Wednesday, December 10, 2014

LABOUR OF LOVE – Poetic Philosophy

LABOUR OF LOVE
Poetic Philosophy
Ramblings of a Retired Mind
By
VIKRAM KARVE

Whenever you are stumped with a tricky question to which you do not know the answer, it is best to turn to philosophy, or better still  poetic philosophy.

This is exactly what I do when someone asks me what I “gain” from writing, or blogging, to be more specific.

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, then there must be some material motive for doing that  you are expected to “gain” something.

This “something” you are expected to “gain” can be POWER, WEALTH or FAME – mostly it is Wealth or Money.

So, to come to the moot question:

WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM WRITING and BLOGGING?

(ब्लॉग्गिंग  का क्या फायदा ?)


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

“Why do you spend so much time and effort writing and blogging? they ask me.

“I love writing and blogging,” I say. 

“But what do you gain from writing and blogging? Do you earn money? they ask.

“No – I do not earn any money from my writing and blogging,” I say.

Why don
t you monetize your blog?” other well-wishers say, “at least you will earn some money for your efforts.

I am unable to fathom why
people canunderstand that a person can do something for the sheer enjoyment of doing it, without any material or ulterior motive. 

“I told you that I write and blog because I love writing and blogging. I do it as a labour of love,” I say. 

“Labour of love? You write and blog because you love writing and blogging? What do you gain from this labour of love?” they ask.

When they say this – when someone talks about “gaining from love” – I quote an Urdu couplet I heard long back. 

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

Someone 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?

Why do we always expect a RETURN ON INVESTMENT? 

Why can
t we do something as a labour of love, just for the sake of doing it, for the sheer enjoyment of doing that activity, just like we do in the case of true love or इश्क ?

Do we look for Return on Investmentwhen 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 literary connoisseur or philosophical poet be so good as to translate and interpret this couplet for us in a better way please? 

More importantly, on a broader plane, think about all your relationships and activities. 

Are all your activities profit oriented? 

Are all your relationships motivated by expectations?

Do you always look for some “gain” whenever you do something? 

Are you always motivated by RETURN ON INVESTMENT?

Or do you do something just because you LOVE doing it?

Do you do something purely as a “LABOUR OF LOVE” without expecting any reward or “gain” in the form of POWER, WEALTH or FAME?

Think about it.

VIKRAM KARVE
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