ANNOYANCE- II

 Annoyance - II

continues 

A process may be defined as a long, systematic conditioning to yield a mature product.

Short of this, the product will be defective. Defective products cannot be marketed; at best can only be under-sold. As is known, quality determines the acceptability of any item. I learn that some drastic step has been introduced to the students of PG level and above to face a mandatory paper on “communication skills” by the MK University. Apparently the step looks positive. Honestly it is degrading in the sense that shamelessly these candidates were admitted to graduation by the very same university. If the university is honest about it, an even more stringent step is called for. Never allow inadequate performers to pass any examination. It is common knowledge that product quality depends on the quality of components. Quality efforts must begin from the lower end and not at the apex. Any such tuning at the top amounts to bringing cosmetic looks. It would only fade because quality has to be an in-built property. It can not be added to a finished product. We are clearly worried that our product is already “finished” and we like to keep it alive until it is “sold”. With the quantum of recalcitrance witnessed in many youngsters especially for communication, I can only pray the Almighty.” please help them” since teachers cannot do much to it. Another dimension that has complicated matters is the unjust belief that, developing the communication skills is the domain of the language teachers. It is wrong by the very perception. Every form of knowledge is transmitted by communication. As such, teachers at their individual levels should focus to provide the nuances of communication in their branches of knowledge.  A mere working knowledge, for a strategy like teaching is not enough. Use of appropriate terms to convey the idea is communication. It need not be high-sounding or long winding statements. Precision is called for. Class rooms turn dull because expressions are mundane. The teacher uses the same words in a set pattern. If some variety is used to bring changes in words or modulations, student will look up for freshness. Teachers need to exploit the human desire for variety. It is also a mark of zeal on the part of the teacher for lively presentation.. Teachers must avoid believing that students do not understand. The truth is they do not listen to the mundane approach. For any progress exposure is vital. Teachers can bring the exposure opting to use better expressions. Minor difficulty is always an invitation to learn. Students will catch up. Constant familiarity to better usages will work wonders, eliminating the “fear component” in the minds of learners. This is essential to face the real life situations. Many senior teachers also take to base line satisfaction in their approaches.

Over the years this has come about among teachers, largely based on their desire for “popularity” through friendly approaches and relaxations that deprive the learning of its seriousness. Some degree of complexity always introduces seriousness. Without seriousness, the tendency to exert and acquire skills stands ruled out. Please never be sympathetic on matters of evaluation of learning. Our sympathetic accommodation of their inadequacy now will land them in distress. The society needs a different profile altogether. Grooming has to be merciless.     Sympathetic evaluation unfailingly leads to pathetic evolution.

Any stringent approach to teaching and evaluation can mend inadequacies and render long- term justice. If every teacher tightens up, the student community would come to terms to pick up the lead. Teachers need to recognize their social responsibility. Any teacher who fails to correct mistakes is the biggest accident on the society. My suggestion is to carefully plan our teaching schedules to drive our subject matter through better styles of communication, instead of blaming it on the students’ inability to comprehend. Many teachers do not seem to realize the long term inadequacy we are planting into the wards. Teachers must become communicators from the status of “Readers and Dictators” of notes.         

Equally dismal is the profile of many “Doctoral Degree holders”. Some of them are weaker in communication than their students. Shamelessly they would be defended that, “those people have very good knowledge and only thing is they can not express”. If hidden knowledge is enough for a teacher, it would be a greater philanthropy to recruit DUMB SCHOLARS as teachers. Certainly they would not perpetrate improper usages.  Therefore my suggestion is all doctoral title aspirants [with the exception of those on Indian languages] must qualify through a National level communication screening before they can submit the theses. The concept of proportional idiocy has been firmly entrenched by such abysmal performers. It may appear that I launch a tirade. Yes, for a cause dear to me. I do not visualize effective teaching sans communication. Whoever tries to lend excuses on this fundamental requirement is an example of the oxymoron- honest cheat, to say the least. Quite often it is an attempt to defend inadequacy. To convey the value of optimal adequacy over that of abysmal inadequacy, a casual reference to Thermodynamics is useful. [Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It can only be transferred. No energy transfer is 100 % efficient, but it is accompanied by loss in transit.{‘Knowledge’ can be substituted for Energy to clarify the situation}  What is transferred from a donor to a recipient is always less than 100 % as per the law of nature, one can give only less than what [s]he has.

