The Alchemist - 2012 - just out of Undergrad college- was the year this book got into me, and glad to see where i am now. I do acknowledge this book as the First storey in my "Conscience Building", wherein the Foundation and Ground Storey was already laid by Swami Vivekananda and Metallica & Pink floyd respectively.
Yes, though looking back now- i feel these books are bit over-rated- fundas seem 'of-course' LOGICAL and 'as a matter of fact'- but then in the same breath- never deny or doubt the trip and the grip these books have on us & the way we respond by trying to be 'some-one' out of a 'no-one'
Guess, to be put in a nut-shell, all these books say the same god-damn thing- in different contexts and languages. It is 'old wine- new bottle', after a while. Now atleast- after a decade of going through atleast 4 different philosophies, innumerable lecturers- the effort since a year or so- has been more towards 'implementation' of this. These things are nice to read and feel good about- but then i feel the real test is 'putting them into use'. eg: It is soooooo damn difficult a cultivate a new habit- i am amazed at the sheer effort it takes and the amount of strain on the willpower. So far, i have none on the board- just goes on to show that i need lot more inspiration 'within', and decade of reading has hardly helped. Well, i end up comforting myself saying that it is new phase - just a year old and have a long way to go......
Now, coming to Ayn Rand- Let me tell - being an architect - i shamefully accept that it was only in Mar 2013- did i read 'Fountainhead' and starting nibbling at Rand's universe. And this is one book- which shook my 'Conscience Building'- by completely questioning the fundamentals of my beliefs, our upbringing and Indian way of Perceiving oneself and the Society. Still confused and yet to buy in- the theory of Ayn Rand. But dread to even think - what i would have ended up had i read this book- a decade back ( the usual time any architect- is forced/ bound/ inspired to read this book- kind of 'me-too' factor)
Here's the question for you- ARE YOU ALTRUIST ? (Something which Ayn Rand admonishes)
