Shamelessness: A Pyrrhic Victory or A Modern Virtue?

In an unscrupulous world, where the shameful are castigated and the shameless are exalted, shame is the last thing that a person can feel proud of. More often than not, failure is a prelude to success, but the Shameless is so daunted by the fear of failure that he is willing to resort to any means to ward off the possibility of a failure. In his deceitful efforts to actuate a situation of success, he can easily stoop lower than the most wretched of the creatures and in the process become the most heinous species of the despicable lot. The Shameless is a random anomaly that cripples a system with his malice and endless opportunism, thereby completely rendering it order less. The Shameless has a soul that’s tainted by his own sins, which he commits at a rate faster than his heartbeat. A victory that’s earned at the cost of scrupulous virtues is nothing more than a Pyrrhic Victory – A victory won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor. Success earned at the expense of others is ain’t no victory and is worse than a defeat most shameful, but that’s what the Shameless find impossible to decipher. There’s always a thin line that separates virtue from vice and when one crosses it on several occasions it ceases to exist. That’s precisely what the Shameless excels in! Adorning a heinous clad of shamelessness he walks down the boulevard of others’ broken dreams, which he shatters mercilessly on his way to earning the PSEUDO-GLORY. The Shameless is a paragon of desperation and often wears a mask of virtue behind which his fiendish personality proliferates. They say that it is the end that defines the means, but the Shameless toys with the means to tie his loose ends so frequently that no one can tell the means from the end, for it all becomes a part of a complex mismash that only he and his likes can fathom. With a sense of ridiculous ease, he wipes out his hapless victims who often find it difficult to identify the perpetrator. Amidst the pervasive darkness what goes through the mind of the Shameful is too loud to be ignored. He is forced to ask himself the following:

To be or not to be that is the question:

Whether it is nobler to go down with pride,

Or to settle for a pitiful existence

Is it bravery to keep on fighting a lost battle?

Or is it desperation to eke out a pittance

What of the efforts that go in vain?

Where the opportunistic trouble-makers are ever victorious

And those worthy are robbed of the glory

Where the undeserving bask in the sun,

And the righteous are treated with contempt

If the end result is always a painful failure,

Then ain't it futile to keep on trying

When dealing with the unworthy and the ungrateful:

Whether one should quietly suffer the torments of ill fate,

Or one should fight for when the outcome is a certain destruction

To fail to try or try to fail that is the question?

Corporate Calling: The Quintessential Parvenu

Following the unprecedented success of the first edition of my much appreciated Corporate Calling series, I present to you the highly anticipated sequel, Corporate Calling: The Quintessential Parvenu. 

They say life is a joke that very few people can afford to enjoy. But, the sad part is that ever fewer realize  its true importance. As one climbs up the ladder, one encounters a whole bunch of different individuals. While some want fame, others want money; some have a liking for glamour, while others have an eye for voyeur. Yet, there are some whose want exceed not only their grasp but also their imagination. They are insatiable, for they want virtually anything and everything. Such species of quintessential parasites is termed as the The Quintessential Parvenu.

The Quintessential Parvenu, a dangerous creature oozing with malice and arrogance, has nothing but contempt for fellow human beings. His comfort at deceiving his peers, and his uncanny ability to bend the rules helps him attain new heights in almost no time. There are not many who are aware of his obscure past. His mastery over deception makes him more lethal than a viper. Like a rattler, he can strike from both the ends, and often does. He is a paragon of desperation. His apparent sense of superiority is a facade to hide his grave sense of inferiority, and that's what makes him fallible, but yet he's difficult to dispose, for he's not afraid to stab you in the back, and he'll do it with ridiculous ease and utter lack of compassion. He is the incarnation of Evil, and yet he would be the first one to portray himself as an Angel in front of those who he want to impress.

The Quintessential Parvenu is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a venom that has no anti-dote, a disease that has no vaccine. He is like a malignant tumor that refuses to be cured. He is a parasite of the highest order, for he knows whom to exploit and how. His ways are vitriolic and his style silken. He is both vengeful and unforgiving, and hates the guts of others. He is good at identifying his soft targets, and can enslave them on a mere whim, and they remain enslaved for a long time to come. The Quintessential Parvenu is a shameless creature who knows no bounds. Like a true fanatic, he is always concealing a secret and a doubt; secret that, if disclosed, could shake the very roots of his existence, and a perpetual doubt in his own abilities that often makes him ruin the lives of others out of a mere sense of insecurity.

The Quintessential Parvenu is an illegitimate heir to a disputed crown. He is a certified sadomasochist, who enjoys the after-thought more than the activity itself. He is incorrigible villain, a contemptuous reprobate who is both pitied and despised, more pitied than despised.  

