It is often perplexing when students don’t respond to a question when learning in a group. This often lends to reactions by the ‘initiator ’-the lecturer who asked the question expecting an answer as in a normal conversation between two persons. The complex relationship in a classroom setting is evidently quite different from a conversation in the corridor.
The situation in this complex relationship is rather unnatural as we have to factor in several interactions , the group that is watching the expected response, the confidence the student has in getting the answer correct, previous experiences with the same lecturer or with other lecturers which may have resulted in a traumatic outcome and the student’s own ability to communicate, to articulate his thoughts, his ability to organize his answer based on how he has understood and analyzed the question thrown at him.
When we talk about communication we are so very familiar with the ‘new millennium’ kid, the so called wired kid or is it ‘wireless kid’! It is a familiar scene now that it is no longer possible for one to have a conversation for more than 10 minutes without an interruption as the other party fumbles for his hand phone and breaks off the communication to answer the call, which could not be that important. The person on the other line had made the call without a single thought as to what the receiving person would be doing at that point in time.
Ironically we see these at all levels of society, not only among kids and young adults. It was amusing when I saw a leading politician recently, coming out of his car as a huge group was waiting to greet him. He had his mobile phone ‘attached ‘to his left ear being held with one hand, while the other hand was systematically outstretched willing to shake the hands of large group of willing supporters. Would this be civil or is part of the ability to multitask!
I often lament that the next generation would be lacking that bit of empathy and would fail to have the human touch if the electronic media transacted through our society without any respite for human communication.
‘Communication in a changing world’; that is what I wanted to address. However I thought I should digress and discuss the elements of communication as well elaborated by Bethami Dobkin & Roger Pace, (2003). The model sited in their book reminded me of the Artkinson and Schiff’s ‘memory ‘model. Although communication can be verbal and non-verbal we are mindful of the visually challenged and those who have hearing impairment who lead meaningful lives utilizing their skills in communication, verbal or otherwise.
Whatever message is transmitted during the communication involves several channels and media, they go through a sieve like barrier, so that the listener has the option of not registering it (encoding) or decoding it. Clearly one would want to be engaged in the complex situation to be communicating, otherwise the message gets thrown away.
The ‘working memory’ , according to Atkinson and Schiff last but 20 seconds and if the message transmitted is not captured to be encoded after analysis, it just gets brushed off, like raindrops falling on the wind screen of your car. Should there be some enthusiasm in wanting to be engaged, then all the factors like meaningful language, interest and active learning, need to be in place before there is a reaction to complete the communication loop. The latter could be a verbal expression immediately after or non-verbal expression of understanding and acceptance.
The SMS that one uses with mobile phones has had a lasting impression of how communication has changed. All the processes as to how the mind reads is explicit in the SMS. If one types ‘I would prefer face to face learning’ it may take that much longer. An alternative would have been ‘I wld prefer F2F lerning’. Is this correctly written? That would be another arguing point but the message is understood and communication is complete, if that was the original objective of communication.
It is a changing world and new communication skills would have to be accepted as we move to another generation of people. Initiation and interpretation are all elements of the mind, the maturity of thought and the makings of our alignment to understand each other. The ability to vocalize is intrinsic to the human race and as to how to use it to communicate should be left to innovativeness, flexibility and practicality, I believe, though it is rather difficult to fathom in totality as we become unfamiliar with the language of the new millennium kids and the Y generation.
People contend that messages are indeed the thoughts and ideas expressed by others. It may have an emotive context especially when expressed in the first person. The charismatic leader exploits this aspect to the maximum to reach out to his listeners and supporters. Music icons and preachers are great communicators. Intonations and hand expressions, facial expressions and specific movements which are all non-verbal enhance verbal communication. Communication is multidimensional and the man on the street is always learning newer and newer media that is used. The means of communicating will not abate with the conventional e-mail, video conferencing, face- book and twitter as long as innovations and appeal go hand in hand. It is a dynamic world that we live in and we have to keep track of the rapid changes to be able to communicate. There is now a huge move to make education virtual and computer mediated learning will mould the future generation to begin learning and working using communicational channels which have less and less face to face communication.
The context of communication is an often misunderstood area because of the meaning behind the message. If we have an invitation to a wedding addressed to couple and a dressing code is required, it is only civil that the invitation is accepted or declined and the dress code is adhered to. In the context of the modern world it is clear that one expects just the two people at the wedding. However, in the Asian context, the message (invitation) may have a deeper meaning and may permit the entire family to come! The diversity of culture does play a big role in considering the context of communication.
It is a peculiar truth that communication is irreversible especially when vocalized. There is little way we could retract a statement once made and that makes it so important to be careful what is said. An apology after a harsh statement can be difficult to mend, we all know that. At times we use such a strategy to close a discussion or to drive home a point.
Conclusion
Communication is integral to interpersonal relationships and is a complex subject. Most arguments centre on poor communication and peace reigns when communication is at its best. Cultural diversity and the context of the environment will impact on communication whether it is verbal or non-verbal. As good humans we need to be civil in communication and be mindful of the sensitivity of the message as once it is communicated it is irreversible.
Further Reading:
Bethami A Dobkin & Roger C. Pace. Understanding the Process of Communication in Communication in a Changing World. 2003; Mc Graw Hill, Boston
Sivalingam Nalliah 30th Oct 2011
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Sunday, 16 October 2011
The Language We Use
The Language We Use
Colonialism left us with the English Language and that was the lingua franca for many years in schools and university. As we were taught by locals who were not native English speakers we often held on to their philosophy of making the discussion brief. To curtail having to read long assays, I believe, this was a ploy by our teachers. More than 100 words for précis or 350 words for imaginative composition invited severe reprimand and a drop in grades! A second mute point was to ensure the language you used was simple without ‘flowery language’. It bored me writing the same style to get the point across so long as it was grammatically correct that I attempted an essay with enough adjectives to cover most of the terms found in Collin’s Pocket English Dictionary culminating in getting 45 % for the paper! That moved my confidence that much lower that I never attempted deviating from the safe zone thence on!
