Expansion or Stewardship

 I am taking a break from work and I am reading, watching and enjoying this time of break.  My most favorite thing to think about:

1. How the Universe got created and what we know so far

2. Life and Evolution and especially Human Evolution

3.  The Bhagavat Gita

Today I came to a conclusion on Home Sapiens and their transition from Animal Kingdom to where we are now.   How this happened for 300,000+ years and many many generations of innovation to bring us to where we are now.  I reached an epiphany today that even though we have so many fancy tools now (AI, telescope etc) human nature hasn't changed much!

To understand what I am talking about let's first list the human time line into different eras. I took some AI help here to get my dates right:

• Coexistence with Other Human Species (Before 40,000 Years Ago) - Homo sapiens live alongside other intelligent human species like Neanderthals and Denisovans. Instead of "taming" or enslaving them, we interact as cognitive equals, competing for resources, sharing cultural tools, and interbreeding—leaving a permanent genetic signature in modern human DNA.
• The Agricultural Revolution (10,000 – 8000 BCE) - Humans begin transitioning from nomadic hunter-gatherer bands to settled farming communities. With farming comes enslaving and taming animals. Eventually we also enslave humans.
• Early Vedic Period in India (1500 – 1000 BCE) - The varna system emerges in India as a flexible division of labor based on an individual's skills and actions (karma), not birth. During this early phase, the Shudra (laborer/artisan) class is an integrated and respected part of the social and spiritual community.
• The Rise of Written Laws and Slavery (3000 – 1750 BCE) - In Mesopotamia, the invention of cuneiform writing provides the first written records of chattel slavery. By 1750 BCE, the Code of Hammurabi codifies slavery into law, regulating debt slavery, runaways, and treating human beings as legal property.
• Consolidation of the Caste System (600 BCE – 400 CE) - The social hierarchy hardens into a rigid, hereditary genetic trap as texts like the Manusmriti ban inter-caste marriage. The concept of "ritual pollution" creates a deeply oppressive system of total social exclusion, forming the parallel marginalized class known today as Dalits. This is recorded in our DNA! Indians stopped mixing

• Slavery Movement across the world especially Americas (100 BCE – 1700 CE) - Cruel practices of slavery take over the world. Child born to an enslaved woman inherits her status as slave property. A dark phase for humanity where exploitation takes a dark turn. When European empires expanded into the Americas and the world, they brought an extreme philosophy of resource extraction. Nature was viewed as an inert commodity to be conquered, mined, and deforested for profit. Other humans in different races were thought of as human assets to be exploited

• The Democratic Movement (500 – 1900 CE) - In response to the oppression with Slavery and the caste system there have been many abolishments. Democracy being born and Woman's rights and many civilizations fight to free people and treat people with empathy

• The Industrial and Fossil Fuel Revolution (Late 1700s – Present) - Humanity unlocks ancient, stored solar energy via coal, oil, and gas. By replacing biological muscles with machine power, fossil fuels break the ancient economic necessity of human bondage, generating the global wealth, mass education, and leisure time required to expand the human moral compass.

• The Modern Green Energy Transition 21st Century (Present Day) - Armed with a modern moral and scientific consensus, humanity recognizes that exploiting the biosphere through carbon emissions threatens our survival. We are currently navigating the largest infrastructure overhaul in history, attempting to power civilization through sustainable, renewable energy without exploiting the planet or each other.

Did Slavery and Oppression end because of Fossil fuels? Has our history been only about oppression others for our own expansion. We went from human muscle energy to fossil fuel energy. We started to oppress animals while domesticating them. This followed by Human oppression. We also had gender oppression, for a way to control the reproduction of females. Keep them oppressed so we can make more children similar to the existing mentality. We transfered our oppression from human beings to fossil fuels! We are destroying our own planet! This put me in a terrible mood. Are homo sapiens a lost cause! Is it about controlling to expand? Is it about a hierarchical structure of power dominance? Aren't we a species that has empathy! Is it even real that we can show compassion to one another and the planet.

