Saturday, 28 December 2024

ChintaMany's diary - page 6 ( The pressure builders)

 {The axiom that an idle mind is the devil's workshop, didn't foresee the possibility that it could also be a playground - for devils’ advocates!  - ChintaMany's diary page -5}

Knowingly or unknowingly, some people take it upon themselves to unsettle others. Honestly, if you ask them why they do it, more often than not you may end up being questioned, “did I do so?" and feign hurt. Before you bat your eyelids, they would have found another victim for their trade. Now, you may have questions- Who are they? And where they get to work? I think of them as pressure builders, and space and time do not constrain them. They might be from the family, relatives and friends. This generic malady might have infected me and you too, once or twice. 

Hospital:

The consulting room is crowded, and anxious patients are waiting patiently for the doctor to come. The pressure builder enters the room, eyes a known face and glides effortlessly through the throng. The patient looks up to find a familiar face and greets with a weak smile. This is enough for the pressure builder. He opens up his chronicle of diseases suffered and known to him, treatments that have succeeded or failed, cost of hospitalisation and medicines. Finally reveals, maybe he has made a wrong choice to consult this particular doctor. The patient who had come with a cold and body pain complaint hurries out with almost a mild palpitation. The patient's mind has managed to load kilograms of pressure, wondering what had gone wrong with that chronicler and the doctor? Now, you appreciate my point!

Travel:

Any family will plan a pleasure trip, keeping budget, free time and visit to a list of possible places of their interest. Everything goes smooth and travel arrangements get completed. In this serene atmosphere, an unseasonal mini low-pressure trough forms in the form of a well-wishing pressure builder. Acting as a seasoned traveller, he states picking holes in the itinerary, places selected for sightseeing, accommodation booked and not to forget about the likely inclement weather at those places at these times. He stopped short of calling it a foolish plan. Having done his duty, the well-wisher takes leave ending his surprise visit. Will it be hard to imagine the tension building up in household, already worried about other important things. 

Childcare:

Children often go a bit under-weather, as seasons change. No doubt the family will be paying utmost attention and initiating remedial measures. Naturally, visits to doctor, bottled medicines and other paraphernalia will also be taken care. Choosing this time, a pressure builder drops in, and in a few seconds, starts to highlight prevailing viral spread, acute cases in hospitals and the healthcare advisories doing the rounds. The pressure builder did not even bother to know what the nature of the illness is, the child is suffering with. In the wake of this unmindful trawling, the family promptly starts to view conflicting videos on all these highlights, and wallow in a pool of self-doubt. Like a ghost the highlighter disappears.

Schooling:

The future of children weighs heavily in the minds of parents and in this regard no stone is left unturned. Selecting suitable education stream and institution, transport and sports, fee structure and other incidental details are examined under a powerful microscope, to spot hidden pitfalls. Securing an admission depleted their energy and took a toll on the bank balance. When everything is done and dusted, a pressure builder walks in, chooses this time to offer alternatives spiked with criticism, points out is as a bad choice by them and takes leave after sowing seeds of doubts in the minds of parents. They wonder, why he came in uninvited and who asked him for an opinion and add a little more pressure upon themselves.

Interviews: 

The first step, getting into a professional stream, brings its own qualms, in the form of tests, call letters and interviews and tensions. The aspiring candidate and his or her nears and dears, sweat it out from different perspectives, to cross all the bridges successfully. Every one of them walk on thin eggshells, till an offer of appointment is received. On the D Day, the uninvited - a habitual soothsayer disguised as a well-wisher, lands amidst the family members. A long, and equally uninvited talk on rigged tests, casual call letters and finally eye-wash interviews, is delivered to unsettle everyone. His job done, taking cue from the stony silence that greeted his speech, the pressure builder hastily departs. 

The candidate leaves for the test, with trepidation and palpitation, imagining the worst.  You may question why the candidate should get upset like that. Mind is a complex machine and likes to work out screenplays and dialogues to keep it, self-busy, without your consent. It takes only a little push to disturb that equilibrium. This is the weak link the pressure builders exploit, naturally or by training - which is what, they only know. 