So, an inadequate teacher can give even less than what [s]he has.

 Poverty in teaching does not deserve amnesty. All efforts of social justice would stand defeated if we are not giving the best education to our children. Where is the justice in giving them a bad training? That is why I insist that every teacher has to be absolutely adequate in content, dedicated in approach and inspiring by performance. Though it is a tall order to look for all round brilliance everywhere, certainly any attempt to improve deserves   support and appreciation. Better late than never should be the basic approach towards positive improvement. If every individual takes upon self a vow to improve who can prevent it?

The scenario and what can be done?   Honestly, teaching is a pleasant exercise only if we know how to go about it. People prefer to compare themselves with those whom they personally rate low as teachers. This is not merely a stupidity but a serious impediment to genuine progress in the profession. If we ever desire a personal evaluation, why it should be by a comparison of the kind said above? Either we rate us against established quality performers; or by a dispassionate self evaluation every semester to see how “improvement” is perceptible in every aspect of teaching.  Are we comfortable with every classroom situation in our daily routines? Ask yourself the question –Does autonomy provide me a cover of safety? If brought under the scrutinizing dispensation, would I be of the same comfort? These need not be answered in any forum. Let them be answered with in.  If you honestly feel cool of yourself, probably you are on the right track. If you feel discomfort with in, your introspection must be carried further. Ask self as to why you are uncomfortable? It may be for shirking work or for incomplete attention to classes or for digressing to spend the time instead of utilizing it or for being biased to gender or a mixture of these. I am absolutely confident that every teacher knows for self the stature [s]he carries among colleagues and students. But, my suggesting this introspection is to develop a sense of responsibility by self awareness. It is very difficult for anyone else to run over our ego. Every individual can do it because the individual is conscious of the good and the bad. Despite this, if they do not show signs of improvement, it is largely because of the feeling that “I am not the lone errant”. Would it not be a genuine pride if people say ‘you are the best’ instead of you are one of the bad teachers on our campus?

To Continue                                                  Prof. K. Raman

ANNOYANCE

                                                      ANNOYANCE

 After some careful thought, I chose this title. I never choose titles that disturb the mind.

But when the subject matter for perusal is highly disturbing, this is the least inconvenience that I can offer to my readers. On the very face of it, annoyance grips every one when we talk of education at any level. All stakeholders are annoyed. They are: students, parents, teachers, administrators and managements. But they do not share the same type of concern on the issue. Each entity is annoyed over a specific domain. Therefore, one has to address the underlying causes that need being looked into. Once it is done, it should be possible for us to consider approaches that may soften if not solve the problem outright. From the point of view of consumers, the problem is intricate. All parents insist on their children becoming Engineers or I T Professionals or Doctors and none else. It is a parental desire in utter disregard to the finer issues involved. Students for their part also do not gather the techniques of learning. As for teachers the scenario is badly confused. Teachers are of two types- those inclined to do their best, those not much concerned. The latter variety is steadily on the increase, possibly because there are no regulatory curbs on deviants. Administrators have no clues as to what reforms or revamping have to take precedence over what.  Managements are confused over providing higher education of the type that holds prospects of long term stability and sustenance. Some of them are keen only on monetary prospects than on model or moral codes. With such a vexing complexity the scenario is annoying. Given the limited domain of a teacher, I may not be able to dwell at length on every component. I hope to consider issues from the points of view of students and teachers. Sincere efforts will be necessary to resolve the knots that generally occur.

Going by the common saying “We reap what we sow”, the focus should be on teaching and then on learning. On different earlier occasions, I have considered the functional aspects of the two processes. I do not intend repeating the same ideas. I feel that some positive orientation of our attitudes to the two processes would do some good to the system as such.  Teaching–learning is a functional complex. They are complementary and mutually influential. As ever, the elders [teachers] should strive to lead with one clear understanding that what we do now is for the future. It includes a very important consideration. Our student may turn out to be a teacher for our children. So, now sow what you prefer to reap. I have clearly seen the hand of nemesis in the life of some teachers of our own times. I do not prefer to name them for obvious reasons of decency. Even in hotels we find the note “This holy task of feeding the people has been bestowed on us by the Almighty”.

