Monday, January 16, 2006

Walls

“All in all, you are just another brick in the wall.”
- Pink Floyd

· So you went and constructed walls all around yourself.
· You’ve built them high and strong, upon a rock-hard foundation.
· What purpose do they serve?
· Do they defend you against the beasts of the world, or do they defend the world against you?
· Perhaps they do both.
· Perhaps they are required.

But if, for whatever reasons, you decide to spend the rest of your life within those confines, then maybe you should reconsider.

** Walls don’t talk back at you; they don’t criticize you.
** They don’t offer unwanted advice.
** They don’t spill the beans.
** Walls cannot rape you, and they don’t let others do so.

But then, think again...

  • Walls don’t talk to you; they don’t teach you, they don’t provide guidance.
  • They have ears.
  • They do hold you back.
  • They stare coldly at you when you are sad.
  • Your happiness means nothing to them.

Is your fear really so intense that you would be willing to spend your entire life in a self-constructed prison? And yet, can you be proud that your jail stands on firm, established foundations?

  • Are you really defending yourself at these expenses?
  • Is this the best you can do?
  • Is this your philosophy?
  • Is this your faith?

16 comments:

Keshi said...

Good stuff Pradeep, once again!


**Do they defend you against the beasts of the world, or do they defend the world against you?

Both...I better have my wall when I need it..but not always...


** Walls don’t talk back at you; they don’t criticize you.
** They don’t offer unwanted advice.
** They don’t spill the beans.
** Walls cannot rape you, and they don’t let others do so.


I love the walls just for that...cos I speak to em sometimes and they dun say anything to hurt me...they have better listening power than anyone else...so untainted and undisturbed...



**Walls don’t talk to you; they don’t teach you, they don’t provide guidance.
They have ears.
They do hold you back.
They stare coldly at you when you are sad.
Your happiness means nothing to them.


Thye don't talk to me yes...but sometimes it's just better than someone mucking my head up...but yeah, walls dun care if Im sad or not...u r right.



**Are you really defending yourself at these expenses?
Is this the best you can do?
Is this your philosophy?
Is this your faith?

Sometimes it's not an expense...sometimes it is..it all depends on the situation and which way out is the easiest...dun u think so?


Great message behind this post Pradeep...well done!


Keshi.

Pradeep Puranik said...

Keshi Girrrrrlllllllll!

Love your comments; very thoughtful, as usual. (Smile)

But it does look like you have taken a slightly different perspective of "walls" than I had originally intended. It is my fault, totally. So, let me put it this way:

Yes, I can appreciate walls that stand on secular and broad-minded foundations. They would make a comfortable home, where one would also enjoy inviting and entertaining friends.

I only question the narrow-minded walls built upon the so-called "secure" foundations of orthodoxy. Most such walls are not even allowed to have windows, hence blocking out all communication with the outside world; just a small ventillator to facilitate breathing. A strange, unfounded fear lurks in the heart of people who prefer to live within such confines. They never come out. The only people who are allowed inside are the ones who prefer to live by the standards of words such as Orthodox, Dogma, Doctrine, Ethic, Moral, Fanatic...

I call out to them. I request them to get out of their prison for a moment and breathe some fresh air. I want them to understand that "an unorthodox person" is not necessarily "an untrustworthy person". But is my voice reaching them? Are they even listening?

Jewel Rays said...

HI Pradeep,

Wonderful observation coming to life in your words. :)
And so true the things u listed abt the walls that don't talk back and so on. So true and well defined. Put me in thoughts if i am ever building a self-constructed prison around myself.

*smiles* love this stuff.

Queen Bee said...

Yes, you are right.
Everything works both ways. It's good to weigh everything on both ends of the opposite scales and decide for oneself what is best. :)

Pradeep Puranik said...

Dear Amy,
With what I have read from your blog and comments so far, I doubt if you will ever commit the mistake of imprisoning yourself.

But if I ever see you do so, sure, I'll bring it to your notice. I'd expect you to do as much for me too. *smiles*

Cheers girl!


Queen Bee,
Welcome. Hope you enjoy your stay here.

Jewel Rays said...

AWww..thats nice of you. Thank you for that thoughtfulness Pradeep. Makes me smile.:) And sure thing if i do notice anything, i will let you know immediately.

Thanks! :D

nakedwriter said...

What if we build walls with holes?

j said...

interesting thoughts. i will become a regular visitor :).

Keshi said...

**A strange, unfounded fear lurks in the heart of people who prefer to live within such confines

Each one of has some kind of fear in us that builds a wall in some way...for those fanatic ppl u mention Pradeep, I doubt it that they would crash through their walls and come out of it...it's so very hard to change some ppl...old habits die hard...

U write so brilliantly! U have a great sense of understanding in many aspects of life...keep the flame going and enlighten all of us...

Keshi.

Pradeep Puranik said...

Hi, Nakedwriter!
That's great, my friend! That's a good idea, although it depends on what the holes are meant for. ;-)
(Smiles)



Hi, Joey!
Welcome to the Endless Chas (smiles). Enjoy your stay here. Do read the previous articles and poems when you can make time.



Dear Keshi,
Thank you very much for your thoughts.

No, I certainly do not dream of changing the people in this world. It takes all kinds to make it beautiful. If you read my Shades of Ridicule, you will know my stand.

You ask me to enlighten all of you (laughs). I am no pontiff. Nor am I a Buddha.

I am only an observant traveller on an esoteric path. All my previous articles, and all the others that will come in future, are only my observations - the lessons I learnt on the path.

Whosoever willfully wants to walk the path with me is always welcome. Just keep an open mind, and we can learn a lot, together.

(Smiles)
Thank you, once again for supporting my blog.

PNA said...

heard of a poem by frost ..."the mending wall" that is a cool poem ....read it...

and yes why confine why hide ....behind or within a wall ...break out and try breaking others walls too ..

nice thoughts

and about walls having ears well come to hyderabad and visit golconda and u'll know how true this is ...walls there do have ears ....the architecture amazes me a lot ...

too much about walls i guess
cya pradeep and nice thoughts

Ash

NaiKutti said...

first time here pradeep... loved some of your previous posts... and this one is as good :-)... broad mindedness and openess to newer ideas/vision is definitely needed for everyone even if one tends to disagree to that point of view... but it is irritating when people start judging or mis-judging to be precise others based on the "Orthodox, Dogma, Doctrine, Ethic, Moral, Fanatic" they follow...

good one again, and shall come back later for more of these :-)

Pradeep Puranik said...

Hi Ash!
I read the poem that you mentioned. Thank you very much. Wonder what mood Frost was in when he wrote that. (smiles)


Hi, naikutti!
Welcome to the Endless Chasm. Good to have you aboard. Feel free to hang around and comment on anything you feel like. Discussions are very welcome. (smiles)

Cheers!

Keshi said...

yup together we can all learn :)

Thanks Pradeep!

Keshi.

Kini said...

I suddenly am rendered rather helpless, if somebody quotes floyd I have to comment. That band is practically a religion where I live.

The line you've quoted, though sounding very morose, is a beacon of hope. Its a wake up call. In fact for te people who don't know this, it was played when the berlin wall was finally torn down. It's a call to each mind to stand up for itself and speak with any "thought control".

I've had too many experiences with people who sit and build walls around themselves and I've been hurt much too many times. But someday, maybe they'll listen to the immortal words of waters/gilmour and "come back to life".

Pradeep Puranik said...

Dear Sahil,

You got straight to the heart of the post! Yes, I hope some day we can live without so many walls.

Thank you, man.