Sartre’s “Hell is other people” reveals how the Other’s gaze traps our freedom. My retort, “To hell with other people,” rejects that entrapment, asserting an inner autonomy beyond judgment. Where Sartre diagnoses entanglement, I offer release — an existential Advaita that dissolves dependence on others’ definitions of self.
Tag: Writing
Testing AI
In a recent exchange with a friend, we debated whether AI’s poetic output can ever rival human expression. My friend challenged me to test it by letting an AI complete the last lines of my poem The Many Guises. The results surprised us both—not because AI mirrored my inner voice, but because it offered fresh closures that were just as valid, though from a more universal lens. This raises the question: is poetry about authentic self-expression, or is it about opening to perspectives beyond the self? Perhaps we are all but flux, wearing many guises.
Madhushala (The Tavern) by Harivansh Rai Bachchan (English rendering in verse)
This English translation of Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s Madhushala brings alive the timeless poetry of life, death, and the eternal joy of the tavern. Through 100 stanzas, the poem explores the dance of wine, laughter, and philosophy—celebrating freedom, courage, and the spirit of living fully. The tavern becomes a metaphor for life’s impermanence, and the wine, a symbol of unending joy and inner awakening. Experience the lyrical journey in this complete, rhythmic rendering.
What Would You Have Done if you were the Mayor of Casterbridge?
I’m in the middle of reading “The Mayor of Casterbridge” novel by Thomas Hardy (https://www.pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/caster.pdf). I have reached this following … More
“None in Bondage, None Seeking Liberation and None Liberated”
When my elder sister and I were returning today (July 11, 2025) from a visit to my younger sister’s in-laws … More
The Real Problem: “Who am I?”
The author reflects on being labeled a “psychopath” and feeling ridiculed, emphasizing that self-identity can lead to suffering. Regardless of misunderstanding, they advocate for seeking one’s true identity through contemplation to escape crises linked to perceived separateness. They suggest mental renunciation and introspection as paths to understanding nondual truth.
Who Listens? Who Understands?
Writers and artists come and goTalking of love, peace and justiceThe world carries on unmindfullyLost in its own obsessive concernsHardly … More