Why Your Brain Doesn't Care If You Read or Listen (But You Might Be Losing an Old Skill)

(3 mins read)

Sometimes I finish a chapter and can't tell you what happened on the page before it. Not every time, just often enough to notice. For years I quietly blamed myself for it, thought it meant my attention was slipping or my memory wasn't what it used to be. Turns out it's probably not about the book at all. It's about how much attention I actually bring to it, whether I'm reading or listening. Most people don't put it that way though. They blame the medium, and audiobooks usually take the hit.

The New Guilt: Is Listening "Real" Reading?

Ask any book club, and someone will confess it, usually with a little shame. "I listened to it, does that count?" There's a quiet assumption that audiobooks are the lazy cousin of real reading, fine for commutes, not fine for anything that matters.

The research says otherwise, at least for a big chunk of what we read.

What the Brain Actually Does

In 2019, researchers at UC Berkeley scanned people's brains while they read and listened to the same stories. They built detailed maps of which brain regions lit up for which meanings. The surprise: the maps for reading and listening were almost identical. Your brain doesn't file "meaning" differently depending on whether it came through your eyes or your ears.

That holds well for narrative, stories, memoirs, anything with a flow. It holds less well for dense, information-heavy material like textbooks. Print still wins there, and for a simple reason: your eyes can flip back, your fingers can mark a spot, and the page itself gives you a spatial cue, top left, third paragraph - that your ear never gets. Reading also seems to leave less room for your mind to wander off.

One more myth worth killing: reading and listening to the same book at once doesn't make you learn it better. The combined effect is barely there. What actually matters, far more than the medium, is attention. A fully focused audiobook beats a distracted page every time, and a focused page beats a half-listened podcast.

Here's Where I Think We're Fooling Ourselves

That "I can't hold an idea from chapter one by the time I reach chapter five" feeling gets treated like a fixed limit of the human brain. I don't think it is. I think it's a learned dependency, and printing is what taught it to us.

Go back far enough, and you find people who memorized entire texts, not chapters, entire books, word for word, and carried them for a lifetime. Oral traditions across cultures did this as a matter of course. Reciters held whole epics in their heads. In the Islamic tradition, memorizing the entire Quran, well over six thousand verses, is still common practice today, done by ordinary children, not savants.

Blind readers make the same point in a smaller, everyday way. Without the option to flip back and skim, they lean harder on tracking meaning as it comes, and they manage just fine. The mental storehouse is still there. It just doesn't get exercised much in sighted readers, because the page is always right there to check.

Cheap, easy access to printed books did for memory what GPS did for a sense of direction. We didn't lose the ability. We just stopped needing it, so it went quiet.

So What Should You Actually Do With This

Don't feel guilty about audiobooks. Match the medium to the material: fiction, memoir, and narrative nonfiction work beautifully as audio, especially with full attention. Dense or technical material still benefits from print's ability to be reread and marked up.

And maybe, once in a while, try the harder thing on purpose. Before you check your notes or flip back a page, try to recall the last chapter from memory alone. It won't come easily at first. That's the muscle waking back up.

The real skill was never in the ink or the sound waves. It was always in the attention you brought to either one. Audiobooks didn't make us forgetful. Cheap printing just let a much older muscle go quiet.

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Sources

• Deniz, F. et al., "The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality," Journal of Neuroscience, 2019: https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/39/7722
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVU_XbcDc4s

The Three-Body Problem Trilogy: Why Liu Cixin’s Universe Redefined Sci-Fi for Me

(4 mins read)

Last month, I finished one of the most ambitious, mind-bending trilogies I’ve ever read: Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past. It’s hard to even put into words what these books did to me. After closing the final page of the third book - Death’s End, I just sat there, staring into nothingness, my brain refusing to return to reality. It’s that kind of story, one that makes you question your place in the universe, and at the same time, feel grateful for the fragile humanity we carry with us.

