The head and the heart

"You know what the problem with people is?"

"What is it?" I asked tentatively. True, this did not seem like it was heading towards a listing of my flaws but you never know. Experience had taught me that the most innocuous of beginnings can end with my being compared to a snail for IQ, with the snail winning in a canter.

"They use their heads when they should use their hearts. And use their hearts where they should use their heads."

This was getting...what's that word starting with 'e'...egotistic...no...exotic...no...ah, esoteric!

"Why are you looking like a drunken donkey? No idea what I am talking of as usual, I suppose."

Well, I was actually wondering about when he had had occasion to drink with donkeys but...Too often, questions like that had landed me with the reply, "Every time I drink with you, of course!", so I kept silent.

"You see, when you are going off on a business trip and your five year old kid is crying about it...is that the time to be teaching him about the market economy and labor markets?"

"What? But who..."

"Almost everyone it appears. 'You love chocolates, don't you? If Papa has to get you chocolates, he had to work. Only if he works he will get the money to buy you those sweet sweet chocolates'. BAH! Give the kid a hug and tell him you will be back soon. Ask him to give you a smile, kiss the tears away. He is only missing you, wants to know you will be back soon, wants reassurance. Instead people think it is the right time to teach him economics."

This WAS esoteric. I mean, I don't have kids of my own, not having entered that state of marital bliss, as someone with a sense of humor named it. If I had and if that kid had any sense, it would be crying alright...when I returned from the trip. And as for me as a kid, my interest in my dad being home depended upon whether it was the time for my monthly test results to come or no. IF they were imminent, I'd send him off on a trip myself, if I could. So, this kid crying and the means of consoling etc was so much Greek and Latin to me.

"And when it comes to the time where you need to use the head, what do they do?"

I looked up apprehensively. Did he expect me to answer? No, thank God, it was one of those so-called rhetorical questions.

"Like, you are discussing a new law; or the Budget; of some diplomatic mess. You expect people to assess the facts, understand the pros and cons and come to a conclusion."

You do? Well, I must confess I used to expect the same, yes! But, come on, really who has the damn time. And, for a lot of things, you also needed to acquire knowledge even to understand the facts.

"Instead, they go by the heart. Is the guy who is saying this someone I like? Then HE is right. Is it someone I hate? Obviously he is talking nonsense if not outright lying to mislead people. Is the guy who is saying this someone who likes someone I like? Then..."

Now THIS was making me dizzy. So dizzy that I lost my customary caution and blurted, "Alright! I get the point. They go by the heart."

"Yes! Deciding issues based on whether they like the person, instead of checking whether what he said is right."

Yeah, Right! As though you could. I mean, in these days there are multiple sets of facts depending on what you want to prove. You don't even know what is true. Even if Truth has not gone all relative like Time and Distance and all that, its impossible to find what is the absolute truth. So...

"God knows why we think we are an intelligent species", he said, and walked out.

Now THERE I agree! Essentially, since we have ALL lost our heads, we might as well go with the heart!