2012 Apocalypse

What a relief, earth survived post 21 Dec 2012, proving apocalypse wrong, does it? From where did this prediction born, why it was given so much importance? We all know it is from Mayan’s calendar, why this 21^st century civilization is so concerned about something which was written by civilization lived nearly 5000 yrs ago? Are we not more advanced than them both on technology and culture? (I leave the answer for this question to the readers as there are plenty of articles in web) But still, from NASA to common man, every one feared this to their level of intelligence and belief. There were several TV interviews on which even NASA was unable to nullify this and said there might be some radioactive waves from sun which might affect radio (TV, Mobile and all) signals. However I haven't heard of any such things neither on 21^st nor post 21^st.

Are we now safe from this Apocalypse? Scientists still debate on this, but what kind of debate is this? Do we understand the apocalypse that predicted? It is scientifically proved and accepted that Mayans are highly intelligent and possessed cutting edge technology that doesn't belong to their era. If so then how come they predict so foolishly that earth will burn out in one day, as if it formed in one day. It took millions of years for this planet to be eligible for living, another million of years for Homo sapiens to emerge further million years for humans, and we expect the earth to destroy in one day with no proper evidence. If expected Apocalypse is not a one day thing, then how many days it is for? What kind of apocalypse it is? Does it begin already? I believe it did begin already.

The apocalypse is not for humans, it is for humanity, where few are killing it and for the rest it doesn't make any sense any more, from social animal we fell as anti social element, killings over religion, shoot outs on kids, riots over race, many more across the globe and in India it is even worse, we don’t even have the basic social responsibility, neither at home nor on roads, we think it is our birth right to block the opposite side of the road, like shameless creature blocking the way for vehicles, I always wonder is there any law to book these idiots if patient dies in ambulance because of this blockage. We never put ourselves in the place of those in ambulance.

We litter, spit on streets, not showing any concern on our fellow person who walks bare foot (some because of poverty, some for religious reasons) how disgusting it would be for them. Driving while pedestrian crossing and many more, we even drive on foot paths hazarding pedestrians.  Recent atrocious over women, I’m not talking about the Delhi incident alone, 100+ victims in Bosnia war, 1000+ victims in Sri Lankan civil war, unknown number in Afghanistan war and many others around the world, per my knowledge only humans indulge in gang rapes, Where is humanity here?.

Illegal poaching, deforestation, global warming, the list becomes endless, our inhumane endangers humans and other species on this earth. Earth can survive without humans and it was for millions of years, and so the other species but humans cannot. We are dependent on this earth and its resources, and so on society, so it is not just enough we worry about global warming and climatic changes,   we should be more responsible to build a society filled with ethics and morals.  I don’t see this happening, every human lives like zombie may be he is not feeding on human, but on humanity. which is even worse. With human, just goes one life but with humanity the whole race. Apocalypse started it is good if we stop it, rather allowing it to find its end. 

An Apology to my Son

As I’m with my yet to be named Son, his giggling to my actions, responding to my voice, smiling to my gestures was so fun and happiest moments in my life, accidentally I touched the TV remote which turned on the TV with big sound, and there was news about removing hockey as our National game, all of sudden he stopped his giggling and smiling, ignoring me completely, turned his face away from me, all my funny faces and actions are vain. He is still in serious mood I thought it is TV sound that upsetted him, I turned off the TV, he is still serious, gazing wall this time.  Out of impatience I turned his face towards me forcibly he stared at me, one stare asking me thousand questions.

Questions for which I don’t have an answer but silence, his questions are below:

 What is my role in this society that I’m going to gift him, a society in which he will be forced to LIVE next? Is this society as caring and lovable as me? Is this a responsible society that I’m gifting?  At least is this a society that is safe to live?

I’m still in silence, this time his staring is so intense, and here comes the harsh question, why this punishment to me to LIVE in this society? This almost bought tears, and he continued “Am I been cheated thinking that you (me) are responsible when you (me) are not? “

A society which is infected with illicit educationalists, money launders media, corrupted leaders and worst of all irresponsible citizens. Students are getting terminated forcibly for not performing, is that a mistake of the student or the inability of the teacher or the irresponsibility of the society?  The first two are correctable and can only be corrected when society becomes responsible.  

Recent bus accident (I would rather call it murder), the concern school declared holiday to students and teachers for a week to avoid further commotion, however within two days they were reopened, when enquired it seems the parents has called the school management to open school, as it affects their daily work (both home and office), as kids are at home, how pathetic and irresponsible these parents are? Not caring for the fellow parent grief, no wonder they are not when they don’t care their kids.  How responsible these parents are by letting children to study in the same school that washed hands and pointed the contractor of the bus, feeling no sorry except through lips.  If building collapses and 10 children die, he will again say sorry and point the contractor who build it. And there are 1000 parents to let their kids study in that school. Management gets there money but parents? I often wonder that, how many parents know that kids are gift and not a sexual mistake.  When we are not cared for our children why to give birth?

