Logical Error - I

Recently, I met a  brilliant young man who accidentally introduced me to the combination of word logical error, which he faces in his computer programming. In this case, every code is right but nothing works in programming. Hearing that something clicked in my brain because this is what I have been failing to get in media by many of our well experienced journalists,  not just the fresh one who lose sight from the main topic. When pointed out they argue back this is what is his or her perspective.

Long time back, when I was working in advertising agency I have been clearly explained by an expert in this matter, the difference between literature and a mass communication. It is believed that in literature, if many people gets a different angle after reading a story line that is regarded as a plus point of the writer however, if a person can communicate one message to millions of the people exactly the way one is trying to convey, then that person is a successful communicator.

Me, not being a literary figure and not having keen interest in this field, I smell something fishy in many people being able to see one sequence from ten different angles. This simply fails to convince me; unless the writer, did not get it clearly and then have no option but to say, ‘yes’ you get it right to all those  people who read it and get it as they wish. Agreed, literature is not that simple like math equation which has just one answer and another answer makes it totally wrong. But, I would like to leave this argument here because in this article, I am going to focus on logical error in mass communication and how bad impact it can have in the long run if a journalist derails from the main topic.

‘He is dying and she can't afford the daily bills of the hospital’, a woman had approached Bijay Kumar as he was waiting to see a doctor for his Buddhist guru. The woman went on to plead him, ‘would you please request the doctors here to pull the plug from him, so that she [the dying man’s wife] can take him to her home where he can die peacefully’. Although, he felt sorry for the woman, he was confused with this type of request. In that very dazed state of mind, he went to talk to Dr. Makaju, the dean of the hospital in Dhulikhel. However, Dr. Makaju was not convinced with the kind of request Bijay Kumar entered in his office. The doctor even challenged him asking, who are you to tell me who will die or not ? After some talk hospital management agreed to keep the patient without it costing to the family and a letter was handed over to his wife, freeing her from the financial burden. This is a scene I picked from the book Khushi by Bijay Kumar.

He writes further down, seeing in the eyes of the woman made him feel close to seeing a god; who felt so thankful for being freed from paying hefty bills for her dying husband; she thought, would not survive. However, Bijay kumar fails to appreciate the adamant nature of Dr. Makaju and his colleagues for their determination to save the dying man and lifting the expensive method to keep him alive that cost hospital management for decision like this. This is the reason, the woman was ready to pull the plug from her husband.

Is poverty makes our journalist so blind  that he can't even see the logic from right angle ? Just because we are poor, does that mean we should always sympathize to the cruelty of poverty gripen steps our folks takes, like this woman was about to.  Sympathy to this woman fails to impress me because instead of trying to do everything possible from her might like knocking all the doors to raise funds so that; she can save her dying husband. She opted for the easiest way out and begs a famous journalist to pull the plug. Should we sympathize her decision to pull the plug from the machine who could live given a chance just because she has no money ?  How come he did not see the side Dr. Makaju saw and was fighting for even though patient like him will always be on waiting list. This also meant he was ready to bear the brunt of the high cost to keep alive a dying man, who is not even related remotely to this Dr. with a hope, that there is a slightest chance, he might live. How this is different than the man who smothered and then buried his two young daughters on the river bank, which we read some time back in our news ? When he was interrogated he cried foul saying that he was so poor could not afford the rising cost. Is not this a crime ?

At this point, I remember watching him in his famous talk show Dishanirdesh years ago. I can't remember the name of the Doctor, but then he was interviewing the Dean of Patan Hospital. At one point the doctor said, there are times when we see a patient we think will live because their sickness is not serious enough but then, they die and there are times we give up hope on saving some patient and yet they leave hospital in due course of time and live long enough to surprise us. As a doctor I am sure Dr. Makaju must have seen that fact, and worked at his level best to save the unknown man. Maybe this is the kind of patience who would have died despite doctors seeing all reports of of survival chance. How, I mean how come Bijay Kumar can derail from the main track and take a whole wrong path to find happiness ? is this because Dr. Makaju was a good fighter and challenged this hard hitting journalist compared to that woman who was begging with him ? his logic could be anything but I totally failed to get his logic.  I see  logical error in Mr Kumar's finding khushi in a potential killer's eyes.

