Day: July 24, 2021

EFFECT OF MASS MEDIA ON MILLENIALS

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

Individuals that fall into this generation known as “millennials” are particularly interesting to look into the effects of increased media presence, because they are the generation that is constantly surrounded with updated technology. These individuals are the group of people that are regularly online, taking full advantage of these resources; it has become not just a part of their life but their life in its entirety. Everything this generation does is centered on the Internet, whereas someone from an older generation grew up in a different kind of life, so the effects aren’t nearly as drastic or as meaningful. Millenials are the ones that have grown up with the presence of mass digital media in their lives and were the ones constantly subjected to the consequences of this presence while also adapting to new and improved technologies every day.

The existence of the smartphone has completely altered how this group of individuals interacts and participates in society, because they are the ones who stay constant with the progressions in technology and getting the new “iPhone” every time it is released. “The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health. These changes have affected young people in every corner of the nation and in every type of household. The trends appear among teens poor and rich; of every ethnic background; in cities, suburbs, and small towns. Where there are cell towers, there are teens living their lives on their smartphone.” (Twenge). This age group is subjected to a life filled with mass media and technology every day, which results in different circumstances and different lives in comparison to older generations. There is a fundamental difference in how this generation and older generations process, analyze and understand information while they function in society. Comparing those who weren’t raised on the power of a smartphone and in the age of media constantly in your face to those who were, the contrast becomes quite clear.

Media messages can have a negative or unhealthy influence on teenage behavior and attitudes in certain areas, including body image, health and citizenship. Body image :- Your child’s body image is influenced by social media, other media and advertising. If teenagers see unrealistic ‘thin’ or ‘muscly’ body types often enough in the media they follow, it can have an impact on their body image and dieting behavior. This is especially true when there’s no-one to disagree with messages like ‘thin is beautiful’. Health and lifestyle :- Social media and other media can influence the decisions that teenagers make about their health and lifestyle. For example, media messages and content can make it look ‘normal’, cool or grown-up to eat junk food, smoke, drink alcohol and take other drugs. Citizenship:-To be responsible citizens, teenagers need reliable and good-quality information. But social media and other media are sometimes used in negative ways during elections and at other times. For example, ‘fake news’ might influence teenagers to believe false information about a politician, public figure or celebrity. Or sometimes online forums promote biased or hateful attitudes towards groups of people.

PHOBIA

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically, result in a rapid onset of fear and are present for more than six months. Those affected will go to great lengths to avoid the situation or object, to a degree greater than the actual danger posed. If the object or situation cannot be avoided, they experience significant distress. Other symptoms can include fainting, which may occur in blood or injury phobia, and panic attacks, which are often found in agoraphobia. Around 75% of those with phobias have multiple phobias.

Phobias can be divided into specific phobias, social phobia, and agoraphobia. Specific phobias include those to certain animals, natural environment situations, blood or injury, and specific situations. The most common are fear of spiders, fear of snakes, and fear of heights. Specific phobias may be caused by a negative experience with the object or situation in early childhood. Social phobia is when a person fears a situation due to worries about others judging them. Agoraphobia is a fear of a situation due to a difficulty or inability to escape. It is recommended that specific phobias be treated with exposure therapy, in which the person is introduced to the situation or object in question until the fear resolves. Medications are not useful for specific phobias. Social phobia and agoraphobia are often treated with some combination of counselling and medication. Medications used include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, or beta-blockers. Specific phobias affect about 6–8% of people in the Western world and 2–4% of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America in a given year. Social phobia affects about 7% of people in the United States and 0.5–2.5% of people in the rest of the world. Agoraphobia affects about 1.7% of people. Women are affected by phobias about twice as often as men. Typically, the onset of a phobia is around the ages of 10–17, and rates are lower with increasing age. Those with phobias are at a higher risk of suicide. There are various methods used to treat phobias. These methods include systematic desensitization, progressive relaxation, virtual reality, modeling, medication and hypnotherapy. The good news is that over the past several decades, psychologists and other researchers have developed some effective behavioral and pharmacological treatments for phobia, as well as technological interventions.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be beneficial by allowing the person to challenge dysfunctional thoughts or beliefs by being mindful of their own feelings, with the aim that the person will realize that his or her fear is irrational. CBT may be conducted in a group setting. Gradual desensitization treatment and CBT are often successful, provided the person is willing to endure some discomfort. In one clinical trial, 90% of people were observed to no longer have a phobic reaction after successful CBT treatment. There is evidence that supports that eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is effective in treating some phobias. Its effectiveness in treating complex or trauma-related phobias has not been empirically established yet. Mainly used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, EMDR has been demonstrated as effective in easing phobia symptoms following a specific trauma, such as a fear of dogs following a dog bite

𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑨𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑼𝑲𝑲𝑼𝑹𝑨𝑳

“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed”.

