Thursday, March 17, 2011
Concentration
When in deep in thought asking the unanswered question "who am I", there is a fleeting glimpse of nothingness. It is so fleeting that it becomes impossible to concentrate and prolong that any further.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Revolution in India
Not possible ... no common enemy like in Egypt or other countries. Benefits of democracy ...
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Intellect and wisdom
Dubukku's post on Kamal's kavidhai triggered this post.
Our education system and society values information gathering very highly. This is seen in the umpteen quiz competitions where the winners are called geniuses. How can knowing a few facts and details which is entirely dependent on memory be called a genius - I wonder?
Some people cross this information gathering stage and demonstrate the ability to convert information into knowledge - like connecting the dots. They acquire information and connect one piece with the other and make their own inferences. This I think is the intellect we talk and hear so much about. With due respects to Kamal I think he belongs here.
Wisdom is something that helps us decide which information to use where, how to 'show off ' our knowledge without hurting anyone and most importantly the value of unsaid words. This does not come with education or exposure but with a deep meaningful search within and with life experiences.
The differentiating factor is - arivu and viveham. Arivaligal ellam vivehigal illai.
Our education system and society values information gathering very highly. This is seen in the umpteen quiz competitions where the winners are called geniuses. How can knowing a few facts and details which is entirely dependent on memory be called a genius - I wonder?
Some people cross this information gathering stage and demonstrate the ability to convert information into knowledge - like connecting the dots. They acquire information and connect one piece with the other and make their own inferences. This I think is the intellect we talk and hear so much about. With due respects to Kamal I think he belongs here.
Wisdom is something that helps us decide which information to use where, how to 'show off ' our knowledge without hurting anyone and most importantly the value of unsaid words. This does not come with education or exposure but with a deep meaningful search within and with life experiences.
The differentiating factor is - arivu and viveham. Arivaligal ellam vivehigal illai.
Monday, December 06, 2010
ஹௌஸ்வொர்க் அண்ட் endorphins
அந்த நாளில் வீட்டு வேலை செய்ய பெண்கள் பயந்த மாதிரி தெரியலை. எக்ஸர்ஸய்ஸ் பண்ணினால் என்டோர்பின் ஜாஸ்தி ஆகும். அது ஒரு காரணம் எக்ஸர்ஸய்ஸ் பண்றவங்க ரெகுலரா பண்றதுக்குன்னு கேக்கும்போது ஒரு வேளை என்டோர்பின் தான் வீட்டு வேலை மாங்கு மாங்குன்னு அந்த காலத்ல செஞ்சதுக்கு காரணமோன்னு தோன்றது .. உங்க அபிப்ராயம் என்ன ???
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Two school drop outs
Two boys, both children of security guards. One kid is above average when it came to grasp and quite intelligent , the other one a dyslexic child.
The above average kid was sent to a CBSE English medium school, could not cope with the medium of instruction and dropped out of school for good.
The dyslexic child went to a govt school and there was no support for a special needs child, he too dropped out.
How do we convince both parents that it is not the fault of the children but it is the system at fault and they should not be blaming the kids or punishing them for dropping out of school?
The above average kid was sent to a CBSE English medium school, could not cope with the medium of instruction and dropped out of school for good.
The dyslexic child went to a govt school and there was no support for a special needs child, he too dropped out.
How do we convince both parents that it is not the fault of the children but it is the system at fault and they should not be blaming the kids or punishing them for dropping out of school?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Window for sports
There is a very small window for children to explore sports in a serious manner (till 16/18 years max). Still why is it that we give preference to education that has a much larger window (life long) than to sports????
Friday, May 29, 2009
Adoption
Do people spend so much time thinking and asking questions around when they have their biological children? Why cant they follow the same while considering child adoption??????
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Economic downturn
What does economic downturn to IT crowd mean - watching your kids eat rice instead of burger and pizzas ... seriously people, in a country where hunger deaths are still a reality, these software professionals are trying to garner sympathy for themselves with these ridiculous statements.
An entire generation was thrown open to the credit card culture with very poor or no money management skills. One of the IT tycoons, started this fiasco for us, where he defined wealth as a measure of success. People misread it as only wealth is the measure of success and did not bother to strenghthen their values or principles in life. They lost the skills to handle difficulties in life.
