Born a crime: Trevor Noah

I know Trevor doesn’t need an introduction. Trevor Noah is the best dailyshow host so far and famous for his consistant laugh inducing way of anchoring the show with such relevant topics.

In his book Born A Crime, he narrates his South African childhood stories. He was born to a black xhosa mother and white Swiss father at a time when interracial relationships were illegal. Therefore he always stayed indoor. Even when they went out his mother would pretend like he isn’t hers otherwise she will be jailed for kidnapping a white boy.

His mother is the main character of the book. Such a powerful women who even had the courage to approach a white man to have a baby because she never wanted her child to suffer like her. She named him trevor that does not have any meaning in South Africa. She wanted her child beholden to no fate. She wanted him to go anywhere and do anything.

The book goes through a lot of emotional states that trevor had to suffer because he was born coloured. He had gone through a lot that we can’t ever imagine just because he was black. Their natives were even manipulated to fight each other based on the community they belong to.

Trevor mastered all their traditional languages. “I soon learned that the quickest way to bridge the race gap was through language. ” He says. His mother knew xhosa, zulu, German, afrikaans, sotho and used this knowledge to go anywhere they want. Thus Trevor learned them too. This saved him to handle several situations. She also made sure that English is the first language her son spoke because that was the one thing that will make you a leg up in South Africa.

English is the language of money” Noah says. If you are looking for a job english is the difference between getting the job or staying unemployed. Thus Trevor learned to become a chameleon to get accepted wherever he goes.

If you spoke to me in Zulu, I replied to you in Zulu,” he writes. “If you spoke to me in Tswana, I replied to you in Tswana. Maybe I didn’t look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you.

The book is full of humor of course we could expect that when it’s written by a comedian. But it also go through the darkest times of Trevor’s childhood. How he was raised in Apartheid South Africa under racism, abuse, colonialism, poverty, living under a police state such that we could connect it parallel to the current racial tension in America.

Oh god, Trevor was such a terror child his mother really had a hard time looking after him. He even burnt down a house where his mother worked. He was dangerously naughty. I would highly recommend it to everyone.you will enjoy and learn important things. Only Trevor could write such sufferings in such a humorous manner. We will laugh out aloud but we can also feel those pathetic situations he had to go through.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is derived from a Greek word meaning “good death”. It is the intentional killing of a person whose life is considered not to be worth living.
This practice means to intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering.
In short, it can also be said as-
• “ A GENTLE AND EASY DEATH”
• “ MERCY KILLING”

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EUTHANASIA?
The purpose is that in, last days a patient can peacefully die. (End life)

The concept of euthanasia is deliberately ending the suffering to bring relief to the patient.
In medical field, euthanasia and assisted suicide are often used interchangeably. But there are a number of differences between the two. 

CLASSIFICATION OF EUTHANASIA

  1. • VOLUNTARY-
    • THE PERSON, WHO IS BEEN KILLED, HAS REQUESTED TO BE KILLED WITH HIS/HER FULL CONSENT.

• A HELP CAN BE ASKED BY THE PATIENT WHO IS DYING, HELP BURDEN SOME MEDICAL TREATMENT OR GIVE SOMEONE PEACEFUL DEATH.

2.NON-VOLUNTARY-
• THE PERSON WHO IS KILLED MADE NO REQUEST AND NO CONCENT.

• THE PERSON IS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE HIS WISHES.

• CONSENT OF PATIENT IS UNAVAILABLE. EG-COMMA, INSANE, SEVERALY BRAINDAMAGED

3.IN-VOLUNTARY-
• THE PERSON WHO IS KILLED MADE A WISH TO THE CONTRARY.

• CONDUCTED AGAINST THE WILL OF THE PATIENT.

• THIS IS USUALLY MURDER BUT NOT ALWAYS. (MAYBE DONE FOR GREATER GOOD)

4. ACTIVE EUTHANASIA- AGGRESSIVE EUTHANASIA

• CAUSING INTENTIONAL QUICKER DEATH OF HUMAN BEING BY DIRECT INTERVENTION.

• ALL FORMS OF ACTIVE EUTHANASIA ARE MURDERS.

5. PASSIVE EUTHANASIA- NON- AGGRESSIVE EUTHANASIA
• INTENTIONALLY CAUSING DEATH BY NOT PROVIDING ESSENTIAL CARE OR FOOD AND WATER WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF LIFE.

