learnings

I loved the blog posts on  bullying by Seth Godin  and Rohan Rajiv  .... Some more deep learnings from the above posts.. This is a lovely time of the year to think back.. think back on the year, our personal and professional front.. I would love to hear from you on your learning or views on bullying and the lessons learnt.

Scene 1 2 teenagers - good friends One dominates the other on all matters from choice of clothes to lifestyle. The other does not want to earn displeasure so acquiesces in the garb of friendship and being nice. The former is insecure ( wrong parenting) and to mask her insecurities she dominates over the other through persuasion, advice and emotional blackmail. Result: The one who is nice ends up unhappy and dissatisfied This is bullying. Scene 2 Husband and wife One dominate / influences/ tries to change.. Same reasons. The power of control. Result: One who is controlled ends up as a simmering volcano.. may erupt anytime. This is bullying Scene 3 Teacher and student There are all reasons and excuses for the teacher to be typically dominant. Result : Obviously the student suffers This is bullying Scene 4 Parent and child All excuses to dominate over the child . 'I know what is good for you' is the common refrain. Result: insecure child who grows ...

I looked at the moon It looked like ugly fat I looked at the tree It looked old and ugly I looked at the traffic It looked winding and ugly.. Oh mind where are you going? I looked at the moon It looked ethereal I looked at the tree It looked so wise I looked at the traffic I had time for music so divine Oh mind stay with me...

A recent incident in my city involved two students threatening each other over comments given on Facebook. One student had uploaded a girl student's picture. Another boy requested him to remove the picture as the girl happened to be his special friend. The former did not. The latter threatened. When warnings were ignored the online war turned into ugly offline war. Hired goons were brought in to settle the score. Of course the police got involved. When the parents were brought into the picture, they requested the police to beat the boys as they could not control their wards. When the school principal was questioned, she retorted that on her trying to warn the boys, they replied that they were doing it outside school hours so the school should not interfere!!! Here I wonder what went wrong. Some basic niceties would be: Uploading pictures of friends especially girls have to be done after consulting the girls. Be prepared for nasty comments. If they are abusive, report t...

This is not the first time our Consulate officials (in the USA) are  in the news for the wrong reasons. Before accusing other nations of mishandling and humiliating our officials, have we stopped to ponder on the latter's deeds or rather misdeeds! Two of the previous Consular officials have been in controversies regarding the 'domestic help' issues. This time once again, a young lady has misused her privileges. Or at least that is what I have learnt from the media. Till her innocence is proved we should not point fingers.  Just because we get away (in our nation) abusing everyone especially the downtrodden, urinating and defecating in the public, child labour, caste issues etc it does not mean we carry on in the same vein anywhere abroad. When in Rome do as Romans do.. Following the laws of the land makes life easier. But then can we blame the Indians who go abroad to work? After all we are in a culture where the rich and mighty, the politicians  an...

It is indeed a sad day today. I am deeply pained.The Judiciary has let us down. So my nation is still in the throes of the Victorian era.. This is a sign that we are a developing nation. We are yet to open up. We are a 'judging' nation! Homosexuality is NOT A CRIME. IT IS NOT A DISEASE (as proclaimed by a famous yoga guru and he claims he can cure it!) Why cannot we accept people as they are? Wake up Indians. Wake up. ACCEPTING people as they are requires immense MATURITY. So once again we prove we are an immature nation. Allow every Indian irrespective of caste, creed, gender, religion to live and breathe freely. Each of them is someone's child. What if one of them is yours? Would you want your child to be termed a criminal just because his orientation is different from the so called norms of the society?

Recently I happened to watch an episode of a reality show featuring tiny tots, all in the age group of 3-5 years. It is like a question-answer session. Unsuitable questions are often thrown in and the children answer with all innocence. The answers are then thrown back to the audience (the parents) and twisted humor follows. It is amazing how the tiny tots are 'used'. It is even more amazing to watch parents do this to their children. Childhood seems to have acquired a whole new meaning. There was this child who (in a very matured tone) declared solemnly that he watches only the NEWS channels ( God forbid). He is abreast with the news of elections to women abuse!!! Imagine a 4 year old talking about molestation of women!! Do allow children to be children. Do not snatch away their childhood. Love them and live the moments.. It is not very soon that they will grow up ( physically) and move away from our lives

Melanin Oh melanin You are deep in my skin Like burnished gold Without you cancer Can strike me fatal. The sun would be A mortal enemy Yet beauticians and doctors Wish to chase you away. Creams and lotions Surgery and laser They have you By the skin. Happy am I At peace in my own skin I do want you as my companion Tho ads tell me I may not Be ever a model or actor.