The greatness of an event, a person or a monument is best understood keeping in mind the period of its occurrence. It is relatively easier, today, to stir the fundamentals of conscience and to erect a pseudo-army to fight a plausible cause... given the fact that one can reach the masses through sms, orkut and emails among others..... This is what makes Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi a Mahatma Gandhi..... He stirred the conscience of millions and fought an empire bigger than the Goliath himself..and all this, in the absence of any amenity except perhaps a telegram or a seat in the third class compartment of the railways... Hence, when we conveniently try to imagine the greatness of a person like Mr. Gandhi, we make the mistake of imagining its occurrence in today's circumstances..
Lets have a more recent and popular example. We love comparison. The greatness of a person is only as much as who he/she is compared to. Hence, Lord Ram is a hero because he defeated Ravana.... Likewise, in order to gauge the superstardom of Shah Rukh Khan, we have to compare him with Amitabh Bachchan.... But truly speaking, what is the comparison?... isn't it like comparing between apples and oranges?... What Mr. Bachchan did in 1970s may not be replicated by SRK... and the opposite is true as well... Is it really a necessity that for making our line longer, we make the other lines look shorter?...
We emulated the flight of birds in our aeroplanes.... the martial arts borrows liberally from the antics of a monkey or a snake..... but we have still not been able to emulate symbiosis.... We help our friend in studies but make sure that he doesn't score as much as us... we help to only that extent that which makes a discernible effect.... here, I have to clarify that I speak for the average, not for the exceptions.... A worthy exception to this law, according to me, are two people..... Fathers and Professors.... I have never seen, heard or read about an incident where a father was not happy when his son starts earning more than him.... In fact, it could well be the happiest day for a father when a son (or daughter) gets a starting salary more than what he might be earning after decades of experience.... the same holds true for professors too.... A professor earning Rs. 4-5 lacs per annum is only too happy to see his student go on to earn in multiples of that figure.... If only these instances were an average rather than an exception...
David Ogilvy, famously said, In an organization if each one of you hire a person who is less qualified than you, then you end up becoming an organization of dwarfs..... but if each one of you hires a person who is better than yourself, then you are an organization of Giants..... So, it is really up to us, do we want our future generation to inherit a nation of dwarfs or a nation of Giants....
I rest my case....... maybe not....
One of my professors always advises us not to give prime importance to the placement salary while opting for a job. He says "Money will follow you when you learn not to follow it".... All my life I've been on a lookout competitions where I might get some fame, fortune (?) and that elusive certificate or a citation..... Strangely, most of my merits have come in the last year of my college life... I present here, the transcript of my speech at a debate held the previous week. My first ever debate.
The topic was "Should industrialization and growth be promoted at the cost of Environment?"
____________________________________________________________
“My Name is Krishnamurthi Kumar. I am a student of Faculty of Management Studies. And I will be speaking AGAINST the motion.
Breaking News: Yesterday (18th October, 2007), I was watching the news, actively for a change, and came to know that we have our first set of refugees. Not from a terrorist attack or an earthquake, but from climate change. Yes, the people of Sagar Island in West Bengal have lost their homes because the waters of the Bay of Bengal decided to pay them a visit.
Before I contribute to this debate, I must admit two things. I am a student of management so I must admit that an industrialized nation or a developed economy is going to help me much more, at least financially. Why I say this is so that all of you may understand that I know the gravity of the words I speak. The other thing I would like to admit is that I, myself, have never planted a tree.
But we are not here to discuss what we did or did not do. The topic here is not that whether “Should we have promoted industrialization and growth at the cost of environment?” The topic of discussion today is “Should Industrialization and growth be promoted at the cost of environment?” So from the way I look at it, there is a future element embedded in this topic.
While we are talking about future, lets start with the past, India has come a long way from being an agrarian economy, one which depends on the soil, to the first instance of being called the next developed economy, one which depends on what is actually built on that soil. But somewhere down the line, we forgot the matrix on which this whole development was taking place. As the building grew higher and higher, we forgot the foundation on which this building stands.