• SLOWER AND MORE UNCOMFORTABLE DEATH.

• PART OF MANY RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL PRACTICES.

• ALLOWED IN INDIA.

GLOBAL SCENARIO OF EUTHANASIA

  1. NETHERLANDS- IN 2002, 1st COUNTRY TO LEGALISE EUTHANASIA AND ASSISTED SUICIDE.
    ➢ Unbearable pain
    ➢ Incurable death
    ➢ Consent must be made in full consciousness by the patient.
  2. BELGIUM- IT WAS THE 2nd COUNTRY TO PASS IN 2002.
    PATIENTS CAN RECEIVE EUTHANASIA –
    ➢ Unbearable pain
    ➢ Clearly stated before getting into coma or vegetative state.
  3. SWITZERLAND- THIS COUNTRY IS ALSO KNOWN AS SUICIDE CAPITAL.
    ➢ Assisted suicide is legitimized.
    ➢ But Euthanasia is not done directly by patients.

CLASSIFICATION OF EUTHANASIA

ARUNA SHAUNBAUG CASE-
• She worked as a nurse in king Edward memorial hospital
• She was sexually assaulted, deprived of oxygen and left to die in 1973
• She was left in coma.

Her friend named ‘Pinky Virani’ filed the plea on the behalf Aruna, arguing the continued existence of Aruna is in violation of her right to live with dignity as-
o Kept alive by feeding tube.
o Court rejected her plea in 2011.
o Aruna died in 2015 due to pneumonia after been in coma for 42 years.

• ANAMIKA MISHRA CASE-
• A woman from Kanpur wrote to PM Narendra Modi seeking euthanasia for her daughter Anamika Mishra as she was suffering from muscular dystrophy disease (father died of the same).
• Poor financial conditions.
• PM responded and told officers to look into matter.
• MR. NARAYAN AND MRS. IRAVATI LAVATE CASE-
• Elderly couple from Thakurdwar, Mumbai.
• Wrote a letter to the office of president of India seeking “Active Euthanasia”.
• Both didn’t have medical problems.
• Had a fear of being terminally ill and not doing anything for the society.
• Decided to seek permission for mercy killing.

RECENT CHANGES-
• In 2018, SC legalized passive euthanasia.
• Withdrawal of life support to patients in permanent vegetative state.
• As 5 judges bench of Chief Justice Of India, Dipak Mishra and it was legally based on ARUNA SHANBAUG CASE.
• Patients must consent through a living will, and must be either terminally ill or in vegetative state.
• Active Euthanasia including the administration or lethal compounds for purpose of ending life is illegal.

GDP does not reveal much

GDP is the measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in an economy during any particular year. In India the central statistical office calculates the GDP.

Importance of GDP:

  1. GDP helps in knowing the size of the economy. GDP shows the total production in an economy so one can know the performance of an economy through GDP.
  2. GDP tells the expenditure and income of an economy this helps the policymakers to formulate monetary and fiscal policy accordingly.
  3. A high performing has got the ability to attract foreign investments leading to further expansion in income and employment.
  4. It also gives an idea about sectors which are lagging behind in their performance so that policy makers can initiate appropriate corrective measures to achieve the goal.

Limitations of GDP:

  1. GDP does not include non-material aspects like crime rate, industrial safety standards, mortality rate etc.
  2. It does not reveal the amount of income inequality in our country. It shows the per capita income which is only an average number; it does not mean every individual in the economy is getting the same per capita income.
  3. GDP fails to take into account the environmental and ecological damage caused due to economical development.
  4. It does not encourage countries to adopt Sustainable development.

  Development is a process that creates growth, progress, positive change or the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social and demographic components. Noble laureate Amartya Sen has defined development as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy.

 GDP measures only the economic expansion of a country it fails to take into account the other aspects of development. It is concerned purely with materialistic aspect does not speak about other aspects of life that make it meaningful and wholesome. So GDP alone cannot be sufficient to measure the development of a country. There are other alternative measures which include both income and non-income variables like life expectancy, literacy rate, mortality rate, freedom form choice etc.

Other alternative indicators include:

 The human development index- This was devised by UNDP (United nations development programme) and developed by Mahbud ul Haq and Amartya Sen. This approach measures education, health, life expectancy at birth and various other crucial variables.

The social progress index- It is a better way of measuring societal development. It takes into account access to water and sanitation, educational and health outcomes, public criminality, housing, access to information, communication and political liberties.