“Among the peoples who, after long centuries, had built a solid and brilliant fabric of civilization, were the Tamils. They had built towns, cities and had reached a high standard of life and achievement not merely in relation to the material comforts and convenience of life, but also in the realms of art, literature and philosophy.”

An unknown weaver of Mayilapur by the name of Valluvar gifted the Tamils and the whole of humanity, some two centuries BC, with an outstanding philosophical work called the Thirukkural, written in exquisite poetic form in Tamil. He must have been inspired by the Almighty to offer such gems which would be treasured and relayed to succeeding generations.

Qualified as one of the greatest books on Ethics and Morality, Thirukkural contains 1330 couplets on the multi facets of the life of different categories of people. The sage Valluvar, elevated unanimously to the rank of Thiruvalluvar, observed both the goodness and the weaknesses of governance at different levels and encouraged men and women, through the different couplets, to lead a moral life, based on strong values, e.g. righteousness, justice, truth, love, honesty, courage, compassion. He described the life and attributes of inter alia ordinary citizens, wives, husbands, kings.

Ministers, Administrators, formulating the rules of conduct to ensure the individual success, happiness and social harmony, but also depicting the causes of failure due to numerous vices. Thirukkural equally emphasizes the vital principles of non violence, vegetarianism, castelessness and brotherhood. The lessons that each human being can draw from the “Thirukkural are so powerful that they can be regarded as a source of inspiration for all ages”

Thirukkural has become a research subject in many universities and learning centres around the globe. It has been translated in more than 40 languages and its universality has been unanimously recognized and acclaimed.

A couple of years back, the Indian Prime Minister, N.Modi, publicly acknowledged the importance of the teaching of Thirukkural in schools and allocated special funding for the wide dissemination of the opus throughout the Indian continent. Thousands of copies were printed in different languages and freely distributed. Additionally, Tirruvalluvar Day (15 January) is celebrated in a grand manner not only in Tamil Nadu, but in all countries where there is a thriving Tamil diaspora. This is the case in Mauritius.

We are glad to learn that the Tamil associations have taken the laudable initiative of inviting Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madras High Court to Mauritius to pay a special and fitting tribute to Thiruvalluvar and deliver a lecture on the impact of Thirukkural on Humanity at the Tamil League on the 15 January. Justice Mahadevan has been chosen because of his landmark judgements on the Thirukkural and a number of socio economic  and environmental issues.

Recently, a citizen of Tamil Nadu filed a case before the Madras High Court to ask for appropriate action from the Court in the face of rising criminality and immorality and the lack of moral lessons in schools. In a luminous judgement, Justice Mahadevan ordered the Tamil Nadu government to make the study of Thirukkural compulsory in schools and treat it as a special subject for classes 6 to 12. He motivated his judgement by saying that students, teachers and the population as a whole are bound to become responsible citizens if they learn how to apply the precepts of the saint poet in their daily life.

Among the finest tributes paid to the genius of Thiruvalluvar is the 133-foot statue of the philosopher at Kanyakumari, situated at the southern tip of the Indian sub continent where the Arabian sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian ocean converge. I were mesmerised  when we admired the impressive statue of Thiruvalluvar overlooking the immensity of the sea as if he was praying for his teachings on ethics and morality to reach the hearts  of people in  all the continents

𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑨𝑩𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑼𝑲𝑲𝑼𝑹𝑨𝑳

“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed”.

“Among the peoples who, after long centuries, had built a solid and brilliant fabric of civilization, were the Tamils. They had built towns, cities and had reached a high standard of life and achievement not merely in relation to the material comforts and convenience of life, but also in the realms of art, literature and philosophy.”

An unknown weaver of Mayilapur by the name of Valluvar gifted the Tamils and the whole of humanity, some two centuries BC, with an outstanding philosophical work called the Thirukkural, written in exquisite poetic form in Tamil. He must have been inspired by the Almighty to offer such gems which would be treasured and relayed to succeeding generations.

Qualified as one of the greatest books on Ethics and Morality, Thirukkural contains 1330 couplets on the multi facets of the life of different categories of people. The sage Valluvar, elevated unanimously to the rank of Thiruvalluvar, observed both the goodness and the weaknesses of governance at different levels and encouraged men and women, through the different couplets, to lead a moral life, based on strong values, e.g. righteousness, justice, truth, love, honesty, courage, compassion. He described the life and attributes of inter alia ordinary citizens, wives, husbands, kings.