I originally picked up The Three-Body Problem because of the hype around Netflix’s adaptation. The trailer intrigued me, but I wanted to experience the book first. Going in blind turned out to be the best choice.

First book: The Three-Body Problem

The first book was a fascinating blend of science, philosophy, and history. Liu Cixin doesn’t shy away from hard science, and that’s both its strength and its challenge. Concepts like the three-body problem itself, sophons, and dimensional manipulation were fascinating and, at times, overwhelming. The alternating timelines between China’s Cultural Revolution and the present added depth, though I found the historical portions slower compared to the present-day mystery.

What stayed with me most was the originality of Liu’s ideas. Even though the book didn’t completely pull me in emotionally, it laid an extraordinary foundation. I knew I had to keep going, hoping the next books would build on this brilliance.

 

Second book: The Dark Forest 

The Dark Forest took everything to the next level. The scope widened into an interstellar chess game, introducing the unforgettable Dark Forest Theory, a chillingly logical explanation of why the universe is silent. It’s one of the most haunting concepts I’ve ever come across in fiction.

The characters finally hit home for me. Luo Ji’s arc, from indifferent scholar to the unlikely savior of Earth, was phenomenal. His dynamic with Da Shi (the rough, humorous detective) brought balance to the otherwise heavy philosophical tone. And then there was the Droplet probe, perhaps the most devastating piece of alien technology I’ve ever read about. The scene of Earth’s space fleet being destroyed, utterly brutal and breathtaking, still gives me chills.

This book left me with awe, dread, and a profound sense of cosmic insignificance. For me, this was the high point of the trilogy.

 

Third book: Death’s End

If The Dark Forest was brilliant, Death’s End was overwhelming in the best way. The scale explodes, dimensional strikes, dark forest deterrence, curvature propulsion, lightspeed travel - it’s pure, unfiltered hard sci-fi. And yet, Liu doesn’t water it down. He respects the reader enough to give it to us straight, which I really appreciated.

What made this book unforgettable, though, were the character arcs and emotional undercurrents. Cheng Xin, Yun Tianming, Luo Ji, AA… their stories stretched across centuries, yet they carry emotions we all recognize: love, sacrifice, longing, and loss. These human echoes anchor the epic, reminding us why survival matters at all.

Still, I’ll admit the ending left me conflicted. It was beautiful, yes, and haunting in its open-endedness. But something felt flimsy compared to the towering ambition of the rest of the story. Not knowing Yun Tianming’s full fate left me with an ache, maybe intentionally so. Maybe that’s Liu’s point: in a universe this vast, closure is a luxury.

 

Screen Adaptation

Alongside the books, I also dipped into the adaptations. Netflix’s 3 Body Problem season 1 did a solid job in bringing Chinese culture and storylines to the global stage. I also sped through Tencent’s version, though admittedly skipping scenes here and there. Both had their strengths, but as is often the case, nothing quite matches the depth of the written word.

 

Final Thoughts

This trilogy isn’t just sci-fi - it’s philosophy, it’s cosmology, it’s humanity under a microscope. It redefined the genre for me. I’ve enjoyed Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary immensely, but Liu Cixin’s vision operates on a whole other plane.

It’s not an easy read - at times overwhelming, at times unbearably sad - but it’s absolutely worth it. The books are a must-read. The shows? Worth watching, especially as companions, but they can only scratch the surface of the world Liu has built.

And now, a small confession: I’m tempted to pick up The Redemption of Time, the unofficial continuation that promises answers - especially about Yun Tianming. But I’ve also heard mixed reviews. Part of me wants to dive in, and another part doesn’t want to spoil the surreal, sacred experience of the trilogy.

Either way, one thing is certain: Liu Cixin’s work has opened a door for me. I’m now looking at the stars a little differently, and searching for my next great sci-fi read.