Self-goal player:

There is a V I P type of pressure builder - at home and in self. This type goes all out, to find hidden worries, regrets and failures to bolster the pressure build-up and won't rest till a bursting point is reached. This inner turmoil leads to friction with near and dear or friends and associates. The original type is driven by one up man-ship, bragging, know-all attitude and other pathological self-boost traits. Like high octane number in liquid fuels, this type carries a tag of high compression adrenalin content.

The pressure builders are so accomplished in their craft, even bystanders come unwittingly in to their hold. If you are wondering- the answer is a no, they have never heard of diplomacy and not known to use tact. They are driven by letting-the cat-out-of-the-bag syndrome. The question hanging in the air above all of our heads is - how to spot the species of pressure builders? Why the pressure builder always makes an uninvited appearance, at the last minute? 

What would happen, when some of these pressure builders themselves meet with a high-pressure builder, in an inappropriate moment? Would they be surprised or unsettled? Would, the lucky ones manage to find a way to avoid the overtures of that hyper pressure builder! Feel free, to share your practical wisdom.

Foot note: The tribe of pressure builders are equally populated with he, she and them.

Saturday, 21 December 2024

ChintaMany's diary - page 5 ( Understanding protests)

 {No doubt the official machinery has starting troubles - reach site, visit the spot, get a fed on solid data, interview the personnel etc. Whereas the on-the-spot analyst relies on known information from similar mishaps. ChintaMany diary -page 4}

Why would anyone protest? And how does anyone find a reason or cause to protest? What is the deep-down motive for this? Is anyone capable of putting up multiple protests? How is conflict of interest avoided in protesting from too many platforms?                   

Imaginch, ever the progressive thinker (pardon his imagination), did not agree with the axiom that an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Rather, he believed that the axiom maker didn't foresee the possibility that it could also be a playground - for devils’ advocates! He did not consider this as a protest.

Idle mind or not, he wanted to appear and argue, as a pro bono advocate. For this purpose, he need not have to travel to a court's premises. With a pen and papers, he can let loose the arguments, for or against, to his heart's content.

Without actively searching for an issue – “protest"- presented itself, as clear as a day. He earnestly embarked on a fourth estate journey of print, electronic and mushrooming social media platforms to familiarise himself with the issue of protest. Pro bono is free service but, hard work. A bumper harvest of ‘protests’, including the agricultural variety, soon filled the storage space in his mind. A picture of plenty of arguments – for and against, emerged mirroring the conundrum of present-day protests. 

Relentlessly, he whittled them down as saleable or back-to-earth manure grade stuff.

When farmers in a few countries stage protests on roads, like armed soldiers going to war, they bring a convoy of farm machines. After all, these very machines that support them in the fields, should they not get a chance to participate in the protests of their owners?

What is the agenda? A section of farmers protest against low prices, high input and regulatory costs, cheaper imports and sales by supermarkets, contracted purchases, scarce operating funds etc. Whereas another section of protesters demand guarantee laws, monthly dole, free and subsidised input materials and waiver of norms with an inclusion, a seller determines the price and quality of the produce, at the procurement points.

Agricultural products produced at lower costs satisfy the supply and demand economics in some nations. On the other hand, higher production cost is a catch-22 situation owing to self-preserving environmental protection regimes. This is a self-inflicted wound, foisted upon the nation by their own protesting environmentalists, now grievous farmers point a bandaged finger elsewhere.  How can one from this set-up blame the others in a different setup? 

There is a third-party involvement, at least during some phase of protests - academics, sympathisers, retired officials, wannabe opinion makers. Vested interests, as the name suggests, support to fuel the protests. None of them have ever tilled a piece of land or suffered losses as a farming community but have enough wisdom to share around. With enough media coverage the protesters and negotiators reach out and stay stalemated. This is a vicious circle and both sides get tossed around till such time the 'who blinks first moment' comes and goes and only to reassemble after a year. This periodicity, predictable and curious, coincides with National elections, gets even foreign press coverage.

The world is a global village is a much-hyped advertising stunt. Here the hidden agenda is an outreach to exploit. Public-spirited protesters will travel to the protest site to lend moral support and set up media frenzy. Though their knowledge about that country is limited to Google Maps, if this agenda serves them to gain popularity, so be it! The protesters turn a blind eye to the fact these tool-kit Samaritans earn- make hay while sun shines. Is it not a farm activity!

