Why is Sleep so Important!!

What’s up with Sleeping!!

Why do we Sleep?? Often Sleeping is considered as an eternal bliss! But what is it that makes it so wonderful. Technically, it is only a vegetative state that most living organism witness, generally in order to allow the body to recover and rejuvenate. But, Sleeping becomes a bliss only when the body, or mind, is exhausted.

The reason why the Rich and prosperous ones are insomniac is- they don’t have anything to do. In contrast, a poor one has to break his back working day and night. In this sense, a good sleep can be compared to LUCK; it comes to those who toil and work, without thinking about the future. Why does a small child sleep so peacefully. May be because the small little being has been constantly learning and struggling with the loads of new things that she sees in the world; may be her body is already working so hard to adjust to the world and survive the challenges of life.

Often we observe that it is the most difficult task to sleep for the sake of sleeping. Whereas, a hard working person does not require to wait to sleep; he simply takes a break to catch his breath, and sleep catches him. This is the state that makes sleeping productive. Such a person wakes up all afresh and happy. Whereas, when someone tries to sleep, only because it is the time to sleep, even the heavy medications fail to do their job. This worthless sleeping is the cause of sadness and waste of time.

How I became a Gambler in Disguise!!

I have always preferred a secured life. Being born in a family of middle class government servants, I have always dreamt of Public Services as the ideal career for myself.

One of the assumed characteristics of the middle class families is, there preference for social security and a long-term perspective while taking their decisions. Since childhood, the choices are made so as to secure the future.

Thus, I went to an English medium school, had more focus on education, than sports, and always tried to postpone the immediate material infatuations hoping for a better future.

But amidst all this cautious approach, I don’t know how I, and thousands others like me, fall into the trap of pursuing the high dreams, career-wise.

What education, Whose Human Rights??

What Education, Whose Rights??

A few weeks back, I visited the solan district of Himachal Pradesh. After spending a day of my visit in the picturesque valley of the state, as I was returning in my luxurious car, I saw something that evoked an idea about the concept of rights and education.

I did not see anything unusual. It was a normal sight, that one might see in any corner of India.

I had seen a little girl, around 12 or 14 years of age, carrying a huge plastic jar filled with water. The jar was so heavy that the girl was able to carry it on her head only by supporting it with both her hands.

Unable to take her hands away from her head, she could not even move her hands to manage her pajama, that was slipping off.

The poor child stood at one side of the road, calling for her mother, who was standing at the other side of the road, waiting to help the child with the burden that she was carrying all alone.

Amid all this what surprised me the most was the twinkling smile on the girl’s face, that perhaps was because of the completion of her daily chores.

That moment I realised that the whole socio-economic debates that our leaders and scholars have been making, make little sense in the situation. I realised the fallible nature of all economic theories about our society.

When we put our brains in evolving the different models of rights for the underprivileged, there are some for whom there is no such thing as ‘Human Rights‘.

How do you provide such rights to those who does not even know any such concepts?? In such situations, the capability approach of Prof. Amartya Sen hardly finds an application.

What should be done in such contexts, is the question that has been storming my mind since then. I think the grant and enforcement of the rights of such sections requires, first, an awareness building, followed by the process of capability building.

An escapist argument would consider the ignorant smile of the little girl, and abandon the pursuit of the much needed change in the society.

But, what is required is an effort that blends into the social context of such sections and build an enlightening awareness. Here, it is important that the introduction of the new ideas is done carefully, so as not to disrupt the life of these sections.

An Acknowledgement: I thank the little girl who inspired such idea. Though I know that there is no chance that she would be able to read this blog, still, the Devil’s Advocate does not forget to acknowledge the source of inspiration.

Why farmers are so dear to ministers

Why Farmers are so Dear to our Leaders!!

–By Devil’s Advocate

A few days back, as I was watching the Television, I heard a political leader say: ‘Farmers are very dear to us, and we care for them.’ Suddenly a thought came to my mind:

Very often our parents or caretakers show an extraordinary concern towards their weak child, knowing that there is little hope of any substantial development, and the poor fellow would need the support of the elders for their survival.

What an Irony, exclaimed my mind, as I smiled in sarcasm.

Many-a-times, our leadership does not care if a poor or underprivileged section would be benefited by the stance or policy taken by them.
What matters is the show of public sympathy and grief that the so-called ‘leaders’ feel for these sections. While the redress of the problem lies in the systematic capability building of the deprived communities, the interest of those in power, generally lies in keeping some sections of the society in the dark.

This is an ugly truth of the politics today. In order to gain the public sympathy, and consequently their votes, it is important and indispensable to have a section, upon which political debates can be made, and sympathies can be amassed.

We express an overarching concern towards the sections that are particularly weak, and we know that it needs an explicit support in order to come up with the mainstream. But somewhere deep in our heart, there is little hope for the substantial change, and the most we expect is the fulfillment of the animalistic needs, and that to for the short period of time.

May be our public spiritedness has not reached the level where our moral conscience motivate us to make genuine efforts for the betterment of the society. Our leaders content themselves with a mere mouth-worship of the poor and needy. To stretch the programmes and policies is like exaggerate something, which of course, our leaders might not be interested in.

I find the application of the Theory of Diminishing Marginal Utility, well applicable to the public-spiritedness of our leadership. The advocacy of the welfarist measures gives an increasing return in the beginning. But, as they progress, the satisfaction and outcome of the same falls, to the extend that the leaders are forced to abandon their plans, and search for a more public-appealing subject.

A few days back it was the prices of the vegetables that was making a hue and cry in the political market; now the issue of the farmers is back in political debates, and a few days later, there might be a return of the age-old friend- the Kashmir Issue (Article 370).

While I still need to internalize some of the pros and cons of Budget and its implications, one thing is clear:

The present political structure follows only one principle- that of Populism. The populism that I am referring to is nothing less than the contemporary reality shows, that follow the cult of TRPs. In such circumstances, the aim of the budget seems to be- to attract the masses. The opportunity cost of this approach may be dangerous for our long-term goals. Without any long-term approach and a strong foundation, the sustainable growth of the country is unlikely.

What is required is a real belief and adherence to the principle of the new government- ‘Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas‘ (Everyone’s Participation, Everyone’s Development).

Devil’s Advocacy: Dear Leaders, stop sympathising, and start empathising. This ‘public sympathy approach’ wont last for long.