Using bombastic words has its value in showing your peers that you are that bit higher in the use of the language. Though you did not favour such words or what I surmised as meaningless communication I have found that it did sound different. I recall the English book ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ where the opening statement ‘by the pen of Thackary and pencil of Doyle’ or some such statement in introducing the Brown’s ; I thought that was a novel way of starting the page. The mundane ‘it was a sunny day and we were preparing for the picnic we had planned’ sounded so routine that I thought reading the work of others does influence you to some extent.
The word ‘bombastic’ is an oft repeated word that invites equally unfamiliar meaning as being ‘pompous, pretentious, grandiloquent and overbearing’. However when one wants to make life easy for the unintended reader alternate terms for ‘bombastic’ like ‘ostentiously lofty in style and orotund’ takes the cake.
Surfing the ‘net’ for ‘Trilogy of Life’ I came across a feature article written by Leo Goldsmith (http:/notcoming.com/feature/triologyoflife, 17th July 2004). The author was portraying the wonderful works of Pier Paolo Pasolini who was a complex person of very high calibre and a great intellectual who met his untimely death in 1975 in Italy. Apart from writing numerous novels and poetry he was a great filmmaker and activist. The Trilogy of Life related to three famous works; Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales, The Decameron and The Arabian Nights. I was familiar with the last, had heard about the Canterbury Tales when I was exposed to Medieval European History at the age of 13 but had not heard about The Decameron. The poetical works in the Canterbury Tales was indeed unfamiliar territory and I refrained from reading the book although there is hard copy lying in my home for the last 40 years.
Goldsmith has a smudge of bombastic language, at least to my mind but the articulation is so meticulous that it sends out the message so aptly about the works of Pasolini as a great film director. ‘Pasolini produces feature films where nudity, casual sex and naked flesh are integral to his works’. That sentence by Goldsmith is easy to comprehend. However the subsequent terms like ‘rustic, libidinous pursuit of casual sex’ was a tardy bit too much for me to clearly understand till I reached for my English dictionary. Google’s has made it easier by having the Thesaurus icon just above this page. What do I see in Thesaurus; rustic refers to ‘rural, country, pastoral and bucolic.’ Bucolic’ is unfamiliar to me so I go back to Thesaurus! I return with ‘rural’ but what happens to ‘libidinous’? No results are found! Perhaps my English teacher was right in correcting me that simple language would suffice for communicating the issue , all that is said is ‘ Pasolini often portrayed scenes using naked flesh and loose moral values’. Having said that, I marvel as to how columnists waken me up by infusing such euphemism. “The air of naiveté with which Pasolini infuses this trilogy is entirely calculated’ adds Goldsmith. Such meaningfully placed words spell a deeper understanding of Pasolini as having construed well ahead , the viewer and underscores the craftiness of the man.
Bombastic or simple language, the colonial masters of this nation have left a lasting legacy.
Sivalingam
16th Oct 2011
Colonialism left us with the English Language and that was the lingua franca for many years in schools and university. As we were taught by locals who were not native English speakers we often held on to their philosophy of making the discussion brief. To curtail having to read long assays, I believe, this was a ploy by our teachers. More than 100 words for précis or 350 words for imaginative composition invited severe reprimand and a drop in grades! A second mute point was to ensure the language you used was simple without ‘flowery language’. It bored me writing the same style to get the point across so long as it was grammatically correct that I attempted an essay with enough adjectives to cover most of the terms found in Collin’s Pocket English Dictionary culminating in getting 45 % for the paper! That moved my confidence that much lower that I never attempted deviating from the safe zone thence on!
Using bombastic words has its value in showing your peers that you are that bit higher in the use of the language. Though you did not favour such words or what I surmised as meaningless communication I have found that it did sound different. I recall the English book ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ where the opening statement ‘by the pen of Thackary and pencil of Doyle’ or some such statement in introducing the Brown’s ; I thought that was a novel way of starting the page. The mundane ‘it was a sunny day and we were preparing for the picnic we had planned’ sounded so routine that I thought reading the work of others does influence you to some extent.
The word ‘bombastic’ is an oft repeated word that invites equally unfamiliar meaning as being ‘pompous, pretentious, grandiloquent and overbearing’. However when one wants to make life easy for the unintended reader alternate terms for ‘bombastic’ like ‘ostentiously lofty in style and orotund’ takes the cake.
Surfing the ‘net’ for ‘Trilogy of Life’ I came across a feature article written by Leo Goldsmith (http:/notcoming.com/feature/triologyoflife, 17th July 2004). The author was portraying the wonderful works of Pier Paolo Pasolini who was a complex person of very high calibre and a great intellectual who met his untimely death in 1975 in Italy. Apart from writing numerous novels and poetry he was a great filmmaker and activist. The Trilogy of Life related to three famous works; Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales, The Decameron and The Arabian Nights. I was familiar with the last, had heard about the Canterbury Tales when I was exposed to Medieval European History at the age of 13 but had not heard about The Decameron. The poetical works in the Canterbury Tales was indeed unfamiliar territory and I refrained from reading the book although there is hard copy lying in my home for the last 40 years.