As I loose hope I am reminded of some good people who existed thought out the history and who exist now who question why we need to expand:

• Thinkers like The Buddha who walked away from kingdoms and wealth. They explicitly taught Ahimsa (absolute non-violence to all living beings) and radical minimalism. They argued that chasing endless desire and consumption was the root of all human suffering.
• Many Aztec and Indian tribes co-existed with the environment and they values harmony
• Various Freedom fighters who worked tirelessly to free other humans from Monarchy, abolished slavery, brought equal rights to woman.
• Our current environmentalists who are fighting to consume less fossli fuels and go green. Various minimalists who want to consume less

In one way we have homo sapiens who follow expansionism (maximizing energy exploitation for growth) and we have homo sapiens who follow stewardship (consuming less to maintain balance).

There are still pockets of oppression in the world. Pocket is still under-stating it. There is significant oppression in the world. Woman loosing rights! Caste system in India even though it is illegal. The expansion mind-set is causing us to loose our place in the planet. But there is human spirit to fight the hierarchical mindset and expansionism and to work together with harmony. Is this sprit enough?

This brings me to a conclusion, both forces have been part of human evolution:

• The Expansion Impulse is driven by our survival instinct. It is our creativity, our tool-making, our science, and our restless desire to explore the unknown. Without expansion, we would never have developed modern medicine to cure diseases, transport to connect distant cultures, or the agricultural surplus that allows you and me to sit across a digital interface and have this deep philosophical conversation. This philosophy came with a consequence, the consequence was exploiting the animal kingdom, humans who are not like us and Earth itself.

• The Stewardship Impulse is driven by our unique capacity for empathy and foresight. Humans are the only species that can look centuries into the future and realize that today's actions will hurt tomorrow's children. It is our capacity for guilt, restraint, and love for things that cannot give us immediate utility—whether that is an ancient forest, a captive animal, or a marginalized human being. We have evolved from just looking at our tribe to accepting differences in different genders, races and countries to live harmoniously.

On a good day I have hope for my kids and grand kids and future generation. On a bad day, I do not. We have made a mess. The animal kingdom still suffers with our oppression. We are hurting one another in the name of Caste, Race, Gender etc. We have caused massive extinctions and climate change with burning fossil fuels. Will human beings ever reach divinity and live in harmony with nature, one another and the animals that are not as powerful as us. Would we ever use our intelligence to truly steward the planet and work along with nature and one another? Is there hope?

As I think about this, I am thinking about what does Krishna say about this? I mainly think of the Bhagavat Gita and his teachings:

•  In the Gita, he warns that chasing endless desire (kama) and hoarding resources destroys the human mind and society.
• Krishna argues that if good, empathetic people walk away from their duties out of a desire to keep their own hands clean, they leave the levers of power entirely in the hands of tyrants and exploiters.
• Krishna’s ultimate solution to the human energy is Nishkama Karma: fulfilling your worldly duties with maximum energy, excellence, and dedication, but with zero attachment to the personal fruits of your labor
• He would encourage us to work furiously to build a clean energy infrastructure and clean up the planet without any desire for ourselves - Karma Yoga
• But he would demand we be responsible caretakers of the planet (Stewardship) taking care of the planet and it's beings. - Bhakti Yoga

As I sit at home on my career break and reading many books and expanding my thoughts. Isn't it enough that I had expanded my life so far! I worked hard for my own benefit for my own family. Isn't it time to do something for others? Isn't it time to invoke stewardship in me to care for others and for the planet? Coming back to my epiphany,  we have all these fancy tools (AI) but it comes down to our animal nature of expanding or divine nature of empathy - to steward the planet.  I don't know what humanity will choose and what the end will be like?  But I am reminded of the fact that the only thing we can change is ourselves and no one else.  

Mahi is Done with One

Where did the time go.  New different kind of memories due to covid19

My Top 5 Telugu Movies

My Favorite Telugu movies that I am watching during Covid-19 lockdown.  This is my all time top 5 list:

5. Yamadonga -  Post weight loss, Jr NTR brought it to the screen.  The combination of Rajmouli and NTR.  It was just a blast from the past kind of movie. One of the first epics (pouranikas) brought back to life that I enjoyed after a long time.  And jr NTR lived the role.  Never before or after have I seen a movie of him that I liked so much. Also for the first and probably only time I liked Mohan Babu



4. Mahanati: Definitely there are flaws in the movie. Not a 100% accuracy of Savitri's life but the execution of the story and the sets just take me back to an era.  Probably in my previous life I was a fan of her.  I probably watched the movie at least 10+ times.