For some nations, fueling protest is always a fair game, if on their back-foot. A fertile field for disruptive influences, to drag everyone down the path of helplessness, misery and sufferings. Their mechanism, to create a crisis, is to fund standby groups, that wreak havoc on the silent majority of the world. 

The mighty gets the armaments mill rolling to keep their home front benefitting - earn money without spending any in active combat. This is a proxy war. As soon as attacks and counter attacks begin, aligned, misaligned countries engage to broker peace deals, even if it involves terrorism. Public spirited protestors, for and against, go full throat in discriminatory rhetoric with guaranteed publicity. 

The population which is not affected eagerly waits for updates on loss of human life and cost if materials are destroyed. Strangely, the environmentalists wisely do not voice concerns or start their own protests, maybe because their meek voices will be drowned in the cacophony of a conflict.

The answer for the question when protests will end and when will it raise its head again is in how demands, denials and dabbling heed the wisdom of reasoning. 

Everyone has a demand thinking that the other has the key to the deadlock. Stepping into the other’s shoes or bare feet may help in better understanding of issues in proper perspective. If only all involved could step aside from the conflict zone and allow reason to speak - a fighting chance! Now, don't we have the key?

Having finished his write-up, without any other issue cropping up, Imaginch started searching for news outlets. Op-Ed, invited article, Opinion, independent opinion or under any other category to carry his views in print. Some public exposure...well he is not averse to it. Not even in his sleep, he played any part in any such protests. 

What sustains a protester?

The foundation is feeling wronged. Personal, empathy with or sympathy for others with a cause. This could end with a long protest march. 

Then, what ticks? For or against, positive or negative, discerning or swayed leads to two paths. One protesting for and the other one against. Put both sides in a spot, you have an agitated crowd. Add a few miscreants to this simmering pot, eruption of violence is imminent. This sort of protests leaves a scar. 

Protesters have a set of rules. If the public are not happy with it, they come up with different set of rules.

This like taking a complex problem and breaking it down to find solutions. Then combine all the individual solutions, you end up with the solution that is far more complex than the original problem.

The campus protesters, even if you are students of political science, will do well to remember - they got or been given an opportunity, undoubtedly denying someone else's chance. By protesting now, you are only wasting away your future, when you might be in a position to do something about issues. Can you protest against your parents, in the present time and get away with it? 

Nations at war, launch missiles, hurl explosives causing immense environmental damage. It is no wonder or mystery the vociferous environmental protesters take evasive measures and flee to safety. Though protest can be mounted at any time but not when missiles are raining down. Non-resident activists are like a painter with a bucket of paint and brush; smear the wall of protest with ugly strokes and retreat.

Parties face elections with time tested formulae and taking a cue, the protesters on various issues go with field-tested demands, time and again. No one wants to come up with a different formula. From the height of vocal towers, parties speak of agrarian distress and unemployment tsunami. Not even in dreams they think about doing something about them by investing personal efforts. A farmer is land locked with his crop but what prevents the farm workers from developing alternate skill sets to get employed. On the surface, it will look like creating competition among other wage earners. In reality it will not be so as use of mechanised farm equipment has already created unemployment among farm workers. 

Geopolitics is complex and to vent your frustration don't protest - use that energy for your progress. A problem might have a simple solution that is, neat, biased - and may be wrong.

Protest is not a substitute for a profession. What will be the magnitude of chaos, if people start protesting against protests and protesters for (infringing on their right) heavily impacting their means of livelihood?

Saturday, 14 December 2024

ChintaMany's diary-page 4 (Armchair analysts)

{Some need to hear the constant sound of claps and some use ear plugs to block that noise. It is all a perception....page-3, ChintaMany's diary}

I shift your focus now on to another type of Armchair Analysts - the social media variety. To start the ball rolling, these analysts just need a seeding analysis - to read and react. After embellishing the original, highlighting "threatened personal, adverse effects" and make the first forward, as a follow-up-analyst. Then a crop of easily excited fellow-follow up-message forwarders assist them in spreading their analyses."  Depending on the media type -hash tags, likes, dislikes and other forms of expressions start a string or thread. The forwarding frenzy ceases when the string or thread gets twisted beyond recognition. Then, they happily shift to another juicy topic. The bonding between the first forward-analyst and the tail end analysts itself may one day become a social media topic. 

