Negative Marking in Exams is Regressive to Open Creativity

A recent order passed by Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madras High Court on the plea moved by a JEE (Main) 2013 candidate is indeed a very interesting and surely a pragmatic lawful procedure. The order states that negative marking bars a candidate from wild to mild intuitive guessing and actually affects the creativity of the candidate. Negative marking has always been regressive and doesn’t provide for any basis for efficient performance nor proper molding of the intellect. It is nothing but a draconian act of unreasonable filtering process that gives an agency a sadistic approach to exams and students and unbridled power to make even a possible future good brain into a mass of hopeless decadency.

In fact, negative marking as carried out by National Testing Agency, in this case, is nothing but plain stupidity. It should be removed at once and so also with all other agencies that carry out these practices. If at all the agency is not convinced of an answer then the candidate may get zero mark for that particular part of the question and no negative marking or deduction should be made from the rest of the answers.

Why is this so? In the practical world there are no humans who are plain perfect in sharp contrast to examinations that are likely to determine and emphasize this particular point alone. The possibilities of a human to move from one area of work to another and the potentials that he or she may possess to pave way for a good career is limitless. Under no circumstances should the mind be binding to certain stereotyped way of thinking and acting so long as the acts and the way of thinking is, by and large, quite positive for the society.

Needless to say exams are important as they bring out the best from a student yet they are not to be used as a deliberate tool for moderating intuitive guesses and practical reasoning based on hunches.

Guessing Intuitively and Analytical Reasoning

The future of all our thoughts begins with guessing intelligently and then taking recourse to end the argument with analytical reasoning. This may not be that easy as it sounds although the whole process may be not that daunting if you were to understand how it is done. When you start a process of thinking especially when there are no possible solutions in sight and when there are nothing but limitless possible answers and when any answer may either appear possibly as a good one or a bad one you need to stretch your imagination a bit more and take a path that you think may possibly bring out best return for a solution or possible solution.

Needless, to say when one trek through imagination doesn’t yield the solution you naturally take another trek on yet another path and so on till you get somewhere around a possible solution, if not stumble upon one right away. This is the arduous task and perhaps the most important one. Now, it should be borne in mind that when you trek a path you do this by analytical reasoning and resorting to vertical thinking in the end. Guessing is actually intuitive thinking if not randomly or clumsily done. This means that you know through your own feeling or intuition that the probability of something being there or doing an act that has hitherto not acknowledged or found and is not quite likely in the usual way of sequencing of information, yet you believe it to be quite obvious as a hunch, triggers that rare intuitive feeling in you to look at the object or the acts of the object such that you formulate a basis of your further deduction and reasoning with the assertive belief that the fact of the matter or its solution lies there and no where else.

Lateral Thinking and Vertical Thinking

When you look at possibilities for a problem or an issue then there are perhaps numerous such ways that a solution to it can be ascertained. This however do not mean that these number of solutions actually paves way of solving the problems rather it triggers a necessity to go deeper into the understanding of the problem or the issue such that the best of the ways could be generated in order to bring about the best possible solution.

Both lateral thinking and vertical thinking has to co-exist so that the society marches forward positively. Too much of vertical thinking may not be right (as in an exam) as it tends to make student adhere to one or few stereotyped way of thinking only. Again, too much of lateral thinking process may not be right as there is no consensus in solution that is very much wanted by the society. Here, lateral thinking is of no use unless it gives out solutions to problems. Above all if it is a societal problem then a general consensus without prejudice should be formed. This means out of all lateral thinking a vertical thinking process should be adopted that serves the whole society without any prejudice so that no large part of section is left out or which in turn gives rise to other pockets of opportunities for yet a whole lot of others to take advantage of such division.

Sitting on possibilities (lateral thinking) may not be the right thing if a societal need is to be addressed. It spews forth unprecedented confusion which may eventually turn out to be a bane for the whole society. Naturally, this too is the basis of marriage, to serve as an example, where a lot of possibilities may emerge and biologically there is no end to the possibilities as to how many children one can have in the process through sexual proximity with anyone including ones own parents, siblings, progenies’ and near relations. Nature or God may not stop this. But from the societal point of view this may be a bane and not something to be vied upon. Hence the vertical thinking gives reason to emphasize the point through marriage of two individuals, while the lateral thinking, in this case, is done away with or proved fatal for the society.

So out of the possibilities you need to select the best outcome that holds some understanding to the problem at hand. This is what is called intuitive knowledge. This is quite rare and therefore a system should be evolved so that even in an examination students may carry out their intuitive responses to a question as this is towards the greater interest to the future society. The examiners may give a fine zero if they want to, but under no circumstances should they resort to negative marking.