Teaching can not be any less. Some of us have been chosen by destiny to be teachers. How can one be indifferent to this line of thought?                                             Obviously we have not thought of it.

With this backdrop, I try to share some of my perceptions to spell out some strategies that can help us to tide over the so-called impediments to good teaching and ideal learning.

Teaching and learning are interactive processes:

There is no exclusive teaching in the sense that every session of teaching is also a learning process. The converse may not be true. What I intend saying is this:  A teacher, while attempting to teach, learns to fine-tune the message to suit the audience or at least a vast majority there of.  There are no pre-set standards. Please consider this: Every singer has to identify the “sruthi” to render the song. There is no specific “sruthi” for a lesson or chapter. But the teacher sets his or her “sruthi” for every session by feeling the pulse of the audience. The amplitude over which a teacher can operate depends on the nature of the lesson, the receptivity, the time over which it has to be done and so on. There are no quantified data for these parameters. Yet the teacher silently sets self to the most appropriate frame within which to effectively operate. The statement may look vague as only the broad attributes are suggested. In simpler terms, both the bottom limit and upper extremity to teach are broadly fixed by the teacher. An alert teacher does not fix any permanent frame limits for all occasions, even for the same batch of students. Instead, there is an effort to widen this frame so as to provide greater information based on how well the lessons are received. Those teachers who always cater to the bottom line requirements are either not inclined to strive or cannot do better. They take recourse to dodgy excuses. Often they cite the background of students for not going all out in their efforts. Honestly, this contention is a matter for serious dispute on two counts. 1. If their background is weak, it should all the more be a reason for strenuous efforts. I am certainly confident that students perceive our efforts and in turn try to catch up. 2. The best of Scientists and lofty thinkers have all been products of rural origin. Proudly or sadly the urban population has only enjoyed the fruits of such contribution. There is no dearth of ability to understand. On the contrary making them understand is the business of teaching. Unfortunately teaching has become a business for some. Not being aware of the right approaches to learning, parents and students flock to such coaching classes for mustering high scores.  [It is no different from preferring a beautification parlour to ways of healthy living through appropriate food habits]

For every stage of life we feel the need for coaching [need to visit the parlour for every occasion] Short-cut methodologies do not provide the strength to live on.

Education- what to pick up?

Education is for an ideal way of living and not for just crossing stages in life. Unless teaching strategies establish the right supremacy, the day of dissipation is not far off. Teacher is the pivot and the fulcrum. It should be clear that any teacher is only as good as [s]he strives. Students should recognize that they are at the right [st] age to learn. Later stages of life can only be utilized for tuning your clarity and performance. Tuning always implies that something is ready and organized. A defective machinery or engine or musical instrument can not be tuned. These objects of physical organization require being kept ready. That being so how can we imagine that we can learn things later. I have seen some students running to pick up ‘spoken English’ upon being called for an interview. Even if somebody spoke of English, they used to run away imagining that they are quite secure or they can secure the skill in no time. Systematically they are unfailingly discarded after every interview. So, students, please be clear that NO AGENCY EVER WANTS TO RECRUIT SOME ONE WHO FAILS TO CONVINCE THEM OF  THE ABILITY  TO COMMUNICATE, EVEN IF THE WORK DOES NOT INVOLVE PUBLIC INTERACTION. The top management looks for personnel who can handle situations even if their PRO is away on some other mission. Kindly do not imagine that your PG degree or a Doctoral TITLE WOULD PUT YOU IN GOOD STEAD Instead it may put you at the backyard. In some recruiting agencies they have a new interpretation for the present day degree holders. “Qualification reflects the scale of inadequacy”. They imply that persons of higher qualification are more inadequate

[Proportional idiocy?]. Another way of looking at this perception is, the greater the qualification the higher the expectation of quality. Many a time I have seen youngsters saying “I know this, that, 7 computer languages and I have a PG diploma in communication” Many of the people are mere PG dilemmas if you open a discussion on any topic including those on their attainments. So, dear student please remember that you have to learn rather than possess degrees, diplomas and titles. Not one of them can speak for you. The crux of the issue is education is the stage of foundation. Bad foundations have the risk of collapse any time. Mere biological growth cannot help you stand erect in the society of professionals and competitors. [More of it later] Please note that learning is a process helped by another process called teaching.