Genuine Progress indicator- It is used to measure the economic growth of a country. It takes everything that GDP takes into account but addition to this it also takes into account the cost of crime, cost of ozone depletion and cost of resource depletion etc.

Happy planet index- It was introduced by New economics foundation in 2006. It takes into account human well-being and environmental impact. 

                The goal of all countries especially the developing countries is to attain a higher level of GDP accordingly the fiscal, monetary and other policies of the government are naturally intended to promote this goal. However the goal of achieving higher GDP has become older concept. National governments have become more and more aware of other goals that constitute the true development of mankind. Materialistic affluence alone cannot assure the societies a comprehensive welfare environment. Awareness of this goal has become more and more pronounced especially in economies that had already achieved a high level of development especially G7 countries. But Asian and African countries that are grouped under third world countries could not afford to make use of their scares resources in pursuit of achieving the important goals other than achieving higher GDP and economic development.   Making the world safer and happier, the lofty goals stressed by modern thinkers and world environment leaders should become the responsibility of the developed nations and international institutions affiliated to UN. The burden rests upon the affluent nations who are the real polluters and threat to a safe  and happy world.

Alarming disappearance of play from Children’s life

Play is the important part of child’s life. Play enhances the child’s physical, social and cognitive skills. Through play children learn many skills like cooperation, language etc. It also helps to clear the egocentric stage in early ages. In childhood the major learning happens through play only.

But in present time, play is somewhere disappearing from the children’s life. There are many reasons for that. Some parents don’t send their children to play due to security reasons as today parents don’t have time to sit in the park where the child is playing so that they can take care of the child. In some places there are not proper spaces where the child can play. Some parents think that by playing they are wasting their time. And they should utilise their time by studying apart from going outside and play. Due to advent of technology too, children nowadays prefer to play video games and use mobile rather that going outside and play.

All these things have a greater impact on children’s mental and physical health. Playing outside keeps them healthy and also help in their mental growth. While playing children use many concepts which they learn in theories like counting, conservation, usage of language and so on. While playing children learn how to cooperate with peers, how to understand others perspective, they learn to solve problems of their own. They acquire confidence to talk to so many people. It is the platform where they can, not only make mistakes but can also learn from their mistakes. But our parents and teachers didn’t understand this. According to them bookish knowledge is the knowledge child should have and this only help them to become a successful human being. According to Leo F. Buscaglia “It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connect between them.”

Parents and teachers should understand that play is equally important for child as the study. If they don’t play they lack many abilities or develop it later. So it is necessary that we encourage children to play with their peer group. Parents and teachers should include play time in the child’s schedule like all other activities through which they can enjoy as well as learn and properly live their childhood.

Are U “One out of Everyone”.

Living in this 21st century, with every comfort , freedom to our lives and most importantly the power to make choices and decision, has really transformed this world. Earlier people who used to be calm, composed and believe mostly to remain silent in any act of discomfort, now react with every thought out. People in today’s world take a stand not for themselves only but also in their surrounding wherever they feel an act of inhumanity has taken place. All this compassion and empathetic behavior has suddenly transformed the humanity, and thus has given justice to the sufferer. But are really these emotions which have transformed us, has really people developed this feeling of compassion and empathy towards others and do people really care about any thing wrong going around them, or there is some more which is adding on and giving rise to these things.

Pacing towards a goal, and working day-night in this fast world has limited man’s effort and boundaries to just his work and lesser attention towards his close ones’s . People rather hardly care about anything going around them besides the area which really affects them. So what it is which has brought everyone closer these days and they take stand for each other. The simple answer to this is inner pain, aggression, frustation and sorrow which man is not able to share with anyone as no one hardly cares. The rise to protest is mostly not because of people care about the incident, maybe there are people who genuinely care and to whom a particular incident is really devastating, but for most it is just an act to remove out whatever they are feeling inside.

But the prior question which arises is that why do people get so much into an act of anger and frustation and want the things to be done right. This could mainly include:

1. Wrong source of information- Mostly we acknowledge these days, that one sided story is shown to the people by the people, which surely is to attract others attention towards an act and gain sympathy. They believe to get justice but without truth.

2.Facts are manipulate, by the people and spread of rumours is the main idea most people follow.

3.Everyone is very frustated these days and stressed out. They want their anger to just break out and for that they usually manipulate others and brain wash them.

