Wanderings in the Twilight Zone

The wonderful thing about people with bipolar disorder is the simplicity of their writing. Stripped of embellishments that others need to complete their sketches, the manic depressant prefers to be blunt. Loathing of society and their intense self-pity combine to create such a keen perception that startles the reader.

SSS,

Sorry I misread words ``This article was submitted by SSS``. I thought SSS was another media where this was submitted. Anyways, SSS, welcome to chowk. I am welcoming as a reader. I am not a chowk staff. I will look forward to reading your cousin`s novelette. Psychology is a topic of interest although I am Statistician by education and Programmer by profession. I hope my following comment will be thought as relevant:

Kishorlal Mashroovala who was a Gandhian freedom fighter once wrote an essay entitled ``Khoti Titiksha`` (Suffering of Wrong Kind). Main theme of essay was how western man had always strove to find ways to improve life and remove limitations life imposes on living.

As a comical example he contrasted the story ``Swiss Family Robinson`` with how an Indian author would write a hypothetical novel called ``Indian Family Rao Sen``. In Robinson story family engages in providing themselves with coveniences they enjoyed back home when they become stranded on a deserted island.

On the other hand Indian author would show Rao Sen family subjecting itself to suffering even though they did not step out of their palatial home provided by dozens of servants. Suffering would be glorified and such story would be popular. Devdas is our hero. Suffering is our second religion.

We say it is our Kismet and accept it. And I agree with Mashroovala. Western man faced with debilitating diseases did not accept them as fate but strove to make medicines. May be west still needs East`s values. May be we both need each other.

-ew

Could SS let us know whether this is a memoir and if so, is it more fictive than autobiographical?

What a pitiful life you`ve been dealt. Instead of congratulating you on your acceptance of destiny in a manly manner, I will pityingly glorify you by reading your writing. After all, you are such a victim. You deserve attention.

Great piece of writing -

Writer,

Great to read a mature voice. I`m already drawn in by the mystery and pathos of the narrator`s life. Nice echoes of certain themes repeated by various characters, and dont think the cats and liars/writers lines werent amusing...

Have you read A Gesture Life by Chang Rae Lee? I think I cried for days after reading that novel...same wise narrator`s voice....

Shashank Lele,

You are a good story teller.

In the last line it says that ``This article was submitted by SSS``. Where is SSS? Is it a print media or is it on internet?

Thanks, -ew