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| Amoeba:a complex simple being |
Behind the white veils of success lies a deep dark
convoluted truth of our mortal existence. We often tend to ignore it but it
keeps coming back intermittently. There are times when it briefly vanishes from
our conscience but again it comes back with more powerful fangs than before. So
we often wonder as to what really is defined as true success. Does dog eat dog
attitude, so prevalent in the corporate world, a real basis of success where
every individual is as devoid of any emotions and compassion as a snake is
while killing its prey. Is a truly successful person an ascetic who uses
spirituality to attain seclusion from his genetic desires to have wealth?
Alternatively, is there a middle path to a successful life, where a person has
spirituality, money, family amongst other things to help him have that feeling
of fulfilment even as he leaves his mortal incarnation?
The one question, which adds an added twist to these already
trivial questions, is my all time favourite, isn’t an Amoeba better than a human
is? Now, there are various parameters on which this question may be answered
but in the most basic and upfront parameter of “SURVIVAL” Amoeba scores and
wins undeniably. I am sure almost all of us agree that the primary goal of our
existence is survival as has been suggested by Robert Charles Darwin in his
famous theories of natural selection. I am a firm believer of Darwin’s theories,
as its proof is so obvious for anyone residing in India. We face intense natural
selection every single day so deniability of the same would tantamount to blasphemy.
While we humans have sophisticated biological, psychological, sexual and other
complex systems in place to ensure we survive, an amoeba makes do with a single
cell performing all functions carried out by humans. Of course, an Amoeba won’t
have rhythmic orgasms like we do, or have lust for money or the feeling of
patriotism, or the need to apply hair gel on their hair, but they still perform
the most important function called “survival” very effectively. And by the look
of it, it appears like more than half of the Indian population is having the problem
of survival while an Amoeba is definitely not having a bad time surviving. If anything,
Amoeba is fast growing in the ultra polluted environments of India while the
exact opposite is happening with the humans. Amoeba or Human then? Well, I
would surely want to be an Amoeba.....
-Sunny Gusain