4. Also people get more attracted towards any bad act as they believe that justice should be provided, which is good, but before the decision of the higher authority, they must not come to a point of judgement. Also most people believe what if any similar incident happens with them is the future, so also as an act of selfishness they mostly join these acts.

But the main thought which must be concentrated, is that people must think before any kind of action they do. It’s good to stand up against anything which is wrong, but just blindly trusting any source if information and following it is not a good options. People might take a step which is for the betterment of themselves but they must not spoil anything which can affect any individuals life.

People must come up as individuals but work together as a team in any act of inhumanity and should work for justice and must not focus on the idea of “One Out Of Everyone” and rather must focus on ” One Out For Everyone “. By doing this peace and harmony would spread and the taste of justice would be far better. Just the need to understand is the facts which do manipulate us as India and separate us. We must believe in unity, work against anything wrong but in the way no one gets harmed, no property is destroyed and essence of peace all around.

Literature: The Mirror of Society

Literature is an effective tool that reflects a plethora of sociopolitical and psychological occurrences of a society which helps people to comprehend the attitude and perception of the society as a Whole. Literature has never failed to serve the role of a satiric reflector while still being as real and as relatable as possible in its essence.


History, on the contrary, records the events in a chronological manner that take place in a society and Sociology, on the other hand, gives an overview of the constructive and the structural patterns through which a society operates. However, the main objective of Literature is to bring forth the essence of realism which includes instances of the various psychological, social and political phenomena that keep arising in a societal sphere. Therefore, Literature can be considered as a tool that adds an emotional and spiritual value to the technicality along with a sense of practicality that is usually presented by the other domains of studies.


Poetry is an effective part of Literature that plays a major role in representing the perception of a society to the readers. For instance, T.S Eliot through his works like “The Waste Land”, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “The Hollow Men” managed to bring forward the emptiness and hopelessness of the contemporary “modern” society which is again very similar to the nihislistic ideologies of philosopher Nietzche in a very unusual yet an interesting way.


Realist authors from the third world countries have made use of the opportunity in a prodigious way to define their instances of the sociopolitical hardships they have had to face for a prolonged period of time due to the external and internal subalternization following by a process of constant hegemonization and misrepresentation of their values, ideas and ethics by a so-called superior power since the beginning. African novels like Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe; Weep Not Child by Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Indian works like Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand; Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie; Australian works like My Place by Sally Morgan; The Swan Book by Alexis Wright are some of the major examples of how authors from the third world countries have put forth their history of exploitation and suppression they had to go through for decades and ages.


Words tend to get different perspectives along with new syntactical meanings through literature. For instance, the apparent ‘modernness’ and the concept of so-called ‘modernity’ in the ‘modern’ world have been portrayed by various modernist writers through their works. The word “modern” is an arbitray one with a fragile conception associated with it. It keeps changing its meaning and image with the passage of time. In the medieval era, Chaucer had been considered to be the ‘modern’ poet since he was the first one to break through the preconceived traditional poetic forms of the Anglo Saxons and then a few centuries later it was Shakespeare who did the same within his own environmental sphere. Similarly, T.S Eliot, W.B Yeats, Ted Hughes, Thomas Hardy and their contemporaries have been marked as the modernists of the twentieth century. Thus, the word gets a new time and a new perspective every time some new poet/writer/author from a different time period expresses their views of their contemporary society through literature.


Apart from reflecting the societal truth, the objective of Literature goes beyond to being a representative of life, a reflector of human existence through which a shared belief system comes into existence. It does not confine itself into a perishable sphere. It goes beyond the mortality of the world and allows human beings to explore different metaphysical along with a profusion of metaphorical domains through which it manages to bring about a collective consciousness that transcends all physical barriers and eventually gives us a sense of unparalleled aestheticism.

– Suvasree Bandyopadhyay.

QUARANTEENED TEENAGERS!

The nation wide lockdown came into effect on 24th march 12:00 midnight and our country is still not been able to uplift it. During this unprecedented situation there were different sets of problems faced by different groups of our society, the age group 10-21 is commonly categorized as teenage group . Being a teenager is a long, slow process of growing away from your family. Yet young people are suddenly being thrust back into the heart of their families, whether or not they want to be. This group having the most aspirations and full of energy,having there adrenaline level at peek, were also locked inside their homes just like the others, their freedom were terminated  and all they had to be within 4 walls figuring out how this quarantine can be made more productive and less lethargic.

