BONFIRE TOPICS

Welcome to The Bedouin Lounge

Sifr, the arabic word means zero (English: Cipher). It is nothingness, void, the perfect circle, a cycle of unending. The ancient philosophers would say nothingness is the absence of something and anything. The invisibility.

Here, we dwell on that nothingness. Sit in a circle around an invisible bonfire and construct ourselves from that nothingness that each of us holds within ourselves. Share our experiences and points of view on a multitude of topics discussed by turns.

Every month or so, we'd find ourselves a topic on which each of us could discuss. Share your thoughts through articles and by commenting on other's articles. If you think you've already written something on the current topic in the past, feel free to share it with us. You're free to publish as many articles as you wish pertaining to the topic. For who knows, your article might just change the outlook of a fellow bedouin.

How to Publish:

This is how it works - publish your article in The Bedouins blog. While you're posting just copy-paste this link - Read All Other Articles on This Topic Here at the end of your article (on the post page itself). You must do this so that I can understand that your article is meant for this section. On my part, I'll make sure that your article is featured under SUBMITTED THOUGHTS in this page. All articles on the topics raised would be cataloged properly and archived for easy access in the future for any reader browsing the web. So, don't think of your articles as insignificant. ALL YOUR THOUGHTS COUNT.

Also, make sure that you comment on your neighborhood bedouin's articles giving your genuine thoughts.

Now let's move on to this month's topic -

Topic # 1: CHILDHOOD & PARENTING

"I do not know how it happened myself! From childhood I feared everybody; as I grew up I began to hate everybody, some for their meanness, others--well, I do not know why--just so! And now I see all the people in a different way. I am grieved for them all! I cannot understand it; but my heart turned softer when I recognized that there is truth in men, and that not all are to blame for their foulness and filth."

- Maxim Gorky, Mother

How much of ourselves do we carry from our childhood? Does our childhood ever turn into obscurity with time or does it get itself seated deeper into our sub-consciousness ultimately becoming our personality? Have you ever wondered if you're still a child?

Share with us the thoughts and experiences of your childhood, your days with your parents. Or if you're a parent yourself, your experiences of parenthood - the innocence and the fragility of your child. Tell us about the times in which you grew up (or you find your child growing up now). Enlighten Us!

SUBMITTED THOUGHTS

My thoughts on Childhood. by MotherSky

Share Yours!

The Bedouin Lounge

Mind some coffee? Or is it just listening to your folks that interests you? The Bedouin Lounge is the place you come for all of these and more. Yeah, people! It's the place where you can sit back and enjoy or be part of the events - take the centrestage; find out what your fellow bloggers have been saying and include your own inputs on the same. Whatever you say in any of the events in here would be carefully organized manually with what everyone else had to say. Be creative, be funny, be nostalgic or serious. Your thoughts always count. And what's more - you do so in front of an audience that's always present - the tribe of Bedouins, flesh and bone, always ready to react from the inner core of their hearts or by a perfect rationality if the needs be. We all know our folks and I hope you won't disagree with me on that.

Here's a list of events that's currently going on in the Lounge. Check 'em out! .... And don't forget to take part. See ya in some other part of the tent.



THE BEDOUIN STUFF

• GET INTRODUCED TO THE BEDOUINS
• MAKE SUGGESTIONS
• BEDOUINS' NEWSROOM
• BLOG ARTCYCLOPEDIA

THE ON-GOING EVENTS

1. BONFIRE TOPICS
2. PSEUDO-PHILOSOPHICAL SOUP
3. CREATIVE CROSSINGS
4. VISUAL GALLERY
5. SPECIAL EVENTS

So, if you consider yourself to be a wanderer, mail me at clownscape@gmail.com and I'll add you as a co-author which is all you need to take part in most of these events. It all comes with a Bedouin's metaphorical wardrobe.

PSEUDO-PHILOSOPHICAL SOUP

Welcome to The Bedouin Lounge

"The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth stating, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it."

- Bertrand Russell

" What if nothing exists and we're all in somebody's dream? Or what's worse, what if only that fat guy in the third row exists?"

- Woody Allen

" I think, therefore Descartes exists."

- Saul Steinberg

I think you've already got a fair idea of what would be the general mood in this tent. If you haven't as yet, then you've perhaps been all too philosophical and my suggestion would be you stop being thus if you want to take part in this philosophical discussion. Now let me answer your queries -

What is this discussion all about?

Philosophy.

Who can take part?

All people who know little or nothing about philosophy.

How is that possible?

It's not.

Then, how do I take part?

Look, you've already started considering yourself as one of those "people who know little or nothing about philosophy". But you've still been a part of this discussion. Haven't you?


Discussing about philosophy can be fun when you assume that you know nothing about it - because it gives you infinite freedom on what to discuss and how. You don't need to remember all the "-isms" [such as rationalism, existentialism, post-structuralism, prism (oops, sorry not the last one)]. We'll create our own Pseudo-philosophical universe (yeah, whatever that word means!)

HOW TO PLAY

First of all, there would be a topic. Second of all, the entire discussion would be taking part in the comments section in form of dialogues (as in a drama). Third of all, each of you'd be playing a character - You may choose to play as yourself or any other character chosen by you (say, "The Senator" or "Spiderwoman"). In case you choose to play someone else, mention the character you're playing in your very first comment. Fourth of all, anyone can take part in this dialogue including NON-MEMBERS. Last of ... whatever's left, each discussion would run for exactly a month after which no more new comments would be allowed.

If you have any questions ask them here (as comments), otherwise move on to This Month's PSEUDO-PHILOSOPHICAL SOUP and take part. Make it funny and have fun!

"To all those who still wish to think about man, about his reign or his liberation …who still ask themselves questions about what is man in his essence…who wish to take him as their starting point in their attempts to reach the truth…to all these warped and twisted forms of reflection, we can only answer with a philosophical laugh -- which means to a certain extent, a silent one."

- Michael Foucault