms to be his needs) things which the world has to offer.
He is constantly struggling for the thing that can help us purchase most of these luxuries, money. People have ceased to follow their dreams now. And as this keeps on progressing, we, the people, are so busy in the tangled webs of our lives and the increasing competition that we don’t dream anymore.
Most of the times our dreams are not recognized. Every mortal is ‘following the herd’. It is like an endless train of people who have their faiths bestowed upon just one thing - satisfaction in terms of money.
Greed is what tethers us to this train. In this world, in the society that we exist, true satisfaction is a paradox. True satisfaction is doing what your heart tells you to do or is it hopelessly following the path which may or may not fill your bank account with loads of green paper?
This hopeless quest for money is what is leading mankind to its minima(or all time low) in terms of family values, relationships and love. And that is what Uncle Walt is talking about.
People have become accomplished ‘actors’ nowadays. In order to survive in this society, most of us slit the throat of our dreams, just because someone told us it is futile. And after this, we follow the path which leads to ‘success’ in terms of power, money and the number of designations that adore your name on a wooden signboard outside a bungalow. And even then, people are not happy. People are not satisfied. And so they are at anguish with themselves, remorseful after deeds done, after decisions not taken. After cancelling out plans on a piece of paper that could have been made into something so much more than lying as a paper ball in the oblivion, where dreams weep in despair and die.
About the Author - Abhishek Pandey
AP alias 'The Pandemonium' is a rather irregular person with his own way with words, he tweaks and bends giving them soul. Poetry and Philosophy being two of his greatest passions, solitude remains his greatest companion.
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Suicide Note #3 "...9 months and it is still not over. I have a fear that I will lose myself in this race for living a life less tragic. The morning sunshine doesn’t bring a new hope for me mom rather it reminds me of yet another tormenting and unkind day ahead.
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Interview with Hilda David I would love to have been a scuba diver. The only problem is, finding books that are water-proof and finding a way to read them under the water.
Professor X vs Professor Gandhi Charles when killed in a telepathic battle with Phoenix alias Jean Grey, succeeds in transferring his mind to that of a brain-dead man, similarly Gandhi lived, even after he was killed, through his ideals and principles.
Twisted down the tale The fragrance that filled the room effervescenced as wild passion from within. Her gauzy gown slipped over her shoulder revealing her bare body. Her glowing, grain- colored skin rippled in him the urge to hold her by the arms and kiss her with untaming....
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