Ministers, Administrators, formulating the rules of conduct to ensure the individual success, happiness and social harmony, but also depicting the causes of failure due to numerous vices. Thirukkural equally emphasizes the vital principles of non violence, vegetarianism, castelessness and brotherhood. The lessons that each human being can draw from the “Thirukkural are so powerful that they can be regarded as a source of inspiration for all ages”

Thirukkural has become a research subject in many universities and learning centres around the globe. It has been translated in more than 40 languages and its universality has been unanimously recognized and acclaimed.

A couple of years back, the Indian Prime Minister, N.Modi, publicly acknowledged the importance of the teaching of Thirukkural in schools and allocated special funding for the wide dissemination of the opus throughout the Indian continent. Thousands of copies were printed in different languages and freely distributed. Additionally, Tirruvalluvar Day (15 January) is celebrated in a grand manner not only in Tamil Nadu, but in all countries where there is a thriving Tamil diaspora. This is the case in Mauritius.

We are glad to learn that the Tamil associations have taken the laudable initiative of inviting Justice R. Mahadevan of the Madras High Court to Mauritius to pay a special and fitting tribute to Thiruvalluvar and deliver a lecture on the impact of Thirukkural on Humanity at the Tamil League on the 15 January. Justice Mahadevan has been chosen because of his landmark judgements on the Thirukkural and a number of socio economic  and environmental issues.

Recently, a citizen of Tamil Nadu filed a case before the Madras High Court to ask for appropriate action from the Court in the face of rising criminality and immorality and the lack of moral lessons in schools. In a luminous judgement, Justice Mahadevan ordered the Tamil Nadu government to make the study of Thirukkural compulsory in schools and treat it as a special subject for classes 6 to 12. He motivated his judgement by saying that students, teachers and the population as a whole are bound to become responsible citizens if they learn how to apply the precepts of the saint poet in their daily life.

Among the finest tributes paid to the genius of Thiruvalluvar is the 133-foot statue of the philosopher at Kanyakumari, situated at the southern tip of the Indian sub continent where the Arabian sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian ocean converge. I were mesmerised  when we admired the impressive statue of Thiruvalluvar overlooking the immensity of the sea as if he was praying for his teachings on ethics and morality to reach the hearts  of people in  all the continents

TOXIC MASCULINITY

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

The concept of toxic masculinity is used in academic and media discussions of masculinity to refer to certain cultural norms that are associated with harm to society and men themselves. Traditional stereotypes of men as socially dominant, along with related traits such as misogyny and homophobia, can be considered “toxic” due in part to their promotion of violence, including sexual assault and domestic violence. The socialization of boys in patriarchal societies often normalizes violence, such as in the saying “boys will be boys” about bullying and aggression. Self-reliance and emotional repression are correlated with increased psychological problems in men such as depression, increased stress, and substance use disorders. Toxic masculine traits are characteristic of the unspoken code of behavior among men in prisons, where they exist in part as a response to the harsh conditions of prison life.

Other traditionally masculine traits such as devotion to work, pride in excelling at sports, and providing for one’s family, are not considered to be “toxic”. The concept was originally used by authors associated with the mythopoetic men’s movement such as Shepherd Bliss to contrast stereotypical notions of masculinity with a “real” or “deep” masculinity that they say men have lost touch within modern society. Critics of the term argue that its meaning incorrectly implies that gender-related issues are caused by inherent male traits. The concept of toxic masculinity, or certain formulations of it, has been criticized by some conservatives as an undue condemnation of traditional masculinity, and by some feminists as an essentialist concept that ignores the role of choice and context in causing harmful behaviors and attitudes related to masculinity. toxic masculine norms are a feature of life for men in American prisons, where they are reflected in the behavior of both staff and inmates. The qualities of extreme self-reliance, domination of other men through violence, and avoiding the appearance of either femininity or weakness, comprise an unspoken code among prisoners. Suppressing vulnerable emotions is often adopted to successfully cope with the harsh conditions of prison life, defined by punishment, social isolation, and aggression. These factors likely play a role in suicide among male prisoners. Toxic masculinity can also take the form of bullying of boys by their peers and domestic violence directed toward boys at home. The often violent socialization of boys produces psychological trauma through the promotion of aggression and lack of interpersonal connection. Such trauma is often disregarded, such as in the saying “boys will be boys” about bullying. The promotion of idealized masculine roles emphasizing toughness, dominance, self-reliance, and the restriction of emotion can begin as early as infancy. Such norms are transmitted by parents, other male relatives, and members of the community. Media representations of masculinity on websites such as YouTube often promote similar stereotypical gender roles.