Goldsmith has a smudge of bombastic language, at least to my mind but the articulation is so meticulous that it sends out the message so aptly about the works of Pasolini as a great film director. ‘Pasolini produces feature films where nudity, casual sex and naked flesh are integral to his works’. That sentence by Goldsmith is easy to comprehend. However the subsequent terms like ‘rustic, libidinous pursuit of casual sex’ was a tardy bit too much for me to clearly understand till I reached for my English dictionary. Google’s has made it easier by having the Thesaurus icon just above this page. What do I see in Thesaurus; rustic refers to ‘rural, country, pastoral and bucolic.’ Bucolic’ is unfamiliar to me so I go back to Thesaurus! I return with ‘rural’ but what happens to ‘libidinous’? No results are found! Perhaps my English teacher was right in correcting me that simple language would suffice for communicating the issue , all that is said is ‘ Pasolini often portrayed scenes using naked flesh and loose moral values’. Having said that, I marvel as to how columnists waken me up by infusing such euphemism. “The air of naiveté with which Pasolini infuses this trilogy is entirely calculated’ adds Goldsmith. Such meaningfully placed words spell a deeper understanding of Pasolini as having construed well ahead , the viewer and underscores the craftiness of the man.
Bombastic or simple language, the colonial masters of this nation have left a lasting legacy.
Sivalingam
16th Oct 2011
Saturday, 13 August 2011
The Poetry Reader
I am no poet and many attempts I have made often lacked the impact required of good peotry. My primary school days remind me of Nathianile Hawthorne and a book we had had to buy 'An Anthology of Poems'. If I did not get anything from the subject at least I learnt about the word ' anthology'.
My school teacher had all the characteristics of a dramatist as he lived the words of each poem we read. Some were related to those maimed at First World War, others were philosophical and yet some were just comedy. We did not read about great poets of the day but Hiawatha is vivid in my mind, it was about the a Red Indian in the USA, if I remember right!
It dorned on me then that I should put some words together and see if I can re-live the days when I was not yet nine, being read poems in school. The note below potrays a Poetry Reader and his young audience.
The Poetry Reader
Children have come from far and near,
With enthusiasm, curiosity and plain fanfare,
They come in droves with parents and carers,
As they hear that the poetry reader is here.
Assembled in planned rows, they sit on the floor,
In the huge hall, that could accommodate more
Prim and proper they look, the clothes they adorn,
T-shirts, pants, sports shoes and all.
They await the man they have heard about,
Impatient they get, the curtain is not raised.
An announcement comes, what they had longed for,
‘The poetry reader is ready, to read to you more.’
A stocky man he was, not to be raved over,
Kind he looked, balding head, nothing to cover.
He wore a long robe over his attire,
Gave the impression that the colours were on fire.
‘Come forward my children, come hither’,
His voice was soft but became firm and louder.
Moved forward they did as ordered,
Like the waves of the sea, before they retired!
‘I am the poetry reader, you all gather,
But I am more a story teller.
I read poems, prose and all you desire,
So children, be silent lest my voice, you don’t hear’.
‘Silence must prevail if you want to listen,
To the messages I send through bards and tales.
Many are the values I want to share,
Gather the meaning; you must lead life with care’.
‘Poems have changed so very much,
As experimentation with writings became a norm.
Differing ideas impact the mind,
More freedom to express, imagination of any kind’.
‘Herbert expressed ‘Easter Wings’ in the shape of a wing,
Poems took shape in the form of star, wheel and string.
Baffled will you be if you thought of poems in patterns,
As writers became bolder, penning their thoughts to denote contents’.
‘There is a message in all one writes,
The way it’s expressed, meaning is concealed ,
Read on and on, till you come to the end,
Clearly you may see what the writer has penned’.
‘Words are joyously said, intertwined with earth, soil and till,
Keep close to the style, and decipher what is said,
Look hard at the plight of the writer as he expresses,
Is he sharing a deep thought, idiom or life’s messes?’
‘Listen to a poem, Finnegan’s Wake from Joyce,
Written so long ago, but still gives voice,
The line is long, but intonations I include,
Pause I shall, at every full stop and comma’.
‘His consciousness, he expresses and puns, uses
The English is old, but meaning so rich,
Joyce is good at his choice of words,
But I won’t read his passage lest you insist’.
‘Poems are to be read for joy, they portray,
Love and feelings, misery and tales.
Rhythm and rhyme, vocabulary and words,
Are poems written in unorthodox ways?’
‘Does it matter the way they are said?
The poem and prose is read as it is made.
I read with respect for those who wrote,
I share the meanings, poems or prose!”
“Watch I shall, at your faces for grimaces,
Pausing at commas, scanning eager faces,
At full stops I shall longer, wait,
Looking at you, ensuring you are in the correct state’.
‘Ask me a question, my children and friends,
But not before I have stopped to pause,
Then I would know you want me more,
Remain I shall, a poetry reader.’
Sivalingam Nalliah
12th Aug 2011
My school teacher had all the characteristics of a dramatist as he lived the words of each poem we read. Some were related to those maimed at First World War, others were philosophical and yet some were just comedy. We did not read about great poets of the day but Hiawatha is vivid in my mind, it was about the a Red Indian in the USA, if I remember right!
It dorned on me then that I should put some words together and see if I can re-live the days when I was not yet nine, being read poems in school. The note below potrays a Poetry Reader and his young audience.
The Poetry Reader
Children have come from far and near,
With enthusiasm, curiosity and plain fanfare,
They come in droves with parents and carers,
As they hear that the poetry reader is here.
Assembled in planned rows, they sit on the floor,
In the huge hall, that could accommodate more
Prim and proper they look, the clothes they adorn,
T-shirts, pants, sports shoes and all.
They await the man they have heard about,
Impatient they get, the curtain is not raised.
An announcement comes, what they had longed for,
‘The poetry reader is ready, to read to you more.’
A stocky man he was, not to be raved over,
Kind he looked, balding head, nothing to cover.
He wore a long robe over his attire,
Gave the impression that the colours were on fire.