But, what Dr. Makaju did for the woman and the dying man after his talk, reminded me a line from another book, The fourth Dimension by Dr. Paul yonggi Cho, a christian religious guru and international inspirational speaker. He writes in his book that word is GOD. That is the reason when Bijay Kumar had words with Doctors it raised the chances of saving a dying man. That’s why we in the media must speak and write because we do not know who, when, why, how and where our words might save lives.

Every country needs influential religious guru to guide it. Education, entertainment, economy boom in all sector or the media and government alone can not help to guide it to the right path; but we have gurus who find comfort in quietness of cage or beautiful places in jungles surrounded by rich and famous people than preaching the common mass. Bijay Kumar appreciates a famous Buddhist monk spending 30 years of his life in isolation in cage. This is so different than the religious gurus from west like Norman Vincent Peale, Paul Yonggi Cho and Loren Cunningham who travel relentlessly and speak in front of big mass  that will touch life and all of them have written many books that helps to offer some answers to the confused mass. Those books do have power to shape any society. I being a Nepali have not  got a chance to read a good book from our religious guru. Sure, we read here and there that they serve the rich and famous who have lost it in mid ways. I did not get it well, do we really have to be rich and famous like he writes in his book to meet them and hear their messages that teaches us how to live life ?  In the total mess of my country and society I yet have to see or read any religious guru[s] coming forward and uniting people. That is not the case in west. May be because we have journalist who see a good logic, when a wise [shepherd] monk finds a way out in isolation inside the cage and leaves the  mass to wonder what is going on in our society and what should we do to come out clean from such situation ?

Again, I fail to see the logic in his understanding. The result of this is very simple, just see where our country ranks in world map in many categories compared to developed countries where religious gurus keep preaching and  writing relentlessly to spread the message from God.

part II will be posted on next week.

Note : This article has already been published in Samhita, Chaitra 2072 [March-April 2016]. This is a trimester magazine published by Press Council Nepal.

Picture speaks

picture downloaded from internet

They say picture speaks a thousands word so, lets see how these picture speaks which I have in my camera. 

A couple who are the flood victim of recent months, leaving their home with their young children in search of dry place for their family

Young children reading story books in a children home in Pokhara.

army men providing security to the city

Army police on round of the parliament premises to provide security to the city during election time in nation. 

I saw this dog outside of Annapurna Hotel Durbarmarg. Some people were clicking picture after seeing it lying on the bike. I also took my camera out and started clicking some of the picture and then it gave me his majestic pose. I thing this dog likes the camera and attention people gives him.

Children washing cloths in children home here in Kathmandu

There is this children home in New Baneshwor where young girls are expected to do all the daily chores by themselves. 

Mango Tree

A perfect and lovely mango tree standing in front of the west gate of parliament building in New Baneshwor. Last year this tree was laden was delicious fruit however due to some reason unknown to me, this year; this tree is without fruit this year.

 dog found a job 

  

Our young dog got bored one morning and and found some job to do with the work I was doing. It took me almost an hour to redo making the wool ball again. 

Wakupati Narayan, Suryamadhi, Bhaktakpur

It seems that god is on long leave that's why the door is closed like this. See those guys playing cards inside the temple premises, they must be having hey day due to `god is on leave'.

A derelict walking on the street.

Resenting the Stereotype

There is this concept that goes in the mind of many, mostly women, who are feminist activist in our society, that women are used and treated like as commodities. No one seem to be caring where all this came from and who are the one who think and treat women as commodities ? Of course, there are men in this world, who  treat women as if she is a commodity and worst part of all this is there are women in this world in every society, who are convinced; they are right. ‘In a modelling world, women are viewed as commodities. They come and go fast because there are new models lining up to join this industry. Her life is short that what they are considered as a commodities.’ I do remember , something close to this, Susmita Sen saying in one of her early interview, when she was freshly crowned miss universe - 1994. She was confident in her believe and smart in understanding the  fast moving business trend around her. She was the much like beauty in most of my friends circle and each of them had a solid reason, why they preferred her over her close rival Aishwarya, who won Miss world in the same year. But, I paid more attention to the fact, how short her own life was in entertainment industry; as compared to her so called rival Aash. This lasting ability in the entertainment industry is all made me like her as the one over her competitor, who resent the women as commodity in different way. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell,makes us think hard for lasting in this short running show business for almost twenty years.

