Humour

Humour or humor is the ability or quality of people, or situations which will evoke feelings of amusement in other people. It’s a form of entertainment or human communication which evokes such feelings, or which makes people laugh or feel happy. The origin of the term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which stated that a mix of fluids known as humors controlled human health and emotion.
A sense of humour is the ability to experience humour, a quality which all people share although the extent to which an individual will personally find something humorous depends on a host of variables, including geographical location, culture and maturity, level of education, intelligence, and context. For example, young children may possibly favour slapstick, such as puppet shows or cartoons e.g. Tom and Jerry. Satire may rely more on understanding the target of the humour, and thus tends to appeal to more mature audiences. Non-satirical humour can be specifically termed "recreational drollery".
Humour is a part and parcel of everybody’s life. We find a person humuourous when he gives an alternative or surprising answer, that which shows relevance and can explain a situation. In this context, humour is often a subjective experience as it depends on a special mood or perspective from its audience to be effective.

A good sense of humour should always be there in person. Humour would always create an atmosphere of joy and excitement among the people. However, here in this blog I would like to speak about the downside of humour which is rather happening quite regularly. I usually meet up with my school friends, college friends, old colleagues or our company friends. Humour frequently contains an unexpected, often sudden, shift in perspective. Nearly anything can be the object of this perspective twist. You’re standing in a group, talking, and one of the members starts shooting verbal “zingers” at you. Everybody gets a hearty laugh at your expense. Everybody but you. Light (and not-so-light) humor has become almost a national pastime. When you’re the butt of the jokes, you may try to shrug it off as harmless, but it stings is what I have realized over a period of time. Even I was one of the person who was more keen and interested towards throwing slapslick jokes at others. Now speaking to some of my close friends, I am realizing the downside of it as well. And if you’re the one getting laughs at others’ expense, i may not realize what you’re revealing about yourself.
I am strongly realizing the fact that “Verbal Humour on others is Not Funny” When I attended one of the training sessions, across teams and groups, I was always struck by one behavior that stood out above all others, namely, the propensity for many of the members to consistently engage in making sarcastic remarks to and about others in their group or on their team. Even within our friend’s circuit where even I am part of the group feel somewhat depressed by the end of it. Why are we doing it anyways? What You Say Matters The comments which I have listened is directed were directed at folks’ physical characteristics (hair, clothes), perspectives or ideas, life choices (food, others’ choices of restaurants, movies, sports teams), folks’ current performance, and even where others had worked or attended school. These were not simply run-of-the-mill light comments which can be shrugged off quite easily.
On more than one occasion, I had to do a “double-take”, and ask myself, “Did I really hear that?” “Did he really say that?” “Did she really throw that zinger at him?” Boy !!! What continually came to me was “Why? What is this all about?” In Western culture today, the biting, sarcastic, demeaning put-down has become an art form, everywhere ­ TV, movies, talk radio, sports events, journals and magazines. It’s part of the fabric of everyday conversation. And more, many folks today see such behavior as “business as usual”, as “no big deal.” There’s Always A Reason to the statement. In most cases including myself in the loop, we engage in put-downs, sarcasm and barbs as a way to look smart, witty and cool. That’s the upside for them. The downside is that the person for whom the comment is directed is often harmed, hurt, demeaned, or otherwise made the point of ridicule.We need to definitely realize that no matter how sharp one is, how educated, how senior in the hierarchy one is, how wealthy one is… no one has the right to strive to look witty, smart, sharp or cool at the expense of another human being, at the expense of being disrespectful to another human being.
I was made to think seriously about this topic after looking over a article from Peter G. Vajda.
After reading his article, lots of questions is pondering over my mind repeatedly.

1. Is the main reason for the personal humours today is the feeling of "insecurity" which happens in an individual?
2. Is the main reason being to dominate the group?

Now, as even I am the culprit here, I am trying to discuss what I am trying to do here. This is the major part.

Probably the most important conclusion would be to:
1. We need to start getting more concerned about our family and work.
2. Ignoring it to the best possible.
3. Speak out being affirmatively when it hurts others.
4. Maintain the difference and the distance.

Always I need to remember that whatever I speak or do will get noticed somehow or the other and will boomerang back. Probably as I am a culprit too, need to first start altering my life in a better way.

Inspirational Story

Today Morning bright and early, I came across the article which had touched me and wanted to cherish and share the same in my blog. It’s a really short article on humility of a Master or “Guru” as it is called in the passage below.

“
When one Guru was dying, one of his disciple asked him “ Guruji, who was your master?” He said, "I had thousands of masters. If I just relate their names it will take months, years and it is too late. But three masters I will certainly tell you about.