All researches are carried out by segregating the several possibilities to arrive at a just solution or probable solution so that the next stage of research could bear even better fruit. One shouldn’t try to mix the guessing done in the examination as something not in tune with vertical thinking that a student is forced to do. Instead they should aim to bring out better possibilities through lateral thinking process such that a vertical possibility may emerge later on. Again, if there are no vertical conclusions to the several possibilities that emerge out of such intuitive guesses, then the value of the written essay or answer doesn’t score any points too. This is factual outcome of the guesses.  Naturally, this isn’t a cake walk. Rather you need to have good knowledge about the subject and a few bits more.

The same is the case here too for the students gives off wild to mild guesses based on their gut feeling or intuition and may be wrong for the most part yet this doesn’t warrant any negative marking. If the court of law has acted in accordance to the wishes of few coteries of individuals called examiners then it thwarts the intuitive talent formation of the society at large and in particular to the students. In future, intuitive guesses based on certain systematic reasoning holds the key to the innovative strength of the society and its overall positive transformation. But that is a subject which educational institutions must deliberate upon.

Hinduism in the Larger Context of Life

The month of Karkadom or the month of Ramayana is a holy month for the Hindus in Kerala and falls within calendar months of July-August. This is followed by Onam and other Hindu festivals. Similarly, many other auspicious occasions too are celebrated with gaiety and piousness in other states by Hindus. What is more intriguing is that lately there has been a pitch for celebrating Ramayana month in all Hindu temples with extra vigor by most political parties. In fact, a minister of the left front government in recent times made news when he visited a famous temple here along with his family and did pooja. There is nothing wrong with this as any Hindu has the liberty to observe the month as a holy one. So, if there are political rightists, centre right, centre left or leftists Hindus belonging to these groups have the right to observe the month and so also other auspicious days of other months as a religiously important occasion.

Being leftists doesn’t mean that one is an atheist. A left leaning person has always the innate desire to understand the Universe we live in and what are the different forms of energy that is out there in the far reaches of it. Belief in life and the surrounding objects which emanate such energy in all its forms are essential for sustaining life itself. The religious sentiments of the people in general are to be respected for it not only gives their volatile minds something to stick on to, but also helps in discovering the employment potential that arises out of this huge cultural supply chain activity. Being a believer only helps us in coordinating our efforts to a larger goal for addressing the problems of the masses.

I too am a practicing Hindu and along with my family I too go to temples and worship. In fact, I readily love to visit temples and even exotic ones that had given India its fame and glory and culture. So, unlike others I don’t have any embarrassment or negativity. I am steadfast in my belief that my being a Hindu has nothing whatsoever to do with my leftists leanings. Hindu religion for always has been a way of life in my family and mixing it with politics is something that I abhor. Further, leaning left or right is not the criteria the ultimate objective is welfare of the society and the people and for which gainful employment is a must for one and all. Education, health and housing are yet another set of measures that when implemented would not only increase the GDP growth, but also help the society in nurturing people to contribute more easily and creatively for the whole of the country. In this context Hindu religion basically provides the inner peace and strength by identifying energy in all forms. Since, it treats men and women equally it gives a fillip to the economic and social activities of the country in an unambiguous way.

Lighting of lamps and the ensuing ambience

All Hindus have a ritualistic obsession of lighting the lamps and there is no restriction as to how many they may love to light up. True, in all Hindu tradition lighting of the lamps are considered one of the most important part of praying to the Supreme form of energy or God. It not only lights up once heart, but also the ambience that surrounds the house you live in and naturally of course the temple too. It is symbolic of driving away the darkness and bringing light into our lives through faith in the Supreme Energy or God.

At my own home I and my wife light the lamp at least twice a day with of course the other ensembles like agarbattis and so on.. As for the agarbattis we may, at times, be a little more generous by lighting them in other rooms as well. During special occasions we light up oil lamps all around our home too. Then of course, there are the sandal pastes and vibhooti that a devoted Hindu smears on his forehead, nape of the neck, chest and upper hands. What does all this signify? It signifies that you are in that unique meditative state wherein you are trying to reach out to the Supreme Energy through smearing your face in abject humility and the ensuing coolness. Perhaps there may other reasons yet this is what I truly believe it to be.

Then, of course, there are flowers displayed and adorned on deities and I believe this accentuates the environment and its beauty even better. If one were to notice the well decorated sanctum sanctorum of a temple then knowingly or unknowingly one starts to worship due to the ethereal beauty of the whole place. I distinctly believe that faith is inherent in all humans and that they surface in different ways and strength and the actualization of the faith process starts when a person believes (meditatively or instinctively) that the deity or even a piece of stone has enough energy to reciprocate by giving the worshiper the required zest to carry out any task if and if only the intentions are clear and without any negativity. As we are surrounded by this Universal Energy we are bound to believe that it permeates into every material and non-material objects that surrounds us anywhere and everywhere and by this way we can surely enhance our positive energy several notches up from what we earlier had.

I find that it is firmly under a Hindu worshipper’s ambit to choose the place of worship he or she wants to go and this needn’t be confined to certain particular temples only while leaving out other Hindu places of worship as he or she needn’t make their presence felt through an attendance register.

