Is it worthwhile to spend time on statistics and schemes so as to find order in a random world. Or are we making futile attempts at deciphering things which are not meant to be deciphered in the first place.
The universe repetitively reminds us of our ineptness at predicting events. But the human ego, which cant accept a superior force, consciously ignores all such indications. The fallacious bubble of control that we like to live in deceives us into undermining the relevance of the universal force. We brainstorm, discuss, scheme, plan so as to become the masters of our destiny. Oblivious to the fact that the best we can do is play a tertiary supportive role.
The concept of Maktub, as depicted by Paulo Coelho, and the significance of randomness, as elaborated by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, together reflect the power of the universe and the helplessness of its finest residents. While ‘Maktub’, meaning “it is written” in Arabic, makes a case for the relevance of the concept of destiny, Mr Taleb articulates on it further while emphasizing on the uselessness of schemes through real life examples.
When Global warming hibernates
As photos of the frozen Niagara falls spread like wild-fire, we cant help but think about the strange situation that grips North America. A polar vertex, which usually keeps the upper level winds and hence the severe cold wave limited to the geographic poles, randomly distorts, releasing jet streams to southern latitudes. The arctic oscillation( the cold wave plunging south from the arctic circle) thus arising has resulted in such aesthetically enriching but actually horrid conditions.
With multiple theories arising, it seems like Global warming is snoozing this winter like Yogi bear. Then they say, maybe it is a result of global warming. Well, MAYBE, Global warming would be considered a cyclic phenomenon once they find that the icebergs have put on some mass after a decade or so. In a snow laden nutshell, a fact is a mere coincidence if it has multiple exceptions.
These events are counter-intuitive to the theories emphasizing stringent planning. What is to be noted that plans, rather than adding stability, limit your minds, hampering them from thinking beyond the obvious, where all the situations lie. We are so blinded by the idea of finding the meaning of everything that we forget the case for randomness.
The wisest experts from all walks of life validate the need of accounting for variable change. The universe can fool us into believing that we are in control, but only enlightened brains can work out the case for randomness.
The frozen message
The ones who have made peace with chaos and embraced the uncertainties live a more spontaneous,instinct driven and hence a gratifying life. While all others keep planning till the day when all their plans freeze.
You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just, do things. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know, they’re schemers. Schemers trying to control their worlds. I’m not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how, pathetic, their attempts to control things really are.
The joker might have been a disillusioned dog chasing a car but he hints at what the world is suffering from. The bane of scheming lies in the anxiety it renders once a plan doesn’t come to fruition. We waste hours planning, even more hours analyzing and still more hours coming to terms with the fact that a well thought of scheme crippled without realizing the fact it was never supposed to work.
Ignoring the eccentricities in the above dialogue, it is safe to say that nature has more often than once proved to us, how pathetic our attempts to control things are. So we are better of working towards our goals keeping in mind the random factor involved in everything, we might not succeed and inconsequential efforts might be a bitter pill to swallow but the ones who are initiated would understand, this universe has its own way of doing things, and its mind is far more developed than ours could ever be.