I remember reading Uma Thurman, ‘in Hollywood they say you last here until you are 25, I lasted until I am 35. So, I lasted here ten more years, I am still happy.’ Halle Berry, who won her Oscar only when she was 36, meaning it was the beginning of her career. Now a days, Jennifer Lopez garners all the media attention, even for her hot dress up sense; which can give run for a competition to those who are half her age in the industry. She is forty-five now.  Karisma Manandhar, Madhuri Dixit and Nicole Kidman are still in the industry after twenty years in this short shelf life show business. But Meryl streep, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren lasted longer than the pretty face girls suppose to last in this very industry with their praiseworthy work, professionalism and sheer determination.

Is this just women, who are objectified in entertainment industry ? ask Priyanka Chopra who is one of the top ranked actress in Bollywood now. She denies it sharply and added in one of the talk show with Koffee with Karan, ‘men in Bollywood is as objectified as women.’ Now a days, men in entertainment industry needs to tone their body, bare their chest, dance to lure their women audience as much as the women in olden days were required to be nothing more than eye-candy on the screen. Men in Bollywood now have to have six-pack-abs, and they have to be ready to open their shirt on screen any time, even if; it has nothing to do with the script. Good look and toned body has nothing to do with acting and yet they are in and out of the industry in no time. Exception is in every field of life.

But, why is that, when Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir show their bare-toned chest and muscle they are wowed and woman who dare wearing revealing clothes, are condemned ? Bipasha Basu, Rekha Thapa, Jharana Bajracharya, Malaika Arora and Mallika Sherawat should be lauded for their effort to daring so, at the same time maintaining their dignity and lasting in the industry longer than some thought they would for pretty face, who dress boldly. There are stories supporting enough, directors in the entertainment industry exploits men as much as they do to woman.  But, the question is women are objectified as commodity is what hits in our mind. Does this mean women cry too much ?

I remember watching a show where Leonardo Dicaprio was resenting for being liked as ‘so good looking guy’ as if; he is nothing more than a ‘sweet meat loaf’. He sure was edibally good looking in Titanic and The Beach but watching his third movie The Aviator tells us how much he resented being liked nothing more than a ‘good looking guy.’ He is bang on his work but my Leo had dropped his good look behind. Men also resent for being taken as nothing more than sweet meat loaf ? It was hard for me to accept in the beginning but he made it easy for me to understand.

Have't we heard that ‘Brad Pitt syndrome’, this means good look not for acting. Brad Pitt really had to work hard to break that good look and serious actor. Here in Bollywood Deepika Padukone also had to go through that same norms and phase, as Leo said, sweet meat loaf, now she is one of the highest paid actress in Bollywood, as he has entered in the club of 600 corod money making in box office.

Is accepting challenge is only expected from Men ? Is struggle and tolerance is only for men ? what if, if we have to face the harsh challenge ? what if we expect struggle for everyone ? My mind spins heavily when I try to understand how come a man of 45 years trying to have sex with a 12 year old  girl who gets faint in earlier effort can't leave her even after she bleeds heavily ? How come what numbs us is pleasure for them ? what is brutal and barbaric for us bring pleasure for them ? Can we have answer to all the question we seek ?

I do remember reading Al Pacino once who had slept with an old lady to fund his desire to sustain in the movie industry and the lady GaGa did not talk much about the fact that she was raped when she was a teenager. Entertainment and glamour industry teaches us so much. Rape which in number one reason behind the crime that happens based on violence against women cases in every report. Sexual violence like rape is entertainment and pleasure for men but torture for women.  Everybody struggles in their life and everyone has to struggle in life. Some has to struggle for short period some had to go through the same for longer than one expects to last it.  So are you the victim or hero of your story ? It seems its your decision, where you want to put your story on the entertainment or on page # 5 ? Now the question is do the people in Page number 5 have to compete with entertainment page or our intellect in the media will think seriously on this subject matter ?

