Recycled thoughts

Same thought. New perspective

“Recycled thoughts” is a reality. Or, at least, I believe that.

Because, many ideas or thoughts presented today were already mentioned at some point of time during the past by someone else.

It is quite common to feel that the statement one has just made was told by someone else as well. Even you would have felt it at one point of time or the other, be it a statement made by a politician during his speech, or a dialogue delivered by an actor in the film, or even by your friends during informal conversations.

Remember famous Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan’s popular dialogue from the Hindi film “Om Shanti Om?” He had said, “.... kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaaho to poori kaynat use tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai...” 

It was originally mentioned by eminent author Paulo Coelho in his bestseller “The Alchemist.” He wrote, “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

One might have dismissed Shah Rukh Khan’s dialogue and would have branded him as copycat. But it was said in a different circumstance and with such vigour that Coelho’s statement got a new meaning.

One may find similar examples while reading articles in magazines and newspapers as thoughts of various authors on current affairs might sound similar, but on the whole, their views would be different from each other. 

Similarly, if a politician promises unlimited water supply to win over the trust of residents of a well-developed town, it may not convince them. Yet if the same politician makes the same promise to people at a drought-hit place, it will have a completely opposite result.

One should not dismiss any statement at once. He should try to comprehend the meaning by relating it to the time and circumstances in which it is said.

As it is said, there is nothing new under the sun, you only get a new interpretation.

(Published in The Gulf Today on May 21, 2016)