3. Manam - Something about seeing love that is not romantic in the screen that appeals to me.  ANR lives on.  Mother-son love that transcends time.  It is one of my go to movies.



2. Oh! Baby - Humm just realized its 3rd Samantha movie.  But in this she is the main star.  It is about mother's love.  A mother's sacrifice.  Each time I see this movie it touches my heart.  I was debating if this should be my first.  My fav dialogue:  "Na koduku na tho lenappudu zeevitham entha bagunte enti ippudu"



1. Maya Bazaar:  I just can't describe this movie.  Best movie of the century.  All time actually.  I don't think I want to say more. I watched it 100 times.  

Kissed!!!!

Got kissed by a Dolphin!!!!!!

Looks like i never published it.  This happened 10 years ago.  Post covid19 i would never do this again

Stuck at home with beautiful rain

Beautiful california.  

Let it rain let it rain.  

Let the earth heal while we are inside.  

Loving the warmth of family health and wealth.  

Feeling blessed an praying for the rest.

Beautiful california.

Let it rain let it rain

Corona

World is in a Pandemic!

Corona Covid-19 a new noval virus.  Noval virus means it has never been hosted by a human body.  The news is that it started in some market in China or maybe lab.  The world is suffering.

Let me correct it,  the Mother Earth is flourishing as we humans are being forced to go indoor and put in our place.  Animals and fish are coming out enjoying their world.  The Earth that belongs to them. 

The only suffering is humans!  Yes I don't want to make this a spiritual bla bla.  The health care providers, the suppliers, politicians and many ppl are working hard to save lives.  I can't be sitting at home quarantined, unaffected and talking about this so impersonally.

Yes I understand the seriousness of whats going on with the world and humans.  What I want to say is that I am not 'annoyed' that i have to stay home during this crisis.  I am not upset that the economy is in standstill.  It will recover unlike the lives lost.  Yes there is temporary suffering but its not permanent. 

Also this disease is effecting older and weaker community.  You might say survival of the fittest and let it spread, worst case it will bring the population count down.  But that's an impersonal way to look at it.  What if that is your family member that is the one number that is bringing the population count down.  Are you prepared to accept the pandemic then?  This is how Dharma works.  Is it the right for me or right for the human kind or right for the world.  What is the right thing to do? 

Either way how i feel about this, it is happening all around the world now.  How little control do i have in this whole thing but to just sit around and wait for time to take its course?  What i do get to do is spend time with my children.  Be grateful for the health of my family and time I have on this earth.  Even though I don't know how much time and with whom. I am grateful I have time.

Mental Health

I am writing this post as I want my children to know that it was not easy being a mother.

Don't get me wrong being a mom is the purest joy of my life.  But after my 2nd pregnancy I went through hell internal and external.

2nd pregnancy was very difficult with a added Auto immune as a bonus.  Once the delivery happened, there were wonderful in law fights and hell.  Of course fights with the husband.  Own family members breaking my heart. The most happiest time in my life turned nightmare-ish.  Work sucked (lost direct reports in the mere fact that i was a returning mom to work)  Had to pretty much quit my job.  Earned planter factious, hip pain, shoulder pain.  Had to leave my beautiful home due to many fights fights fights...  Made a decision to stay as family for the sake of children.  Move across the coasts to restart life.  New jobs (2 already) to try to fit in and contribute.... Absolutely unfullfuilling job ever.

Some where along the way postpartum depression turned into "Adjustment Disorder"  I guess this is what my shrink calls it.  Having difficultly to cope with current life itself.  Depressive moods. Lack of interest.  Anxiety.  Lost energy in the core.  Absolutely zero career satisfaction. Aboslutely zero relationship satisfaction. Zero  interest in the materialistic life. Sadness.

Through out all this I am still your best mom.  You are still the best thing that happened to me.  This part of my life is fully fulfilled.  Its weird how two stories can coexist within me at the same time.

I am writing this to you because i want you to know, that it was VERY hard for your mom.  You are 7 and 3... you have bestest happiest life.  I am making sure of it while I am going through this.

Did I mention to you guys that there is the corona virus going around this time around the world and we are quarantined for 2 weeks now and possibly even more. So the world is also a bit of sad right now.

Here is a question Mahi you are asking me right now:  What kind of star wears sun glasses?  - Answer:  a movie star of course!  Krish you are sitting right next to me leaning in watching TV.