3 idiots and the motivation for action
Whole nation is going ga-ga over three idiots. The nation has woken up to the new year with the chants of 'All is well'. Hope with this combined aspiration, 2010 will be a great year minus the terrorism and natural calamities. A feel good movie with a message communicated via a laugh riot. This is typical of Raju Hirani - the previous time he made Gandhigiri relevant to the times, again with laugh riot as a vehicle. With 3 idiots, Raju is taking on the education system. The timing of the movie is accurate since India is awakening to the importance of innovation to drive the country's GDP. Education has to teach how to contemplate and solve problems using existing body of knowledge. Of these the skill of contemplation is superior. To contemplate is to think. The popular trend is accumulate information and perform repeated work to earn livelihood. In this way life passes on without challenging status quo. Problems can be solved using existing body of knowledge but What about preventing problems? That needs challenging the systems status quo, to modify going against all odds. How can lateral thinking be imbibed to find out of the box solutions? Optimism and an attitude to challenge the status quo are like an elixir for development.
The movie also addresses another important topic - 'what is the right motivation for action?'. The protagonist joins the imperial engineering college for obtaining knowledge and achieving excellence whereas there are others who have the motivation of marks and job as the objective of study. Success follows excellence is another mantra which 'Rancho' wields. Education system has to inbuilt the right motivation for action. Salaries and increase of luxury are pure selfish motivations inculcated in students which is leading to the problems of terrorism, global marming. Service, contribution to society at large these factors have to be inculcated as recipe for internal and external success. Success is seen in a very one dimensional way in society. Parents force upon paycheck, abroad travel opportunities as barometers of success. Fuller wholesome succes includes internal success. The internal success involves growth, development and social contribution - to solve a recurrent problem in society or to change the direction of society for the better. Getting little philosophical - can society be changed at all? Do you think Gandhi was a success? He got killed for attempting to bring simplicity in politics. Is it humanly possible to bring about change? According to Gita, the only time a revolution is needed is when adharma increases. The definition of adharma goes beyond general morality. Dharma is that which sustains and nourishes ones eternal self and existance. We generally care only for the nourishment of the apparent self which is the body and mind. But beyond this is the real spiritual self which is a component of the Divine. When processes for cultivation of real self is obstructed, the Lord of the Gita incarnates. Adharma is that which obstructs the growth of the real self at a mass level. Take the example of Hiranyakashipu. He practically stopped Visnu worship and ordered all brahmanas to perform Hiranyakashipu kirtan. Cow protection and fire sacrifices were banned. He foolishly thought that fire sacrifices feed energy to Visnu. By cutting fire sacrifices he wanted to make Vishnu powerless and hence avenge the death of his brother. A thought which went in vain after the birth of this son. So adharmic disturbances have to reach such alarming proportions for the Lord to descend.
The movie also addresses another important topic - 'what is the right motivation for action?'. The protagonist joins the imperial engineering college for obtaining knowledge and achieving excellence whereas there are others who have the motivation of marks and job as the objective of study. Success follows excellence is another mantra which 'Rancho' wields. Education system has to inbuilt the right motivation for action. Salaries and increase of luxury are pure selfish motivations inculcated in students which is leading to the problems of terrorism, global marming. Service, contribution to society at large these factors have to be inculcated as recipe for internal and external success. Success is seen in a very one dimensional way in society. Parents force upon paycheck, abroad travel opportunities as barometers of success. Fuller wholesome succes includes internal success. The internal success involves growth, development and social contribution - to solve a recurrent problem in society or to change the direction of society for the better. Getting little philosophical - can society be changed at all? Do you think Gandhi was a success? He got killed for attempting to bring simplicity in politics. Is it humanly possible to bring about change? According to Gita, the only time a revolution is needed is when adharma increases. The definition of adharma goes beyond general morality. Dharma is that which sustains and nourishes ones eternal self and existance. We generally care only for the nourishment of the apparent self which is the body and mind. But beyond this is the real spiritual self which is a component of the Divine. When processes for cultivation of real self is obstructed, the Lord of the Gita incarnates. Adharma is that which obstructs the growth of the real self at a mass level. Take the example of Hiranyakashipu. He practically stopped Visnu worship and ordered all brahmanas to perform Hiranyakashipu kirtan. Cow protection and fire sacrifices were banned. He foolishly thought that fire sacrifices feed energy to Visnu. By cutting fire sacrifices he wanted to make Vishnu powerless and hence avenge the death of his brother. A thought which went in vain after the birth of this son. So adharmic disturbances have to reach such alarming proportions for the Lord to descend.
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