to continue     K. Raman 

THE COMPLEXITY OF COMPLEXES- II

 Continues         

Remedy:

To get over the evil impact of inferiority is not impossible. All that is needed is honest introspection. Before any feeling grips us, we should try to understand the efficacy of our performance in our field of work. Necessarily local comparison alone is possible. If we fare well in this rating it is for us to strive to improve on it. If we are deficient, we should shake off any inhibition. Let us try to locate our follies; either in comprehension or in coordinating of steps or in the levels of execution. Seeking help on these from our immediate environment would certainly help. It is here that people fail to confide and resort to cheaper tactics of “lowering the reputation” of others. In fact a small request to them in clearing misgivings would help the growth of both besides fostering healthy relations. When the other person is more competent it is a signal that we are less competent and can not outwit him / her. Conceding to the merit is a route to avoiding failure.

Analysis:

When one realizes the inadequacy of self, he or she fails to accept that greater efforts can help acquiring skills / competence. This is because, the individual wrongly believes that

‘I am as good / even better than the other’. It is a blind faith since over the years the person has not seen really bright people. They tend to believe that they can win acclaim in public esteem. When they fail in reality, they are blindly angered. Anger knocks off

unbiased analysis. They fail to distinguish real merit from that of assumed wisdom. They do not accept that ‘we need to learn more’. Anger overshadows analysis and ruins the scope for betterment.  The question is “Is inferiority a complex?”

The answer could be Yes / No, depending on the individual displaying the attribute. One interpretation is the individual knows that he / she can not really compete for a place of pride. Therefore, he/she resorts to lowering the image of others instead of raising that of self. In this case the individual is gripped by INFERIORITY AWARENESS. However, some people do not recognize their own potential and feel can not match the requirement. This type of attitude results from the long history of family background and a general lack of exposure in handling situations of a larger dimension. Such persons need careful counseling to enthuse them into greater efforts. Such persons do not believe in maligning others. It is a dependable signal for identifying them. They should be helped to get over their feeling of inferiority complex. Generally they are amenable to reason and they do not believe in growing taller by beheading others. Often such people are docile and withdrawn. They can be identified for their merit / abilities and nurtured to shine better. Therefore it can be summarized that Inferiority complex is curable but not inferiority awareness.

The other extreme:

At the other extreme are the persons with “Superiority Complex”. Unlike those of the “Inferiority awareness” group, these do not reckon others as a cognizable entity. Since they think they are the most knowledgeable, they expect all others to tow their line. Other than this they do not deem it fit to talk about others. Given the occasion they would not hesitate to snub anyone in unmistakable terms. It is more to utilize the chance that they indulge in this act. They do not resort to denigration of any one because they are personally convinced that none else can compete with them.

On occasions they may carry things a little too far in a zeal of displaying their alertness. This can be mended by leaving them alone unless there is absolute need for interaction. Other than such “display” these persons would not like to be caught by lesser mortals and thus keep their steps clean. Though their attitudes do pain others they do not mastermind plots to denigrate others. We can reconcile to their pranks with one solace that the person is superior enough and no wonder the situation favours them. It is any day better than the calculated tarnishing indulged in by the more incompetent people. The moral in these observations is that “Any display is not welcome for the general population at large”.

.                                                                                               Prof. K. Raman.

THE COMPLEXITY OF COMPLEXES

 

THE COMPLEXITY OF COMPLEXES

 

Having looked at so many facets of human life, it is logical to consider the issue of human mental complex. Generally complex is considered more a notion of self than of its being true or real. As two extremes of the phenomenon, we come across persons of inferiority complex or of superiority complex. To some extent, it is debatable if the notion is imaginary at all. To strengthen my observation, I have to draw the attention of readers to the ground reality that most such persons entertain the idea based on what they feel of themselves. Therefore it need not be an outright imagination. It could rather be more an amplified assessment. At a later point we may consider the issue from a different plane. Let us evaluate the outcome, as it tends to disturb the people around as much as it does to the individual. The mental complex is a nasty item, as the sufferers behave more like introverts and seldom discuss a matter in all entirety. On the contrary, their assertions in public and in private are contradictory. It makes our life that much difficult to bank on their honest stand on an issue. Letting down others is the outcome of this nasty trait. Of the two forms of complex, the one from the feeling of inferiority is more widespread and harder to handle.

