pARODy of aSSUMPtioN

“If you think you are indispensable, go to the nearest graveyard and read the tombstone. He had also said so.”

My secondary school English teacher once told us the above lines. Though I have completely forgotten the context of her saying the above, I remember the line vividly. Even after living with the line for years and mentioning it in many a consolation speeches to people, it is today that the brutality of the line’s truth is haunting me.

Many theories have faced flaks and battled brickbats of criticism because of the fallacious assumptions they base their premises on. The assumptions are sometimes too idealistic to be real, often too utopian to be practical or just too expectant. Theorists are not ignorant men, rather all men of wisdom and intellect. Yet, they err because they assume. The paradox of assumption is that lack of it makes the formulation of a theory impossible, and it makes the theory impractical.

The most FAQ again- to DO or NOT to DO…?

To assume or not to assume. It’s a hard choice between the deep sea and the devil. But, then isn’t it all about making choices ?

I made mine. I chose to assume. I assumed that I was difficult to dispense off. I faulted. They need me as much as I needed them. I erred. But, then the assumption was sine qua non for me to embark upon my march towards my goal. When I started off, it was bright and sunny. Everything around was warm and embracing. Only if that day had hinted of today, probably I would have revised my assumption. But then, there would be nothing left to critique. It is with criticism alone that theories are revised, corrected and reworked to pave way for newer and better theories. The new theories never repeat the mistake of their predecessors. They promise better explanation and fetch more nods in agreement. So, “yesterday” veiling the hint of “today”, though has ruined “today”, but is a boon for a possible brighter “tomorrow”.

Again I make an assumption. I assume a better tomorrow. It’s definitely fallacious for the unseen holds no guarantee, nor assurance of its success. But, I still make it. For my theory of happiness today bases its premises on that assumption. For today’s sake, I take the risk of being ridiculed for my assumption tomorrow. But, then it was a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

I couldn’t agree more with Annie Dillard when she says-

“If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be too cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.”

I jumped…and survival was dear for the sake of dear ones. So, I’m building my wings to touch the ground again.