For the uninitiated, A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly businessman who detests the world and everyone around him and there is a certain sense of reciprocity to the feelings. Then, on the eve of Christmas he is faced with three ghosts who take him through a journey that changes his (remaining) life forever. A masterpiece by Charles Dickens, read it to believe it (I am no fan of Charles Dickens but this work is really awesome though some might find it a bit childish). Though, Scrooge is a highly successful businessman, in the journey to his 'success' he keeps on loosing those near him. The result is a person with a lot of potential sources of happiness (read money :P) but no one really to share it with. (Another piece of work that conveys this message very well is "Into the Wild" but in a different light).
Now, for me, what's so creepy about this book is that in real life I so often meet people like Scrooge that I am afraid that given enough time I might also become one. I like to think of myself as an optimist but truth be told, the number of grumpy old (though many of these are not exactly old) people around at times sucks out all the optimism. I understand that people have their experiences and points of view but it is difficult for me to grasp when money is given precedence over feelings. I feel really sad for people who are not able to sympathize with other people and their situations. People who, either by their innate nature or conscious thoughts, decide to exploit someone or put someone in misery. I pity them because they are eventually doomed to a 'Scroogian' life and am afraid of them because their attitudes might rub off on me. And hence I read and re-read "A Christmas Carol" to remind me of what I must never be.
3 comments:
some people find their loneliness comforting. our interpretation of their loneliness may not be correct. such people may appear to be living Scroogian lives to us, but may be at complete peace with themselves. guess everyone's wired differently. i wouldn't claim to understand those people and therefore not judge those who are very different from me. sometimes i feel the simple phrase 'whatever makes you happy' cannot be stressed enough.
The difference, in that case would be weather loneliness is by choice or an unintended by product of your actions. In most cases, I think its the latter.
However, my argument was less about loneliness and more about how I dread becoming a person who fails to acknowledge that people have feelings.
If you can see see through these people as scrooge, no need for you to worry I guess.... I dont remember any one in CC being influnced by scrooge himself.
Good piece ... got me into into introspection mode, am becoming a lil bit of scrooge myself...will buy my telescope
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