In most situations, a feeling of inferiority develops when persons try to interact with others without appropriately organizing themselves in concept / content / context. Another dimension to this feeling comes from a general inadequacy in the ability to communicate / convince others of any contention. Inevitably time and again one has to recognize the need to communicate. Even in informal situations, the trait for effective communication takes a lead role in determining the level of social acceptance of any person.

 Organizing the process of thought is a vital component of any communication irrespective of the language employed. Invariably, it proves a hurdle if one tries concealing his / her inadequacy in this front. The actual disorder in a person afflicted by this feeling is he /she primarily believes that “I am at par with everyone else”. It is justified only in terms of biological growth and not based on mental prowess. Obviously such people are oblivious of the range of spread of information and the vast expanse over which a person can acquire grip and authority. The malady can be traced to their pattern of upbringing in their early childhood. Such persons who have sustained themselves in the company of lesser mortals assume “equality” that is truly non existent. When they come to a different situation of competent competitors, they feel miserable: but put up a brave disposition and try to preempt. How can an inadequate person preempt others? Truly, they can not accomplish this even in their remote dreams. They resort to maligning others with whom they can never compete.

Strategy:

Once such a feeling of inferiority enters one’s mind he / she does not attempt to mend the mechanics of knowledge acquisition. For them it is easy to denigrate others. Soon they locate their ideal foils of inadequacy and form a conglomerate of incompetence. This incompetent bunch tries to spread the notion that “X” is bad and that he /she should not be trusted upon. Such persons initially taste ‘victory’ since for them life’s mission is to see that no one enjoys greater acceptance. They keep on sustaining enormous vigil trying to highlight the follies of better people. They would not hesitate to fabricate items to portray better people as bad ones. Such tendencies are rampant among people who would stand comparison in public esteem. Instead of raising the level of competence in their work, they stoop low and resort to substandard missions of character assassination of people of higher quality. Desire being an insatiable entity, persons of such desire try to project themselves as saviours of humanity from the clutches of people whom they consider “bad”. In this effort, their judgement of people forms the basis for portrayal.

Boomerang:

All aspects of life- good or bad have providential blessings. The bad efforts of such incompetent persons soon bring the perpetrators under the silent scan of public analysis. 

In due course, the very members of the incompetent circle start suspecting the credentials of one another as they suffer from the mental block of intolerance. All the bad remarks that they employed to describe their “chosen targets”, boomerang to themselves with greater vigour. Slowly, they lose credibility and value as respectable individuals. They are left discarded. Over the years they have lost the ability for neutral assessment and feel neglected. The imaginary castle they built of ruining the image of more competent persons stands in ruins. Still they do not deem it fit to get out of the feeling of inferiority.

Instead they try to look for new groups of people with whom they can start “denigrating” interpretations. The most damaging impact of the feeling of inferiority is its effect of murking the ability to see the obvious. Besides, it systematically erodes the peace of mind as every attempt of denigration lands the person in a greater mess of failure. Only the brave accept the failure while the incompetent live in a ‘make believe’ world and look for other means of ‘carrying on’ the mission. They would never learn their lessons. To Continue                          Prof. K .Raman  

MEMORY - II

MEMORY - II 

Continuing from,        “Is age a serious constraint?”

It may not be so, provided the individual stays focused on to this desire. Always let us remember – “The mind is the master of any situation”. So long as the desire is intact, it will drive the urge to achieve and the impact will deliver the goods.

Approach:  The most fundamental requisite in this exercise is to clearly recognize that memory is always a product of understanding. This facet of the issue has to be thoroughly imbibed by any one who wishes to “cultivate” a good memory. Certainly, it is achievable through proper efforts. It is vital that we do not forget words whose meanings are clear to us, while we are unable hold the words that we fail to decipher. Let us steadfastly cling on to this idea as the cardinal principle of developing and enhancing the ability to remember. The dimension of memory as a phenomenon is astonishingly high. Sadly, we are just availing of a fraction of this mammoth ability in us. Definitely people would relish being rated high. By systematic approach, one can tone up the mind to be alert by exercises of recalling items and words and their meanings in contexts.