What is Hinduism really?

Recently there has been a lot of focus on Hinduism and Hindus within India and there have been continuous debates as to who the real Hindu is and what is the real Hindu way of life.

Having thought out the matter in my own way I had been able to think logically about the Hindu religion from one of confusion that prevails among Hindus in general to a picture of greater good and benefit to all Hindus irrespective of chaste, social or economic order amongst the Hindus. For instance, there are still few anomalies that prevail in Hindu society and many of these in the form of antique ritualism, black magic and uses of poison that it becomes difficult even for an educated Hindu to fully comprehend her own religion and evaluate it as to its greater intent for its followers towards making way into the future. One of the greatest future strides that Hinduism can really make is acknowledging the fact that it is quintessentially a gender free religion unlike those patriarchal forms that prevail all over the world. A true Hindu faithful gives equal commitment to both the daughter and son and to mother and father. This has been so when the Hindu religion was being practiced prior to foreign invasions that had seen India rising to become more of a patriarchal form of culture than a gender dualistic culture. When most other cultures and religions advocated gender equality over lip service and bizarre tactical actions, Hindus by and large practiced equality as a way of life and without any inhibitions or egocentric negativity centuries ago since the time of Indus Valley civilization. In fact, men women moved in the societies as they were by nature as civilized equal human beings and not due to patriarchal gestures and imperious structures imposed upon them from the top to bottom levels.

Recently barring of women in certain places is only localized phenomena and baring a few cases the Hindu religion is both religiously and administratively gender free or what I firmly believe it to be so as we stride into the future.

In what way can you define Hinduism?

It is generally felt among certain Hindus and so also others from outside that Hinduism is not a religion and it is indefinable. They say that there are hundreds and thousands of gods and everything is so bizarre about it that it sans logic and reason.

But this is not so. And I firmly believe that Hinduism can be quite easily defined without any ambiguity whatsoever. My definition of Hinduism is as follows:

“Hinduism is quintessentially a positive life path for attaining that Eternal Bliss to merge with the One Supreme Energy through direct and indirect means, the former being the path advocated through the process of yoga and meditation and by studying Hindu sacred scriptures for worshippers to attain that rare exalted state of self-realization while the other being a means for establishing a linkage through localized objects of worship to attain the same goal, although the former being superior to the latter in as much as it is more powerful means to a glorious self-realizable path than the latter which is in essence exercises localized points of inferences in their object like forms only.”

Here, both ways serve as an option for the Hindus to choose from or they may choose both and ultimately the objective is to achieve the state of self-realization or ‘paramananda’ of which the direct path is more superior to the indirect act of worshipping deities.

There are several ways that ordinary Hindu worshippers from all walks of life can take bliss and this is through the awareness of the holy ambience, assuming the power of the respective deities and through spiritual songs, bhajans and dances. These are the real life tools to extract that soothing energy from within and without.

Overcrowding in temples and Gods that Move

I had been fortunate in visiting several temples in Eastern and Southern parts of the country, but I feel that simply crowding around a deity or pushing and pulling through mass of people within the sanctum sanctorum of the temple has anything to do with proper worship. I fell that to get the maximum energy only when the mind is at ‘Dhyana’ or ease. For this I had tried my best to avoid the crowd while I visit certain temples as standing near the ‘Deepa Stumpa’ outside the sanctum sanctorum or within the compound wall of the auspicious place is enough for me to see the light. I have my own reasons regarding the worship during crowded moments.

I firmly believe that ones faith is reciprocal only to the distance that one keeps from the energy that one believes in and ones actual and realistic moments of peace. I believe that there is an inverse relationship between the distance and the deity. In fact, emotion and faith are inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the worshipper and the deity with the maximum allowed stretch for the distance to be measured at its maximum being the temple boundary wall.

This in essence means that the more you are away from the deity and at peace with yourself you as a worshipper reciprocate equally well with the deity. to elucidate the point let us take an example. If a parent has three children and one is far away while the two are residing with them or simply staying near. Despite all the help they get from their near by kind hearted children both will dot more the one that resides far off and has been quite unruly and rude in behavior towards them earlier. They will resonate well thinking that the one that resides far off has become almost like gold in standards of behavior than the two nearby siblings. This is because of the distance and hence it is seen that the basic requirement is peace of mind which is in fact the direct method and is achieved through by attaining the path of self-realization. In the above example both the parent and the far off sibling remain positive due to each having peace of mind and hence energy levels resonate in tandem due to the distance between the parent and the sibling.

In other words, there is no inner peace when one is jostling and struggling in a crowd of worshippers, swearing and cursing one another.

Last, but not the least is the crowd creating living gods that breathe and destroy the essence of Hinduism. I have great reservations against these human gods and at the most one can, if need, be treat them like gurus and nothing else.

