Cultured Thinking: More than just a simple rule - way of life

Last month was last month, and even I can't change that... BUT as The third week of university semester two rolls by... I regained the motivation to blog! Not that anyone reads it anymore...

Well to begin things, the new semester has arrived with many differences... more new people (cool people)and more new work... In what seems to be a packed week of maths, biology and engineering, one can only hope their sanity does not dissipate! However the occasional dissection and Riemann's sum does make me feel more educated and maturer? (if that were possible).

One a different note, lots of thinking has been happening and i decided to just make your brains work by reading my thoughts and opinions... who knows you may hate me after this or randomly agree... there is only one way to find out... READ:

As Indian youngsters growing up in a Western world, accommodating the best of two cultures, we hardly stop to figure out the meaning of culture and what our values are. Growing up in an atmosphere with many opinions, many ideals, many cultures, we often make detours on our own path of culture and values.

What is culture? Is it something we say to label monuments and eras? Or perhaps a nice name for a niche of people practicing similar customs and beliefs? Culture is a contextual term, and in this case it sort of means the tradition, values and beliefs followed and passed on by a set group of people. That being said the next question is, whether culture is important? If it is not important why keep it? why preserve it? why pass it on? Are we in a position to discredit our culture without experiencing it and living it ourselves? (Is it possible for one to say they dislike cherries without tasting one first?)

Similarly people complain it is boring. Can you say the new TV show is boring unless you've seen the entire thing? maybe not the first episode nor the second, but an umpteenth episode might just change your view of things? isn't it likely? Do you think its boring?

Everything in this world follows a set of rules or functions within a given set of restrictions (Except those who commit crimes and end up in a more restricted place). Our set of restrictions and rules are based on moral and cultural values and principles. What are these values? How do we know what these values are? How do we know whether these values are right or wrong? Do we need guidance? and where do we get ours from? Christians have their bible, Muslims the Karan, Jews the Tanakh... Hindus the Vedas - Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and Brahma Sutras.

Culture through guidance:
On long car rides, father drones on in his familiar lecture like voice; "We follow the Vedas. For everything and anything our values and principles are set by the Vedas. When in doubt, you seek guidance from:
1. Your elders - Parents, Grand Parents, etc (Who carry values and traditions from generations before you).
2. Spiritual Teachers (those who have taken on ocher robes and travel the spiritual path)
3. The Vedas
4. Your own self (mind / intellect - colored by likes and dislikes & desires)"


Notice how tradition takes the first place. If it has been surviving for this long and has kept us going for this long, then it must be doing something right. Do you agree?
Advice, insight and knowledge given by those on the spiritual path will never pull us down. Our life is in their best interest, is it not?
The Vedas, many find hard to interpret but exist to show the source of wisdom, culture, values, tradition, principles. It has been followed for more years than you have been alive. If it has existed for this long, there must be something in it which is useful. Dont You Think So??