STUMBLING BLOCK DURING LOCKDOWN:

The commensurating covid19  start resulting in the shut down of the institutions with the immediate effect which consequently leads to the major disturbance in the  Students mindset. As before the outbreak they  were preparing for exams or the new session with full efficacy  but an indefinite break came in between caused a great disturbance in there day to days schedule .as a result of unclear vision of near future their time table gradually start causing restlessness and frustration .After the government or the concerned authorities issued guidelines the tension was released to some extent.No doubt they’ll be relying on digital tech more than ever before, which evidently seems tough chase for the authorities at the moment . although This is fine – but teenagers should still emphasise the need to get enough sleep, to learn new things, to respond to anything their teacher suggests , to be physically active and to have face-to-face time with the family.

RECUPERATE PERIOD:

After a few days there was lucidity about that this problem will persist for a long period of time so the need of the hour was to take serious steps towards keeping the teenagers engaged with some activities so that they do not feel unengadged . Institutions started with online classes , assignment and even some higher educational organizations arranged for WEBINARS, internships and online presentations.This problem was resolved quickly which was needed otherwise the teenage group already being the most vulnerable must have faced serious issues of mental health like stress, anxiety and other related issues . However this problems was faced by some teenagers despite of the steps taken but it was addressed within recoverable time.

a few precautions to reduce the stress, anxiety and other related issues, caused by this pandemic. 

WHO suggests, to reduce the amount of news we are in-taking about COVID-19 and to only take news from reliable sources. BBC suggests, to have breaks from social media and mute things which are/can be triggering. Also suggestions were made to wash your hands but not excessively. For people with OCD and anxiety, being told to constantly wash your hands can be difficult to hear. 

Decreasing Concentration was the issue with many of them as they were facing tremendous pressure due to lack of mental care heath .as in the normal working hours they are not aware of the mental health care requisites .  young generation doctors of mental health care are also facing this  havoc senerio  for first time. 

also not to neglect the physical health which we can enhance during this time can be done by- Exercising:which is one of the ways to keep your body fit and it also helps in reducing stress, anger and frustration. Also, practicing deep breathing or meditation are also great ways to reduce stress and anxiety.As we are staying home and looking at the same four walls in our house everyday, it is quite easy for our minds to fluctuate and think about things which are of less importance which often  called as overthinking by the people,increasing tension. To avoid this situation of over-thinking, one can engage themselves into doing something productive.

During this adverse time of pandemic , being productive or self motivated is a good idea but somewhere it can also put more pressure in one’s mind because it normalyy is abstract process. Remember, being productive is a choice and not a necessity. We are not bound to do things which others tend to do as we are one a kind and do things which makes us happy.

THE COVID -19 TRAUMA

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a global health crisis that has had a deep impact on the way we perceive our world and our everyday lives. Not only the rate of contagion and patterns of transmission threatens our sense of agency, but the safety measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus also require social distancing by refraining from doing what is inherently human, which is to find solace in the company of others.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face.

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow).

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments. WHO will continue to provide updated information as soon as clinical findings become available.

In December, while Wuhan province was witnessing the beginning of the actual Covid-19 pandemic, India was facing massive and violent uprisings. Hundreds of thousands of Indians protested all over the country against the discriminatory anti-Muslim citizenship law that had just been passed by its parliament—the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)—and as a backlash violent attacks occurred on universities and Muslim working-class neighbourhoods by armed vigilantes. All this while the authorities were negating the presence of community transmission of the virus despite the first cases appearing way back in January to finally declare a 21-day lockdown on the midnight of 24 March, with only a 4 hour notice. This announcement, as in France, has triggered migration from the cities to the countryside, but of a completely different nature: in India, the internal migrant workers, day labourers and the poor—deprived of resources—have decided to return to their native villages. This tragic and deadly exodus of migrants fleeing cities is the most visible stigmata of the profound health, economic and social crisis that this threefold essay offers to analyse.

Some say covid is round and spikiest of them all,

I also hear he is the deadliest of them all.

He is here, he is there,

Travelling time to time in the air.

Young, old or small,

He doesn’t care at all.

He has made the roads clear,

For now, he is our greatest fear.

The birds are free,

Chirping on the wonderful tree.

The whales are swimming, the deer, galloping,

Wondering where the humans are who tried to destroy us all.