Boost Your Brainpower: The Cognitive Magic of Holding a Book

(2 min read)

In our fast-paced, digital world, it's easy to forget the simple pleasure and profound impact of reading. But as a recent YouTube video highlights, reading remains a fundamental human activity that continues to shape who we are. It's not just about acquiring information; it's about nurturing creativity, intelligence, and empathy.

The video, titled "Importance of Reading in the Digital Age", explores the changing landscape of reading in the digital era. While digital devices offer undeniable benefits, such as instant access to a vast library of content and the ability to share stories effortlessly, they also come with potential drawbacks.

One concern is the impact of screen reading on comprehension and focus. Studies suggest that reading on screens can lead to shallower processing of information and difficulty concentrating on complex topics. This is likely due to the constant distractions and multitasking temptations that digital environments present.

However, the video argues that we shouldn't demonize digital reading altogether. It acknowledges the convenience and accessibility that ebooks and online articles offer, particularly for those with limited physical book access. The key, the speaker suggests, lies in finding a balanced approach.

This means incorporating both print and digital reading into our lives, leveraging the strengths of each format. Curling up with a physical book can provide an immersive, distraction-free experience that fosters deep understanding of the things being read.

The video concludes with a call to be mindful of the potential downsides of screen reading and to take steps to mitigate them. This might involve setting aside dedicated screen-free time for reading, choosing longer-form content that encourages focused attention, and utilizing apps or website extensions that promote distraction-free reading environments.

Ultimately, the importance of reading remains constant, regardless of the format. By embracing a balanced approach and fostering a love for reading in all its forms, we can continue to reap the cognitive, emotional, and social benefits this essential activity offers.

Key takeaways:

• Reading is a fundamental human activity that shapes our cognitive, emotional, and social development.
• Digital devices offer both benefits and drawbacks for reading.
• Finding a balanced approach that incorporates both print and digital reading is crucial.
• Be mindful of the potential downsides of screen reading and take steps to mitigate them.
• Cultivate a love for reading in all its forms to reap its lifelong benefits.

I hope this blog post, inspired by the YouTube video, has encouraged you to reflect on your own reading habits and consider how you can incorporate more reading into your life, whether through the tactile joy of physical books or the convenience of digital devices. Remember, the most important thing is to keep reading and reaping the countless benefits it offers.

Is audible similar to reading a book?

“Audiobooks are like cheating”, someone mentioned to me once. She meant they’re not really like reading a book. Technically she was right. Listening to an audiobook isn’t the same as reading a physical book.

People learn differently. There are 8 different ways to learn. Audio and visual both works for me. Human beings have been sharing information orally for tens of thousands of years, while the printed word is a much more recent invention.

Few things I have observed, while experiencing both physical books and audiobooks and they are as follows:

• You want to feel a book? Get the essence? Hold a physical copy of the book or a kindle
• Want to kill time productively? Audiobooks should be your friend
• Multitasking? Listen to audiobooks while jogging, running, cooking food, washing dishes, etc.
• I always listen to fiction books on Audible. For non-fiction I prefer to sit down with pen and highlighter to take notes, which I couldn’t do while listening
• Audiobooks are relatively quicker. You can also increase/decrease speed according to your choice
• Comprehension wise audiobooks should be avoided. Hence a novel is preferred for audiobooks

A love of reading shouldn’t have parameters or rules as to what type of reading “counts.” Personally, I have found an immensely rewarding common ground in my reading life with both audiobooks and reading. Each creates differing experiences and memories, but neither is better or worse than the other. I can’t imagine my reading life without an abundant mixture of both audiobooks and reading.

I have read 19 books in the past 6 months. Here are my Top 5

There's no denying the fact that books are best friends. It is no different for me. And like friends you can be selective on who you pick. There are more than a million books released every year and 1000s of them each day. One can only read a handful of them in their lifetime. Hence, it is very important to pick good books to read. Based on the goals and time one have, one can choose the books to read. Being a parent  to a very naughty kid and full time employee in a Data Science company, I am quite picky with what I read in my limited time. 

