Thinking about Liking
Liking, disliking is universal. Everyone likes and dislikes. We all like to eat only certain things, at certain places, cooked by certain persons. But more than that we all like to lead a comfortable life; feel prosperous and better than many many more people around us; like to be free to acquire things that we like. We also like to show off, whether wealth; knowledge or skills, because to like feeling superior to others is another universal human trait.
Many things that we like are metaphysical rather than physical. For example, feeling beautiful; desired or loved. There is a big industry that exploits our this liking, as there is an industry that exploits our liking of feeling secure and safe.
Then we often like to dream, to dream to be like someone else, a movie star, a singer, a dancer or a billionaire. Sometimes we like to believe that we indeed can be like one of these. Believe that our fondest dreams will one day be fulfilled, when we meet someone, we would love to be loved by, someone so beautiful, so handsome, so smart, so rich!!!! Even though we know that it may be really impossible.
Some like to promote an idea, an idea that they think has a universal appeal and usefulness. Like the idea of worshipping, the idea of God or even the idea of meditation. But much more common is the idea of sex. People like the idea of sex so much, that they like to engage in it and produce kids they really do not like. The kids are just a by-product of the desire for sex, which they so much like that they are ready to take on all hardships and risks to have it with persons they like at a particular moment.
Talking of liking at a particular moment, remind me of the current fashion that is raging like fire on the Internet, on social networking sites like facebook. One likes to like a picture or a song, that appeals to mind at the moment. It is indeed so easy, just a small muscular action, a click on a button, whether one really likes or not. Because one does not like to erase the illusion of so called friends, that they are indeed liked by many.
How about you and me? What do you like most? Did you really like my this mini essay? For me, I like to think, I like to be liked.
Rakesh Mohan Hallen