‘Come forward my children, come hither’,
His voice was soft but became firm and louder.
Moved forward they did as ordered,
Like the waves of the sea, before they retired!
‘I am the poetry reader, you all gather,
But I am more a story teller.
I read poems, prose and all you desire,
So children, be silent lest my voice, you don’t hear’.
‘Silence must prevail if you want to listen,
To the messages I send through bards and tales.
Many are the values I want to share,
Gather the meaning; you must lead life with care’.
‘Poems have changed so very much,
As experimentation with writings became a norm.
Differing ideas impact the mind,
More freedom to express, imagination of any kind’.
‘Herbert expressed ‘Easter Wings’ in the shape of a wing,
Poems took shape in the form of star, wheel and string.
Baffled will you be if you thought of poems in patterns,
As writers became bolder, penning their thoughts to denote contents’.
‘There is a message in all one writes,
The way it’s expressed, meaning is concealed ,
Read on and on, till you come to the end,
Clearly you may see what the writer has penned’.
‘Words are joyously said, intertwined with earth, soil and till,
Keep close to the style, and decipher what is said,
Look hard at the plight of the writer as he expresses,
Is he sharing a deep thought, idiom or life’s messes?’
‘Listen to a poem, Finnegan’s Wake from Joyce,
Written so long ago, but still gives voice,
The line is long, but intonations I include,
Pause I shall, at every full stop and comma’.
‘His consciousness, he expresses and puns, uses
The English is old, but meaning so rich,
Joyce is good at his choice of words,
But I won’t read his passage lest you insist’.
‘Poems are to be read for joy, they portray,
Love and feelings, misery and tales.
Rhythm and rhyme, vocabulary and words,
Are poems written in unorthodox ways?’
‘Does it matter the way they are said?
The poem and prose is read as it is made.
I read with respect for those who wrote,
I share the meanings, poems or prose!”
“Watch I shall, at your faces for grimaces,
Pausing at commas, scanning eager faces,
At full stops I shall longer, wait,
Looking at you, ensuring you are in the correct state’.
‘Ask me a question, my children and friends,
But not before I have stopped to pause,
Then I would know you want me more,
Remain I shall, a poetry reader.’
Sivalingam Nalliah
12th Aug 2011
Monday, 4 July 2011
Midlife crisis -is it for all ?
The 'empty nest syndrome' is for real as I sit to pen these few words. It has been a busy weekend minding the house and completing my task in view of the coming 'high stake MBBS examinations' and preparing the the lectures I am scheduled to give to professional bodies till the end of the year.
Sustenance and mental drive are essential to complete the job; both of which I seem to lag behind as I touch 63 years of age. Vivid flight of ideas seem to percolate through my mind severely disturbing my focus. My mind runs back to the early years at the university and I am reminded about the infatuation with a university mate for a few months; work schedeule and the lack of finances helped me keep those thoughts remain 'virtual' till she moved on to more reponsive parties!
Viewing old Indian movies on TV brings me back to the days when I used to fall in 'love' with every other actress from the time I was eight years of age till early secondary school! The intense emotive cry of the lead lady and the sterotype dressing they adorned made the saree remain an unmatched garment impacting me so deeply that I built within my mind the ideal wife I would want!
Time has flown by and I am still trying to keep the mind intact by actively being involed in intellectual activities. Apart from the daily work at the medical college I am reminded of the joy of reading , a habit both my daughter and son seem to find joy in. Last year William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns' was sent to me for my birthday.
Quoting the author's very words' if poetry, music and elephant fights were the preferred amusemnets of the court, the humbler folk of the age of Safdarjung had their patridges'. Basically the story depicts the life of the last Moghul ruler of India.
Poetry is indeed a means of communication through words which have within them rhyme and rythmn. Like an artist trying to display his thoughts and perceptions in colour, the poet uses vocabulary and sentences to express his views and feelings. To keep my mind from idling and to relax it in times of stress I too try to write in poetic words, but clearly I can see the limitations and frustrations.
What is the relevance of quoting a Scottish author writing a fiction based on Indian history and attempting to explain what poetry is in simplistic words? Well, such thoughts makes us ponder on differing means of communication, the spice of life is in making presentations complex so that the hidden meaning can be explored.
As I read the newpapers, books and scholastic articles in medical journals, authors appear to express their thoughts and views, skewed or otherwise. The point is made and thoughts expressed. The reader is left to surmise and contend with the conclusions and information. Won't that awaken the idle mind? It is with that primary purpose I started this blog.
I tried to complete a task given to me on ' the overactive bladder' a malady postmenopuasal women suffer from, last week. The job got more complex when I was also assigned to lecture on the same conditon to some professionals. Two weeks of power point preparations, writing an abstract at short notice to the organisers of the confernece and generating a full scientific article for another scolastic journal exhausted me so much that I allowed myself to drop the urgency in submitting last month's article for the blog.
Father's day last week was spent with my wife giving me a lunch treat with another couple in a nearby hotel. That same day phone calls from the children expressing their good tidings followed and a wonderful card from my daughter from Edinburgh , appropriately entitled "Lord of the Manor" - I left to water the plants in the garden after reading her message!.
The next day a gift followed and this time it was Michael Fitzgerald's 'Adolf Hitler: A Potrait'. My keen interest in biographies of leaders made this timely gift appropriate so as to complete my collections over the years. Although Hitler is the most hated human after the Second World War, few would deny the rise of an Austrian having failed to get into the Art Academy in Vienna to lead modern Germany, having left school at the age of 16 ( wanting to be an artist!) The book puts in perpective what leadership is about and what it means to be a team builder. Although Hitler never had any formal education beyond the said age , he was a ferocius reader and compensated his intllectual deficiency through listening and undersatnding the principles of socialism. What made him what he grew up to be, has to reflect on the hardship of his early life (see Mein Kempf). He is probably the earliest of national leaders who promoted the 'green environment philosophy and ensuring agriculture should be a sustainable project in Germanay (and that saved many from shortage of food).