I set up goal every new year and keep revising them every quarter. At the start of 2021, I intended to read books on finance and leadership and few famous fictions (award winners mostly). Almost, every book teaches me something new, some more than the others. I have read more than 15 books in the first half of this year. Here are my top 5 (in no particular order).

1. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Image from Goodreads

If you want to read only just one book about finance and wealth - this is the one. It is one of the those books that lays the fundamentals required for investment and saving your money without pushing and punishing with a lot of jargons and technical terms. According to the author - as opposed to the popular idea, numbers on spreadsheets don't determine financial decisions. A person's psychology does. That's why, with some rational thinking, you could set yourself on the path of raking in handsome rewards with your investments.

This is definitely a more than one-time read book.

Few lessons from the book are: 

1. Save, save and save

2. Believe in tail events, only few will give you huge returns

3. Luxuries don't impress anyone but yourself

4. Money is what you don't see. Rich people do not spend unnecessarily 

5. Keep room for error. There will be times when things go wrong. Be okay with that

6. Be a long term player, make friends with long term outcome instead of short term spikes

7. People respond to their experiences. Don't judge them

8. And for many more - read the book

2. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Image from Goodreads

We have been made to believe that in order to succeed in this competitive world you need to be specialist. David Epstein tries debunk that myth. With enough examples, he showcase his discovery that in most fields - especially those that are complex and unpredictable - generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. 

I have been a fan of being a generalist and this book gives me enough evidence that I wasn't an exception.

Few learnings from the book:
1. Instead of specializing, especially early in your career, he says, explore and diversify your interests
2. Don't feel behind -Approach the personal voyage and projects like Michelangelo approached a block of marble, willing to learn and adjust as you go, and even to abandon a previous goal and change directions entirely should the need arise
3. Compare yourself to yourself yesterday, not to younger people who aren’t you
4. Interleaving - For knowledge to be flexible it should be learned under varied condition
5. Hypercorrection effect – the more confident a learner is of their wrong answer, the better the information sticks when they subsequently learn the right answer. Tolerating big mistakes can create the best learning opportunities
6. His final message is to remember that there is nothing inherently wrong with the specialization

3. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

Image from Goodreads

The story is a beautiful tale of love, integrity and hope from one of the most gruesome war of human history. Eva, the protagonist starts forging documents for identification for Jewish in order to save them from the cruelty of German Nazis. As the story unfolds how Eva did what she did to save the people and the support she received from well intended people; we also get to know the love she has for books in general. The story is indeed beautiful and engaging and leaves you with all the more optimism, that can bloom even in the darkest of the times.

Few quotes from the book which I will keep close to my heart:

- We are only responsible for the things we do—or fail to do—ourselves
- I know it's sometimes hard to believe the best. Isn't it better than believing the worst, though?
- He had taught her to love reading, one of the greatest gifts a parent could give a child, and in doing so, he had opened the world to her
- I’ve always thought that it’s those children—the ones who realize that books are magic—who will have the brightest lives

4. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Image from Goodreads

I was told by my book club colleagues that read anything by Matt Haig. I started with the Midnight library and I wasn't disappointed. This book is sometimes philosophical and tend to repeat the same message again and again at few places. But in general I found it quite intriguing. Nora the protagonist meets a librarian on the day she took her life and then is taken in for a ride. 