One was a thief. Once I got lost in the desert, and when I reached a village it was very late, everything was closed. But at last I found one man who was trying to make a hole in the wall of a house. I asked him where I could stay and he said 'At this time of night it will be difficult, but you can say with me - if you can stay with a thief’. And the man was so beautiful. I stayed with him for one month! And each night he would say to me, 'Now I am going to my work. You rest, you pray.' When he came back I would ask 'Could you get anything?' He would say, 'Not tonight. But tomorrow I will try again, God willing.' He was never in a state of hopelessness, he was always happy. When I was meditating and meditating for years on end and nothing was happening, many times the moment came when I was so desperate, so hopeless, that I thought to stop all this nonsense. And suddenly I would remember the thief who would say every night, 'God willing, tomorrow it is going to happen.'

And my second master was a dog. I was going to the river, thirsty and a dog came. He was also thirsty. He looked into the river, he saw another dog there -- his own image -- and became afraid. He would bard and run away, but his thirst was so much that he would come back. Finally, despite his fear, he just jumped into the water, and the image disappeared. And I knew that a message had come to me from God: one has to jump in spite of all fears.

And the third master was a small child. I entered a town and a child was carrying a lit candle. he was going to the mosque to put the candle there.’ Just joking,' I asked the boy, 'have you lit the candle yourself?' He said, 'Yes sir.' And I asked, 'There was a moment when the candle was unlit, then there was a moment when the candle was lit. Can you show me the source from which the light came?' And the boy laughed, blew out the candle, and said, 'Now you have seen the light going. Where has it gone? You will tell me!' My ego was shattered, my whole knowledge was shattered. And that moment, I felt my own stupidity. Since then I dropped all my knowledgeability.

It is true that I had no master. That does not mean that I was not a disciple -- I accepted the whole existence as my master. My Disciplehood was a greater involvement than yours is. I trusted the clouds, the trees. I trusted existence as such. I had no master because I had millions of masters I learned from every possible source. To be a disciple is a must on the path. What does it mean to be a disciple? It means to be able to learn, to be available to learn, to be vulnerable to existence. With a master you start learning to learn.

The master is a swimming pool where you can learn how to swim. Once you have learned, all the oceans are yours."

This is a one of the story which I would love to cherish throughout my life.

Here, i would like to reiterate the three essentials of life which i need to carry through henceforth:

1. Never be in the state of hopelessness.

2. To realize my dreams, don’t avoid jumping into the pool of fears.

3. Always yearn to learn more in our life.

4. Be a disciple in life. Disciple is the person who should be able to learn, to
be available to learn to be vulnerable to existence. With a master you start
learning to learn.

Life is so simple, but yet so complex. I need to start realizing that these simple things in life is so alien to us.

Excellent is the least i can say about this article, I was touched, moved and totally inspired through this story.

Beginning of a new jouney

WOW!!! At last I started off blogging. I was always contemplating on how I should start off blogging. Lots of experiences ran around my mind such as travel, seminar, funny incidence etc. However, I reminded myself to start off blogging by sharing few statements which I carry along with me always.

Below is a beautiful statement from Mahatma Gandhi which will always make me remember the utmost reality of one’s life “Being true to oneself”.

“ Happiness is when

What I think

What I say

And what I do

Are in harmony

First, start off Being true to yourself.“

I would like to speak about a moment I savor the most. This happened during one of sessions conducted in our company on “Personal Management”. The seminar was conducted by an American and the very first day he said a statement “You are You and I am I”. Initially, I was not aware of the severity of the statement, but later over past two years I slowly realized a new profound reality through those words. I started thanking everything I have and cherished right throughout my life. I hope to keep going by memorizing these values. Below is a beautiful paragraph about “Thanking”:

I am thankful that I don't already have everything I crave;
Else, I wouldn’t look forward to anything ahead and would be stagnant.

I am thankful that I don't know most of the things around me;
else, I wouldn’t look for an opportunity to learn.

I am thankful for all the difficult times which we face in life;
else, what would make me come to reality and grow up in life.

I am thankful for all of my limitations;
else, what would give me an opportunity for improvement.

I am thankful for each new challenge;

Else, what would build my strength and character?

I am thankful for all my mistakes.
Else, where would I learn valuable lessons?

I am thankful that I am tired and weary;
Else, what would rejuvenate me to work the next day

I am very thankful for all the good things in life.
Father, Mother, Brother and Friends top the list
who were with me during the trouble, and have always cherished their blessings.

The phrases mentioned above always make me remember that "You are you and I am I" However; we cherish our life only when “We are We”.

Going ahead in blogs, I would like to write down most of the interesting activities which I was up to for the month. The lessons I learnt, the things which went right, things which went wrong and surely will share some nice quotes which I always remember.

I am really looking forward to an exhilarating experience in blogging.