The concept of toxic masculinity has also been criticized from a feminist perspective. Andrea Waling and Michael Salter have argued that the concept of “toxic masculinity” in contradistinction to “healthy masculinity” emerged from a misunderstanding of Raewyn Connell’s 1987 work on hegemonic masculinity. To Waling, “toxic masculinity” is problematic because it presents men as victims of an unavoidable pathology, an essentialist approach that ignores the surrounding social and material context and the personal responsibility of men. Instructing men to practice “healthy masculinity” dismisses androgyny and adopting aspects of femininity as valid options for men, thereby perpetuating gender binaries and privileging masculinity over femininity.

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

A toxic relationship as “any relationship [between people who] don’t support each other, where there’s conflict and one seeks to undermine the other, where there’s competition, where there’s disrespect and a lack of cohesiveness.” While every relationship goes through ups and downs, a toxic relationship is consistently unpleasant and draining for the people in it, to the point that negative moments outweigh and outnumber the positive ones. Toxic relationships are mentally, emotionally and possibly even physically damaging to one or both participants. And these relationships don’t have to be romantic, friendly, familial and professional relationships can all be toxic as well. people who consistently undermine or cause harm to a partner — whether intentionally or not — often have a reason for their behavior, even if it’s subconscious. “Maybe they were in a toxic relationship, either romantically or as a child. Maybe they didn’t have the most supportive, loving upbringing.” “They could have been bullied in school. They could be suffering from an undiagnosed mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder, an eating disorder, any form of trauma.”

Even good relationships take work. After all, our significant other, our close friends, and even our parents aren’t perfect (and, oddly enough, they may not see us as perfect either). We have to learn how to accommodate and adapt to their idiosyncrasies, their faults, their moods, etc., just as they must learn how to do the same with us. And it’s worth it. Some relationships, however, are more difficult and require proportionately more work. We are not clones but individuals, and some individuals in relationships are going to have more difficulties, more disagreements. But because we value these relationships we’re willing to make the effort it takes to keep them. And then there are toxic relationships. These relationships have mutated themselves into something that has the potential, if not corrected, to be extremely harmful to our well being. These relationships are not necessarily hopeless, but they require substantial and difficult work if they are to be changed into something healthy. The paradox is that in order to have a reasonable chance to turn a toxic relationship into a healthy relationship, we have to be prepared to leave it (more about this later). The importance of understanding what defines a toxic relationship is elevated in a global pandemic.

Pandemic precautions have us spending more time at home. Many of us have lost the outlets that bring balance to our social, physical, and mental health–work, friends, the gym, school. Isolation at home can shed new light on the indicators that a relationship is toxic, meaning recent months have been key in identifying unhealthy patterns in our relationships. In April 2020, the Journal of Clinical Nursing reported that “home can be a place where dynamics of power can be distorted and subverted. Often without scrutiny from anyone ‘outside’ the couple or the family unit. In the COVID‐19 crisis, the exhortation to ‘stay at home’ therefore has major implications for those adults and children already living with someone who is abusive or controlling.”

𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬

“Make mistakes. Learn from them, Move on”

  • Making mistakes is an “important part of life”. We learn from our mistakes.
  • Mistakes are the best lessons of our life. They are something that happens unintentionally and without the knowledge of a human being.
  • The only way mistakes can be avoided is to never do anything. Therefore, in my opinion it is necessary to make mistakes.
  • We learn about ourselves through our mistakes and even learn how to become a better citizen for the society.
  • Utilize our slips-ups as a going stone. Allow them to be lessons in how you can do things differently. They mould you to be the best version of yourself.
  • You can’t learn anything from a mistake until you admit that you’ve made it. So, take a deep breath and admit to yours, and then take ownership of it. Inform those who need to know, 𝔸𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕫𝕖, and tell them that you’re working on a solution
  • .Saying “sorry” takes courage, but it’s far better to come clean that ᵐⁱˢᵗᵃᵏᵉˢ
  • Yes ………. i made lot of mistakes in my life, sometimes due to wrong decisions that i have made. But i never regret my decisions beacuse i always knew that it was my choice. Rather than regretting i used to learn lesson out of it. 

Now i realized that my parents are my well wisher and never ever ignore their advice. Most important i came to know the value of my health.

I think everyone of us make mistakes and it is ok. At some point of life we make mistakes whether it is the smaller one or bigger one because man is the effigy of mistakes. But the most important thing is that we should learn from our mistakes and not to repeat it.

𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬

“Make mistakes. Learn from them, Move on”

  • Making mistakes is an “important part of life”. We learn from our mistakes.
  • Mistakes are the best lessons of our life. They are something that happens unintentionally and without the knowledge of a human being.
  • The only way mistakes can be avoided is to never do anything. Therefore, in my opinion it is necessary to make mistakes.
  • We learn about ourselves through our mistakes and even learn how to become a better citizen for the society.
  • Utilize our slips-ups as a going stone. Allow them to be lessons in how you can do things differently. They mould you to be the best version of yourself.
  • You can’t learn anything from a mistake until you admit that you’ve made it. So, take a deep breath and admit to yours, and then take ownership of it. Inform those who need to know, 𝔸𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕫𝕖, and tell them that you’re working on a solution
  • .Saying “sorry” takes courage, but it’s far better to come clean that ᵐⁱˢᵗᵃᵏᵉˢ
  • Yes ………. i made lot of mistakes in my life, sometimes due to wrong decisions that i have made. But i never regret my decisions beacuse i always knew that it was my choice. Rather than regretting i used to learn lesson out of it. 

