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The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.
- B. F. Skinner
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Since when I was young, I've dreamt of many things that I wished, would happen, most of them for a personal purpose and a few for a 'higher' cause. But there is a difference between a 'dream' and a 'vision'. Dreams, as the word suggests, need not be realistic. This completely depends on how wild your imagination can go and there can be no end to it. But, a vision is something different. It is something which, in the first place is, realistic. It focuses on what YOU are going to do to reach your vision. The reason I'm focusing on these terms is to make it clear to the 'intellects' who, sometimes, forget the difference. This particular topic, "My Vision of the World", has been given to 'us' (STAR Infoscions) during our training sessions, for which, we were asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation. I found something interesting during the entire session: To what extent can a person's imagination go and more importantly, how can one get confused with the basic difference between the two - a vision, and a dream. Well, it is either 'World where there are no physical boundaries', 'World with no money', 'Eternal Peace', 'Greenery Everywhere', 'No wars', and so on ... They were all like the campaign portfolio of a fucking politician. I admit, I may not have right or the intellect to criticize anyone; but, is any of it really possible ??? When I ask the same, the reply is (and will be) 'May not, but it's just a vision, a dream'. What the Fuck !!
This is what I wanted to scream at the top of my voice every time I encounter a stupid person. I expect only one thing from anyone - I want them to think, not some rocket science,just use common-sense. Why doesn't anyone think? Is it too much to ask? You might've understood by now, what I'm trying to say. My vision is - "I want to see the world where people think". This is what I wanted to convey through the pathetic presentation skills of mine. And obviously, I could not. Let me give a few examples to project my point better.
The first one. One night, I was sitting in the coffee room, GEC - Global 'Education' Centre (@Infosys) - sipping my coffee when this guy enters the room. His coffee mug slips from his hand and ... CRASH !!! The sensible thing to do is, pick up the broken porcelain pieces and trash them (the dustbin was beside him, by the way). But, NO !!! After recovering from the 'shock', he looks around to check whether anyone is observing him. He notices me in the dark corner. There was a stupid grin on his face (was he expecting a medal from me !!) and he left the room. I had to pick up (while cursing that 'social animal') the broken pieces and dispose them. Should someone tell him to do that?
The second one. Well, this is a serious problem, according to me. This is current scenario of the education system in 'Swarnandhrapradesh' (and probably, in other parts of nation). This happened when I was in my 3rd year, B.Tech. I was wandering in my colony when a certain person (say, XYZ) recognises me and invites me to his house. He had some questions regarding his son's career and wants me to clarify. In the middle of conversation, I asked him why was his son taking coaching for IITs. His answer, "If he'll aims for the IITs, he'll end up getting a good seat in AIEEE". HOLY FUCK !!! Is this similar to, "Aim for the stars, you might end up on moon" sort of thing. I was shocked. Later, I found that, this was a popular conception. What's happening to the society? If this is the thought process of a grown-up, one might wonder, how do the gonna-be grown-up think? It turns out that I've an example for that too.
The third and final one. This incident happened during my final year of engineering. A fresh batch of 240 are induced into DA-IICT. In their first week, after their inductions, a few of them come to my room to ask me, "How many hours do we have to study in order to get a pointer above 3.5?". How the fuck did that perspective enter their minds? I admit that, in my first year, percentage was one concern for me. As far as I can remember, I (most of us) never used to study for marks. Having a concern for marks is one thing, but, is there a metric which takes number of hours (you study) as an input and gives a projection of your pointer?
I ask the same question that i put forth in the beginning; Am I asking too much? Does my vision come under the same category ('No Wars', 'Eternal Peace', etc ...)? Think Again !!!
Acknowledgements
------------------------
I would like to thank pOp3, pOtti, Sagar (miyya), LC, potu, priyatham, rama, pavan and several others who have urged me to write. Rakesh, thanks for your review. This first blog of mine is dedicated to pOp3 and pOtti (You know why).
The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.