But to say that we forgot to conserve the environment wont be entirely true. We must remember that saving the environment and all its constituents was always a part of our culture. I am sure anyone who has read the history books would remember the “Chipko Movement”. So what went wrong? I say, Apathy. But to understand how that happened we must look at things in context.
30-40 years back, when India started its process of industrialization, it faced a very unique problem. It lacked the process, the patent and the technical knowledge but had lots of natural resources. So it compensated its absence of technology with the excess of resources. But can we give this same excuse today? No! Today if one wants, one can go that extra mile in order to do something for the environment. It could be something as simple as switching to CFL tubes instead of light bulbs or turning up the temperature of the AC to the ambient temperature of 24°C instead of that cosy 19°C. Even small acts like these can go a long way in conserving the environment.
That was about the past and the present, now let’s take a look at the future. Nature gives us two options. Either we take Preventive measures or nature will take Corrective measures. Now its up to us to decide whether we want rampant growth or sustained development.
Those in the audience who still believe that Industrialization should be promoted at ANY cost; I offer you my best wishes. Try explaining this to those villagers who lost their homes in Sagar Island. Thank you!”
__________________________________________________________
P.S: For the record, I WON THE FIRST PRIZE!!!!
The topic was "Should industrialization and growth be promoted at the cost of Environment?"
____________________________________________________________
“My Name is Krishnamurthi Kumar. I am a student of Faculty of Management Studies. And I will be speaking AGAINST the motion.
Breaking News: Yesterday (18th October, 2007), I was watching the news, actively for a change, and came to know that we have our first set of refugees. Not from a terrorist attack or an earthquake, but from climate change. Yes, the people of Sagar Island in West Bengal have lost their homes because the waters of the Bay of Bengal decided to pay them a visit.
Before I contribute to this debate, I must admit two things. I am a student of management so I must admit that an industrialized nation or a developed economy is going to help me much more, at least financially. Why I say this is so that all of you may understand that I know the gravity of the words I speak. The other thing I would like to admit is that I, myself, have never planted a tree.
But we are not here to discuss what we did or did not do. The topic here is not that whether “Should we have promoted industrialization and growth at the cost of environment?” The topic of discussion today is “Should Industrialization and growth be promoted at the cost of environment?” So from the way I look at it, there is a future element embedded in this topic.
While we are talking about future, lets start with the past, India has come a long way from being an agrarian economy, one which depends on the soil, to the first instance of being called the next developed economy, one which depends on what is actually built on that soil. But somewhere down the line, we forgot the matrix on which this whole development was taking place. As the building grew higher and higher, we forgot the foundation on which this building stands.
But to say that we forgot to conserve the environment wont be entirely true. We must remember that saving the environment and all its constituents was always a part of our culture. I am sure anyone who has read the history books would remember the “Chipko Movement”. So what went wrong? I say, Apathy. But to understand how that happened we must look at things in context.
30-40 years back, when India started its process of industrialization, it faced a very unique problem. It lacked the process, the patent and the technical knowledge but had lots of natural resources. So it compensated its absence of technology with the excess of resources. But can we give this same excuse today? No! Today if one wants, one can go that extra mile in order to do something for the environment. It could be something as simple as switching to CFL tubes instead of light bulbs or turning up the temperature of the AC to the ambient temperature of 24°C instead of that cosy 19°C. Even small acts like these can go a long way in conserving the environment.
That was about the past and the present, now let’s take a look at the future. Nature gives us two options. Either we take Preventive measures or nature will take Corrective measures. Now its up to us to decide whether we want rampant growth or sustained development.
Those in the audience who still believe that Industrialization should be promoted at ANY cost; I offer you my best wishes. Try explaining this to those villagers who lost their homes in Sagar Island. Thank you!”
__________________________________________________________
P.S: For the record, I WON THE FIRST PRIZE!!!!