Food

There is no restriction for Hindus on any food that is vegetable while they may a little choosy with non-vegetarian food. However, I have noticed that several Hindus while traveling abroad or in places where there is dearth of proper food consuming whatever may be available. This is all right and they must know that all proteins, minerals and amino acids are not fully available in vegetable food only. Besides, due to exigencies they may need to take a few out of their usual habits. For example the Brahmans of Bengal became fish takers for the sole reason that they were compelled to do so by the Great Bengal Famine.

I had already written about what actually goes into every human body and when you think and analyze deeply you will find that there is no pure vegetarian or non-vegetarian in the real sense of the word. Everybody has a percentage of vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism within their body and this may vary according to certain ratios only.

If at all you need a good example then you may watch people who chew paan or betel leaves daily. They take a few betel leaves and then add grounded pieces of areca nut and then apply a generous paste of lime or chuna. Do you know what this lime means?

Well in short the lime is the residue of marine organisms (animals) like shell, coral, algae, mollusks to name only a few and also contains fecal debris of other sea animals too. It is a sedimentary rock formed over millions of years and also contains a host of other minerals. Although limestone is stated to be organic the slaked lime which is white and lumpy and water soluble is a separate matter is said to be inorganic. Yet scientifically if one looks at it then CaO or lime is obtained from calcium carbonate, limestone (animal mucous, marine creatures and shells) and other minerals and they fuse to form what is actually seen dug up on to the surface. These are cheaply available everywhere.

In many Hindu respected communities you will notice that they take paan with lime (Calcium Oxide when mixed with water to become Calcium Hydroxide) perhaps every ten or fifteen minutes to nourish their body with animal nutrition. This keeps them healthy so you ought to have no fear as you are from younger generation of Hindus who is fully ready to enter the future with confidence. Or you may have to take medicines which will prove to be a costlier alternative with every passing of the day.

However, during auspicious days it is always better to observe a vegetarian lean food habit so as to get rid of the toxic elements within the body.

If we really acknowledge the above then Hinduism can be like a glorious journey into the future too. 

PDS as a Great Marketing Option for Farm Products

It is seen that for the year 2017-2018 the total food grains production and pulses were around 280 million tons or so. Experts feel that this has resulted in glut with glaring gap of the products not finding proper market outlet at fair price for the farmers. Experts in India feel that this is due to overproduction as some crops were cultivated more than the available demand and hence the farmers had to suffer heavy losses.

This may look to be so as the necessary infrastructure takes time in developing and the nature of intake of nutritious food in India is not up to the standard required of such a large country. Yet there is a possibility of marketing products through different channels as I had already written earlier. One of the best available marketing tools the government has is the public distribution system or PDS which has extensive network all over the country. The government can make use of it quite easily and this needn’t be restricted to food grains only. Even pulses and other food commodities can also be marketed through this system with or without subsidy.

To cut short the essay the government can take note of the latest official circular of the WHO (World Health Organization) which had placed India among the bottom segments of countries having population with very low nutritional value in their diet. This is indeed shocking.

Naturally, on the part of the government this is also an advantage. The government through its PDS channel may resort to compulsory marketing of several of the farm products. This is especially so for population who have cards that are marked as below poverty. It is generally seen in North or South India that ration card holders go to their respective ration shops and order only sugar and perhaps wheat or rice.  They then make the rest of their purchase from kirana stores and large shops.

The government may have to just look into the quality standards and once this is taken care of lentils, food grains, pulses and other food products purchased from farmers under the MSP could be compulsorily purchased under the ration card scheme. Otherwise, the card holder has to forgo the card and lose government subsidy. This compulsory subsidized ration will by itself give a marketing outlet for products bought under MSP. Supplying of food products under the PDS scheme should be according to each person in a family and not just for family. This means for example each person in a family would need to purchase say 5 kg of each item compulsorily. Otherwise, the person has the option to purchase the same from the supermarket or other stores, but lose his subsidy and the ration card. The required quantities of each item could be arrived at after meeting with experts in the respective areas.

Here itself millions of tons of food grains can be sold off with ease all over the country. The government can easily cite the reason that the people are not having proper nutrition. Another thing one can easily see here is that the production level of the country with respect to food grains is not sufficient for the population. This is because if each Indian citizen starts to take 3 meals a day then there will be shortage of most food products. Besides, one shouldn’t forget the restaurants, hotels, food courts, and instant-foods, way side inns, eateries on wheels on the National Highways and occasional coffees and teas with bites that many Indians would like to consume in the not too distant future. If this is so then India would need to produce not less than 450 million tons of food. Millions of Indian who can afford already has several snack intervals and a major tea time in the afternoons. As for health and obesity and BP there are other supply chains like nutritionists, psychologists, yoga experts and medical experts and so on who will study each individual and advice for the same. After all we are running an economy and not a spiritual center. 