Always a shy person in private and with several failures in his personal relationship with the four women mentioned in the book, he proved to be a great orator who used this asset to the best in moving the crowds. I am in no position to speak more in glorifying him, as the holocaust that was seen during his days cannot be forgotten and will always remind us that when power overwhelms an individual common sense fails to prevail.
The growing unrest in the Middle East appears not to be aborting as people cannot tolerate leaders who fail in maintaining democracy. When Egypt saw the fall of Hosni Mubarak, I am reminded of the role of 'guided democracy' prophezed by Indonesia's Sukarno. State control does little to keep peace and involving the people in the management of the goverment is paramount.
The midlife crisis is not about one's self and his abilty to cope with the daily tasks and stresses alone, but his concerns if the world is a safe place to live in. Responsible goverments will gauge the people's needs and that's what makes countries 'developed'. I should not be concerned about the welfare of my family and the healthcare of me and my community after years of paying income tax as that becomes the responsibilty of the establishment. If that is so, I will need to develop strategies to deal with my emotive and coping abilitites through senior ciizen's facilitites that are made available within the community.
Let's pray the govenment of the day would make education, healthcare and the wellbeing their people their responsibility the world over.
Sivalingam Nalliah
4th july 2010
Sustenance and mental drive are essential to complete the job; both of which I seem to lag behind as I touch 63 years of age. Vivid flight of ideas seem to percolate through my mind severely disturbing my focus. My mind runs back to the early years at the university and I am reminded about the infatuation with a university mate for a few months; work schedeule and the lack of finances helped me keep those thoughts remain 'virtual' till she moved on to more reponsive parties!
Viewing old Indian movies on TV brings me back to the days when I used to fall in 'love' with every other actress from the time I was eight years of age till early secondary school! The intense emotive cry of the lead lady and the sterotype dressing they adorned made the saree remain an unmatched garment impacting me so deeply that I built within my mind the ideal wife I would want!
Time has flown by and I am still trying to keep the mind intact by actively being involed in intellectual activities. Apart from the daily work at the medical college I am reminded of the joy of reading , a habit both my daughter and son seem to find joy in. Last year William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns' was sent to me for my birthday.
Quoting the author's very words' if poetry, music and elephant fights were the preferred amusemnets of the court, the humbler folk of the age of Safdarjung had their patridges'. Basically the story depicts the life of the last Moghul ruler of India.
Poetry is indeed a means of communication through words which have within them rhyme and rythmn. Like an artist trying to display his thoughts and perceptions in colour, the poet uses vocabulary and sentences to express his views and feelings. To keep my mind from idling and to relax it in times of stress I too try to write in poetic words, but clearly I can see the limitations and frustrations.
What is the relevance of quoting a Scottish author writing a fiction based on Indian history and attempting to explain what poetry is in simplistic words? Well, such thoughts makes us ponder on differing means of communication, the spice of life is in making presentations complex so that the hidden meaning can be explored.
As I read the newpapers, books and scholastic articles in medical journals, authors appear to express their thoughts and views, skewed or otherwise. The point is made and thoughts expressed. The reader is left to surmise and contend with the conclusions and information. Won't that awaken the idle mind? It is with that primary purpose I started this blog.
I tried to complete a task given to me on ' the overactive bladder' a malady postmenopuasal women suffer from, last week. The job got more complex when I was also assigned to lecture on the same conditon to some professionals. Two weeks of power point preparations, writing an abstract at short notice to the organisers of the confernece and generating a full scientific article for another scolastic journal exhausted me so much that I allowed myself to drop the urgency in submitting last month's article for the blog.
Father's day last week was spent with my wife giving me a lunch treat with another couple in a nearby hotel. That same day phone calls from the children expressing their good tidings followed and a wonderful card from my daughter from Edinburgh , appropriately entitled "Lord of the Manor" - I left to water the plants in the garden after reading her message!.
The next day a gift followed and this time it was Michael Fitzgerald's 'Adolf Hitler: A Potrait'. My keen interest in biographies of leaders made this timely gift appropriate so as to complete my collections over the years. Although Hitler is the most hated human after the Second World War, few would deny the rise of an Austrian having failed to get into the Art Academy in Vienna to lead modern Germany, having left school at the age of 16 ( wanting to be an artist!) The book puts in perpective what leadership is about and what it means to be a team builder. Although Hitler never had any formal education beyond the said age , he was a ferocius reader and compensated his intllectual deficiency through listening and undersatnding the principles of socialism. What made him what he grew up to be, has to reflect on the hardship of his early life (see Mein Kempf). He is probably the earliest of national leaders who promoted the 'green environment philosophy and ensuring agriculture should be a sustainable project in Germanay (and that saved many from shortage of food).
Always a shy person in private and with several failures in his personal relationship with the four women mentioned in the book, he proved to be a great orator who used this asset to the best in moving the crowds. I am in no position to speak more in glorifying him, as the holocaust that was seen during his days cannot be forgotten and will always remind us that when power overwhelms an individual common sense fails to prevail.
The growing unrest in the Middle East appears not to be aborting as people cannot tolerate leaders who fail in maintaining democracy. When Egypt saw the fall of Hosni Mubarak, I am reminded of the role of 'guided democracy' prophezed by Indonesia's Sukarno. State control does little to keep peace and involving the people in the management of the goverment is paramount.