Now i realized that my parents are my well wisher and never ever ignore their advice. Most important i came to know the value of my health.

I think everyone of us make mistakes and it is ok. At some point of life we make mistakes whether it is the smaller one or bigger one because man is the effigy of mistakes. But the most important thing is that we should learn from our mistakes and not to repeat it.

BLACK MONEY

Unaccounted money, unlawfully acquired wealth, or other assets acquired by bribery or other morally reprehensible crimes are referred to as “Black Money”. It’s not only cash secreted in secret places or in benami accounts. It can take many different forms, including shares, bonds, securities, and other things. It could take the shape of real estate, such as houses, stores, or a plot of land, or other assets, such as automobiles. It could be gold, silver, diamonds, or jewellery.

India is thought to have a large quantity of black money, estimated to be around 200 million crores. It is also claimed that over 200 crore rupees of black money is made each year in our country. This represents the size of India’s black money market. This also demonstrates the extent of corruption in the country, as well as the unlawful acts that are carried out. Avoiding income and sales taxes is the most common way of making black money.

The majority of businesspeople never disclose their true earnings. They either don’t keep any books of account or keep fraudulent ones to show the authorities. As a result, they never pay the tax that is due to them. However, the money they make from their business continues to grow. After a period of time, when their wealth has grown to enormous proportions, they are unable to demonstrate where this money came from. This is ill-gotten gains. Most of us never ask for a bill from the shopkeeper or dealer when we go shopping. We are never aware of the implications of our actions.

Black Money Deposited in Foreign Lands

Many well-known businessmen, ministers, and celebrities are reported to have placed their funds in overseas banks. Although the actual quantity of money placed by Indians in international banks is unknown, several reports say that the amount put by Indians in their abroad accounts is around the same. According to one of these reports, Switzerland holds a huge US$1.06 trillion, while another states that Indians’ Swizz bank accounts hold roughly US$2 billion. Indians’ unlawful money in foreign tax havens are estimated to be worth around $500 billion, according to reports.

Demonetisation: A Step Towards the Elimination of Black Money

The Modi government has taken a significant step toward eradicating the problem of black money. Narendra Modi stated on November 8, 2016, that 500 and 1000 rupee notes would cease to be legal tender at midnight. On November 9th and 10th, all ATMs around the country were closed. These were refilled with fresh versions of 500 rupee notes and 2000 rupee notes. The old notes were taken out of circulation entirely. This step, according to the government, will reduce the buildup of black money as well as the unlawful enterprises and activities that are sponsored by it.

The abrupt announcement of the withdrawal of old currency notes and a lack of new currency notes caused pandemonium in the country, disrupting routine operations across numerous sectors for several weeks. The public’s response to the ruling was varied. Many people have criticised the decision, claiming that it has simply created public annoyance. It has been chastised for its lack of forethought. In different sections of the country, the public came out to protest the administration. On the other hand, the government maintains that the move is intended at improving society’s general state and that people will see beneficial results in the long run.

Impact of Demonetisation

1. While many people were against the move, here are some of the benefits:

2. The Modi government’s move has largely destroyed black money.

3. The political parties and ministers who used illegal money for campaigning and other activities were taken aback by the news. It put a stop to these parties’ shady tactics for gaining votes.

4. The amount of black money in the real estate market has decreased dramatically.

5. Hawala transactions that support terrorism have been halted.

6. It has also had a negative impact on Maoists and their movements.

Risk Profile

Risk Profiling refers to the evaluation of an individual ability to take risks. It assists in making the risk profile of the investor.
As psyche of every person differs from others. 

People can be classified as:-
Risk-Averse -Don’t want to take up the risk. 
Risk seeker- Is one who is willing to accept greater financial risk in exchange for more profits.
Risk Neutral- These people are neither risk seekers nor averse.
Due to it, new investors can plan their investments by knowing where they stand and what is right for them Mutual Funds, Shares, or Crypto.
Some other benefits –
•It helps in taking the right risk as per requirements and capacity.
•Bring the right investment opportunities to light, so a balance of risk and reward can be achieved.
•Help to identify psychological reactions to unexpected fluctuation in the market.
•Plan for the worst-case scenario.
                 Know your risk Diet

BLACK MONEY

Unaccounted money, unlawfully acquired wealth, or other assets acquired by bribery or other morally reprehensible crimes are referred to as “Black Money”. It’s not only cash secreted in secret places or in benami accounts. It can take many different forms, including shares, bonds, securities, and other things. It could take the shape of real estate, such as houses, stores, or a plot of land, or other assets, such as automobiles. It could be gold, silver, diamonds, or jewellery.

