tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post5914631802655225161..comments2024-03-27T13:58:06.458+05:30Comments on Suvro Chatterjee bemused: Living Selfishly, part 2Suvro Chatterjeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-388695418712909952007-05-08T12:52:00.000+05:302007-05-08T12:52:00.000+05:30Sir with your permission i would like to add a per...Sir with your permission i would like to add a personal story.<BR/><BR/>I had just got my 1st salary & was coming back home in the week-end. I wanted to buy my mom a sari. Till that date i had never ever shopped for any woman. & had simply no idea what to buy. but 1 friday evening i land up at a renowned sari shop in gariahat. money in my pocket... target to get a couple of good saris for Ma. <BR/>I ask the attendant show me some saris. he replies what type. i am in a total loss. i had heard that there are varieties of saris but how am i supposed to know.<BR/>i take the risk & say silk... the attendant very patiently with a incredulous look asks which type of silk. now i know i am totally out of my depth. i have a totally lost look on my face & am on the verge of escaping from the shop to save my self from further embarrassment...<BR/>a middle-aged lady who was over-hearing the conversation nearby took pity gave me a encouraging smile & asked for whom am i buying the saris. <BR/>i reply truthfully & she says good. & practically chooses the sari for me.<BR/>incidentally Ma also liked it. she didn't the next time i got her 1 all by my own(becoz she never wears it)<BR/>till date i keep wondering why had that lady taken pity on me & solved my problem.<BR/>she never asked for anything. didn't even want to get acquainted.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps made me believe that there still exist some people who when are in a good frame of mind does help unknown people & this make the world a slightly better place to be in<BR/><BR/>like Raunak had said i also try to fill up forms for people when am at bank or railway reservation counter or some similar places. But mostly to spend the time & to fasten up the process if they are ahead of me.<BR/>I do get a feeling of good.<BR/>But that is not very strong.<BR/>Does that make me not selfless? I try to help all my friends as best as i can but that is for those whom i know. <BR/>When i receive a random help i am happy but if it is from a total unknown i get a bit apprehensive. does this person want anything from me??? am i being paranoid??<BR/><BR/><BR/>@ Sir regarding my previous post on your blog on Harry Potter with screen-name Gopal/Shuv. I (Shuvojit Chatterjee) was your student in St Xaviers School. Passed out in 1998. Rahul Banerjee, Samya Seth were batch-mates.Shuvojithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09574746008379101450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-57120569727541874092007-05-06T22:01:00.000+05:302007-05-06T22:01:00.000+05:30Genuine selfishness (listening only to one's highe...Genuine selfishness (listening only to one's higher self, or 'enlightened selfishness', which is close), is identical with true selflessness. Even when a man decides to give up his life for a loved one or for his country or some such great, overarching ideal, he does it not out of compulsion or a sense of duty or anything like that, but because he has become quite, quite sure that nothing will make him happier. Only such men live good lives, and die good deaths.Suvro Chatterjeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-72940472464311900122007-05-06T20:14:00.000+05:302007-05-06T20:14:00.000+05:30Sir,surely an act of kindness brings a great deal ...Sir,surely an act of kindness brings a great deal of happiness to anyone.I have myself experienced the feeling by helping a rickshaw puller ,or an old person,or someone illiterate to fill up forms , and believe me i have seen blessings in their eyes and it made me happy beyond bounds.It felt good because i did not want anything in return from them.. it was a pure feeling.But will you please tell me whether there is a clear distinction between "living selfishly"and "living selflessly".. or do they finally narrow down to the same philosophy of doing good for your good(in the last judgement)??RAUNAKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14567052589414216020noreply@blogger.com