Wednesday, March 20, 2013

WHAT IS THE UTILITY VALUE OF LOVE

WHAT IS THE UTILITY VALUE OF LOVE
Musings
By
VIKRAM KARVE

In materialistic world of today, you must have a motive for doing something. 


You must “gain” something from doing an activity.

After all, you are investing your precious time, talent and effort in the activity.

So you must get your RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

So if you spend your time and effort pursuing some activity there must be some material motive for doing that.

There is a utility value attached to everything.

You are expected to gain something - it can be POWER, WEALTH or FAME.

It is mostly Wealth or Money. 

Yes, in most cases the motive is MONEY (Wealth).

Many people ask me why I am wasting all my time and so much effort Blogging and Writing when the same time and effort could be put to “good” use doing something worthwhile to earn money. 

“You spend so much time and effort blogging, they say. 

And then they ask me, What do you gain from blogging? 

Why don't you monetize your blog?” other well-wishers say, “at least you will earn some money for your efforts. 

Is the aim of education solely to get a job? 

Yes, that is the utility value of education. 

But what about the joys of learning? 
Why can
t people understand that a person can do something for the sheer enjoyment of doing it, without any material or ulterior motive. 

Another person asked me why I spend so much time with my pet dog Sherry and look after her so lovingly.

“Are you making money by selling her pups? he asked, and was surprised when I told him that I did not have any intention of mating my dog.

Maybe he had seen some persons who keep dogs as a business and as a means to make money by breeding them.

He could not believe it when I told him that I keep a dog just for the sheer love the dog bestows on me.

“But what is the use of love? What do you gain from love? 

“But what is the use of love? What do I gain from love? Well, love creates positive vibes in me, generates inner happiness. 

Why do we try and analyse the utility value in each and every thing - even love?

Does love have a utility value?

What is the utility value of love?

Let me quote an Urdu couplet I heard long back. 

(I cannot translate it exactly but will try to give you the gist)

Someone once asked a lover:


इश्क का क्या फायदा  (What do you gain from love?)


The lover replied:


फायदे का क्या फायदा  (What do you gain from gain?)


Why do we look for profit or reward in anything we do? 

Why do we have expectations in a relationship?

Yes, even in relationships we see a utility value.

Why do we always expect a RETURN ON INVESTMENT? 

Why can't we do something just for the sake of doing it, for the sheer enjoyment of that activity, just like we do in the case of true love or इश्क 

Do we look for Return on Investment when we love someone? 

What do you gain from love? 

What do you gain from gain?

इश्क का क्या फायदा  ?

फायदे का क्या फायदा  ?

Would some connoisseur of Urdu Sher-Shairi  (philosophical poet) be so good as to translate and interpret this couplet for us in a better way please. 

Dear Reader: Do you look for utility value in everything? 
I eagerly await your comments.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com
      
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
  

2 comments:

Shrinath Shenoy said...

Hi Vikram,

Thank you for maintaining a lovely blog like this. I stumbled upon while i was trying to get some house hunting tips. Your blog has been a great find for me in 2013.

I have thought a lot around the sentiment echoed in this article of yours; we see people trying to gain something from everything - even their young talented children. As if there is nothing more to life than the money that we can earn, by whatever means possible. I am of the opinion that there is a need for an ethic even in money making.

Someone has said that you earn for the value that you add. I feel, you are adding a lot of value in the blogsphere. In such a case, i feel that moetizing your blog would be a good idea.

Even if we may not need the money, Good money is good anyday,
for it can be directed
for the common good in many ways..:)

Thanks,
Shrinath

Ps. I am an IT nerd working in Hinjewadi...;) Really loved your short stories and articles on IT crowd.

Vikram Waman Karve said...

Dear Shrinath,
Thanks for your nice words.
I am glad that you like my writing and find it useful in life too.
Your suggestion about monetizing my blog and using the money for a good purpose - I thought about it too. But the problem is that once you monetize you lose control of the design and the advertisements distract the reader by tempting him to click. Also many of my friends read my blog on mobile phones and they say that the present reader-friendly design makes it easy to read. Another danger is that since when you monetize, you earn money when someone clicks an advertisement, so your writing may tend to become more commercial - you want people to click rather than read.
So nice to know that you work nearby at Hinjewadi and find time to read. Surprisingly IT "Nerds" have taken to creative writing, blogging and literature in a big way.
Do comment and give me feedback.
Regards
Vikram