This is indeed a well written book, which will make anyone contemplate their life choices, regrets, decisions and life in general. Found so many lessons - more importantly to not lose hope under any circumstances: 

- Every life contains many millions of decisions. Some big, some small. But every time one decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. An irreversible variation occurs, which in turn leads to further variations . .
- You don’t have to understand life. You just have to live it
- Dream big . . . You can be anything you want to be. Because in one life, you are
- Well, that you can choose choices but not outcomes. But I stand by what I said. It was a good choice. It just wasn’t a desired outcome
- She didn’t want to die. And she didn’t want to live any other life than the one that was hers. The one that could be a messy struggle, but it was her messy struggle. A beautiful messy struggle

5. Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Matt Haig

Image from Goodreads

Getting to this book was not planned. Amazon was giving this in huge discount. Bought it and then read it and did not regret it. The book is easily read within couple of hours but I think it kind of motivated me to be proud of what I do. The book won’t drastically change your life and most of the things it mentions are logical things but it was kind of good to read these things. The book is full of good advice that's to the point and easy to follow.

In today's world everyone is an artist or creator in a sense. Everyone creates something or the other. This book will help you how to bring one's creation out to the world. Austin teaches you how to introduce yourself at a party, how not to be human-spam, to tell good stories, to share something small everyday, to build a mailing list. But then there are good life lessons like being grateful, stepping away from what you are doing, or starting over, teach what you know, think process not product, and so much more. The book uses examples and points and drawings which make it very digestible and fun to read! I Hope I do apply some of the things I learned here.

I really recommend this. If you're looking to boost your output of creativity you'll love this.

Honorable mentions

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant is a collection of Naval's wisdom and experience from the last ten years, shared as a curation of his most insightful interviews and poignant reflections. This book is available for free on navalmanack

The Decision Book: Fifty Models for Strategic Thinking

The Decision Book is a reference book, not a book to read linearly from cover to cover. The book is structured into 4 main categories: 1. How to improve yourself, 2. How to understand yourself better 3. How to understand others better 4. How to improve others

So You Want to Know About Economics

A short, sweet and simple book takes on a huge task of explaining economics in a very lucid way

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

This incredibly wholesome and hopeful book will leave you charmed with uplifting messages

Leadership U: Accelerating Through the Crisis Curve

Leadership starts with starts with 'U' but it's not about 'U.' In Leadership U: Accelerating Through the Crisis Curve, Burnison lays out a framework--his "Six Degrees of Leadership"--to show leaders how to create change: Anticipate, Navigate, Communication, listen, learn and lead

Disclaimer: Clicking on the links for the books will take you to Amazon site for book purchase. If you buy it using that link I will get some commission (as per the affiliate program)

6 things to learn from Eva and her love of books

Recently I finished a book called "The book of lost names" by Kristin Harmel. The story is a beautiful tale of love, integrity and hope from one of the most gruesome war of human history. Eva, the protagonist starts forging documents for identification for Jewish in order to save them from the cruelty of German Nazis. As the story unfolds how Eva did what she did to save the people and the support she received from well intended people; we also get to know the love she has for books in general. Here are few excerpts copied from the book which I have noted down for myself and something I totally align myself with. I want to keep coming back to these quotes and remember how wonderful book lovers/readers are.

1. The protagonist (Eva) thinking about her father

"He had taught her to love reading, one of the greatest gifts a parent could give a child, and in doing so, he had opened the world to her."

2. Eva while visiting a bookstore and meeting its owner

"Eva refused to believe that a person who had made a life from books could have evil in her heart."

3. Eva while visiting the church's library for the first time

"Books, wherever they were in the world, always felt like home to her."

4. The church's priest talking about the what bookstore's owner felt about Eva

"When she came to see me, she said that anyone who saw the magic in books had to be good.”

5. Old Eva while waiting for her flight and watching a preschooler engrossed in a coloring book

"I’ve always thought that it’s those children—the ones who realize that books are magic—who will have the brightest lives." 

6. Old Eva while visiting the library in modern day Germany

"Once you’ve fallen in love with books, their presence can make you feel at home anywhere, even in places where you shouldn’t belong."

Get yourself noticed

A few days ago I was reading a book called "Show your work" by Austin Kleon . And like it always happen, I was trying to relate it to my past experience. First thing first, the book is a wonderful source through which the author conveys his action plan to get oneself noticed. The simple yet profound insights which also includes his creative images, anecdotes and examples will surely leave impact on reader's mind. The book is definitive step by step tool to showcase ones creative talent.

