Along with the need to be needed, a major force that influences the decisions and actions of most humans seems to be the desire to be free. We often gravitate towards decisions and courses of action that appear to be chosen freely than through compulsion. Ironically, the predisposition for choices that reinforce our faith in […]

If I don’t play Clash of Clans for some time, the game pops up notifications that say, “Chief, your village needs you”. Needless to say, this is a tool that game makers use to bind you to the game.  What is more interesting is that this very chord, called purpose, is also the one by which […]

In the previous post, we considered an interesting philosophical idea presented in the Fullmetal Alchemist – Brotherhood anime series. While we are at it, let us look at a few other deep questions on life and ethics raised in this series, some of which particularly struck me as profound food for thought. If you are planning […]

In the anime/manga series Fullmetal Alchemist, alchemists who perform the forbidden human transformation pass through a gate of truth. Here they come face to face with the God of their universe (also referred to as Truth) and are made to part with something extremely valuable to them. For example, a woman who tries to bring […]

In the previous post, we saw how anger or hatred can transform people in ways they least expect and desire. We concluded by wondering whether it was even fair for good people to be thus punished for their hatred of evil (by turning them into evil), and for evil ones like Hiranyakashipu to be rewarded […]

Bhakti, which may roughly be translated as loving absorption, is one of the most well known and effective means of focusing one’s attention on their object of love and reverence. This intense and unwavering focus helps to transform the Bhakta into, and makes him one with, the object of his Bhakti. If there is one […]

There are many studies, and many more opinions, on how a beard can affect a man. Some say that it can provide health benefits by preventing bacterial infection, keeping skin moist and wrinkle-free, and even reducing chances of skin cancer. Others may be of the opinion that it increases risk of infestation by lice and […]

There is a question that I sometimes ask myself. If I were to have amazing super powers, will I end up as a superhero or a supervillain?I have thought about it in some detail, and the only answer I can give is that I don’t know. At first, one might think that the answer is […]

Naruto is one of most popular Shonen anime, and for good reason. It has nail-biting thrills, amazing fights, heart-wrenching side-stories, and more, skillfully woven into an epic series. The overall theme of Naruto is loneliness, importance of friends and the longing for others to acknowledge and recognize you. Towards the end of the story, through […]