They are all addicted. And so are you. Before you step back and think about the possible addictions you have, let me tell you that the range of such things is infinite and varies daily. So it is not just smoking, video games, drugs, social networking websites. Addiction has many faces and many ways of bringing it closer to you.
Addiction is a child of the materialistic world and though it is not the same as Maya, I would call it a "subset" of Maya. It arises from want, from need. It always remains an unquenched thirst. Can we avoid it or escape it? Or more importantly, can we live with it? Let us ponder over these questions and in the process, unearth some of the underlying fears and thoughts we may have on the subject of addiction.
We have discussed some of the very obvious sources of addiction earlier. But this is, by no means, an exhaustive list. In fact, it is a non-ending one. We have some people addicted to power while some addicted to extravagance. Some people are vane enough to be addicted to themselves (Does that include people who take pictures of only themselves? Just a taunt!) while some are fascinated and in turn addicted to the beauty or mannerisms of others.
Shoes, accessories, sporting equipment, music (reminds you of Enrique?), dining, speed or thrill, it does not matter whether the noun is concrete or abstract. You name it and you have all kinds of possible addictions. But the question remains : is addiction neccessary in some cases? My answer would be a straight-forward "No".
One may argue that we hear sportspersons say that they are addicted to the sport and this makes them strive for and as a result achieve more. Or for that matter, high profile Rockstars performing when "high" on "banned substances", reach a different, almost a serene state of mind, would suggest addiction is not all that bad.
In the first case, I would say that these "addicted" sportspersons are smart people. No matter what they say, a part of their success lies in the ability to "zoom in" and "zoom out" of situations according to the priorities set by them. The second example, honestly, would be a little difficult for me to falsify. This is primarily beacuse I have never (and never wanted to) experience that "serene" state. But I can safely argue that the required "josh" (read "the required energy levels") can be attained through other positive means ( I have to commend "Rock On" which shows the drummer doing push-ups to get himself ready for the performance). Indeed, it is not neccessary to get "high" to deliver "high" standards.
Before I reveal to you some of the other "critical" addictions and their sources, I would like to discuss my opinion on addiction and how I deal with it. I have always believed in the well known saying that excess of everything is harmful. And though I know I will never fall for the obvious sources of addiction such as alcohol or drugs, I do fear getting addicted. And that is why, I have always made a conscious (some would say foolish) effort to maintain a balance in whatever I undertake or deal with. I stress on the word "balance" and that is because if one gets "addicted" to a certain part of the whole, there may be chances that he or she may deviate from the "chosen" path. But at the same time, it is essential to keep "in touch" with all the parts of the whole. A tough job, no doubt.
I may be pretty confident about countering (if not entirely defeating) arguments supporting almost all sources of addiction. But there are a few areas of concern which I think I should share with you. And I guess almost all of us have faced similar situations some time or the other. The next source of addiction I am going to mention is the "addiction to people". And I believe, this one is a tough nut to crack.
Most of us, with the exception of cold-blooded murderers and terrorists, are emotional beings. And when it comes to people, all this talk about balance and staying "non-addicted" goes for a spin. It is difficult for one to imagine how would things be if the "person" they are addicted to would not be present the next moment. And that is where most of us relent. And that is precisley what I do not want to do. I have one life, a mission to fulfill and "balance" is what I strive to achieve. This may sound "heartless" but just as the mind needs to be in the "right" place, the heart needs to be "shown" its right place.
But I have not escaped all of it yet. And this is where the irony lies. Even after trying so hard, I still have an addiciton I can not get rid of: the addiction of being in control, the "addcition" of maintaining that "critical" balance.
What about your addictions? Do you wish to live with them? Think about it. (You can post your views under "comments".)
An afterthought: The spellcheck for my name on MS Word 2007 suggests replacing the name with the word "Rehab"(just a thought).
10 comments:
First of all, I would like to congratulate you for selecting topics that actually makes one stop and think.
Relating to your last post, I absolutely agree with you that the conventional sources of addiction are bad and we need to keep a check on ourselves. But, I have my reservations against the love for other things. Actually, if you consider that, such passion (you may call it addiction), sometimes enables you to put that extra bit, which in the end makes all the difference, then you can not call it not useful. Having said that, I do not say that such passion is necessary, although personally it works for me only if I love something.
Also, I never thought that one can get addicted to people but your post and some recent experiences (my friend's) have made me think over it. I will get back to you after analyzing it in my own life.
all i can say is that i am totally mesmerized by your profound depth of thinking.And i would again like to say that somehow in college i never got to know this about you..
great post man...........
First of all I disagree – but all along I agree.
Everyone should be addicted to X, AND everyone is addicted to Y. Just that everybody do not get X’s and Y’s as equal .
Lets divide addiction into two – good addiction and bad addiction. I would not have liked to do that – and would just have kept the addiction in negative sense, but since u covered few good virtues in addiction as well, I m forced to do so.
Now Bad addiction is what you are referring to 90% of the things in your blog like addiction to drugs, addiction to religion,apparel, cars, power, blah blah blah. It arises because of false needs, for the things which can be taken away from you. You can just look at the apparent pleasure and comfort coming from these things, but the hidden riders are missed. Addiction for them drives many wrong actions in desperation. And yes, BAD addiction rips off your mental balance – I agree with you, which I don’t want to lose.