The midlife crisis is not about one's self and his abilty to cope with the daily tasks and stresses alone, but his concerns if the world is a safe place to live in. Responsible goverments will gauge the people's needs and that's what makes countries 'developed'. I should not be concerned about the welfare of my family and the healthcare of me and my community after years of paying income tax as that becomes the responsibilty of the establishment. If that is so, I will need to develop strategies to deal with my emotive and coping abilitites through senior ciizen's facilitites that are made available within the community.
Let's pray the govenment of the day would make education, healthcare and the wellbeing their people their responsibility the world over.
Sivalingam Nalliah
4th july 2010
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Life is complicated or do we complicate it?
A recent article in the New Straits Times (April 6, 2011) makes interesting reading. It was written in plain English and lived up to the title ‘How to live a simple and peaceful life’. It pains me to see how people in middle class and upper income bracket travel miles and spend enormous effort, time and money seeking the ‘truth’ and yearning to live in peace through soothsayers and instructional leaders. As the teachers part with their wisdom, the followers must find solace and the solution to what they were yearning for. Do all attain what they set out for?
The belief system and value added interactions have benefited numerous followers, many who have imbibed that learnt during the interactions with sages and coaches, while many more continue to seek the ‘SOURCE’.
It is undeniable that among us there are many who need a ‘guru’ or a teacher. Socrates was a great teacher who instilled in his followers to enquire and question the facts of the ‘matter’. Socratic thinking is now advocated as a powerful means of nourishing the inquiring mind. Gautama Buddha left the comforts of palace life to enter years of learning about life far from that of the material world. He achieved Nirwana, the ultimate of but few!
In order to closely follow these great teachers is an arduous task in the present day. Getting detached from family and work is near impossible. The tasks ahead and the duties of the husband, son and daughter are enormous. Perhaps one could allocate a few hours for self improvement and instructional classes. Under these circumstances, the article above rang a bell. Hey, here is a compromise!
Try to make life as simple as possible! Imagine that one cannot complete all the tasks within a specified time without getting stressed. The boss won’t know about that, he just wants them done! So the advice is prioritizing and performing those that are relevant. Have a discussion with people at work or family members, depending on the list of tasks; if all the assigned jobs have to be done? Could the list of tasks be short listed? One will be surprised how little is missed when one drops 2 out of the original 6 tasks!
The day should be begin ‘yesterday’. Otherwise planning is not possible. When the day’s work is done, pondering over what needs to be done the next day allows for space and valuable time for you to reflect and review. Reviewing the list of tasks would permit cutting down redundancy.
Currently public hospitals in Malaysia have a surplus of house-doctors. If one was to audit what they do, one would be able to appreciate the amount of redundant documentation with little benefit to the care of the patient. In other institutes where there is a lack of delegation of work, the ‘mandor’ concept prevails. I continue to see this in commercial banks where there is a delay as some processes require a supervisor to go through the request. If we do less by reviewing the processes, more quality time is created.
Tasks and the job we are at need to be ‘savoured’ and enjoyed. If one gets up in the morning, moaning that he has to go to work, the going will be tough and trying. A positive attitude and being proud of the job are assets for good living. After graduating from medical school, nothing is enjoyable than to show one’s prowess at healing the sick. That is the job of a doctor or a nurse. That is what medical graduates worked for. So by accepting this unique responsibility and performing the tasks required of you, less stress is experienced. One would find joy in the encounters and the ‘lark’ within you will leap in excitement and good health.
Learning and re-learning the processes of the day contributes to making life simple and enjoyable. Being happy at what one is doing is likened to the endorphins released in the body by the obsessive road runner-it can be invigorating and addictive! Love yourself by loving what you do.
The ‘SOURCE’ one looks for can be in the very place where you are, whether it be at work or at home. Re-look at what is already there, at yourself and what you do!
SLingam
7th April, 2011
The belief system and value added interactions have benefited numerous followers, many who have imbibed that learnt during the interactions with sages and coaches, while many more continue to seek the ‘SOURCE’.
It is undeniable that among us there are many who need a ‘guru’ or a teacher. Socrates was a great teacher who instilled in his followers to enquire and question the facts of the ‘matter’. Socratic thinking is now advocated as a powerful means of nourishing the inquiring mind. Gautama Buddha left the comforts of palace life to enter years of learning about life far from that of the material world. He achieved Nirwana, the ultimate of but few!
In order to closely follow these great teachers is an arduous task in the present day. Getting detached from family and work is near impossible. The tasks ahead and the duties of the husband, son and daughter are enormous. Perhaps one could allocate a few hours for self improvement and instructional classes. Under these circumstances, the article above rang a bell. Hey, here is a compromise!
Try to make life as simple as possible! Imagine that one cannot complete all the tasks within a specified time without getting stressed. The boss won’t know about that, he just wants them done! So the advice is prioritizing and performing those that are relevant. Have a discussion with people at work or family members, depending on the list of tasks; if all the assigned jobs have to be done? Could the list of tasks be short listed? One will be surprised how little is missed when one drops 2 out of the original 6 tasks!
The day should be begin ‘yesterday’. Otherwise planning is not possible. When the day’s work is done, pondering over what needs to be done the next day allows for space and valuable time for you to reflect and review. Reviewing the list of tasks would permit cutting down redundancy.
Currently public hospitals in Malaysia have a surplus of house-doctors. If one was to audit what they do, one would be able to appreciate the amount of redundant documentation with little benefit to the care of the patient. In other institutes where there is a lack of delegation of work, the ‘mandor’ concept prevails. I continue to see this in commercial banks where there is a delay as some processes require a supervisor to go through the request. If we do less by reviewing the processes, more quality time is created.
