I was just watching A beautiful mind and searched google for John Nash Jr. In his Nobel lecture, he said: "....So at the present time I seem to be thinking rationally again in the style that is characteristic of scientists. However this is not entirely a matter of joy as if someone returned from physical disability to good physical health. One aspect of this is that rationality of thought imposes a limit on a person's concept of his relation to the cosmos. For example, a non-Zoroastrian could think of Zarathustra as simply a madman who led millions of naive followers to adopt a cult of ritual fire worship. But without his "madness" Zarathustra would necessarily have been only another of the millions or billions of human individuals who have lived and then been forgotten." Amazing personality!
It made me to think whether being rational is always essential for living in harmony with society and one's personal life. I guess being rational can be the right way for being a social human creature but it is not the only way of making the life beautiful for one and his/her loved ones. It is always difficult to live not being rational and sheep follower; being stubborn and following one's intuitions (or so called delusions in language of science) rather using calculated risk strategy. I guess we (representing the herd of social creatures) follow the so called 'logical' approach to live life which to many of us sound and even work the right way. I hope they should be succeeding in the quest of final common goal of being happy for what they wanted in the life. But what about life of those who don't follow the rational or 'logical' path, being criticized for their behavior? Don't they succeed and importantly don't they reach to place where they wish one day to be? I strongly believe they do reach to their respective dream destination. They didn't care for what others had to say for their work and behavior, as the writer of this movie says: "...What truly is the logic? Who decides the reason?..." (see video 1) It's not necessarily about being Dr Nash's way, there are many around us who are/were like him. To me, what is more touching is to follow the intuition and work regardless of outcome(s). As Steve Jobs' said: ".....You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
Don't settle because it's a privilege of being a human after 84 lakh of other living forms.
| Video 1: What truly is the logic? | Video 2: An Inspiration |
Reference:
1. Original article (The Nash equilibrium) | Nash, J. F. (1950) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 36, 48–49 | PDF
2. The Game Theory | PNAS classics
3. Video interview with Dr John Nash (Sept 2004) | Real media file
4.The commencement address (June 12, 2005) of Steve Jobs at Stanford university link