India is thought to have a large quantity of black money, estimated to be around 200 million crores. It is also claimed that over 200 crore rupees of black money is made each year in our country. This represents the size of India’s black money market. This also demonstrates the extent of corruption in the country, as well as the unlawful acts that are carried out. Avoiding income and sales taxes is the most common way of making black money.

The majority of businesspeople never disclose their true earnings. They either don’t keep any books of account or keep fraudulent ones to show the authorities. As a result, they never pay the tax that is due to them. However, the money they make from their business continues to grow. After a period of time, when their wealth has grown to enormous proportions, they are unable to demonstrate where this money came from. This is ill-gotten gains. Most of us never ask for a bill from the shopkeeper or dealer when we go shopping. We are never aware of the implications of our actions.

Black Money Deposited in Foreign Lands

Many well-known businessmen, ministers, and celebrities are reported to have placed their funds in overseas banks. Although the actual quantity of money placed by Indians in international banks is unknown, several reports say that the amount put by Indians in their abroad accounts is around the same. According to one of these reports, Switzerland holds a huge US$1.06 trillion, while another states that Indians’ Swizz bank accounts hold roughly US$2 billion. Indians’ unlawful money in foreign tax havens are estimated to be worth around $500 billion, according to reports.

Demonetisation: A Step Towards the Elimination of Black Money

The Modi government has taken a significant step toward eradicating the problem of black money. Narendra Modi stated on November 8, 2016, that 500 and 1000 rupee notes would cease to be legal tender at midnight. On November 9th and 10th, all ATMs around the country were closed. These were refilled with fresh versions of 500 rupee notes and 2000 rupee notes. The old notes were taken out of circulation entirely. This step, according to the government, will reduce the buildup of black money as well as the unlawful enterprises and activities that are sponsored by it.

The abrupt announcement of the withdrawal of old currency notes and a lack of new currency notes caused pandemonium in the country, disrupting routine operations across numerous sectors for several weeks. The public’s response to the ruling was varied. Many people have criticised the decision, claiming that it has simply created public annoyance. It has been chastised for its lack of forethought. In different sections of the country, the public came out to protest the administration. On the other hand, the government maintains that the move is intended at improving society’s general state and that people will see beneficial results in the long run.

Impact of Demonetisation

1. While many people were against the move, here are some of the benefits:

2. The Modi government’s move has largely destroyed black money.

3. The political parties and ministers who used illegal money for campaigning and other activities were taken aback by the news. It put a stop to these parties’ shady tactics for gaining votes.

4. The amount of black money in the real estate market has decreased dramatically.

5. Hawala transactions that support terrorism have been halted.

6. It has also had a negative impact on Maoists and their movements.

The Pandemic backstory and facts

To say that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the world would be an understatement. In less than a year since the virus emerged — and just over 6 months since tracking began in India — it’s upended day-to-day lives across the globe The pandemic has changed how we work, learn and interact as social distancing guidelines have led to a more virtual existence, both personally and professionally. India has had one of the most stringent lock-downs in response to the COVID-19 crisis. While the severity of the move will help in controlling the spread of the virus, it is bound to have severe economic repercussions over the long run.

Pandemic-induced hesitation


While much of the world has come to a stop at times during the pandemic, the need for health care has not. Yet, 38% of respondents said they skipped or delayed preventive health care visits because of the pandemic even though health care providers have gone to great lengths to ensure that keeping those appointments are safe for everyone in rural areas where people can’t get help.

Women are more likely to skip these appointments than men, 46% to 29%, and as many as 15% of total respondents avoided visits for more serious issues like injury or even chest pain. 

Dr Adarsh Pratap, president of the Resident Doctors Association at AIIMS, Delhi, positioned at Emergency, says it is the reason they signed up for the profession. His mother, who is over 60 and lives in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, is worried, but “I tell her it’s like being in the Army in times of war. Ye to Karna hi hai (This has to be done).”                                                                                                                    -TheHindu (www.thehindu.com)

Dr R Sajith Kumar, Professor and Head of Department of Infectious Diseases, Government Medical College, Kottayam, is a part of the Corona Clinical Management team for Kerala. He now treats four people in the isolation ward of the hospital. He says that his time at work is unpredictable. “It depends on the condition of my patients. After the Corona pandemic, there are days I have gone home at midnight. But that does not mean that I am not working when I am not in the hospital. I get calls from my juniors asking doubts or to update me on the condition of my patients.”

