The Voyager is a weekly newsletter where I, Karn Nahata, share with you the discoveries I made on my voyage through the Internet. Sit back, grab something to eat, and enjoy the ride :)
Shock & Awe
Hunter S. Thompson was an American journalist and author. A counterculture icon, he was the very definition of badass. He was best known for being the founder of the Gonzo Journalism Movement - an unconventional style of journalism that relies on the reporter’s personal involvement in the story, instead of relying on hard facts and claiming complete objectivity.
Thompson lived a truly bizarre life. He was infamous for his love of drugs, guns, and violence. His work often blurred the lines between reality and imagination. From being beaten up by gangs to running for Sherrif and almost getting elected, his life was full of wild stories. In 2005, at the age of 67, Thompson died by suicide.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
-Hunter S. Thompson
In 1958, fresh out of the Air Force and struggling to make a living in New York, Thompson applied for a job at the Vancouver Sun, a daily newspaper. In what might be the greatest job application of all time, he wrote with a level of confidence that is unexpected of a young, broke, and unemployed man. The brutal honesty with which he expresses his desires and opinions is an absolute delight to read
You can read his application here.
He ran with the gods and walked with the crippled
Muhammad Ali is one of my greatest idols. It is difficult for me to put into words the impact he has had on me. Watching his interviews and reading his stories have filled me with inspiration during the lowest of times. He was the Champion of Champions, one of the greatest to have walked the face of this planet. A true fighter in the ring, not many are aware of his contributions outside it. He was a social activist, a generation-defining voice against the cruelties of war and racism.
I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous, and who treated everyone right. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him, and who helped as many people as he could. As a man who stood up for his beliefs no matter what. As a man who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love. And if all that’s too much, then I guess I’d settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn’t even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.
-Muhammad Ali
Billy Crystal, a famous actor, and comedian was one of Ali’s closest friends. During his young days, Billy gained a lot of popularity for his imitation of Ali. After Ali’s retirement from Boxing, his friendship with Billy grew into something which was very pure and strong. In 2016, Ali died after years of declining health due to Parkinson’s disease. In what is one of the most beautiful eulogies, Billy speaks about his friendship with the legend. He will make you laugh your heart out, while also deeply moving you from the inside.
Time is a but a stubborn illusion
When a person dies, he only appears to die. He is still very much alive in the past…All moments, past, present and future, always have existed, always will exist. It is just an illusion we have here on Earth that one moment follows another one, like beads on a string, and that once a moment is gone it is gone forever
-Kurt Vonnegut
Time is an intriguing concept (one to which I plan to dedicate an entire edition someday). It is fascinating to think about how we interpret time. I once read somewhere about how time makes us a prisoner of the present, transitioning from our own past into an unknown future, and it left an indelible mark on me.
Albert Einstein, arguably the most influential scientist of the 20th century, dabbled with the concept of time all his life. His General Theory of Relativity changed our understanding of space and time.
Following is a scene from the National Geographic show Genius, a series on the life of Einstein. Geoffrey Rush, the lead actor, does a tremendous job as Einstein. In this particular scene, Einstien is teaching physics to a bunch of students. He opens the class with a fundamental question - What is time?
It is a beautifully visualized scene, one where Einstein, in his attempt to give an answer to this question, takes you on a journey to the sun, while also jumping between timelines.
Until next Sunday.
Hey there. Thanks for reading. Would love to know how these pieces made you feel. Also, any discoveries you made on the Internet that meant something to you. Drop an email and let me know :)
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" .... Beautiful.....my favourite quote...what an amazing personality
TIME...we try to outrace it ,not realising that when our " time" comes , we will have to stop and then cannot go back into time to do those little things we kept postponing.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" .... Beautiful.....my favourite quote...what an amazing personality
TIME...we try to outrace it ,not realising that when our " time" comes , we will have to stop and then cannot go back into time to do those little things we kept postponing.