- B. F. Skinner
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since when I was young, I've dreamt of many things that I wished, would happen, most of them for a personal purpose and a few for a 'higher' cause. But there is a difference between a 'dream' and a 'vision'. Dreams, as the word suggests, need not be realistic. This completely depends on how wild your imagination can go and there can be no end to it. But, a vision is something different. It is something which, in the first place is, realistic. It focuses on what YOU are going to do to reach your vision. The reason I'm focusing on these terms is to make it clear to the 'intellects' who, sometimes, forget the difference. This particular topic, "My Vision of the World", has been given to 'us' (STAR Infoscions) during our training sessions, for which, we were asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation. I found something interesting during the entire session: To what extent can a person's imagination go and more importantly, how can one get confused with the basic difference between the two - a vision, and a dream. Well, it is either 'World where there are no physical boundaries', 'World with no money', 'Eternal Peace', 'Greenery Everywhere', 'No wars', and so on ... They were all like the campaign portfolio of a fucking politician. I admit, I may not have right or the intellect to criticize anyone; but, is any of it really possible ??? When I ask the same, the reply is (and will be) 'May not, but it's just a vision, a dream'. What the Fuck !!
This is what I wanted to scream at the top of my voice every time I encounter a stupid person. I expect only one thing from anyone - I want them to think, not some rocket science,just use common-sense. Why doesn't anyone think? Is it too much to ask? You might've understood by now, what I'm trying to say. My vision is - "I want to see the world where people think". This is what I wanted to convey through the pathetic presentation skills of mine. And obviously, I could not. Let me give a few examples to project my point better.
The first one. One night, I was sitting in the coffee room, GEC - Global 'Education' Centre (@Infosys) - sipping my coffee when this guy enters the room. His coffee mug slips from his hand and ... CRASH !!! The sensible thing to do is, pick up the broken porcelain pieces and trash them (the dustbin was beside him, by the way). But, NO !!! After recovering from the 'shock', he looks around to check whether anyone is observing him. He notices me in the dark corner. There was a stupid grin on his face (was he expecting a medal from me !!) and he left the room. I had to pick up (while cursing that 'social animal') the broken pieces and dispose them. Should someone tell him to do that?
The second one. Well, this is a serious problem, according to me. This is current scenario of the education system in 'Swarnandhrapradesh' (and probably, in other parts of nation). This happened when I was in my 3rd year, B.Tech. I was wandering in my colony when a certain person (say, XYZ) recognises me and invites me to his house. He had some questions regarding his son's career and wants me to clarify. In the middle of conversation, I asked him why was his son taking coaching for IITs. His answer, "If he'll aims for the IITs, he'll end up getting a good seat in AIEEE". HOLY FUCK !!! Is this similar to, "Aim for the stars, you might end up on moon" sort of thing. I was shocked. Later, I found that, this was a popular conception. What's happening to the society? If this is the thought process of a grown-up, one might wonder, how do the gonna-be grown-up think? It turns out that I've an example for that too.
The third and final one. This incident happened during my final year of engineering. A fresh batch of 240 are induced into DA-IICT. In their first week, after their inductions, a few of them come to my room to ask me, "How many hours do we have to study in order to get a pointer above 3.5?". How the fuck did that perspective enter their minds? I admit that, in my first year, percentage was one concern for me. As far as I can remember, I (most of us) never used to study for marks. Having a concern for marks is one thing, but, is there a metric which takes number of hours (you study) as an input and gives a projection of your pointer?
I ask the same question that i put forth in the beginning; Am I asking too much? Does my vision come under the same category ('No Wars', 'Eternal Peace', etc ...)? Think Again !!!
Acknowledgements
------------------------
I would like to thank pOp3, pOtti, Sagar (miyya), LC, potu, priyatham, rama, pavan and several others who have urged me to write. Rakesh, thanks for your review. This first blog of mine is dedicated to pOp3 and pOtti (You know why).
Hmmm... interesting... you took up blogging...
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest... Your vision of the world is admirable but I think you were too judgemental. The three points that you made were too trivial to be really considered as arguments to support your point... the last 2 points were cases of popular perception in the society... that doesn't mean they don't think... I think the point you were trying to make was that society distorts people's ability to think... but it is society which shapes the way you and me think in the first place and 'distortion' is not what it is... I'm sure the junior would learn the stark realities pretty quickly...