Now, coming back to the experience which I was reminded of while reading the book. I was on my way to Asansol (a city in West Bengal, India), where we stopped midway at a place called Shaktigarh for meals. The place beside the highways is crowded by sweetmeat shops, coconut water, chaats (an Indian street savoury snack which is a mixture of sweet curd, puffed rice, boiled potato, etc.). Among everything else I was attracted mostly to a man who had decorated his stall in such a beautiful manner that one could not take eyes off him. I was astonished to see the process and efforts he had applied for him to get noticed. I quickly got my phone out and took his photo. 

Dan Brown's Inferno - Review

140 characters would not justify the review of this book and so I had to turn to my blog. Seriously, I had so much in my mind when I was reading the book but now I am out of words. Pray, why does it happen to me?

Anyways, I will try re-collecting my thoughts and put them here. I would like to alert you because there are SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

Dan Brown's Inferno is one of the decent books I have read, not the best, sorry. Being a fan of Dan Brown, I pre-ordered (for the first time) and was not disappointed after the novel ended. The picturesque descriptions of cities were amazing. Dan took me to those places and I could imagine myself with Tom Hanks (yes, I can only think of him as Robert Langdon) and Sienna moving along the streets of Florence, Venice and Istanbul. If given a choice I would definitely want to go to Istanbul, one of the cities mentioned in the book.

Robert Langdon the usual protagonist in Dan's novel is simply brilliant. Even without his harris tweed jacket and the "mickey mouse watch" his problem solving techniques is amazing. The way he decipher the code is breathtaking. From the bone cylinder to death mask to St. Mark to Yerebatan Sirayi, the skills Langdon shows one could easily guess the amount to research Dan has put to bring out such a awesome novel.

With so many description of churches, palaces & corridors the story seems to be dragging itself. I had to just quickly read through it to get to interesting part. The time taken to complete the last 30% of the novel reduces drastically. The story takes a U-turn from where Sienna's identity was revealed. I had to turn back to the pages where FS-2080 met Zobrist and ended up being in his arms and re-read the chapters once again. Dan was using the code FS-2080 and a reader would have thought it to be Ferris but no it was Sienna. The twist in the plot was very well executed.

I was very much impressed by the way Dan mixed up an age old poem, Inferno of Dante Alighieri with current world problem - over population. The story revolved around Zobrist's attempt to sacrifice some of the world's population so that others in future may be benefited and can sustain their livelihood on Earth. Langdon along with WHO's director were thinking of some plague or catastrophe but ultimately Zobrist chose sterility, with no killing or mass murdering involved. Other reader must be thinking it is much simpler and easy solution better than killings but I am never impressed with any solution provided to curb over-population. There are somethings which we should leave it on God's hand and then forget it. God has His own plan of handling things. I plan and you plan but it's the God who's plan is the best.

Nevertheless, there was no antagonist in this novel. In the end I kept on thinking that if everyone was thinking for the betterment of humanity then why didn't they sit around a table and discuss, why run and hide from each other.

It was interesting to learn about trans humanism.  This is the best part of Dan Brown's novel. Freemasonry, Illuminati, Noetic Science, TRANSLTR, CERN, large hadron collider, Antimatter and now H+. Along with that it was a good amalgamation of WHO, SRS, ECDC, high IQ people and there own problems. If any motivation I got from this book, it was to visit Istanbul, Hagia Sofia and the blue Mosque and to know my IQ.