Tasks and the job we are at need to be ‘savoured’ and enjoyed. If one gets up in the morning, moaning that he has to go to work, the going will be tough and trying. A positive attitude and being proud of the job are assets for good living. After graduating from medical school, nothing is enjoyable than to show one’s prowess at healing the sick. That is the job of a doctor or a nurse. That is what medical graduates worked for. So by accepting this unique responsibility and performing the tasks required of you, less stress is experienced. One would find joy in the encounters and the ‘lark’ within you will leap in excitement and good health.
Learning and re-learning the processes of the day contributes to making life simple and enjoyable. Being happy at what one is doing is likened to the endorphins released in the body by the obsessive road runner-it can be invigorating and addictive! Love yourself by loving what you do.
The ‘SOURCE’ one looks for can be in the very place where you are, whether it be at work or at home. Re-look at what is already there, at yourself and what you do!
SLingam
7th April, 2011
Friday, 1 April 2011
The Human Mind- Evolution and Exploration
Charles Darwin inspired scientists to accept his theory of evolution. He was convincing in explaining the current concepts that has contributed to the evolution of the human brain and mind. Adaptive to the environment, the human mind has certainly achieved a degree of complexity that it remains a ‘mystery’, a mystery that is in need of exploration and understanding.
Human psychology was popular in the European states as scientists and philosophers attempted to understand the workings of the mind through study of behaviour. As far back as 1879, a German, Wilhelm Wundt opened the first exploratory psychology school in Leipzig.
Learning about the mind from scientific principles can be difficult. Language, memory, the conscious and subconscious states are presumed to develop through forces unknown. Why do some acquire skills to speak in various languages so quickly while others don’t? How do children learn the mother tongue as their brain develops in a way different from adults learning a second language? Why does the memory of the child become more complex as they grow ? These are questions that need exploration of psychology of the mind.
The human is a social being and has enormous capabilities in thought processes and planning. The human mind can be both devious and forgiving, emotive and melancholic. We use different terms-the criminal mind, the kind person and psychotically depressed person!
We know, through Charles Darwin’s evolution theory that random inheritable changes have contributed to survival of humans who can adapt as the environment changes. Such an evolutionary process is necessary for existence and generation of the next set of humans. The term ‘natural selection’ becomes relevant and appropriate.
The theory of adaptation for survival is now well demonstrated in the pregnant uterus. Barker, an epidemiologist in the UK observed that survivors of the great wars (First World War)in Europe beget children who were destined to develop chronic diseases when they became adults. Barker’s theory is now accepted and now labelled ‘ fetal origin of adult diseases’. Mothers who were afflicted with conditions that affected nutrition and oxygen supply to the fetus were seen to deliver ‘growth restricted fetuses’. Such affected babies were light (smaller) for their age and gestation. Long term follow up revealed that they were more prone to diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.
What we see here is an adaptive process where the fetus has to make changes in its metabolic and bodily functions to survive in an unfavourable environment-the poorly nourished uterus. Such changes come with a permanent change in their organ function. How does this tie up with the development of the mind and behaviour. Although differences between such babies and those born to normal mothers do not show a great difference in cognitive functions in the short term, more needs to be done to see the effects on the mind in later life.
Memory is a rather complex subject to study but theorist have been explaining the way memory develops. We are clear that memory is not static. The dynamic status is seen in all of us as we grow older. Memory declines after 30 years and that is worrying. Alzeimer’s disease and organic brain disease are debilitating and affect adversely quality of life. Are we wary of why these develop? What is the capacity of our memory. How do we ‘hide’ our loss of memory when we grow older. Do we repeat ourselves –have we been told that they have heard about that which you thought you were conveying for the first time?
There are ways to sustain a good quality of life through mind training and adapting to memory loss as we age. The mind has a huge capacity and we continue to learn about the mysteries surrounding it. We need to exploit this capacity through various strategies whether it be meditation, completing cross-word puzzles or doing one SUDUKU a day!
For a free assessment of memory go to:
http:/www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/memory/
SLingam
2nd April 2011
Human psychology was popular in the European states as scientists and philosophers attempted to understand the workings of the mind through study of behaviour. As far back as 1879, a German, Wilhelm Wundt opened the first exploratory psychology school in Leipzig.
Learning about the mind from scientific principles can be difficult. Language, memory, the conscious and subconscious states are presumed to develop through forces unknown. Why do some acquire skills to speak in various languages so quickly while others don’t? How do children learn the mother tongue as their brain develops in a way different from adults learning a second language? Why does the memory of the child become more complex as they grow ? These are questions that need exploration of psychology of the mind.
The human is a social being and has enormous capabilities in thought processes and planning. The human mind can be both devious and forgiving, emotive and melancholic. We use different terms-the criminal mind, the kind person and psychotically depressed person!
We know, through Charles Darwin’s evolution theory that random inheritable changes have contributed to survival of humans who can adapt as the environment changes. Such an evolutionary process is necessary for existence and generation of the next set of humans. The term ‘natural selection’ becomes relevant and appropriate.
The theory of adaptation for survival is now well demonstrated in the pregnant uterus. Barker, an epidemiologist in the UK observed that survivors of the great wars (First World War)in Europe beget children who were destined to develop chronic diseases when they became adults. Barker’s theory is now accepted and now labelled ‘ fetal origin of adult diseases’. Mothers who were afflicted with conditions that affected nutrition and oxygen supply to the fetus were seen to deliver ‘growth restricted fetuses’. Such affected babies were light (smaller) for their age and gestation. Long term follow up revealed that they were more prone to diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease.
What we see here is an adaptive process where the fetus has to make changes in its metabolic and bodily functions to survive in an unfavourable environment-the poorly nourished uterus. Such changes come with a permanent change in their organ function. How does this tie up with the development of the mind and behaviour. Although differences between such babies and those born to normal mothers do not show a great difference in cognitive functions in the short term, more needs to be done to see the effects on the mind in later life.
