The Ironic Paradox
Posted on November 12, 2005
Filed under Uncategorized
After a short mushy and warm period,I would like to return to yet another one more baffling thing.Things like these hit me unpredictably.
Im sure everyone has heard of the story of The Large Oak and the Bamboo tree.Those have not had the benefit of this experience,well here it is.People always adopt the resilience of the bamboo in dealing with tough choices rather than the recalcitrant and mighty Oak tree.All to often have we heard about lifes strong and perrenial habit of chucking problems at us when we least expect it.OUr parents,even great scholars have said,problems are regarded as a storm,in this case,be like the bamboo.Give in to it,and you will survive.Do not follow the Oak,it does not give and and some day,it will break.
Being a person who thinks out of the box,i would like to shed a different light on this parable.Lets look at the characteristics of each plant deeply.The mighty oak is strong and it has always adopted a majestic aura.Its roots grow deep.And it is something that lives on and on for generations.Even if it is cut,the roots still live.
The bamboo is known as a thin but resilient plant.It grows long and tall and doesnt have a long life as compared to the oak.Even when its cut,the roots still live.But they arent as vast as the Oak’s.
Similarly,let us apply this philosophical concept now to lifes unpredictable algorithm.Yes,i do agree that we have to be resilient in life.However,let us again review the situation.We have met a multitude of those who have stood by their ground.Like the mighty oak.Recalcitrant,adamant,stubborn…call them what you want.But they have made a strong rooting into the sands of time and are still remembered till now,even though they have perished solely due to their stand.
Let us take an example of Mahatma Gandhi,if he adopted the stance of the Bamboo,he wouldnt have made such and impression.But,he chose to be the oak,eventhough he knew that the oak would some day perish,but STILL he made the choice.His roots still are firm and strong.
Given the above,I would like to state that ,we have the choice in our hand to become the Bamboo or the Oak.Yet,it would be wise to chose when and why we should we take the stance.Our principles,religions and culture should be used as a reference point.
Nothing can be gained without risk.Similarly,to become great and mighty,to become "remembered",we must be willing to risk something.Great people like Pope JOhn Paul II,Mahatma Gandhi,Josef Stalin have risked their lifes.YES..they were defeated by the "WIND".I do agree that.BUT THEIR ROOTS STILL REMAIN STRONG AND FIRMLY PLANTED.
The Bamboos of our society have and always survived.They will keep surviving.But not many have achieved the status of "Important or remembered people".And even more amusing,as bamboos grow in a bunch,there seem always to be more bamboos in a specific region rather than the LONELY and often ISOLATED oak.All in all,everything seems to fit in place.
Fortunately,we can chose to be the bamboo or oak in different situations.It is entirely up to us.
IN sync with norms,the bigger the stakes,the bigger the risk.Yet,the bigger the returns may also be.I would not limit myself to pessimism to state that the loss would be big too.
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