I dont know if I will be seen as insensitive when I laugh at these 25/28 year olds who just dont have the skills or the attitude or the courage to manage a mild slip in their standard of living . A worker in a textile mill (with no college/school education) had more courage than this when factories and mills were shut down and people lost their jobs. They found alternate means to earn and make a living.
An entire generation was thrown open to the credit card culture with very poor or no money management skills. One of the IT tycoons, started this fiasco for us, where he defined wealth as a measure of success. People misread it as only wealth is the measure of success and did not bother to strenghthen their values or principles in life. They lost the skills to handle difficulties in life.
I dont know if I will be seen as insensitive when I laugh at these 25/28 year olds who just dont have the skills or the attitude or the courage to manage a mild slip in their standard of living . A worker in a textile mill (with no college/school education) had more courage than this when factories and mills were shut down and people lost their jobs. They found alternate means to earn and make a living.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Inheritance
What would happen to the society if there was a strict law against inheriting wealth from family/friends/parents, grand parents, grand uncles et al.... ?
Monday, July 07, 2008
Bubble Boy
Once again - this is about a program on Australian TV.
Its about a child born with no immunity whatsoever and from the time of his birth he is kept in a bubble. He grows inside the bubble and the doctors create a space suit kind of stuff for him, so that he will have some mobility and see the world around him. It was so heart wrenching to see him inside the suit watching the other kids cycle and play. For some reason he is scared of the suit and refuses to get into it. They just expans the bubble and he gets his school lessons etc inside it with a psychologist working with him from outside. One doctor suggests that he comes out of the bubble and cope with life. They try a treatment which fails and just before he dies, the mother gets to touch him.
The medical ethics of this case was discussed. Apparently, this boy's case provided very useful insights to the medical field.
As I am typing this, I have tears in my eyes picturing the boy walk inside the bubble touching the walls of his confinement.
Its about a child born with no immunity whatsoever and from the time of his birth he is kept in a bubble. He grows inside the bubble and the doctors create a space suit kind of stuff for him, so that he will have some mobility and see the world around him. It was so heart wrenching to see him inside the suit watching the other kids cycle and play. For some reason he is scared of the suit and refuses to get into it. They just expans the bubble and he gets his school lessons etc inside it with a psychologist working with him from outside. One doctor suggests that he comes out of the bubble and cope with life. They try a treatment which fails and just before he dies, the mother gets to touch him.
The medical ethics of this case was discussed. Apparently, this boy's case provided very useful insights to the medical field.
As I am typing this, I have tears in my eyes picturing the boy walk inside the bubble touching the walls of his confinement.
Monday, June 23, 2008
What a debate - Intelligent design and evolution
Australian TV telecast a program on a school that introduced "Intelligent Design" as part of their curriculum to teach biology. The court scene and the debate on whether it should be included, was so good .... I have never enjoyed anything on TV so much.
To cut a long story short (I strongly recommend that everyone watches the two part episode), one question to the Intelligent Design proponent - was - whether it is a science, since science is empirical in nature. He said yes it is and he asked them to observe the bacteria flagellum for 10,000 generations to see if it mutates and evolves since one of its feature according to him was intelligent design. When the Darwin proponent said that is not a good answer, this gentleman said has anyone tested the evolution process .. voila ...
I am not propagating Intelligent Design, but the way the debate progressed was so good ...........and it was a great learning for me
To cut a long story short (I strongly recommend that everyone watches the two part episode), one question to the Intelligent Design proponent - was - whether it is a science, since science is empirical in nature. He said yes it is and he asked them to observe the bacteria flagellum for 10,000 generations to see if it mutates and evolves since one of its feature according to him was intelligent design. When the Darwin proponent said that is not a good answer, this gentleman said has anyone tested the evolution process .. voila ...
I am not propagating Intelligent Design, but the way the debate progressed was so good ...........and it was a great learning for me
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
If you have it flaunt it
When I was young it was very common to hear this word alpam.... it meant people who are greedy and will not spend on others.
I was reading an article by Kanchi Sankaracharya that there is a sin known as alpitham. It means showing off your wealth and worldly possessions in an inappropriate manner. He further went on to say that flaunting your wealth is a sin, since it equals to eating food in front of someone starved/famished.
I am wondering if the word alpam stems from alpitham?
Does alpitham have a place in our 'if you have it flaunt it' world?