I guess 'breathing' is a good enough title....
Realizations occur in odd, various ways... a quiet distant relative of mine had come to my place today.... I had met him for the first time in my life.... Things started of slow.... but I did recognize certain mannerisms very native to my father's side of the family from the very beginning... but the actual show started post lunch.... and what a session it was!!...... certain excerpts, inferences and learning....
First of all, Are we breathing?? according to one school of thought (which is quite persuasive, i must add), we are not..... That's right.... what we thought that we were doing all our lives is something that we have never done..... let me try and explain how..... right now you must be sitting, right?? How can you say that "I am sitting"?..... you can say that you are sitting only because you had the option of standing, sleeping, kneeling, squatting etc.... and yet, you CHOSE to sit..... so you can argue that "I am sitting" only because you are capable of doing otherwise too... similarly, you can say that "I am going outside the room" because you can decide to do otherwise too and stay put in the room..... so if some one kicks you out of the room, its only but natural for you to say that "I am not going out, I am being forced to go out"..... So, keeping this logic in mind.... lets answer once again..... Am I breathing?..... can i decide to do otherwise? can i stop breathing?..... unless you are quite suicidal by nature, i guess the answer is no.... so what we are doing is basically allowing the air to go in and out..... Food for thought, isn't it?.... think about it.... I know that I am..... because, I know that I can do otherwise and not think about it!!
First of all, Are we breathing?? according to one school of thought (which is quite persuasive, i must add), we are not..... That's right.... what we thought that we were doing all our lives is something that we have never done..... let me try and explain how..... right now you must be sitting, right?? How can you say that "I am sitting"?..... you can say that you are sitting only because you had the option of standing, sleeping, kneeling, squatting etc.... and yet, you CHOSE to sit..... so you can argue that "I am sitting" only because you are capable of doing otherwise too... similarly, you can say that "I am going outside the room" because you can decide to do otherwise too and stay put in the room..... so if some one kicks you out of the room, its only but natural for you to say that "I am not going out, I am being forced to go out"..... So, keeping this logic in mind.... lets answer once again..... Am I breathing?..... can i decide to do otherwise? can i stop breathing?..... unless you are quite suicidal by nature, i guess the answer is no.... so what we are doing is basically allowing the air to go in and out..... Food for thought, isn't it?.... think about it.... I know that I am..... because, I know that I can do otherwise and not think about it!!
The purple thread...
All my life, I have believed that I've been born to do things different.... Never knew that its conveniently termed as being a freak of nature.... it is said that we are all unique but some are more unique than others.... I've been that way.... since childhood, I was too South Indian to be a Gujarati and too Gujarati to be a South Indian... too linguistically gifted to deny my roots, too numerically challenged, to live up to it..... I've always looked different to other people... but never felt anything inside.... I had almost resigned to the fact that I am an anomaly of nature... a piece of jigsaw puzzle that has no place to fit....
But then, just the other day, I was watching Boston Legal (a series I love so deeply, that I don't follow it too often.) In one episode, the character of David Spader says
"Epictetus compared people who “fit in” to the white threads of a toga. Indistinguishable. He wanted to be the purple thread. “That small part which is bright, and makes all the rest appear graceful and beautiful. Why then” he asked, “do you tell me to make myself like the many? And if I do, how shall I still be purple?”
Its ironic how all our questions get answered when we stop searching.... I wish i could stop searching the answers for all my questions....
But then, just the other day, I was watching Boston Legal (a series I love so deeply, that I don't follow it too often.) In one episode, the character of David Spader says
"Epictetus compared people who “fit in” to the white threads of a toga. Indistinguishable. He wanted to be the purple thread. “That small part which is bright, and makes all the rest appear graceful and beautiful. Why then” he asked, “do you tell me to make myself like the many? And if I do, how shall I still be purple?”
Its ironic how all our questions get answered when we stop searching.... I wish i could stop searching the answers for all my questions....
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