I am trying to understand the word ‘confidence’. It has such a blurred definition, and changes meaning with context, culture and time. How important a factor is it, in the happening of things? I think ‘being confident’ cannot possibly imply an infinite bracket of knowledge of content; it’s a state when you know how much you know, and have the sense to understand that you need to learn more. I think being confident is about being sure of your ability to learn- and then you can step in into any field, conversation or context with ‘confidence’. You know that you don’t know, so you find out. And once you know, you have an opinion. And then there are those whom I call ‘sweepers’ – those that question and understand information coming their way well enough to have an opinion on them. These kinds can never fall prey to ‘half knowledge’ – and I admire that. Some day.
Indian currency notes are post modern in design. It is time for change.
Indians have lived for five thousand years, and yet today, we have a design history of about twenty years. Did the british screw up our attitude this badly? How did 150 years of a rule wipe out all possible artistic inclinations of a nation? This is seriously depressing. Even with 60 years of freedom, we weren’t really free until 1991! Does that mean something lacks in our leadership priorities? Or does it simply mean design is not really a priority? Did illiteracy and poverty not exist in the thirteenth century? The fact that we study the ‘navratnas’ of Akbar’s court just goes on to say how much importance was attached then to art, culture and thus design. Is today a simple coming together of uncontrollable factors? Is India today what it was ‘destined’ to be? I need answers to these questions- and they are all hidden in decisions made in history! And to think that people think history is irrelevant.
2 comments:
I gave this a good reading before I ventured out commenting.
Two Observations
#1 - The first paragraph is wonderfully conceptualized and written, both in terms of what you are trying to say and the way you are saying it. So kudos on that.
#2 - While I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination as far as art history goes, let us take a case of general history that has art involved. Just to give you an idea, 30 years of intense fighting has destroyed some of the greatest art works of modern history, read buddhas of bohemian and transformed a proud, culture loving nation into a collection of warring tribes. I was guessing 150 years of rule is bound to have an impact over the way of life as far as an average Indian was concerned. After all, art is a form of life in India, affecting the life and freedom should have affected art and design
"I think being confident is about being sure of your ability to learn"
Akhilesh : You are right. Perfectly. This is my experience too. Another aspect of this is that being confident is an unconscious phenomena. You can never try to put on confidence. In addition, confidence is about being so comfortable with yourself wherever you are and in whatever position you may be in. And that comes when you first accept you don't know much. When you know that there is much to know.
"You know that you don’t know, so you find out. And once you know, you have an opinion."
Akhilesh : I don;t completely agree with the 'opinion' part of what you say. I think that the key is to be not opinionated. When you say 'opinion' that means that you have taken a stand, you have chosen. I personally feel that the reality is lost when you have chosen. For example : You are travelling and you are in a new city, one you start forming opinions in the mind and start 'judging' , you get lost in the head. The heart aspect of the experience is lost. So I feel that give reason and intellect it's place, but also tend to the feelings and the heart aspect. A balance of the two is what brings most joy! So you needn't be always opinionated. You can also go without taking a stand.
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