Books that have power to shape our mind - II

1. Jivan Kanda Ki Phool :  Really, thought is a thing said by Napoleon Hill in his book think and grow rich. it's the most powerful thing on earth. I have been reading books that focus entirely our thought saying this change and shape our life in the long run and then I read this book which is the perfect example of how it its the most important part of our life. She lives that life in real.This is an autobiography by a girl who suffered from cerebral palsy. Her name is Jhamak Ghimire. Living a life of a deaf, who could not walk and move her hands to do daily basic chores. She never went to school even for a day in her life. It's the story of a disabled young girl’s struggle, how she learned to read and write, how she got dignity first in her own house and then in her society and how she earned the nation wide respect for her strong voice through her pen. Never before in my life I have read a book which is filled with loads of quotable quotes. Reading this book will give us hope, courage, resilience and determination to face our troubles and pain. If she can live life on her term, then what should stops us to live ours ?

2. How to Win Friends and Influence People : I was argumentative at one point of life but then realized it's useless thing to argue with those who do not get your point of view. I was fed up with those who indulge in criticizing, I knew it is total waste of time. Only fool defends a thought want to remain fool or change path in life ? That understanding just saved my time. I wish I had read this book long time back. This book has been one of the all time best sellers in the self help section. It was written by Dale Carnegie in 1936 and it has been staying in print since then as one of the most helpful book in human relations. All the example in the book is not pulled by here and there like Shiva Khera in his book but it was tried and tasted by hundreds of his students in his institution.

3. Steve Jobs : This book is a story of a man who is not liked and loved by many yet he changed the entire world with his invention, computer, Ipad, Iphone and movie. People who never get tired to tell you to change so that you will be liked and loved by others should read this book. If you think faith in God will make people humble and polite in their dealing with other human being then you should read this book. You will be surprised that is not true. This book also tells you god believing people are worse in human relations than atheist, here I am thinking about Bill Gates who do not demean people like Steve jobs do. Anyway be yourself with all your flaw and strength, there is no one on earth who can replace you. Walter Isaacson writing makes this book a lot more readable and interesting. His life study lets you read the life of a man that tells us its nature, not nurture which shapes our life.

4. Daydream : if you think educated people will understand what you say and will lend you their supporting hand to achieve your goal then you should read this book. This book is originally written by Gijubhai who is a revolutionary in Indian education system, mainly child education. It was he who had taught to Indian parents to respect child and try to understand their psychology. Indian society is very much like our society like the one Jhamak Ghimire has described her book who disrespects and devalue their own child. In our society children’s voice and choice are grossly ignored. However, this book is much more than that. If you want to understand the difference between leader and a jobholder then you should read this book. Just because you know your dream does not mean it's easy to get it.This is also a book that gives you clear idea about, you must have a dream, a daydream and must work hard to achieve it.  How tough it's to achieve your dream and who are the one who acts like barrier then you should read it to believe it. Sharad Chandra Wosti is brilliant in his work to translate this book in Nepali and due to his translation in Nepali it's easy to read and you can finish it in one sit down.

5. An Autobiography of a Yogi : This is the only book I have read in Hindu philosophy and by a religious leader. Originally, the writer is an Indian but when he wrote it he had spent more years in America than he had spent in his own mother land [India]. Sure, this is interesting to read for its spiritual aspect more than what it has to teach about God or afterlife. It's also helpful to read it for how to lead successful life. This book also helps you to understand the power of mind. How our thinking will change our life in long term. How your strong determination has a way to shape your life. I have to say this is more than a religious book. This book do have a reread value in time and again.

All the above books do have reread value and help us to live and lead our life than spend it like mediocre life, like little people. These books have recharged me in life and I hope this will recharge you also.