ChintaMany was pleasantly surprised when his hindsight also echoed the same thought, probably wanting to be on the same page- "Who are they?"

They are not attached to any think-tank, not affiliated to any academic institution or to any pro or anti outfits. Still, they merit a mention and writeup, because they bring a basket of food for thought. ChintaMany put out a silent appeal to the original analyst and the first forward-analyst, "Let this gift these follow up-forward-analysts bear, not become a morsel for you to be chewed upon." The obscure fact of the matter is no one would like to subscribe or associate with these follow up -forward-analysts. Yet, forcibly invited groups (usually family members) get glued to and hang on to their WhatsApp wisdom, solely for the tax-free entertainment content. Unable to control their itching fingers, they too add their bits by way of considered opinions (to keep the family in good humour), exhibiting the famously known 'moths fall for a flame' syndrome.

 What credentials do these first forward-analysts and follow-up-forward-analysts bring to the cellphone screen, their preferred device for dissemination? Having raised the question, ChintaMany came up with a probable list; Some are in professional pursuits; some of them tinker and soldier on with technology; some of them could crunch numbers like an expeller, crushing oil seeds; some dabble in marketing; some are in fine arts and so on. He noted that more often, they do not stick to their traffic lanes and are stir crazy to cut across domains, either for the thrill of it or to showcase their terrifying traits. This versatility adds spice to their message-cooking and their favourite dishes being election, budget, mishaps or scandals. Occasionally, cinema, music and art  also come to their attention but vary of the lukewarm traction these get on social media, they just let them slide.

Election takes emotions on a rollercoaster ride and results leave a lingering feeling of wins and losses. This thrill filled ride makes the follow up-forward-analysts to eagerly scan for a "first forward analyst's post." The itching fingers take 'suo motu' notice, of the half-understood analysis, and hurriedly hit send command, not before adding a bit of own analytical wisdom. If unsatisfied with local input, this follow- up forward analyst has no hesitation to touch upon foreign sources. 

The catch words like, " Democracy is in danger", "Democracy is being murdered", "Elections are rigged", "Election is violation of human rights" and "Voice of press is chocked" adds colour to the forwarded analysis. For a humble follow up-forward- analysts, the temptation is strong like the freebies promised before the elections. They fall for these exhortations without analysing whether it originated from a democracy or dictatorship. ChintaMany could not take it anymore but to shoot a question to the forwarding analysts -" why don't you ananlyse and share opinion on the negative impact of such freebies?" Belatedly he understood, after a jab from his hindsight, that these analysts' politics is a limited over match, to be watched and not played. 

After the election fever runs its course, the next ripe topic is the budget, as it gives a chance to all these analysts, once a year. A Government is expected to spend on various schemes of development, aimed to get into the Club of Developed Nations. Revenue has to be generated in the form of Taxes and levies , to meet targeted growth. Accordingly, budget proposals are presented to steer the economy through the year. It pinches some, benefits some and leaves out some. Hoping for a budget that will please everyone is, at best a utopian dream. The moment a budget is presented, the first analysis appears in social media. It digs holes in the budget using cherry picking methods - favourable proposals are omitted, disliked proposals are selected. Ready with borrowed rhetorics , the first forward-analyst launches a frontal attack. Taking cue, the follow up-forward-analysts become hyperactive. Some even go to the extent of giving a tutorial to the budget makers. 

ChintaMany dug deep into this nexus to find out Who are these energetic analysts and why are they so upset?? He was puzzled with line up- those earning a reasonable salary, income from fixed deposits and deriving benefits from stock market boom (dividends/cashing out) or crash (buying in) and are busily engaged in finding ways to reduce tax liability. Compassionate analysts try to weakly touch upon the plight of senior citizens of the land. To add oil to fire to this distorted analysis, non-residents wake up( from different time zones) and contribute tables showing no-tax regimes in other countries, which the follow up-forward-analysts gladly include.   

Infuriated by this misinformation, ChintaMany spent some time, surfed internet and found that only the rows and columns drawn for the tables were true. The first-post analyst and the subsequent forward-analysts did not bother to look into the wealth generation modes of those countries, where no-tax regime existed. ChintaMany wanted to shout them down with- "Dig you get oil, dig you get diamonds, wake up you get tourists, go to sleep the tourist are still there spending money. The bottom line is others drive the economy, build infrastructures, pay taxes. No further need and so citizen live tax-free." ChintaMany wanted to question these analysts, "If it is so appealing, why waste talent here? Are you here only to enjoy affordable freedom?"

