Story telling is addictive for the mind. The mind loves stories. Stories can be told in a number of ways and humankind can remain fascinated forever. Stories are powerful, because we create our reality in our mind through the words we use and hear. Not events per se in their purity, but the way we describe events to ourselves or the way someone else describes events to us, creates our perception of reality. Many stories use words (of course images, sound and video are used as well) and these have an impact on our mind.The problem is most of us mistake the story for the reality. Only an enlightened person (a person in deep intuitive harmony with nature and the universe) can see things for what they are; most will see only a version that they tell/repeat to themselves, which is conditioned by their culture, parents, upbringing or their own experiences.
A lot of stories have been used by several cultures to uplift; but in the modern world MEDIA has stepped in as a big impactful storyteller – shaping perception and reality and seducing people with their thoughts, ideas and opinions. From what I see on Indian TV there is either trash or pompous over-the-top pseudo-seriousness of opinions and a whole lot of “anchor egos” all over the place. And yet millions of educated people either read these thoughts on a daily basis or sit every evening (or morning or afternoon, some even right through the night!), soaking in this conditioning. The funny part is, most anchors speak with such authority on things, events and perceptions, that it makes me wonder, on what basis or who gives these so called news merchants, any such authority. What makes say an editors take on events, any superior to my own take or your own take. Its anyways just one version of reality, constructed through a jugglery of words. One way to minimize media interfering with your mind, is to stop watching or reading it; but then how many really want to seek going to the depth of their beings? It’s easier to let a TV news anchor “mold” you I suppose eh!
Words are just a tool and sometimes a clumsy one, to express the deep inherent nature of things.
Dennis Taraporewala 
Thanks Ruchir for those lovely words above.
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Dennis, what a wonderful thought! A person tries to capture and convey an experience in words using either their own or a foreign vocabulary. And inadequate words will be, in capturing or conveying it fully. Imagine conveying a fragrance through speech or a sight through a fragrance? Feeble or at best a faint resemblance of the original!
The collective whole of what each sense perceives is what the mind takes in as an experience. Perhaps the best communication of an entire experience is a dream – one can see, hear, feel etc in a dream. What if people could convey their experiences not in words but as dreams packets transmitted directly to another? Ha! I’d love to share the ‘dream’ of being in Thekkady in the mountains and by the lake…: )!
Of course, even as they fall short of being adequate in conveying an experience fully, words are still are amongst the most powerful gifts to mankind, and when projected by the versatile mind of a good listner, they can recreate an experience in good measure! Thanks for your words.
Love
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Still reading the newspapers. Stopped news on TV but grabbing an IPL match once in a while. But the day will come and we will not be found unprepared, because as they say “chance favours the prepared mind”. 🙂
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-:)Please do. As Yoda would construct his response, “Pleasure, it will be”
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Why do i watch TV or read the newspaper?
I read the newspaper to give me patience as I sit on the pot or drink my tea each morning and while I drive to work. Once in 2-3 weeks I read an article or a clipping that may be useful at work.
I watch TV when I want to watch the IPL or ego-anchors spout breathless opinions around various constructed questions that I can either disagree with or allow my brains to be bombarded by.
I am going to start a personal experiment. Of renouncing TV & newspapers. Maybe it will take away all the words in my mind and therefore withdraw me from posting my comments on this blog ….. but failing that will keep you posted on results.
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