While running the risk of being judgemental myself, throughout the post, I found your attitude somewhat patronizing (I find that in a lot of ppl here in my college) which never helps...
PS: I don't remember to have ever urged you to write :P... but now I encourage you to do it more... It would be a good way to improve upon the writing skills that you possess (which are decent)... Also it would be a good release from the frustrating confines of your workplace :P...
Have fun
PS2: You had to give a ppt on 'Vision of the World' at infy... wtf?
To clarify, I was just concerned (may be I was a bit emotional). And also, what I mean by saying "I want people to think" is that "I want people to think 'clearly' ".
ReplyDeleteade le ... urged ani collective gaa raasi undalsindi kaadu .. but, i definitely remember u telling me (once or twice) to write a book sort of thing ... :D
thanks anyway for your comments.
bongu... am really happy that finally we've got a serious writer.. some one who thinks and writes. The above statement might seem sarcastic, but it ain't. Edho edava sodhi rasevallame kaani, burratho raasina paapana poledu memeppudoo..
ReplyDeleteneway, finally ur knowledge of religions, culture etc., is taking shape... good.. x1
but, me too despite being the same materialist as i am during btech had some philosophy to comment:
Thought comes out of knowledge and lack of knowledge gives imagination (dream) a free hand. So to be a visionary u need to have knowledge, to dream u need nothing. So, the xyz in your street and the junior in our college have probably very little idea abt what and how to do and certain high-risk activities in life are better dealt with "follow the sheep troop" methodology. That's what they've done :). If you remember pandya's words "the society is greater than an individual", it's the society and its norms that curbs the thoughts of humans. Aristotle thought and he's banished, tarak thought and he's ignored (joke :P)
donno what crap i talked.. but i need to comment naa :D
serious aa modda ... basically ikkada emi pani leka kottukuntunnanu ... creative gaa humourous gaa elaagu raayalenu ... that's not me. sare le edo okati raaddam le ani ...
ReplyDeleteabey evvari words ayinaa context-oriented untaayi bey. Probably, 'society greater than an individual' ani aa context lo correct ayyundocchu. Anyway, "Society > Individual" aa leka "Individual > Society" anedi always ambiguious and an ever-debatable topic. But, since its a viscious cycle, a change on one side always gets reflected on other side. Hence, focusing on the current situation, I feel that working from the individual level many be more effective. Mana gandhi gaari example teesukoni, "You become the change you want to see in this world" ane aadarshaanni follow avudaam. Emo ... mananni choosi pakkana vallu influence kavocchu kada.
take lite macha...be pessimistic ...just assume that the other person cannot think....just makes things easier :)
ReplyDeletethr is no orkut in office and i had no time to read ur reply to my review, so dont mind...i'll try n read today.(btw, i m writing this from office:P)
ReplyDeleteabt ur reply to puneet, its true tht it is a vicious cycle, individuals, collectively can effect society...we r not supporting wht the ppl in ur examples did...b'coz, we r better informed than they are...if u think tht ppl get influenced by seeing us, which is a little far-fetched but possible, then fine...we r not going to be like them anyway...if u have any other idea on doing something to influence them...bring it out, coz gandhi did not just follow his ideals himself, he made other follow too;)
@ pOtti .. emo raa .. inka clueless :(
ReplyDeletefine...if u really want to do something, i have a suggestion...the reason why they r thinking tht way b'coz they r not so well informed(i m talking abt the parents and students, not the stupid who dropped the cup)
ReplyDeleteas u r better informed than those ppl, wht U can do is inform them abt the real situation...
u can conduct seminars(its kind of a big word, but i have no other word) and tell them wht actually is the life in college...how is the education system running in eihter AP colleges or IITs and daiicts(which r very different)
u can start in small numbers and if the response is good then the size will grow by itself...u can form a group of ppl who can do this and then u will go closer towards ur vision:P
I guess even u might have figured all this but just dont have the time to do it:P