But I do believe our faith in god,

Who is the mightiest of all,

Will help us conquer this fear once in for all,

I hope a wonderful better tomorrow is near for us all.

With the number of COVID-19 cases leaning dangerously more than 200,000 and the worldwide death toll crossing more than 8,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus outbreak a pandemic in the second week of March 2020, four months after the novel virus first made headlines.

Nearly 162 countries are steadily going into lockdown, and businesses across the globe are operating in fear of an impending collapse of global financial markets. This situation, clubbed with sluggish economic growth in the previous year, especially in a developing country like India, is leading to extremely volatile market conditions. Let’s understand how the coronavirus is impacting business and subsequent tax reforms in India.

It is unequivocal that this pandemic has led to a near total disruption of our social fabric. Global economics have been all but paralyzed. Under these circumstances, one can imagine the psychological toll is significant.

While there is no doubt that COVID-19 is causing significant stress, we won’t grasp the long-term mental health effects until we conduct future research. At the same time, and because of this pandemic, we see a positive impact on the way we consider mental health and how the healthcare system operates.

Removing barriers and improving access to care. Since the COVID pandemic, the mental health field has shifted almost completely to telehealth encounters with visits through video or phone. This shift, together with the response from insurers to expand payment for telehealth have resulted in better integration of care and improved access.

The worldwide disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous impacts on the environment and the climate. The severe decline in planned travel has caused many regions to experience a drop in air pollution. In China, lockdowns and other measures resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions and 50 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions,which one Earth systems scientist estimated may have saved at least 77,000 lives over two months.However, the outbreak has also provided cover for illegal activities such as deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and poaching in Africa,hindered environmental diplomacy efforts,and created economic fallout that some predict will slow investment in green energy technologies.

Dear Covid 19 ,
Your arrival has created havoc in my technical world.
The roads are empty, with crowds too small,
And no trace of life outside, noone at all.
Every human is locked up in their house,
And the sunny play ground, now looks bleak.
Why does our wide world look so desolate now?
What a silly question, even a toddler would have the answer.
Cause, there’s a you out there,
Who can make even breathing like hell.
You are tinier than our cells, but are still causing a huge pandemic,
If you enter our body, you may wreak havoc.
Coughs or sneezes are like your private jets,
And to your lungs, you are a threat.
We, who always chat and dine in groups,
Now prefer to stay away,
And with a mask on our mouths,
Nobody’s going to school anymore,
No child playing in the park,
Nobody’s even opening the door,
Except for grocery or stock.
We used to giggle and play
On our swings and slide,
Now, we’re caged in our homes,
As you gambol outside.
We, who are social animals,
Now dread the door bell.
Sadly, we are told to see,
Every visitor as an unwelcome virus.
When can we really be free?
When can we stick our heads out?
When will the dawn arrive?
The four decades before your arrival were marked by vast technological changes. Cell phones and planes connected people across the world, banking and entertainment were merely a click away. But technology’s true potential to radically change the lives of the world’s poor – to be more than just entertainment or convenience – was unleashed in the aftermath of your arrival.
You stopped..
Just stopped everything
It is was no longer a request. You made it mandatory.
You brought the supersonic, high speed merry-go-round to a halt
You stopped the planes the trains the schools the malls the meetings the frenetic, furied rush of illusions and “obligations” that keep you from hearing the single and shared beating heart, of our mother earth
And now all of us are suffering.
Last year, the firestorms that scorched the lungs of the earth did not pause the world
Nor the typhoons in Africa, China, Japan.
Nor the fevered climates in Japan and India.
We haven’t been listening.
It is hard to listen when we were.so busy all the time, hustling to uphold the comforts and conveniences that scaffold your lives.
But the foundation is giving way,
buckling under the weight of our needs and desires.
Lockdown 1.0
Lockdown 2.0
Lockdown 3.0
Lockdown 4.0
Lockdown 5.0
You have brought firestorms to our body
You have brought fever to our bodies
You have brought the burning, searing, and flooding to your lungs.
We are not well.
The dirt of the world is washed away by the tsunami of your havoc.
You are not our enemy. You are the Messenger.
It’s time to move beyond our individual concerns and consider the concerns of all;
It’s time to look up into the sky, streaked with fewer planes, and see it, to notice its condition: clear, smoky, smoggy, rainy? How much do you need it to be healthy so that you may also be healthy?
To look at a tree, and see it, to notice its condition: how does its health contribute to the health of the sky, to the air you need to be healthy?
Many of us are afraid now.
But you have taught us a lesson for life time .
The health of a tree, a river, the sky tells me about the quality of my own health,
A last thank you and sorry
We will Stop.
Just stop.
Be still.
And Listen to the voice of our healing earth.