I was reading an article by Kanchi Sankaracharya that there is a sin known as alpitham. It means showing off your wealth and worldly possessions in an inappropriate manner. He further went on to say that flaunting your wealth is a sin, since it equals to eating food in front of someone starved/famished.
I am wondering if the word alpam stems from alpitham?
Does alpitham have a place in our 'if you have it flaunt it' world?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Desensitization
NDTV debate on WWE and its impact on children, triggered this blog.
Desensitization as a behavior modification technique in Psychology is used to treat phobias and anxieties, in addition to a host of other neurotic problems. In this process, the person is vicariously exposed to the anxiety provoking stimuli through visual imagery and the anxiety level is brought down.
Experts talk about children being able to distinguish between real and imaginary visuals. I have seen adults watching the video showing the beheading of a journalist , twin towers crumbling down and a boy in Bihar being tied to a bike and drawn without any feelings whatsoever.
It appeared to me that adults could not distinguish between reel and real since they are desensitized to violence by watching hollywood, tollywood, bollywood - movies.
Mind, has unique capabilities and somehow we seem to simplify things taking only the conscious mind into consideration. Even the psychiatrist on the show did not bring up the point on subconsicous and unconscious minds and how they interact with the conscious brain... these shows are turning more into entertainment rather than a platform for meaningful debates.
Desensitization as a behavior modification technique in Psychology is used to treat phobias and anxieties, in addition to a host of other neurotic problems. In this process, the person is vicariously exposed to the anxiety provoking stimuli through visual imagery and the anxiety level is brought down.
Experts talk about children being able to distinguish between real and imaginary visuals. I have seen adults watching the video showing the beheading of a journalist , twin towers crumbling down and a boy in Bihar being tied to a bike and drawn without any feelings whatsoever.
It appeared to me that adults could not distinguish between reel and real since they are desensitized to violence by watching hollywood, tollywood, bollywood - movies.
Mind, has unique capabilities and somehow we seem to simplify things taking only the conscious mind into consideration. Even the psychiatrist on the show did not bring up the point on subconsicous and unconscious minds and how they interact with the conscious brain... these shows are turning more into entertainment rather than a platform for meaningful debates.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Love
'My love for her had killed my lust for others' - Graham Greene.
Is this what everyone wishes from the other? I would even want to substitute the word lust with love.
Is this what everyone wishes from the other? I would even want to substitute the word lust with love.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Password
Always thought I was a technophobe, I now realize I am a technodumbo.. learnt how to use my google account to log in just now
Saturday, April 14, 2007
India - i love my India
Happened to see some statistics today:
Do you know where maximum income is spent by people living in slums - toilets - if it is a five member family @ 2Rs each 10Rs a day*30 days =300 Rs.
No of schools where there is no toilet for girls - 85% of govt schools
One of the reasons for girls dropping out of schools - no toilets
Number of teacher positions not filled - more than 35000
Number of trained teachers who are unemployed - lakhs
India has defined diversity in newer ways
Do you know where maximum income is spent by people living in slums - toilets - if it is a five member family @ 2Rs each 10Rs a day*30 days =300 Rs.
No of schools where there is no toilet for girls - 85% of govt schools
One of the reasons for girls dropping out of schools - no toilets
Number of teacher positions not filled - more than 35000
Number of trained teachers who are unemployed - lakhs
India has defined diversity in newer ways
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Sensory Overload
TV channels' efforts to optimize screen space is making it difficult to view the program.
A ticker at the bottom with information running, a scroll bar on top with information flashing, weather forecast on top right corner flickering away, sound track for a documentary that suppresses the speaker's voice, half screen images of interview and the other half showing a song or some pictures on the interviewee............
Please please pass this feeback to channels and help the likes of me
A ticker at the bottom with information running, a scroll bar on top with information flashing, weather forecast on top right corner flickering away, sound track for a documentary that suppresses the speaker's voice, half screen images of interview and the other half showing a song or some pictures on the interviewee............
Please please pass this feeback to channels and help the likes of me
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Join the dots
football - servant - landlord - daugther - son- woman- lust- love- reason - boredom - fantasy - an orgy - love - marriage - happiness - heartache - anger - pain - separation - togetherness - coming together - repel - outside - inside - reason - manipulation - sincere- loneliness - marriage - friends
There are no random acts in this world everything is connected
There are no random acts in this world everything is connected
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)