Kids and I

I think mothers have no sense of style. By this, I am not referring to my mother or your mother but the species of mothers, in general. I saw a woman trying to knot her kid (read: 4 year old)’s hair into a bun. The poor kid had curly hair and wilful wisps kept escaping the determined mother’s hands. The kid, I think, was quite happy before that brilliant woman actually got it into her head to change his look.

Having done that, she proceeded to change his clothes. I am sure there was a compelling reason for her to do that but what the kid ended up wearing made me believe in that all-encompassing, universal sort of statement that I started out with.

The kid, in question, was fascinated by my earphones and kept trying to tug at them. Now I dislike kids ordinarily and this particular one, with his rather alarming tenacity, did nothing to change my mind. But train journeys being what they are, you have to grin and bear.

I don’t understand kids but they seem to understand me, know my mind in ways that scares and fascinates me. There were a thousand other things including another kid in the same compartment. Yet, this particular kid (and even the other one), continued to look at me and gurgle with laughter for reasons best known to them.

I try my best to humour them (which means I puff my cheeks and slap them) and they get amused also. In fact, I have done the same thing every single time I have seen my neighbour’s kid and he gets amused every time.

At the end of it all, I just think it must be fun to be a kid, if your pleasure doesn’t derive from new sources each time.

In search of Mammon

I have been asking people how much money they want. Not to sound pompous or offensive. I completely approve of the love for Mammon but one does wonder how much money people want. I think Central banks would appreciate an answer to that question.

In fact, that is an existentialist question, Camus be damned. (I have a feeling he did hint at something on those lines though.)

I have been getting answers like ‘depends on things’ and even non-answers like ‘I can’t hold on to money’. The latter is an open-ended answer (You can’t hold on to money, which means you want more money or less money?) Lesser the money, lesser the effort to hold on to it or maybe (just maybe) I am hovering in the realm of flawed reasoning.

I don’t think anyone can answer that question. In Economics they say that effective demand is governed by the ability and willingness to pay. I think, everyone is willing to pay ’something’ but no one knows how much.

The World Wealth Report 2007 talks about the Forbes’ Cost of Living Extremely Well Index, established in 1976. This index comprises 42 luxury items, including designer handbags, watches, clothing, high-end spa services, tution at Harvard University, a case of Dom Perignon, 7 pounds of filet mignon, and the price of yachts and helicopters.

I love precision, in economics or in life.