But the last line of previous paragraph brings me to my point – that everyone is addicted. And I am addicted to mental balance. And that is what is GOOD Addiction. It is an addiction to a balanced state of mind, which lets you think rationally. But Addiction to Sports, Art and Music as per me is a under GOOD addiction. This is more like an addiction to improve yourself, to test yourself, to explain yourself. It always brings satisfaction and mental calm if done in good spirit.
So finally it brings you back to good state of mind – addiction to which is a good one, in my POV
I will just like to keep away from discussing - addiction to people. That’s the toughest you know
And I know it was supposed just to be a comment – so – You write real good, and your mind feeds you even better. Tere is talent ke bare mein nahin pata tha be..
Addiction.
In the post, you mentioned that an addiction is related to a want or a need. I don't know about you but I perceive a want to be different from a need, so much so as a diametrically opposite entity.
A want is when you desire to do something, but you can also curb that desire with ease. A need is when something inside you, that is not you, desires you to do its bidding, and you are unable to curb that feeling.
That, my friend, is the source of all addiction. A need. As long as you do anything, but keep it under control, it is fine, and not an addiction. But it is easier said than done, you may be reassuring yourself that you are not under a spell, that you can kick it out of your life anytime, but the real test of that addiction is when you actually try to kick it out. If you feel a resistance while doing so, however small it may be, you are addicted to that thing, since it now has control over you, albeit maybe a small part of you.
The rest of your post was nice to read and the way you put forth your perspectives was exemplary. Another point which I perceive differently is the comparison between addiction and passion. In my vision, both are different, although not there is a thin line dividing them. One side is a want, and the other side is a need.
Keep writing. :)
Hi everyone. Sorry for responding late. I would address each of your comments one by one.
Iceman differentiates "passion", which he feels is a positive expression, from "addiction". He also talks about going that extra yard to achieve what one desires. It works for him and therefore he stands justified in adopting a "passionate" approach.
However, I would caution him. As I mentioned that excess of anything is bad and brings in the negativity. Therefore, even in the case of being "passionate" about things, going overboard can be harmful. One may narrow down his or her vision by concentrating on short-term goals which he or she is passionate about.
Also, passion to the extent of madness can be cited and there is a very thin line between being a zealot and being overzealous.
Counter arguments ans further discussions are most welcome.
Reply to Anshul:
I really appreciate your appreciation of this blog. At the same time I would love to hear arguments, even criticisms from you. This would help all of us here to broaden our vision and thoughts to the maximum.
Thoughts on Prateek's comments:
Prateek saw some "positives" in the different addictions mentioned by me and he chose to classify them into good and bad addictions. As per my interpretation, he says that addiction to various art forms, be it music, painting etc brings out creativity in people and exposes them to endless limits.
He also says that the addiction to mental balance is "good addiction" and is something which he would encourage.
Based on this interpretation of mine, I have two things to discuss.
First would be that even addiction to positive activities like music, art and for that matter, exercise can disturb one's mental balance. Indeed, he is spot on when he says that things should be done in the right spirit. But again, its about excesses. To try and put your body and mind under test all the while may not be a good idea after all.
But one may argue that even in that case, some exceptional creations are produced, the "addiction" is worth it. It may be
Secondly, the addiction to maintain "mental stability" and balance can indirectly harm this very balance. I do have this addiction but I have realized that this requires austerity in all departments. Be it your relationship with people, your work, your goals, you are always drawing lines, setting limits, just to achieve that balance.
And sometimes these lines are innumerable and they create factions in your mind. Under this spell, one may hurt others' feelings or harm oneself for that matter. Trying to maintain complete sanity may lead to the opposite.
Some harm has been caused by this addiction to me, but I still want to be in control. Let us see if a little bit of "Rehab" for "Rehab" works fine.
I await your valuable comments.
I still feel passion is very important to achieve your goals (Here I mean some tough goals which take a lot out of you). Having said that, I agree that there is a thin line between passion and addiction, but, you have to control yourself. Also, regarding your point about the short term goals, sometimes it is important to have short term goals as they serve as milestones to your long term goals and achieving them is a great motivation.
Achilles,
Thoughts on your comments ( Mood : not repulsive, bit converging and further contemplating)
When I talk of doing those things in right spirit – I meant a spirit to continuously improve and understand. And art, music, sports were just example. You can choose any thing – which arise this spirit within you.
Suddenly, one more thought comes to my mind – which I don’t think ,either you or me have shared earlier.
Given the subjective nature of Good and Bad in Life – Addiction can be subjective as well. The final call may be objective like addiction is bad (or good, whatever it might be).
But Addiction might go a full life cycle – Develops – gives pleasure – becomes irresistible - Scarcity induces pain – Pain forces you to kill addiction at some stage – The fight to kill addiction brings more pain as well as more resilience – reveals more powers, more awareness and more confidence.
Addiction gives up and becomes a fodder for the Mind. Mind is stronger now – more confident – aware of what he was missing while being addicted – and with time become overconfident and falls for the other ONE. And the cycle goes on.
What about looking at all this – just as a process of continuous improvement.
But, there can be addictions – which mind might not able to fight – and your mind might become a fodder.
Now, you will obviously like to draw a line. Because drawing a line – no more keeps things abstract and you feel much better and confident with defined limits. But I don’t have an answer. I agree that there should be some measure to identify the addiction which can overpower your mind – but its an open ended question? If you limit yourself – you will never know your strength, But if you don’t limit – you might lose everything. From your most recent post – The answer is balance – But How ? I think how is just from experience – And randomness.
Your reflections are welcome.
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