FOOD AND BEVERAGES CHAINS CREATE EMPLOYMENT

Of late food and beverages have been in news in most parts of the country involving a lot of political and social debate as to what should people eat. Of course, everything actually boils down to one fact that that everything and anything is becoming a lot too politicized and therefore there is this unnecessary debates over it. However, let’s see things from the economic perspective rather than mingling politics and religious over it.

Economically all food and beverages chains create employment on a very large scale. If too much of anything is harmful then it goes without saying that as far as human bodies are concerned anything over the limit is harmful. Food lovers like to taste everything and this is not politics. What they eat is their business so long they aren’t slaughtering people as cannibals do. But there is safety in eating too. One thing is clear that everything done in an unclean way can have devastating affect on the health of the public.

Food chains arise out of the need for bridging the gaps of what people love to eat and what the producers could easily manufacture. A close knit and safe enclosed area of animal and poultry slaughter and also beverages would go a long way in giving healthy food habits to people. This would enable the people to take the best of food and drinks they would like to have. Anything done in unduly reckless manner and unhygienic conditions could result in diseases. Again, enclosed areas would make way for better hygienic conditions of producing food and beverages and of course pave way for systematic registration and taxes.

Already beverages in all states are heavily taxed. They serve the part of the population that like some intoxication as routing part of their life if not daily then at least once a while. Economically, it is the huge supply chain potentials of both the food and beverage side that gives it merit that both generate huge employment. One can never say that by banning the beverages people may be given suitable substituted employment. This is because no other sectors can absorb the thousands of people so easily.

Intoxication is one of the base instincts of human beings. No government would be able to suppress it all that easily. If people do not get healthy intoxication varieties then they usually go for the more harmful kinds brewed or manufactured illicitly. Naturally, this creates more health problems.

The Western countries have been smart enough to keep religion out of brewing facilities and they have now very fine and highly rated beverage manufacturing including wine, beer, alcohol and other such centers that employ thousands of people.

In India too you need the leather industry as well the need to absorb the excess food produced in agriculture. Where can all this go? Rightly, indeed into the beverages and other food processing centers so that the farmers get the right price for their produce. You can never substitute the displaced labor from banned food and beverage factories in other areas that easily.

Vegetarians and Non-vegetarians

Another debate that usually springs out often is the case of food consumption among the so called vegetarians and non-vegetarians.  This may perhaps the reason as to why there is apathy against non-vegetarian food too. Scientifically and biologically speaking there are no complete vegetarians and non-vegetarians on this planet. You are surprised, are you? Well, this is the fact.

It is generally believed that a vegetarian is that person who eats and drinks only from plants for vegetable protein and consumes milk, yoghurt and ghee for animal protein. It is again generally believed that non-vegetarians are those who consume only fish, chicken and animals and very little of vegetables. This is very untrue.

A non-vegetarian too eats vegetables too and if he or she is consuming only fish, poultry and animal food then beware. They would sooner or later have high cholesterol and blood pressures.

Now the case of vegetarians one would find that although they get their protein from both vegetables as well as from milk, ghee or yoghurt they do not get it at the same sufficient way as the so called non-vegetarians. This is because direct meat and fish intake are quite necessary as plants do not contain all the proteins. This is besides the diary products that they take. So what do these people do? They take supplements in the form of several factory manufactured supplements that adorn the shelves of most super markets as well as regular intake of medicines.

Remember, since times immemorial our ancestors have developed a unique and very clever system for such supplementary medicines and these are well depicted in Ayurveda. You may have heard of medicines like pothumdravam (beef), ajamamsarasayanam (goat), karikoranangarasayanam (black monkey) etc.

As for the allopathic drugs it is of course full of fish, eggs and animals and what not. So, a vegetarian and non-vegetarian condition means only on the periphery or for that particular moment of time and nothing else. The vegetarians spent more on supplements these days than many non-vegetarians. All this is done to get all the major proteins and help the human body in manufacturing the 20 amino acids. It is a well known fact that plants do not have all the proteins required by our body system while animal foods like eggs, fish and meat have in good quantities.

And do not forget the occasional unseen worms, micro-organisms, the water worms and several others animals that we consume from vegetables. Even the wild vegetarian elephant that is seen dusting the large part of tree leaves only tries to throw away the dust only and not the unsuspecting grasshoppers, smaller worms, centipedes and other animals clinging on to it.

So if you look at a human being from the non-vegetarian or vegetarian point of view then you are actually viewing a ratio of say 30:70 or 25:75 or 40:60 or 50:50 and so on. But definitely not 0:100

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST AND DESERT

A few weeks back I read in the newspapers that Sahara Desert was once covered with thick forest. It doesn’t come as a surprise as tropical rain forest when allowed to disappear may resemble very much like that of a desert with arid conditions and all. It shows that there is a close connection between the tropical rain forest and that of a desert although peripherally and in physical appearance both may be of the extreme kinds.

