Who Reads My Writing
I do not play the guitar for applause. I sing of the difference between what is true and what is false. Otherwise, I do not sing.
Violeta Parra
I am an ordinary man. In a room full of people, I will be in no way conspicuous with my presence. I feel out of place in most social surroundings - a perpetual square peg in a round hole. I feel more at ease when I am with myself. I do not have anything to prove to anyone, no pretence, no show to put up, none to impress. No success, no failure.
I think, speak and write in English. For an Indian, it is a privilege. Why? We have been free of colonial rule for almost 74 years. Yet, most of the population cannot afford to go to school.
I had a decent middle-class upbringing in a metro city like Calcutta. When I was growing up, it was Calcutta. Now, it is Kolkata. Growing up in a place like Calcutta is again a privilege, as in India, most of the population lives in rural areas devoid of the most basic civic infrastructure.
I have my share of failures and successes; to be honest, more failures than successes. And, here I am, writing this newsletter. If you are reading my newsletter, it shows a few discerning readers like you also read my posts. This credit is also not entirely mine. You may be reading this by chance, not with any deliberate intent.
In no way can I claim that what I write is very insightful, unique, or of high literary merit. I write to satisfy my urge to communicate, to give a form to my often scattered thoughts. My writings do not follow any set patterns. I write on subjects that interest me. It could be from what I have recently read. It could also be an issue on which I have an opinion.
The point here is not if you would agree with my opinion. The point here is to initiate a dialogue. In society and the epoch we are living in now, we are suffering from a peculiar ailment. The ailment of trying to impose our opinion on others, never accepting others as they are, and always sitting on the judgment seat. The only way to recover from these ailments is by having dialogues and recognizing others as individuals.
So, not liking what I write is acceptable, as long as you share your views and the reason you do not accept my views. Let us engage and get involved.
One of my favorite quotes is by the French philosopher Voltaire, when he said, “ I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
I’m Barun Ray, a freelance writer. Before becoming an aspiring writer, I had worked in the corporate sector for more than 30 years.
I am also an avid reader and I love to read about diverse subjects. They may be as diverse as sociology, economics, history, natural science, religion, mythology, and political theory. I am not a scholar by any yardsticks. But I am curious about many things and topics.
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I have been writing this blog since December 2019.
Initially, it started as a casual endeavour during the COVID-19-induced pandemic. Gradually, I evolved into a more mature writer. Though, I agree I have a long way to go.
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