Intellectual Promiscuity

The Untouchables

You wish I were talking about the movie. But nay, my friends, nay.

I just read a blog post that my boss sent me about this brilliant billionaire who values the art of “copying”. In a business world, where copying is frowned upon - yet totally abused (ahem, microsoft), he points out that in the one field where replication is actually beneficial, everyone wants to be innovative: philanthropy.

Humanitarian aid is the one field where replication actually benefits someone else. So this billionaire, Mohnish Pabrai, and his wife, realized that they were fortunate enough to be blessed with billions and it was time to give some away. But How? Where? Who? 

Long story short, he found that there was a teacher in India who took on poor students in India, specifically untouchables, and managed to get them enrolled in India’s version of MIT, IIT. IIT is a really big deal, almost all of their graduates become world-renowned engineers. In the spirit of copying, they replicated the program to integrate more poor students. I love me some philanthropy and education.

What really got to me while reading this article is the fact that untouchables were included. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it’s one of (if not the) harshest form of racism/discrimination I’ve ever heard of. Due to the caste system in India, the untouchables, the lowest label, are considered pollution to humanity. They are literally viewed as “untouchable”, it’ll go so far as higher caste members having to be immersed in water/purified if they even come near one. Some avoid their shadows in fear of being polluted.

With all due respect to all forms of religion and cultural beliefs, that’s just bullshit. These people are forced to live lives of feeling unworthy and dirty. They lack not only the basic necessities of life, but of actual self-worth. The lack of any kind of compassion or human touch in one’s life is enough to destory a person.

Anyway, that being said, the article didn’t just touch me in terms of my love for humanitarian good and education, but for someone finally giving these pour souls a chance, and some well-earnd god damned respect.

You can find the article here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mohnishpabrai/2012/02/01/i-stole-this-idea-get-untouchables-into-indias-m-i-t/2/

Confession.

So, this blog was originally meant to be a place for me to share my creative juices. I love writing and I love photography and this was where I was going to start sharing it …But I ended up becoming the typical blogger who just reposts things she sees from the Internet. 

Confession: I’ve been a little down lately seeing as how I graduated from grad school months ago and still can’t find a job - correction - a job that I want. I might sound picky but if I cringe when I read the job description, I’d rather eat glass. I’ve been waiting to hear back from a bunch of jobs. My fiance and I have also been dealing with a shit load of tedious issues that eventually bring a bugger down. 

So anyyywaay, I guess I haven’t been motivated to write or photograph anything. I’ve posted a few of my old photos here but still haven’t felt that nyeeehh feeling. (That was the sound of a push if you didn’t catch that). 

Then lately, I’ve been pinning like a crack fiend which has sort of motivated me to get my ass up and do something. So I tried making two photo canvases, they both looked so awesome at first and then faded real quick, I think it’s because I used ink instead of a laser printer. I will try again though! 

As for writing, I need some motivation and inspiration. I used to write passionately about the revolution, but that boat has sailed. 

To my other writer bloggers, where do you find inspiration?  I could sure use the help.