                                                                              – The Hindu (www.thehindu.com)

Staying healthy during the pandemic

But there is good news as far as respondents’ health is concerned. From lifestyle changes to better eating habits, people are using this time to get healthier in many areas. Since the pandemic started, nearly two-thirds of the survey’s participants (62%) say they’ve made a significant lifestyle change, including:

  • More time outdoors or experiencing nature.
  • Improved sleep patterns.
  • Starting or modifying an exercise program.
  • Other healthy dietary changes.

Eating and exercise are new areas of focus for many respondents. One-third of the participants (34%) say they’re eating more healthy food and most (a whopping 87%) say they’ll keep the habit up. 

Meanwhile over a quarter of respondents (28%) say they’ve increased their exercise frequency during the pandemic, perhaps a sign that more people are embracing the advantages of working out at home while gyms remain a risky venture. 

Better health awareness

There’s more to healthy living than just exercising and food, though. And 68% of respondents said that the pandemic has them paying more attention to certain risk factors for other health issues. That number is even higher (77%) for those younger respondents, 18-to-34 years old. Some of those risk factors include:

  • Stress, anxiety, depression and mental health (37%).
  • Risk factors for chronic diseases, autoimmune or other chronic diseases (36%).
  • Weight (32%).
  • Physical fitness (28%).
  • Lung health (15%).

Additionally, the pandemic is motivating people to take better care of more serious issues with 41% of respondents who already have a chronic condition saying they’ll now be even more likely to comply with treatment. 

Family and the pandemic

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen both benefits and drawbacks of being cooped up with family for long periods of time. And there’s certainly been added stress for families who have had to deal with remote learning situations for school-aged children.

Some, though, reported positive experiences with their families in such close quarters. Overall, 34% of those who responded said that they feel closer to their family and, in households with kids, 52% reported feeling like they’ve forged new connections. Additionally, 78% agreed that quarantine made them value their relationships. As for that stress with kids, 27% of those surveyed who have kids in their households say their children have benefited from being able to spend more time with family. 

Vaccinations

As corona season looms and the coronavirus pandemic stretches on, everyone must get the possible covid vaccination shot this year. According to the survey, 26% of respondents said they’re now more likely to get a vaccine. And among adults 18-to-34-years old, 35% are more likely to get vaccinated against covid. Of those who answered no or that they weren’t sure if they’d get the COVID-19 vaccine, the top reasons given were concerns about potential side effects (61%) and concerns about the efficacy of the vaccine (53%).

Staying positive

Despite these concerns and the difficulties faced throughout the pandemic, those who responded to the survey also showed that they’ve managed to find positives in their experiences. Overall, 78% of those surveyed said that while quarantine and social distancing was difficult, it’s made them value their relationships. Meanwhile, 65% said the pandemic has made them reevaluate how they spend their time and 58% said it’s made them reevaluate their life goals. And while 58% say that the pandemic has changed their way of life forever, nearly three-quarters (72%) said that they still have hope for the future. 

** All the statistics are from India Today (https://www.indiatoday.in/)**

Overpopulation in India- Causes and effects

A country is said to be over populated when the inhabitants of the country exceeds the rate of availability and production of resources. With a present population of approximately 139 crores , India stands at being the second most populous country in the world after China. The large population of the country exceeds the resources it produces, which in turn doesn’t satisfy the needs of all the people living here. Thus, India can be called an overpopulated nation and over population is a big problem here because of the same said reason.

Being a developing country, India needs a less population to resource ratio so that it can satisfy the needs of all the people here. Increasing the production of resources may be impossible at times as one can increase the food production and other things upto a limit only else the balance will be disrupted., This leaves the only option of controlling the population of the sub-continent. This blog will highlight some of the major causes of the over population and the effects which it has on the people.

