Google is a funny browser. No matter how I search for one of my favorite pieces of writing, and I have tried every trick in the book, it offers me only citations of that piece in other pieces of mine on the subject of yoga. It is as if the piece itself is nowhere to be found on the World Wide Web although it has been available on my Residua website for eighteen months already. A year and a half! Oddly, it is the piece that provides a straightforward account of enlightenment or liberation as I understand it, and in no more than a thousand words. Indeed, “On Liberation” (October 4, 2017) says it all without any dithering. It rests on a number of my pieces about yoga, which are dutifully cited for further reference. So, how come Google does not recognize it? Asking Google would be a waste of time, no doubt whatsoever. The ban, for that is what it must actually be, comes from a powerful source, I reckon. Much money is involved in the yoga industry at this point in time, and outsiders such as myself are only a nuisance to the industry magnates, of which there are many around the globe by now. Whence the ban. But I am not complaining, it goes without saying. I only wish to point out one of the features of good old Google, reportedly a browser past compare. Its alleged mission is to organize world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Deep down, though, capitalism is about money and nothing but money. That is, wealth of those who own companies that provide all manner of goods and services, including browsers of all kinds. Google, Schmoogle.

To Larry Page and Sergey Brin

Addendum I (September 21, 2019)

Five months later, the piece in question cannot be found by googling still (“On Liberation,” October 4, 2017). And this is the case in spite of my subsequent pieces citing it in earnest (“On Liberation, Again,” April 10, 2018; and “On Liberation, Again and Again,” June 13, 2019). When I wrote this particular piece about Google, I was propelled by vague hope that explicit criticism of the browser, as well as the mock dedication to its illustrious founders, would do the trick. Silly old hope! I can imagine the magnates of the yoga industry laughing their hearts out at my attempt to circumvent their ban. The only benefit of my misguided hope is that I now know for sure that the piece in question is mighty indeed. It would not have been banned otherwise, I reckon. Three cheers for Google!

Addendum II (January 27, 2020)

Not expecting any surprises, I googled “On Liberation” (October 4, 2017) a couple of days ago, and it popped up in front of my eyes right away. Wow! I could not believe my eyes at first, but there it was. To be sure that I was not hallucinating, yesterday I tried my luck once again, but I came up with the same result. Before sitting down to write yet another, and hopefully last, addendum to this piece, I just went for it one more time, and the piece on liberation that is closest to my heart appeared on the screen without any hassle. Goodness gracious! Even though the piece’s inaccessibility for nearly two years will remain a puzzle, and a troubling one, I cannot but express my thankfulness to good old Google and its founders. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I can only hope that the piece in question will remain accessible from now on. Actually, as long as the World Wide Web is up and about. Fingers crossed.