Am I an atheist?

A conversation with my sister triggered this thought of writing a blog. She asked me am I an atheist! And that triggered my thoughtful reflection and what it meant to me.

I have had an interest in the notion of GOD for a long time... (for example https://sachi-webpagebackend.blogspot.com/2013/11/god-and-notion-of-uncertainty.html) I have also oscillated between the beliefs about God and its nature over a long time. Do these oscillating beliefs make me a liar, or just a constantly curious person who is trying to make sense of the notion, and refining the definition in a constant endeavor.

Let's begin with definitions of an atheist fist. "The Cambridge Dictionary" definition of atheist available at https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/atheist - which said its "someone who does not believe in God/gods." So there is a definitional shift from atheist to "GOD," and I do the same search again and find the definition as "a spirit or being believed to control some part of the universe or life and often worshipped for doing so, or something that represents this spirit or being."

When I look at the definition here, I see three components - the form, the role and the rituals/processes of engaging. The term atheist itself could be confusing if one looks at the three aspects different.

1. What would form mean for me when I consider myself to be an atheist or not?

If the form is important, it is often the case that we are in the quest of having a form mostly through the perspectives we hold. Is it male, female or others? Is it nature or is it fiction?
My early notions of being an atheist were pushed by this aspect - I don't like the form. I don't see god in a form.
But do I not believe in what I don't cognitively explain? I do.
I began the quest since I found myself believing in the unexplained. My experience has been a useful guide in this. I realize there are moments when my mind is peaceful, happy and undisturbed. A state of bliss, where I seek nothing more. Where I am grateful to be where I am.
This I believe is the experiences of divinity that each one of us can have. It doesn't happen at only specific places like temples. I find myself distancing from temple visits where I don't find peace, where I cannot connect with myself. There are some moments when it's so easy to connect and be at a place, just soaking in the moment completely - this for me has been the scenario when I get to treks and just sit watching the waterfall and create magic!
I then began asking if it's all about nature itself? Is nature God? And as I began observing my daily life - I realize there are more instances when I can choose to experience divinity. Its the feeling that I had begun soaking in, not the divine itself.
I now know - the existence of the divine in a form isn't really necessary for us to feel the divinity that is so easy to experience so its not the form.
So yes, I am an atheist in the requirement of having a form. I don't believe in a form.

2. Role

The notion of God has emerged for multiple reasons - may be for experiencing the divinity that I talked about earlier, or for the reduction of the uncertainty like I mentioned in the earlier blog, or as Harari says for the unifying role and control that myths around these Gods provide to people.
I see that the role played by the notion of God gives me peace. Whatever the other aspects of the role of 'God' maybe I know it simply gives me a simplistic view of life and allows me to move ahead when I am stuck.
So no, I am not an atheist in this requirement for the role that is played by God. It helps me!

3. The process of engaging.

Rituals and processes are effective to enable to execute their tasks with little cognitive overload. They also allow us to take benefits of the clarity that emerges with the connecting with the feeling of divinity and the reduction in uncertainty. So practices help connect with God and so should make me someone who believes in God ain't it?
Here I look at the implications of the rituals to me and my push on others to follow the rituals. I find myself only interested in finding the peace, the flow I experience through following the rituals, but I don't want others to simply follow what I do. I am pretty sure they have their ways of finding the divine feeling - be it through music, dance or simply our work. We call these as "Aradhana" too, just as we call "praying" in front of God - the worship itself is flexible and just a means.
So I see as following rituals are never going to be indicative of the belief in god itself. It's only indicative of being in the moment, doing it for its own sake. The state of flow!
With this, I guess I realize now that god is a very personal notion. The rituals are simply so customizable to suit our state of mind — that which makes us feel the bliss, the peace, the happiness, the flow.

So am I an atheist? I don't know. I do believe I am one in some ways and not one in many ways. Maybe I am agnostic, but simply do what I do.
My views here are personal. May not be strictly adhering to the notions of anyone else, but you have to find your answers.

Zerto to One - Peter Thiel

I just finished an extremely interesting book on entrepreneurship by Peter Thiel - Zero to One, and thought of sharing what I look as take away from the same.

For me the books sheds light on some of the subtle but important factors that would compose a high impact tech ventures. The essence of the following questions is what the book really delivers.

1. The Engineering Question - Can you create breakthrough technology instead of incremental improvements?
2. The Timing Question - Is now the right time to start your particular business?
3. The Monopoly Question  - Are you starting with a big share of a small market?
4. The People Question - Do you have the right team?
5. The Distribution Question - Do you have a way to not just create but deliver your product?
6. The Durability Question - Will your market position be defensible 10 and 20 years into the future?
7. The Secret Question - Have you identified a unique opportunity that others don't see?

I would recommend this book to every one who is thinking of starting a tech venture, and may be re-read it!

"ಪುನರಪಿ": ಕಾವ್ಯ ಕಡಮೆ ನಾಗರಕಟ್ಟೆ - ನನ್ನ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ

ಇತ್ತೀಚಿಗಷ್ಟೇ ನಾನು ಕಾವ್ಯ ಕಡಮೆ ನಾಗರಕಟ್ಟೆ ಬರೆದ "ಪುನರಪಿ" ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯನ್ನು ಓದಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿದೆ. ಇದು ನಾನು ಓದಿದ ಪ್ರಥಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ. ಇದರ ಮುಂಚೆ ಲಲಿತ ಪ್ರಬಂಧಗಳ ಸಂಕಲನಗಳಷ್ಟೇ ಒಡ್ಡಿದ್ದೇ. ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗೂ ನಾನು ಹೋಗಿದ್ದೆ. ನನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತನಾದ ಸಂತೋಷ ನಾಗರಕಟ್ಟೆಯ ಜೀವನ ಸಂಗಾತಿಯಾದ ಕಾವ್ಯಳ ಪ್ರಥಮ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಯಾಗಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಈ ಸಂತಸದ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗಿಯಾಗಬೇಕೆನಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಇದರಂತೆ ಅವರಿಬ್ಬರೂ ನನಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಆಮಂತ್ರಣ ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗಷ್ಟೇ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಪ್ರತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಹಿಯನ್ನು ಸಹ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದರು. 

ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾವ್ಯ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿಸಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ವೃಧ್ದಪ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸಲಿಂಗ ಕಾಮದ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ಕೈಗೆತ್ತುಕೊಂಡು ಸುಲಲಿತವಾಗಿ ಕೃತಿಯನ್ನು ಮೂಡಿಸಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಕಥೆಯ ನಿರೂಪಣೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟಾಗಿದ್ದು ಕುರ್ಚಿಯ ಅಂಚಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂತು ಕುತೂಹಲ ಕೆರಳಿಸುವಂತೆ ರಚಿಸಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಎಲ್ಲ ಪಾರ್ತ್ರಗಳು ತಮ್ಮ ತಮ್ಮ ಛಾಪುಗಳನ್ನು ಮನಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ರೂಪಿಸುತ್ತ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತವೆ. ನನಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಕುತೂಹಲ ಕೆರಳಿಸಿದ ಪಾತ್ರವೆಂದರೆ ಸಂಜೀವಿನಿಯದ್ದು. ಪ್ರಾಯಶಃ ಆ ಪಾತ್ರದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪವೇ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಇರುವುದರಿಂದಾಗಿ ನನ್ನ ಮನಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಕುತೂಹಲವಿದ್ದರೂ ಇರಬಹುದು. ಇದೇ ಕಥೆಯ ಸಂಚನ್ನು ಮುಂದುವರೆಸಿ ಇನ್ನೂ ಬೆಳೆಸಬಹುದು ಅನ್ನುವುದು ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರಥಮ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ. ಅಥವಾ, ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯ ಕೊನೆ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ವಿಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿರಬಹುದಿತ್ತು ಅಂತಲೂ ಆನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಪ್ರಾಯಶಃ ಈ ಅಂತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿಸಬಹುದು. 

ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯು ಕಾವ್ಯಳ ಪ್ರಥಮ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಎಂಬ ಯೋಚಿಸಿದರೆ ಇದು ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಒಂದು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ. ಇನ್ನೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚೆಚ್ಚು ಉತ್ತಮ ಕೃತಿಗಳನ್ನು ರಚಿಸಲಿ ಎಂದು ಹಾರೈಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಇಂತದ್ದೇ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಗಳು ಮುಂದುವರೆಯಲಿ ಎನ್ನುವುದೇ ನನ್ನ ಆಶಯ.

Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey Moore

One the classics that most mentors ask their technologically enthusiastic proteges to read through is "Crossing the Chasm". Moore through his years of experience working with numerous technology startups focuses on the very specific challenge faces by early stage entrepreneurs - "The Chasm."

The Chasm refers to the phase when the business has to make a transitions from its early adopters (called the technology enthusiasts and visionaries) to the larger mass market (including pragmatists, conservatives and laggards).

The challenge of this transition phases requires the entrepreneur to take tough calls and show the necessary tenacity to be able move past the Chasm Phase. Crossing the chasm is an essential phase for the venture to be able to really become a market leader and a force to recon. Moore doesn't stop by highlighting the characteristics of the chasm, but also provides a few tactics for these early stage startups are extremely handy for those who are facing the challenge of this transition.

While I find the book extremely relevant, there are however nuances one would need to develop for the Indian market scenario where the B2B market scenario is not yet well established. Some of the startups have been able to make the leap and generate a sustainable business venture or create an exit for themselves have been able to do it through interesting tactics and focus shifts. I shall possibly write about these in another blog, and keep this short.

Recommendation: I would just follow the numerous wisemen ahead of me and make a recommendation for all aspiring entrepreneurs to read through this book. This book is best read with other handy books which talk about the startup challenges- "The Lean Startup", "Running Lean".

More about the book at the following Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Chasm

Inventing Medical Devices: A Perspective from India - Dr Jagdish Chaturvedi

I just finished reading this book by my friend - Dr Jagdish Chaturvedi around a week back. I found the book well written and easy to read, specifically targeting the aspiring entrepreneur in India interested in MedTech innovation.

I met Jagdish in 2011 when he was working on his first innovation for the Indian market. He then went to the Stanford Biotech program and joined InnAccel which where he has been doing impactful work.

The book though written by his experience, seems has a strong academic underpinning (given that I am student of innovation and entrepreneurship, I could relate the recommendations to the strong academic underpinning). The MedTech process suggested by Jagdish reflects close resemblance to the user driven innovation that Von Hippen has been talking and debating about.

Jagdish in the book has not just shared his experience, but has compiled a very good resource that aspiring entrepreneurs can refer to and seek guidance from. The simplistic writing and the case studies which help the reader relate to the context of the discussion and highlight the issue discussed in the chapters well. Though there are some spelling errors, this is a handy guide to aspiring MedTech entrepreneurs. I would recommend reading this book before starting in the MedTech space.

You can purchase the book at: http://www.amazon.in/Inventing-Medical-Devices-Perspective-India/dp/1519467184