This is mainly due to precipitation that one finds in a tropical rain forest thick with trees each jostling and inching out the other closely where both humidity remains amidst heat and cold. This perhaps makes sense as these trees are continuously getting water from the atmospheric canopy that allows air to circulate and rise up and at the same time allow precipitation so that water vapor is again returned back to the soil. And this cycle goes on and on and on. Of course, this is only as long as there is still that thick coverage of forest.

Unlike in the temperate zones where precipitation is not necessary as the coolness of the climatic conditions is enough to keep plants and trees in growing condition and with the help of little rain this surely helps in the process, the tropical rain forest condition is extremely vulnerable in comparison.

This is because for sustaining during hot weather climate a tropical rain forest must always be undergoing the process of precipitation repeatedly or otherwise it may become a desert sooner or later. It may perhaps be proved in the future that some specific trees that were rampant in the tropical rain forest may have dwindled due to lack of precipitation or are never able to grow alone in isolation. This may also explain the lack of rainfall in these areas have slowed down the whole cycle of heating, evaporation, precipitation and in turn drizzling. Scientists may perhaps be able to provide the answer for this.

It is again something to think about that when an area of tropical rain forest has been cleared and left as it is for sometime then the next round of trees or vegetation do not grow with the same strength or vigor as they had earlier been. Hence, a tropical rain forest is surely more vulnerable to man made disasters than a temperate forest cover.

It may not be something of the mark to say that there is a closer connection between the tropical rain forest and a desert that scientists need to study.

Inductive Logic and Rationalism offering Flexibility in Approach

Sometimes or perhaps quite often we wonder whether we are doing everything right although our egoistic mindset refuses to budge even an inch from the hardcore ideological stand we had resolved to remain. This is true for most political parties anywhere and perhaps it is this uncompromising stand to remain steadfast in their own carefully drawn out position that either make them their own slaves over a period of time or destroy them due to strong winds of change happening all around them. Since, they do not make themselves flexible even a little they snap and break down really hard and may find hard to come back to their lost glory again. In the case of economics which is heavily mixed with politics it is hard to see a party or the other having definitive stand on their respective isms. This means that these parties either remain rightists, leftists, center-right, center-left and so on. They hardly take a position from where economic policies transcend their political nature and therefore it is narrowed down to political economics than economics for the welfare of the population. In other words, you find several political isms scattered around you, but nothing called humanitarianism. This is the tragedy.

Economics beyond isms

However, of late we do see some flexibility and this augurs well for any economy. In Kerala for instance, we have seen a new economic advisor being appointed by the present government and this is a good policy. After all there is nothing wrong with consulting with experts even if the party has a Marxist base while the new economic advisor is a highly qualified Harvard University professor of Indian origin and comes from a capitalistic nation.

The idea of consulting with any expert should not open doors for undue criticisms, but on the other hand should be seen as a positive step in bringing about greater understanding of the present and future economic scenario. At times consultation in a free and frank manner brings about newer ideas which when intermingled with the society’s existing norms may bring about greater economic and social order.  As stated earlier, the idea is to have better civilized society and not just play around with isms only.

It is in this context that there ought to be more logical interpretation of the society’s needs and wants and better ways of implementation of these workable models so that there are more employment opportunities and better social amenities available for the citizens. The GST, for instance, is sure to be very beneficial for the whole of India in the long run as the tax structure would be such that there would be freer movement of goods and services across the country and much less hurdles that most businesses face in the older system.

Therefore, it is seen that creative inputs from different persons, groups and organization irrespective of their preferences for isms, may go a long way in solving many of the ills that the society faces from time to time. The yardstick for measuring success in the area of social betterment is not based on the uncompromising adherence to certain ideologies or isms, but to a great extent on the flexibility offered to view and review the current economic scenario and to fine tune it with the rapid current economical changes that are taking place worldwide.

Path to human glory

We are passing through a very challenging economical situation where there is rapid automation taking place on one hand and the lack of skilled person for newer jobs on the other. This picture is not incomprehensible, but certainly out of reach for many in the society as to how to address the scenario in a better way as we lack the basic inputs as to how to achieve education and skill development at a very early stage so as to take up this challenge in the best way possible for the overall development of the society. The idea of sticking to a particular ideology or ism may have worked out quite well during the past yet in the current scenario where rapidity of change is so overwhelming that it is but even more absurd as to not even give a cursory glance towards it. Why? This is because of strict unwavering adherence to one or the other isms by political parties.

In this context one thing should be noted and that is surprisingly it is the capitalistic West where respective governments are spending huge money on free health care of its citizens while we on the other hand, the significant majority Indians, rush to private clinics for our health care paying high fees. This is even more acute where there are no government hospitals nearby or if you find one then it is overflowing with patients and facing acute shortage of doctors and nurses and essential drugs.

Why is this so? This is again because we have adopted the skewed socialistic point of development without the proper understanding that there must be taxes paid by the citizens and profits earned by both public and private enterprises. It is this money that can assure the citizens of life time health care and not otherwise as no government remains solvent without hard cash to do so.