 Recent Assam Violence, there were no highlights from media, where did they go? Did Cat (Congress) caught there tongue?  Why it is not splashed as Godhra riots (2002), I believe it is used as adjective whenever Modi is addressed as AIADMK adds “Minority” to DMK. Is Assam violence not a genocide? Who should answer this question? It is not the media or the leaders it is us, citizens, members of this society, but we don’t bother to answer questions, when we don’t bother to answer, then we lose the right to question, hence we don’t question the media or leaders who are left to act on their own.

Sensational news is what we all are concerned about, it is not the concern any more it has become need now, there is no point in blaming the media as we are demanding and expecting the same from media, there is no point in preaching the media to be responsible when we are not responsible, it is better to practice before we preach, sarcastically we preach but wont practice. When we stop watching such news channels then obviously they are forced to change, they cannot force us to watch but we can force them to change.   

Removing Hockey as national game is another shame, just because my father is not responsible or not performing his duties, should I be changing my father?  Or training him on how to perform his duties?  Probably I should change, that is what these incapable leaders are setting an example, again it is not the leaders fault, it is us who made them the leaders. Are the players blamable or the sports authority? If tomorrow the selected games (players) are not performing will be there a change in the national game again? If we keep changing the games will there be games left to choose?

 I feel as if I’m shot with all these questions from my son, I’m not bleeding, I’m not breathing either,  my silence is killing me and as a fuel to fire his silence is burying me alive, just then my wife entered as a silence (ice) breaker, asking us both “ what is going on between father and Son?”  My son just responded her with a smile and a look at me which just said “now my father is responsible”.

Dhoni – Not out but education system bowled

After a long time, I had a satisfaction of watching a good movie (Good in the sense of concept), after watching movie I felt so light, though most of the screen play is cinematic (dramatic), but the core message is what good, it is good to see such movies (3 idiots) now a days.

Prakash Raj, has lived in his character as a middle class father, though there is little exaggeration, of middle class father, which pictures his honesty, diligence and his struggle to run the family. Karthick character exactly resembles most of the student’s life of this era especially in India yes it is only in India (as far as I know) where parents decide the student’s career.

I recently had a similar situation, to admit my nieces in a school, for 1^st and 3^rd std, each school has different syllabus, I was surprised, I know there is state board, CBSE board and few schools even have international board but they had additional syllabus along with state/CBSE syllabus. I don’t understand why that is required for primary school education. Sarcastic thing is they don’t have any moral education, any ethic classes such as to keep their dwelling place clean and all. There was an interview to my sister and brother in law, since I was accompanying them, I too was interviewed. We were asked whether we can afford for tuition, special classes (there is a catch of special fee) and we should spend minimum 4-6 hours with kids, in helping them in home work and all. One thing I don’t understand here is why am I sending kids to schools, if I need to have a tuition, special class and 4 hours of tutoring at home, then what is the need for school? I didn’t kept this question with me, I shot it out to principal and correspondent, I got a strong reply, that there school produces 100% result and it is prestigious (I think they meant premier) intuition and that’s the reason why we are there to admit our kids, and I said that’s fine why it has to be so stringent for primary classes, reply I got was even more pathetic, they said it is competitive world, and they are training kids from the beginning for tomorrow. That’s where I lost my control, and asked them is your institution is as prestigious as IIM’s and IIT’s , as I don’t think they produce 100% results every year, how prestigious are you when kids are producing results due to tuition, special class and tutoring at home, first why do they need special class when class are already there? I even asked them do you teach any tricks or techniques to learn things, like in mathematics teaching tricks for fast multiplying and all, they don’t even have any clue of what I’m talking? It seems all they teach is how to memorize things and vomit in papers during exams. There is no work shop for kids to learn things on their own, to understand subjects, and school is primarily targeting on kids memorizing power and not to their understanding capabilities, so that they can memorize things and vomit when asked/required.

I walked out of the room after saying, as your demands are unethical I can’t expect my kids to learn ethics from you, your morality sucks so I can’t expect that from my kids and the worst part is neither you nor your teachers know anything beyond books, even in that none of you know what is in the books. They attacked me asking how can I say that? There teachers are well qualified and highly educated for their role. Then I asked the principal (an ex math’s teacher), we know 9 is a magical number, can you give me one example to prove that? To my surprise he was not able to answer my question. And he was teaching mathematics to students for almost 10 years, I was not asking him to prove any theorem here, it was such a simple question for his cadre.

There is no need for the rest of the story, we didn’t got the admission there, I’m not regretting for that in fact I’m happy that my nieces will not be a book worms of this generation, I bought some books for my sister (Vedic mathematics and some puzzles for kids) to entertain my nieces with it, so that they don’t feel the pressure of learning but to get the essence of it.

In fact many who reading this, will think that I’m a stupid, arrogant and brutal person, for denying education from premier intuitions to my nieces, to the fact I’m not, how many of you know that there are thousands of kids in Chennai from well to do family don’t do their primary education in schools instead, they stay at home and learn subjects through private tuition's or becoming members in British council and all. I’m not saying it is affordable to everyone, but it proves at least that education is available even outside the schools. When it comes to the question of affordability, schools are now a day’s becoming more expensive, that those days are not so far that even middle class families have to forfeit their education.