we see the world not as it is, but as we are.

Most of the times, we like things with whom we can easily relate ourselves. Sometimes we like a quotation, although it is just a normal one, because that quote reflects our state of mind at that point of time. Sometimes it so happens that we had listened to a song so many times in the past, but we didn’t like that, but all of a sudden we listen that song in a state of mind which matches with that of the song and that song becomes one of our favourites. Perhaps “we see the world not as it is, but as we are.” And here also lies the truth of life- People live in different states of life, some are poor, some are extremely rich, some are fortunate, some are not but still people feel happy or depressed in the different streams of life. It is because outside things can never give a person happiness; it is his inner state of mind that makes you feel happy about a few things and sad at a few things. Take an example of a toy, it may give happiness to a small kid but the same toy would not be able to give the same amount of happiness to an adult. It means that happiness is not in the toy but it is in the state of mind (sounds like movie Matrix?). It also depends on the belief system one follows. Belief system or call it culture- what is that? Culture can be defined, in other words, as the brainwash of person in order to benefit the society. Extending our analogy of toy to the example of beef. We, in hindu society, are barred from eating beef and therefore we don’t like eating it while in western countries they eat and enjoy beef. The beef is the same; what has changed is our perception towards it. It is more dependent on our state of mind. We enjoy things not as they are but as we perceive them.