Saturday, December 18, 2010

Temet nosce

After a long time I get to blog something. Thanks to the power maintenance for couple of days being done at office.

"Temet nosce" - A Latin phrase meaning "Know thyself". I chose this title based on the aphorism written on the plaque above the Oracle's kitchen door in the movie "Matrix", one of my favorites. The post itself briefs you about why the use of this strange title at the end.

Being a teetotaler in a farewell liquor party of an ex-colleague/new year booze party with present ones, you get to experience a lot of offline faces of your colleagues and bosses, some good- some bad - some even ugly! The best part is that you alone remember everything after coming back. ;)

I always wonder why people are so desperate to get so intoxicated with the drug called alcohol? Some strange answers that I got were like: they get drunk to be happy as they feel at liberty to talk anything mean! Some get simply drunk for the thrill-seeking. Some people drink in opinion that someone thinks big of you! While some others think its social to be drinking at party like these and while others drink because of peer pressure.

Many asked me to give up my beliefs and tried very hard to make me succumb to the so called luxury. I was looking at everyone's face to see if someone out there really felt what it means to be yourself and I was so happy to see that at least someone believed in me in giving a nod of disapproval not to give in.

I really liked the compliment that was given to me sometime during the conversation - "A silent warrior". So true that we all are trying hard to fight the battle within.

He always awaits in your subconscious
poised to greet the luxury when you give in,
while I stay wide awake engaged in
the endless covert fighting with my own evil twin.

He laughs at me with exultant joy;
Jeering at all my weaknesses.
While I stay tranquil amidst the uproar
Letting him not know about my failures.


Neither of them take a break ever
indulged in a series of confrontations within
Putting the blame on each other
Tending to unite yang with its yin.

With all the constantly running inner dialogue between my evil twin and my own conscious mind, I still somehow feel that I am a stranger to myself! Do we really "know ourselves"!?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Great post and I totally understand where you're coming from with the whole alcohol thing. I used to drink a lot now I have been sober for several years and it's so odd to be around people who are drinking, it seems so immature. I can hardly comprehend that I used to drink, what's the point. It's a distraction from dealing with life and yourself.

Once again great post.

Namaste,

-Brother Echo

Kartoon said...

Glad you liked the post!

I have been doomed in hectic work for a while now. Comments like these encourage me to get back into writing :)

Cheerio!