But, since the great leveler, the wheel of fortune is unbiased, and acts completely of its own accord, nothing is guaranteed in the world of great highs and lows. What goes around, comes around! It doesn't take long for the hunter to become the hunted, for time is a master trickster. The higher one climbs, the more fatal is the fall. Alas, The Quintessential Parvenu often fails to realize that change is the only consistency in life! Once he is down, he must be delivered a knockout punch, for there is no wisdom in being bitten by the same scorpion over and over again. The courage to fight such a diabolical spirit can only come from within, and so one should not give up until the evil has been obliterated and the order has been restored.

Always remember, those who have the power also have the responsibility to fight anarchy and injustice!



Note: The first edition, The Quintessential Parasite can be read at the following link:


http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/2011/09/corporate-calling-quintessential.html

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The ‘Ice man’ returns to Formula 1

The cat is finally out of the bag! The commonplace has made way for the sublime with the 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen signing a two year contract with Lotus Renault GP, putting to rest months of conjecture. The world of motorsports had been rife with speculations pertaining to Kimi’s F1 return with his name being linked to a number of different teams. Post Italian Grand Prix, there had been several occurrences alluding to his possible link up with Team Williams. There were spiced up talks of Williams trying to strike a deal with Kimi at Abu Dhabi during the penultimate race of the season, but nothing could be substantiated.

However, it is Lotus Renault GP which has finally succeeded in acquiring the services of the Finn. The news was made public by Lotus Renault GP’s team principal and FOTA’s vice chairman, Eric Boullier soon after season finale atBrazil. The inclusion of the flying Finn, who is widely renowned for his inexorable composure and equanimity as a driver, has taken the number of world champions competing in 2012 season to a record six, which already includes Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. Raikkonen will drive alongside Vitaly Petrov for the 2012 season.

Post Schumacher, only one charismatic driver has managed to fill in his shoes by winning the world championship driving for Ferrari. Yes, that driver is none other than Kimi Raikkonen! It is indeed ironical that it was Schumacher who had stymied Raikkonen from winning his maiden world championship back in 2003. On his arrival in Formula 1 in 2001, Kimi was downplayed by many as Miki Hakkinen’s dummy, but he proved them wrong through sheer assiduity and managed to carve a niche for himself in the world of high octane and drama. Popularly known as the ‘Iceman’, the Finnish driver is as much notorious for his off-circuit mood swings as he is renowned for his driving exploits. But, when it comes to the on-circuit daredevilry, the Finn comes second to none.

Kimi’s F1 journey has been nothing short of a vivid dream. He entered Formula 1 as a regular driver for Sauber-Petronas in 2001 before joining McLaren Mercedes in 2002. His sublime show at McLaren quickly catapulted him to title contention. He finished second, losing the championship to Michael Schumacher a­­nd Fernando Alonso in the 2003 and 2005, respectively. He joined Ferrari in 2007 and ended up winning the driver’s championship, becoming the highest paid driver in motor sport with an estimated wage of $51 million per year. He left Formula 1 after the 2009 season to try out a career in rallying.

If one goes through the record books, one would find Kimi Raikkonen’s name associated with quite a few of them, especially the ones dealing with raw speed. But, this vivid picture also happens to have a darker side. Harsh questions have been raised over Kimi Raikkonen’s commitment and professionalism after his shocking move to quit F1 in 2009 in spite of being under a contact. His stubbornness and caprice have earned him the notorious tag of a temperamental driver. His critics refer to him as “all or nothing driver”.

Now that Raikkonen has finally decided to make a comeback to Formula 1, he will not only have to once again prove his mettle, but will also have to work extremely hard towards rebuilding his professional image. Raikkonen is reportedly swooned over by the ambitious roadmap laid down by Lotus Renault GP. The Lotus Renault GP team is going through a phase of reconstruction after Renault’s role got reduced to that of an engine provider after it sold its 25 percent stake to Lotus Cars back in December last year. The Lotus Renault GP team is equally excited to have a former world champion within their ranks and are hoping that Raikkonen’s entry would fit well in their plan of things.

However, the question that is lurking on everyone’s mind is whether these two colossi of the bygone era could actually strike some much needed chemistry to spark up their prospects in the 2012 season?

Readers, please feel free to share your opinion by leaving your comments. As always your feedback is highly appreciated!

Please note the article was originally published at sportskeeda.com, the link for the same is:

http://www.sportskeeda.com/2011/12/03/the-ice-man-returns-to-formula-1/

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