To the non-residents he had this question, "Honestly, do you have any choice to decide what you want to be there? 

Those who grumble can take the first flight, but remember this - Highways, metros, bridges, transport including the flight you board is made possible only by taxes paid by people."  Taken aback by the vehemence in ChintaMany's voice, his hindsight withdrew quietly.

In the event of an accident and even before an enquiry commission gets constituted, a bystander takes to social media as the first-post analyst. No need for an official enquiry panel to be constituted. His enquiry commission starts functioning. No doubt the official machinery has starting troubles - reach site, visit the spot, get a fed on solid data, interview the personnel etc. Whereas the on-the-spot analyst relies on known information from similar mishaps. Instead of a run of the mill reporting, he mixes a good number of surmises and end up giving the 'hot on the derailed wheels' verdicts. To add weight to the verdict he includes unsafe operations of other forms of transports that run on wheels. Due to urgency in getting it to the media, fortunately he forgot to rope in maritime mishaps, although ships don't run on wheels. This stop press media post is directly accessed by follow up-forward analysts, via a loop line. 

Demands of resignation, compensation to victims, allegation of corruption, impartial enquiry (and a JPC for political flavour), delayed arrival of medical teams, relief worker and other strings are added before the follow up -forward analyst finishes his post. Happy and free travel to the messages, getting forwarded across the globe (to reach kith and kin). It is a bonus if vested activists on foreign soil too join. Getting 'likes' is more important and if found off-the-mark, a post-post-accident analysis is always a choice. The officials rue the lack of this wiggle-room provision, in the guidelines of enquiry. 

ChintaMany had two doubts and posed it to his hindsight, " Was this bystander travelling by this train? Did he extend any humanitarian aid?" His hindsight went silent and then came on and whispered, "If he had been extending humanitarian help, how he would have got time to take to social media?" An exasperated ChintaMany needed a walk to clear his head.

Saturday, 7 December 2024

ChintaMany's diary - page 3 (Understanding Father)

 {Many would happily come forward with suggestions, without realising the hidden troubles they bring....page-2, ChintaMany's diary} 

ChintaMany could not get off from the 'Fear is the Lock ' experience. A silent paradox surfaced in his mind - suggestion brings trouble or trouble brings suggestion. While he was debating the egg or chicken first conundrum, his hindsight prodded him to read the next page, in the diary, and be done with it. ChintaMany looked around to see who spoke to him just now! Finding none and little puzzled by this , he went to the suggested page in the diary. Immediately he understood that this particular worry-point has been getting pushed down the line and yet struggled to come up in the order. It remained beyond his comprehension, how in a diary worry-points get moved randomly and what invisible force caused them to behave like that.

What is this 'Understanding Father' trying to convey?

Surely this is a matter which transcends generation gap or chasm. ChintaMany wanted to analyse and understand but lacked key inputs to guide him through this tricky subject. He stared at the title which remained mute. Is nothing conveyed by remaining silent? He understood, of course, not! It may not be in words but by implied hints. Is it based on vocally conveyed viewpoints or intuitively understood thought process? With this clarity be sufficient to define understanding? Either of them will it be an indicator of understanding or lack of it!

For some, father becomes a friend and remains so to the end. For some, the bond of friendship slowly weakens. For some, the relationship transforms from a feared figure, becomes a friend and affectionate. Father rarely starts to stand up as an Idol from the beginning. This evolves over time, with right perception. Naturally, when a young and an adult share emotional space, some curveballs get served. Some viewpoints get sharp responses, divergent views emerge, leading to fissures in the relationship. 

ChintaMany reached the next stage and posed this question to himself - What is the origin? He released a sigh of relief, hearing no witty comeback wondering hindsight got tongue tied! 

People constantly change parameters to evaluate, criticise and awarding grades. Somebody has told them that nothing remains constant and they decided to disprove by constantly getting at some thing or other. No one, even a father, can really escape from this scrutiny. People hype and boost what they like and decry to destroy what did not sit well with them.