As an example, suppose a family of poor people living in a remote village that has crude roads only without proper access and people still have miles to go to get to the nearest clinic, sits circling a female member suffering from some disease then the possibility of getting cured becomes almost impossible. The neighbors too assemble around them emotionally and words like ‘tsk, tsk, che, che and such sounds are heard from others especially the women folks. Some of them cry loudly, aimlessly and relentlessly while others may remark from the bottom of their hearts that they haven’t slept a wink for a few days. So, what of it?

Ultimately, death is surely going to take place due to social, cultural, religious or economic disorders. Here, emotions are not what that counts, but rationalizing the existing situation and then try to make arrangements for the patient to be taken to the hospital as fast as possible. Even if this results in a failure, as it is sure to be, the act of rationalization of the cultural, economical actions and religious conducts of human beings and the civic authorities should be brought in to bear upon the responsibility of attaining well being in all future events before they ever happen. This kind of rationalization or re-inventing is done periodically so that maximum benefits are attained by the society and this is true for all human activities including cultural, religious, traditional, artistic, commercial and economical reasons and this is what actually reforms are.

In short, you must reform your own mindset for any positive feedback to overcome any excesses of negative thinking and resulting outdated actions committed by humans and be always remain in tune with changing times.

Private or government enterprises

It is quite common to see isms tilting either to full free enterprises, semi-government style, co-operative kinds or fully owned large public enterprises. Although, to a great extent isms are propagated by political class and the die hard followers they too earn a taboo of sorts such that deviating a bit here and there would mean outrage. This would then bring a small section of populace to be representative of public anger featuring the good or bad publicity that comes in its wake because they fear their livelihood or confusion of what lies ahead in future or whether everything that they had held as dear has been compromised. Here too it is humanitarianism that counts and rationalization of human acts, be it of any social, economic or political reasons, that give the society the necessary life- work balance  and ultimately for the future mental and physical health of its citizens.

In other words, looking at human population as the prime factor that makes up the society would be in the best interest of all stakeholders for carrying out social, cultural, religious or economic activities. Even if an outmoded or negative dictum is in place in the cultural, religious or economic activities, and is well supported by a significant section of the population, then it ought to be debated, argued and finally publicized or spread out so that the pros and cons of the same is well understood by the masses such that it could be reformed to suit with changing times of the society.

Economically speaking, in so far as the private or semi-government or government enterprises are concerned they remain at best transitory if need be and not inclined to a specific purpose for the sake of ism only. This is because the aim should be for the overall welfare of the population and not for the sake of isms only. In this context one can even find a greater role for Public Private Partnership (PPP) although this may not be the norm in all cases but only for suitable application and implementation of large infrastructure and industrial projects. Yet here too flexibility ought to be exercised and no biasness for a particular ideology, but only those that are given the right kind of flexibility to operate such that in the end results are positive.

What it means in general is that all enterprises whether private or public or quasi must make profit for proper distribution of the same later. In fact, this could be attained by government in the form of taxes or other means. To reiterate this it means that there can be no welfare without having profits that would later flow in as taxes for the government.

Rationalization of the society’s demand and supply

It is therefore quite pertinent to make theories on economics too rationally by taking due consideration of what one experienced on the ground level and what one would like to express it to be the kind it should be. In all my own theories inductive logic and rationalization prevailed all throughout due to my own personal ground experiences and personal researches into the ways and means of the human society. But in all these I threaded into every detail the human aspect of things without, as far as I believe, any tinge of emotions, but simple rationalization.

Emphasizing on the humanitarian aspect of economic activities I could gather a strong base or call it strong premise of argument in order to create the right type of inductive logic and some math to further my argument and to make my points clear. Having done this I was myself led to believe that isms are one way or other a hurdle than a fillip to facilitate my arguments on such a vast subject like economics with human participants at all its levels. Yet, I wasn’t misled by emotions as many would when they argue from the points of view of human beings and this again led me to singularly pursue theorizing on economic activities to suit the society in general and not for any individual, group or part of the populace or ideology.

Needless to say, rationalization was foremost in my mind when I tried to reason with major issues confronting our society and in particular the Indian society. I hope that not much may have gone in vain. While theorizing I was also quite aware of the limitations of certain enterprises and the limitations of ethical conduct of businesses and human beings when confronted with improper interventions and monitoring by superior bodies or government. Thus, for me government’s continued monitoring and interventions were needed for a just society and not the other way around. Yet I also believed relative undisturbed business practices that companies need to improve their business and R & D. Having stated thus I am also a firm believer in giving some sort of support mechanism to small and medium industries in the country for generation of employment and to compete well with that of larger industries.