Procedure:    Daily life provides for a variety of occasions to learn from. Every moment we may find chances to learn. It may relate to forms of speech, words, presenting a problem to a public servant, streamlining fellow beings in a queue and so on. Just observe how others make use of the opportunity in a situation. We will notice different scopes of presentation as adopted by different persons. Always be an observer in any public gathering, keeping all your senses alert to receive. Avoid entering a conversation unless absolutely required. Direct participation in a conversation robs of the chance to receive from other sources.  

 Once some new expression in any language is noticed, try to get the correct meaning and mentally repeat the word and meaning 3 or 4 times and immediately consider how it can be suitably used for a definite occasion. The next day try to recall the precise meaning and the word and styles of usage. Let it happen for at least two days. Soon, you would notice that your ability to recall has improved. With every additional opportunity, it would also be clear that the recall time is coming down rapidly. That means all windows are ready to open at the slightest hint. Now, consider how some of your “good” teachers deliver ideas in classrooms in a systematic sequence. Try to pick up some of the nuances in arranging the thought. It is advisable to understand alternative meanings in a contextual usage; repeat the procedure of storing them in memory. Unless the meanings are understood, words are likely to evaporate. Proper repeat practices help a lot and some 10 minutes a day on these is a worthwhile investment. Memory comes to our rescue if we have earlier ‘helped’ our own memory with the right meaning. At best, it would be a small personal help done to self. Can’t we afford it considering the immense scope of enriching our own memory? Those who are shy of gathering the meanings from other sources will have to face greater shame, no matter how big an office they hold by designation. Mustering the correct usage is a step to mastering the requirement. Ironically people are ready to invest on every conceivable channel for “learning” without understanding the broad nuances of learning. Still, if you are not clear or convinced please consider this: Can we afford to memorize the working of mathematical problems without “understanding” the purpose of each step. Once the steps are clear, remembering is nearly automatic and simple.

 Most people seem to believe that by repeated recitation we can reproduce matter in the examination by the popular strategy known as “mugging up”. It is the worst habit in  ruining our capacity to learn, as it spoils the most important requirement- ‘the comprehension’. 

Without appropriate comprehension, nothing can be “achieved” except the ever-expanding fear in tackling situations. This is the reason behind all “tall scorers” faring poorly in competitive examinations where comprehension holds the key. Learning by rote and from notes may help “vomiting” in examinations but never in digesting the facts. Vomiting is a sign of indigestion and any sensible person should feel averse of it. Good memory is not in repeating the words. It is in understanding the concept –no matter how complex the concept is.          

Summarizing: Memory is a faculty given to every one to organize self. But, like every other biological function, use or disuse determines the efficacy of the faculty. It is for us to train our skills to recapitulate. Training does not mean “repeating” words and sentences as given in some source. It is actually how well we have understood the statements for their meaning. Unless the purpose of the statements is clear, it is bound to confuse the thought. Confused minds can not succeed. The apparent early success from memorized learning is not real, since, often these persons do not make it to the top as their learning is defective. Memory turns a sharp entity only if all fundamentals are clear and we are conceptually thorough. If we desire genuine progress, we have to cultivate “understanding” and memory is a product of clarity in understanding Memory is a faculty amenable to shaping, conditioning and retrieval. These help in organizing our skills for presentation in any forum. These facets are interrelated; so, efforts need to be in place.

Good Luck                                                          Prof. K. Raman

                                                                                                         

MEMORY

 

  

                                     MEMORY

PREAMBLE

Quite often we encounter situations when we suddenly feel that we are unable to recall something vital for that occasion. This is not unusual or seriously bad in human life. But if the phenomenon turns a routine, one may face a serious debacle in life. What causes this? Is there a way out? These are frequently raised questions which do not elicit ready or easy answers. Obviously memory is a faculty whose amplitude varies between persons and as such any common answer may not help every one for every occasion. Necessarily memory needs being cultivated through simple exercises which put mild pressure on mind to ‘draw’ from the store. To cite an example, it is like locks and keys routinely used versus those that are rarely used. The latter version fails to open up even after strenuous efforts. Like all gadgets, memory also serves us right if we put it to use. A number of questions is attendant in analyzing the issues involved. Earnestly I do not visualize giving any major suggestion. However, I may try saying what could be done to improve and one can improve on the improvement further.

