I've recently shifted to a large 2 bedroom flat in Pune. There are four of us from the same college. Lately we have been thinking of purchasing a TV, to alleviate boredom during the hours between dinner and sleeping.
One night, I was reading the book 'The Argumentative Indian' which discusses the rich history of India, developed from a long tradition of open discussion and debating. One of my roomie decided to join me and together we peruse the book, delving into the depths of Indian history, sharing our knowledge and learning much more in the process. I invited the other roomies to join in, but they were reluctant to the extent of feigning sleep.
Makes me wonder why is the pursuit of knowledge so tiresome to people. Why is reading considered to be so uncool an activity... Why do people hate books? Trivial humor, gossipping, soaps on tv are all a part of living. But when the mind is only open to such cheap forms of entertainment and is not involved in the process of enlightenment and enrichment, then don't we devolve from being the most intelligent of the species...Shouldn't life be aimed at gaining knowledge and contributing to the progress of society and of mankind at large.
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