Memory is a rather complex subject to study but theorist have been explaining the way memory develops. We are clear that memory is not static. The dynamic status is seen in all of us as we grow older. Memory declines after 30 years and that is worrying. Alzeimer’s disease and organic brain disease are debilitating and affect adversely quality of life. Are we wary of why these develop? What is the capacity of our memory. How do we ‘hide’ our loss of memory when we grow older. Do we repeat ourselves –have we been told that they have heard about that which you thought you were conveying for the first time?
There are ways to sustain a good quality of life through mind training and adapting to memory loss as we age. The mind has a huge capacity and we continue to learn about the mysteries surrounding it. We need to exploit this capacity through various strategies whether it be meditation, completing cross-word puzzles or doing one SUDUKU a day!
For a free assessment of memory go to:
http:/www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/memory/
SLingam
2nd April 2011
Rule of Law
Hi,
President Clinton was one of the most astute and smartests of the Presidents USA has had. Unfortunately the term of office being limited to two terms did not permit him to continue in office beyond eight years. As a developed country this ruling has limited Heads of States overstaying and becoming despots and dictators.
While the economic divide between developed and developing countries has prevailed, the practice of democracy has suffered in the former with both loss of live and limb. The political turmoil in the African and Arab countries have had their origins in the inability to communicate and tolerate one and another. Leaders of developing countries have found the confusion ideal to move their own agenda to the fore front.
Such was the situation in the 16-18th century. The colonization of Africa, Asia and Americas allowed the plunderers to rule by default. Changes were inevitable and new languages were infused into these countires. Devlopment was seen and many benefited from the opening of mines, plantations and tourism. Education and health care were formalised .But inspite of the benefits of colonization and improvements in health and education, progress has been hampered by geo-political and religious factors after many of these countries became independent states. The Ivory Coast is going through yet another impending civil war, not long after, what one thought was a settlement of the political agenda (after Liberia and Sierra Leone had recovered from internal conflicts and border wars).
One wonders why is the world not coming to terms to live harmoniously. Presidents like Bill Clinton was described as a 'clever', but did it not matter if the President was clever when the influence and involvement of such developed countries like USA, UK, and France did not have a far reaching effects on troubled countries of Asia and Africa.
The Chinese have been agressive in penetrating the developing countries though economic aids and transfer of technology. However, their impact in bringing socialogical change benefitting the people of the under-developed countries has yet to be realised.
Untold damage by natural disasters and man made errors is contributing to the loss of live and stock. Reconstruction of cities after calamities, wars and averting climate change have been relegated to second place while conflicts sustain the arms race, world-wide. The United Nations has been largely ineffective in mainting peace worldwide accept in providing a forum for ventilation and inept communication among participitating nations.
Crime and human errors have compounded the problems of the world while corruption and inflation have become catchwords. While the gurus capture the interests of a few fortunate humans and the mantras of economists has permitted the wealthy to become obscenely rich, the troubles of the world have come to stay.
Democracy, feudalism and despotism, call what you may, have all failed in creating a safe environment for the next generation. The top down leadership approach to rule the world is no longer relevant. We cannot trust the charismatic leader to rule, in fact he is no longer relevant in this technology driven world.The citizens of the world have to rationalize in adopting a formula where religion, culture and social mores blend well so that a tolerable society evolves.
SLingam
1st April 2011
President Clinton was one of the most astute and smartests of the Presidents USA has had. Unfortunately the term of office being limited to two terms did not permit him to continue in office beyond eight years. As a developed country this ruling has limited Heads of States overstaying and becoming despots and dictators.
While the economic divide between developed and developing countries has prevailed, the practice of democracy has suffered in the former with both loss of live and limb. The political turmoil in the African and Arab countries have had their origins in the inability to communicate and tolerate one and another. Leaders of developing countries have found the confusion ideal to move their own agenda to the fore front.
Such was the situation in the 16-18th century. The colonization of Africa, Asia and Americas allowed the plunderers to rule by default. Changes were inevitable and new languages were infused into these countires. Devlopment was seen and many benefited from the opening of mines, plantations and tourism. Education and health care were formalised .But inspite of the benefits of colonization and improvements in health and education, progress has been hampered by geo-political and religious factors after many of these countries became independent states. The Ivory Coast is going through yet another impending civil war, not long after, what one thought was a settlement of the political agenda (after Liberia and Sierra Leone had recovered from internal conflicts and border wars).
One wonders why is the world not coming to terms to live harmoniously. Presidents like Bill Clinton was described as a 'clever', but did it not matter if the President was clever when the influence and involvement of such developed countries like USA, UK, and France did not have a far reaching effects on troubled countries of Asia and Africa.
The Chinese have been agressive in penetrating the developing countries though economic aids and transfer of technology. However, their impact in bringing socialogical change benefitting the people of the under-developed countries has yet to be realised.
Untold damage by natural disasters and man made errors is contributing to the loss of live and stock. Reconstruction of cities after calamities, wars and averting climate change have been relegated to second place while conflicts sustain the arms race, world-wide. The United Nations has been largely ineffective in mainting peace worldwide accept in providing a forum for ventilation and inept communication among participitating nations.
Crime and human errors have compounded the problems of the world while corruption and inflation have become catchwords. While the gurus capture the interests of a few fortunate humans and the mantras of economists has permitted the wealthy to become obscenely rich, the troubles of the world have come to stay.
Democracy, feudalism and despotism, call what you may, have all failed in creating a safe environment for the next generation. The top down leadership approach to rule the world is no longer relevant. We cannot trust the charismatic leader to rule, in fact he is no longer relevant in this technology driven world.The citizens of the world have to rationalize in adopting a formula where religion, culture and social mores blend well so that a tolerable society evolves.
SLingam
1st April 2011
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