The book didn't have any lose end, and I think the plot of this book among others is the closest to reality. Though like any other I have few concerns:
1. With respect to the viral vector, I know scientists and genetic engineers are yet to formulate such kind of thing but henceforth if I see a married couple without a child I would have question to ask myself, "Have they already created the DNA-altering viral vector, or is it something related to 'no child before certain years of marriage' planning and enjoying youth life :P?"
2. Why did Zobrist chose Istanbul as ground zero? It could have been anywhere else, may be some more populated cities of the world. May be Tokyo, may be Mumbai, but why Istanbul? I can think of 2 reasons, 1) may be because Istanbul is the only city in two different continents - Europe and Asia, but this does not make much sense; or 2) may be because Dan has visited Istanbul recently and he may have liked the city and must have thought, ok I will include this city in my next novel.

Nevertheless, It was good travelling 3 cities in one day. I stretched it to around 50 days but I had a good experience. While just surfing through the web I found this, - the novel ends with "stars" just like how every poem of Dante does."
  - The sky had become a glistening tapestry of stars.

And now I have to think of how to use the bookmark. Probably Khaled Husseini is next.


 

Revolution 2020

"Because enough is enough"
What do you say about the society whose top leaders are the biggest crooks? What do you do in a system where almost anyone with the power is corrupt? India has suffered enough. From childhood we are told India is a poor country. Why? There are countries in the world where an average person makes more than fifty times that an average Indian makes. Fifty times? Are their people really fifty times more capable than us? Does an Indian farmer not work hard? Does an Indian student not study? Do we not want to do well? Why, we then doomed to be poor? ( Don't laugh at my self-indulgent)
This has to stop. We have to clean the system. Che Guevara, the great revolutionary once said, "Power is not an apple that falls from the tree in to your lap. Power has to be snatched from the people who already have it." We have to start a revolution, a revolution that resets our corrupt system. A system that shifts power back into the hands of the people, and treats politicians like workers, not kings.
Ofcourse, this won't happen overnight. This won't happen until the real sufferings begins. As India's young population increases, we will need more good colleges and jobs. Soon, there will be not enough colleges. I want it to happen by the year 2020 and so call it Revolution 2020. The movement that will finally shake the muck of India. 
When the internet will connect all colleges across the country.
When we will go on strike, shut down everything, until things are fixed.
When young people will leave their classes and offices and come onto the streets.
When Indians will get justice and the guilty will be punished.
And it will begin with "YOU"

The above paragraph is indeed taken from the book "Revolution 2020" by Chetan Bhagat, with little modification. But I wanted to convey my thoughts and his words were appropriate. I always feel proud about my country. It really has some charm in its simplicity, its nature, its common man. But I have questions against it too (which is obvious).
Why don't politicians give direct answer to common man's question?
Why don't the post of politicians have an educational criteria? Is age the only factor to become a politicans?
When will I hear "India is a develop country"? Its been more than 60 years of Independence. Our forefathers use to say we are developing country, then our grandfather and our father and now us. Does it take so long to become a developing country? Its like Bangladesh playing in Test Cricket. We don't want draws. We want victory.
When will I stop hearing this " Yeh India hai, yahan aisa hi hota hai, iss desh ka kuchh nahi ho sakta???"
Don't we have self respect? Can't we take a broom and clean our own place? Can't we be much tougher? I know it all begins with me. But alone we may not survive. Unity is strength. If not all then we youngsters can definitely do something about it.
How about starting with a "sacrifice"? We can do much better if we can sacrifice our time. If we can sacrifice our pleasure. Sacrifice to make India a better place to live in. If all of us sacrifice then an individual's sacrifice will be less and he will not feel it. DO something about your country buddy. I know you can do it. I know we all Indians can do it. I have seen it. It was during the "World Cup Cricket 2011" We all gathered to support our very own country. And our support showed. We won the Cup. We all got together, celebrated . We shared our joys, and yes we sacrificed our work to take India to glory. that is the sacrifice we need to make, but for a longer period. Start thinking about it. I know this country have been inflated a lot and it will burst any moment. Be prepared for that moment.
Jai Hind.

Truly yours,
Tanzeel Haider