ChintaMany deftly caught this nibbling fish- 'Expectation', and immediately sensed a danger. Expectation has two components, yearned by one and shunned by another. Failure to understand - this another person might have a reason- pathological aversion on expectations and no desire to fulfill them - the relationship has entered a conflict zone.

Dislike has a humble beginning here. A structured study time, less time for play and hosting friendship often gets the father in the crosshairs of children's ire. Economic considerations or latent burdens spill over to sour the relationship between a father and children. Here, ChintaMany called a halt to the progression of words, as they have to balance the Children's disappointment with that of the father's unenviable position. May as a gown up he could have explained everything kindly and nicely but that would not have happened if he happens to be a bottler of emotions.  

At that dream-filled age, explanations however sweet and reasonable fail to give them clarity. The worst happens in the absence of an explanation. In most cases, when the children become adult, the issue remains unresolved or a remnant of it surfaces now and then. The bonding between a father and -child-turned adult stays strong, if both have attempted periodic venting and mending of bruised feelings. The hibernating hindsight awoke and startled ChintaMany with something resembling a war cry. Did you do any of these wise things to vent and mend? Searching for a strong comeback, ChintaMany could only manage a weak whimper-that is why now, I am trying to help others.

As life goes on, the children embark on their careers and spend energy in overcoming their own issues. During all these tumultuous journeys, of father and children, the mother has the home advantage and good working relationship with children. Proximity enjoyed and care received prepares the children not to take even strident criticisms to heart. Unlike with father, frictions don't last long. ChintaMany spent some time, debating this point and concluded it may be due to different chemical triggers, a physiological factor.

Even if the parents have independent means, the father remains isolated in an emotional island. In some cases, the disharmonious state has gone too far, to smoothen the wrinkles. The children have no time to evaluate his environment by placing themselves there. Opinions get over analysed as a routine; advices get lobbed on to the marooned man, without thinking about effect and consequences. A casual observer might log the viewpoints of the father as grumblings in old age, echoing the thoughts of children. This casual observer has no business, in the first place, to wade into a tight family situation. ChintaMany's hindsight prompted him to ask, " Am I hearing your own experience speaking?"   

Incision, repair and suture alone is not a surgical procedure. Anesthesia and medicines too are vital. Whatever be the fatherly faults, should not the children remember the anchorage he was able to provide. Of course, he might not have emoted appreciation in proper measures and might have given a heavy dose of criticism. In his inner heart, the idea was not to allow praise to hop into their heads and criticism to make them try harder. Emotional punches apart, are they not now their own masters of their destiny. Life mirrors a surgical procedure-incision of friction points, repair of disagreements and suture of wounded feelings, along with a dose understanding and appreciation completes a cycle. 

ChintaMany decided to give a chance to the marooned man to speak: "You, children need not cause a tsunami near this island. The least, I expect now, is no further isolation. I have two questions for you - are you perfect in every sense of the word? Have I uttered anything other than an alert, taking care to attach it with a take or leave tag? Always interests cannot be aligned to the liking of everyone.  Differing viewpoints certainly have emerged, and verbal exchanges occurred and in denying these, have we not suffered.? This is the sum and summary of life, as I understand.  

Time - I have to thank, for the resolve to keep you all unexposed to the chaos in my life. It was a mental lock. Harsh words and anachronous actions did not help anybody to understand me as a real person. So, instead of appreciation, I have been receiving snide comments and subjected to insensitive actions. May be everyone thought, "Who is he to expect a better deal?

I believed; one's grief should not become another's; One's belief should not cause grief in another. Some need to hear the constant sound of claps and some use ear plugs to block that noise. It is all a perception. The fact is, there are missing links, have to be identified and connected.  If you cannot find time now, the time will find you wanting, later.

I have a word for those who are happy to distribute suggestions. Time for a little science- Any suggestion has a Newtonian twist- a three-body problem. In Astronomy, it is the source, the receiver and the fellow traveller. Nature has found a way to work out the mechanics, but you and I can only complicate it. A suggestion impacts in three ways- the giver if not taken seriously, the receiver if taking it seriously and the fellow traveller totes a mixed bag; happy if not accepted, sour if accepted. The message is to think before speaking - the problem cannot be solved by ignoring the third body."