Causes of overpopulation

  • CHILD MARRIAGE– The age where a person is supposed to be nurtured and grow, he/she is tied in a responsibility of which they have no concrete idea of. There is a reason why the legal age of marriage is said to be at 18 because it gives ample time to a “child” to grow and prepare themselves for many responsibilities. The orthodox beliefs in India have often led to children being married at as low as 10 years of age. When a child themselves becomes a parent. this is more likely to raise the number of population in the country. Not to mention the negative affects of child marriage which often leads to the death of weak mother or the child.
  • ILLITERACY AND TABOOS IN THE COUNTRY– India has an illiteracy rate of almost 31%. The lack of knowledge about some major issues like the need of birth control and how to do so, have also led to the rising number of population. Also, since to talk about “sex” openly in India is a taboo, sex education lacks in the people here. They would rather prefer to do it inside the close doors and add to the rising miseries which overpopulation brings than to talk about it and control it.
  • RELIGIOUS AND ORTHODOX BELIEFS IN THE COUNTRY- People here consider children to be God’s gift like it happens everywhere else, but they refuse to control the number of children they are producing as they feel that it is God’s wish and who are we humans to go against it”. Also, the Indian belief of having a male who will take their family name forward leads couples to birth many children till they do not get a boy.
  • ILLEGAL MIGRATION– Migration of people from Nepal and Bangladesh has also led to the increase in number of population where the condition is such that there is no sufficient food to feed even the natives.
  • POVERTY- There involves a paradoxical relation ship between poverty and over population. Poverty is one of the outcomes of over population as the number of feeding mouths keeps on increasing for a person with less amount of money. Whereas some people believe that if they produce more children they will have more earning members which in turn will relieve them of poverty.(This is also one of the reason of over a million child labors in the country). However, they forget to keep in mind the fact that , more the number of people more will be the responsibility to feed the members until they grow old enough to earn . Even after the children grow old enough to earn, they are not able to fetch a good amount of money because they have malnutrition.
  • THE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN BIRTH AND DEATH RATES.– Due to improved medical facilities, the life of an average individual has increased lowering the death rates while the birth rates goes on increasing every moment. By decrease in the death rate it doesn’t mean that people must die to control the population, IT IS JUST A STATED FACT.

POVERTY, MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN, UNEMPLOYMENT due to rising number of people and less opportunities ,global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels are the consequences of overpopulation which gives a signal that if the population is not controlled then it can become a curse on us.

Overpopulation in India- Causes and effects

A country is said to be over populated when the inhabitants of the country exceeds the rate of availability and production of resources. With a present population of approximately 139 crores , India stands at being the second most populous country in the world after China. The large population of the country exceeds the resources it produces, which in turn doesn’t satisfy the needs of all the people living here. Thus, India can be called an overpopulated nation and over population is a big problem here because of the same said reason.

Being a developing country, India needs a less population to resource ratio so that it can satisfy the needs of all the people here. Increasing the production of resources may be impossible at times as one can increase the food production and other things upto a limit only else the balance will be disrupted., This leaves the only option of controlling the population of the sub-continent. This blog will highlight some of the major causes of the over population and the effects which it has on the people.

Causes of overpopulation

  • CHILD MARRIAGE– The age where a person is supposed to be nurtured and grow, he/she is tied in a responsibility of which they have no concrete idea of. There is a reason why the legal age of marriage is said to be at 18 because it gives ample time to a “child” to grow and prepare themselves for many responsibilities. The orthodox beliefs in India have often led to children being married at as low as 10 years of age. When a child themselves becomes a parent. this is more likely to raise the number of population in the country. Not to mention the negative affects of child marriage which often leads to the death of weak mother or the child.
  • ILLITERACY AND TABOOS IN THE COUNTRY– India has an illiteracy rate of almost 31%. The lack of knowledge about some major issues like the need of birth control and how to do so, have also led to the rising number of population. Also, since to talk about “sex” openly in India is a taboo, sex education lacks in the people here. They would rather prefer to do it inside the close doors and add to the rising miseries which overpopulation brings than to talk about it and control it.
  • RELIGIOUS AND ORTHODOX BELIEFS IN THE COUNTRY- People here consider children to be God’s gift like it happens everywhere else, but they refuse to control the number of children they are producing as they feel that it is God’s wish and who are we humans to go against it”. Also, the Indian belief of having a male who will take their family name forward leads couples to birth many children till they do not get a boy.
  • ILLEGAL MIGRATION– Migration of people from Nepal and Bangladesh has also led to the increase in number of population where the condition is such that there is no sufficient food to feed even the natives.
  • POVERTY- There involves a paradoxical relation ship between poverty and over population. Poverty is one of the outcomes of over population as the number of feeding mouths keeps on increasing for a person with less amount of money. Whereas some people believe that if they produce more children they will have more earning members which in turn will relieve them of poverty.(This is also one of the reason of over a million child labors in the country). However, they forget to keep in mind the fact that , more the number of people more will be the responsibility to feed the members until they grow old enough to earn . Even after the children grow old enough to earn, they are not able to fetch a good amount of money because they have malnutrition.
  • THE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN BIRTH AND DEATH RATES.– Due to improved medical facilities, the life of an average individual has increased lowering the death rates while the birth rates goes on increasing every moment. By decrease in the death rate it doesn’t mean that people must die to control the population, IT IS JUST A STATED FACT.

POVERTY, MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN, UNEMPLOYMENT due to rising number of people and less opportunities ,global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels are the consequences of overpopulation which gives a signal that if the population is not controlled then it can become a curse on us.