Conditioning:

Like all human acts, memory needs being honed. Honing the memory is a simple exercise of a regular or habitual training. Mind is the faculty that registers events, utterances, happenings and retains them almost ad infinitum. However, it is not as if this ability is of uniform relevance to all instances of life. On the contrary, the most enjoyable and the bitterest experiences in life get deeply entrenched and effortlessly so. To drive home this point, one can consider how often we recall jocular pieces we have read somewhere. We lose track of from where we gathered the item but not the item itself.

Likewise, all items of light reading and “not-so-important” ones stay fresh in memory. It is quite paradoxical that, we tend to forget things that we should not.  Less relevant details stay etched in memory.

This is the general trend in any average person’s attitude to memory. It cannot be permitted to take deep roots, if we desire regulating our faculty for long term advantages. Repeated practice or indulgence in a routine constitutes conditioning. It also implies that, like the body the mind can also “take” a certain load. So, it can be gradually raised to higher limits. Interestingly, memory does not suffer fatigue. No one ever feels tired of remembering things without any specific obligation. But, people cry hoarse of having to remember “so much” for an examination.

Things that are well understood stay anchored. Examination material is forcibly thrust in to the head without a clear understanding. Therefore the message turns volatile and the memory for these fades off with time. Jokes and stories are understood during the reading session itself and do not invite a second reading. This is the essential basic criterion which determines the capacity for retention. At this juncture, I reiterate that there is physically no limit for retention. Simply recall how many people, places, phone numbers, initials of friends’ names, movie songs / sequences we remember, without any obligation. Only when it comes to ‘holding’ material for examination our memory seems to shrink. Could it be real? The obvious mistake is, we have not taken the right approach to “conditioning” our ability to retain information. Can we do it now? Is age a serious constraint?

To continue              Prof. K. Raman

VACCINES IN HUMAN LIFE

 Vaccines in human life

VACCINES IN HUMAN LIFE

While humans believe and boast of independence, they are the ones in dire need of support for their basic living and progress. No other species –be they animals or plants need being defended by others for basic living. One such defence for humans against diseases is the vaccine. Vaccines are not curatives, but, they can arm the humans against potential infection by triggering the latter’s immune system to a state of readiness to identify and eliminate specific disease-causing invaders – the pathogens. The pathogens are either bacteria or viruses or fungi. Of them the most rapid to spread are the viruses; thus any fast-spreading event is described “viral” in social par lance. Therefore, any virus-induced disease can quickly spread among human hosts.  The present pandemic – the COVID, is a case in point.  Literally COVID transcends all barriers and for over a year has crippled world economy, even as it robbed off millions of life. Such catastrophic situations render humans vulnerable to death. 

While antibiotics can cure us of infectious bacterial diseases, they are of no avail in viral and fungal infections. Also, vaccines are essential to ward off crippling disorders and deadly situations. Maintaining a human population protected from fatality is a matter of high priority.  In the current COVID-19 pandemic, institutions had to race against time to evolve a life-saving protective like a vaccine. As per W.H.O’s report some 200 vaccine candidates are under preparation on a global estimate. Some manufacturers availed of existing strategy of attenuated viral sources; some others availed of a new strategy of mRNA-based vaccine formulation.

Attenuated [inactivated form of a virus or weakened virus or parts thereof] virus –based vaccine delivers a set of proteins   [antigens] typical of the infecting pathogen. The host is tuned to develop specific antibodies [against the pathogenic antigens] which can destroy the viral assembly and protect the infected person from the prospect of fatal reactions. Vaccine developed using inactivated virus does not cause infection. Yet, their spike proteins [resemble those of the pathogen] act as antigens and trigger antibody production in the host. The host comes to have ‘memory’ of the virus .Along with antibodies, antibody-producing memory cells are also formed in the host. Such memory cells remain for a long time. Any later infection of the host, by the same pathogen, triggers antibody production by memory cells. Antibodies are very specific to antigens. So, vaccines can protect   only against diseases caused by specific pathogens and those by closely related pathogens [antigens].

A number of vaccines developed have relied on attenuated sources as a reliable tool in vaccine formulation. [The history of use of human Adenoviruses in vaccine development started in 1953].The antigen component in the vaccine mimics the pathogen and elicits antibody response from the host and also promotes the formation/ sustenance of memory cells in the host. Any subsequent infection by the pathogen fails to cause disease as the pathogen [antigen] is effectively neutralized by host antibodies. 

K.Raman