I firmly believe that de-monitoring and extreme freedom acts as a solid incentive to larger businesses to flourish and expand in the way that is quite analogous to a well armed muscular city thugs taking over the law and order system into their hands and doing what they feel is the best. Naturally, most of the people suffer endlessly due to this and is surely not limited to a few only. Even if there are monitoring and interventions by government and law there is still ample scope for businesses to flourish with a proper system in place that do not wobble every now and then on confusing legalities. Yet I was not always ready to accept the other extreme too when recklessness is unleashed by people to curb the legitimate activities of businesses. It is of foremost importance that businesses and commercial activities that are legitimately carried out survive and flourish so that the government exchequer profit out of it to carry on smoothly the other works of social welfare without the need for looking up at heavens for much needed funds.

In the above context I had come to personally experience that isms have a way of their own to contort and confuse situations and thinking mechanisms of the people rather than involve in proper assessment of problems and their solutions. For instance, in Kerala and so also in other parts of the country a lot of people hide behind isms rather than in doing any greater good for the society.

To emphasize this point well I know a number of people who owned landed properties or gold and large deposits of money inherited or otherwise and who lived a irresponsible, libertine and wastrel life devoid of any public good in the true laissez-faire manner by doing nothing, but simply by selling pieces of assets every now and then and trying to live a lavish life style of their choosing. The matter however doesn’t stop here for these very so called capitalists when they lose all their assets at the fag end of their career suddenly turn Marxists without as much as even a little remorse. If you happen to converse with them they will fume and froth mouthful of scurrilities at capitalism much to your own bewilderment.

In sharp contrast there are people that have arisen from scratch to riches in of course unblemished and legitimate ways and have struggled hard to build enterprises and today are making millions and even billions are strangely seen to be on the wrong side of social acceptance. Surprisingly, these business men also employ a large number of people on a sustainable basis. Again, there are numerous government staffs and bureaucrats who have amassed wealth disproportionately to their known sources of income and yet enjoy all the recognition and social importance that others hardly enjoy. Further, there are groups that consist of employees working hard and some even listlessly in the private sectors that are always at the receiving end of things as far as the society’s paradoxically skewed standards are concerned. Surprisingly, they belong to the largest part of the populace too.

This paradox existing in our society really touched me and necessitated even more that I look at economics and societal activities even more rationally.

Economics as social science than art

Economics is not an art but is more of a social science and there is need for rationalization of approaches towards seemingly less understood human characteristics. As no two people are the same and so making concessions is of great importance to analyze and conclude on a pattern so that, if not the whole population, some relatively large groups are given a general basic approach level so that they mimic in general the aspiration of the majority of citizens and define specified objectives that are positive for the society. Even individual contributions that are positive should be taken cognizant of if they are of good standard and for the positive development of the society.

This would go a long way in formulating policies and monitoring situations for commerce and industries and social welfare. In fact, a standard needs to be set forth in the society to bring varying individuals on a common platform for discipline and implementing benchmarks in attaining standards for education, commerce and industries and of course social welfare. There again may be several groups region-wise or population-wise yet their overall standards of discipline and monitoring ought to be within the gambit of a superior authority that passes the final standards.  

Characteristics of humans differ and so also each individual priority differs, yet from society’s point of view it is the positive commitment and contribution that matters and not any gimmicks or so called negative group assertions with a distinct bias towards a particular group only. Here, in addressing issues one needs to rationalize and not just be carried away by emotions so that what solution is suggested is generally acceptable by the whole community of citizens.

Economics is not an art because to a great extent it cannot be carried away by emotions and general welfare of the populace cannot be confined to emotional outbursts, although initially they may be good, but when it comes to defining standards and addressing issues pragmatically and soundly it needs rationalization for each and every act. Though perfection cannot be attained since it deals with varied human nature and problems it nevertheless has to be capable of setting a rationale for each act that is for the overall benefit of the society. In order to do so there must be solid base of premises on humanitarian grounds for launching arguments that are strong and current relating directly to larger section of the human society. And then to address these issues the tools of inductive logic or reasoning that may or may not include mathematical expressions, as the case may be, has to be theorized to help governments to formulate proper plans.

To douse the social issue fires that have erupted suddenly, you needn’t look for the type of containers or isms, but so long as the humanitarian water is good it would surely help to complete the work it was meant to do. 

Moves that Really Unsettled Marin the Reigning World Champion

Sindhu the Silver medalist did make things look a little difficult for the world champion Carolina Marin and this has been done by the former’s extraordinary performance. There were moves that really unsettled Marin and although she had the competence she didn’t find it at all a smooth sail as is usually the case. This makes P. V. Sindhu exceptionally great as she gave Marin a real run for her gold. Indeed this is a great moment for the country and enough to boost the morale and confidence of all other athletes in India who are still struggling due to general apathy and snobbery. 

Not the least is the achievement of Sakshi Malik who saved Indians from embarrassment. With every day passing at Rio most of us had started skipping over the sports pages of the newspapers. We were already in our customized comfort zone of ‘let it be’ as we knew that the medal tally chart would carry no name of our country. And then this big news that hit headlines made us all sit and imbue hope in all of us.

Thanks to both Sakshi and Sindhu we now can go hoping once more.