If the huge impact of coronavirus spread on the economy at large, including the loss of wage work to millions of those in the unorganised sector aside, the lockdown measures being implemented by the State government as part of the nation-wide shutdown have come as a blessing in disguise to the two power distribution companies running in losses.

With a major section of commercial establishments such as malls, cinema halls, restaurants and bars, showrooms of all sizes and public transport such as metro rail completely shut, service sectors such as banks, IT and ITES companies curtailing their on-site functioning by allowing as many employees as possible to work from home and many State and Central government offices running with skeletal staff, the demand for energy in the State has been on the slide for over a week now.

We have to admit that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us examples that lack humanitarianism. This may be due to the chaos caused by the spreading threat. However, such lack of humanitarianism seems to be deep-rooted. This is because of some countries’ and their ruling elites’ incurable egoism. Those who proclaim themselves as moral leaders with democratic traditions did not unite all parties to seek mutual understanding. Instead, they started to act according to the law of the jungle, regardless of etiquette rules and ethical constraints.

Everyone wants to turn the page on COVID-19 as soon as possible. But lessons are inevitable. And it’s up to each of us to decide if those lessons are right.It’s time to give up conventional thinking based on stereotypes and finally start acting from a moral perspective. After all, our best bet is a happy future for all who live on Earth, our common home.

The future of Indian education system?

So before  talking about the future of Indian education system let us know first how our current Indian education system is holding on to the expectations of the fellow Indian citizens.Let’s start our talk from the primary division what are the students thought in that process of time?They are thought to copy paste their books to the answer sheets during the exam. This leads to an uneven habit in the children to just fill as much information in them and then spill it on the paper and forget what they had done. This process is carried out till 10th standard. Lets talk about the higher Secondary education where the world is different for students irrespective of which stream they choose, they are asked to forget what all they had Learned in the previous classes as it was false and what now they are going to learn is true and right according to the world. Now let’s talk about the students clearing the 12th grade but not with a good set of marks but with remarkable practical skills, but in India we get our seats through marks so there’s another problem a brilliant student might not get an admission in a good college. Now let’s talk about the colleges in India, let us take the example of Engineering colleges where they ask the students to maintain 75% attendance irrespective of the fact that they understand the class or not. The assignments which can be done via computers are asked to be written down to papers,is this not wastage of time and paper? Are we building engineers or robots? These are the questions the engineering students ask themselves everyday.Now let’s talk about the future of Indian education, for now the scenario is quite unclear and deemed upon. The government has not quite raised alot of funds for schools in the rural areas, this should take place in order to give opportunity to every child to study and make a name for himself. As of now the schools and colleges are teaching the students that have a job to do and make money and that’s what the student think, instead we should teach them how to think and build and compose and attract money by doing the thing in which you are keen interested in. The focus should be more on practical skills of the student rather than a pen and paper assignment but all this looks a bit difficult if we consider the future of Indian education.Now let’s see what the government can do about this-1- improving access and quality of education at all levels.2-increasing funding in the higher education3-improving infrastructure and management4- improving literacy rates5- keeping in mind the progress and development which needs to be carried out in the coming 5 years.One of the major problems is the non availability of schools within a reasonable distance. Many remote areas of the country have no educational institute at all. This difficulty should be overcome to improve the education system of the country.

Indian Cinema: A Hostage to Controversies

Bollywood is a traditional Indian movie. Vector illustration with marquee lights

Bollywood never runs out of issues that capture the nation’s headlines. Anyone who is a Bollywood fan knows that controversies and cinemas go hand in hand. The issues can be related to anything to everything in a movie, be it, the cast of the film or their personal beliefs to their personal lives, everything revolves around it.

Every time there is a movie that will attract politicians, certain communal groups or even the Indian censor board and it is not easy for a film to go down the throat of the sensitive people.

Over 63 movies have faced controversies by different communities since 2008 according to an internet source. The reasons range from religious (PK gained criticism for the projection of Hindu God in a manner unacceptable to people), political (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was in the fire for casting a Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan), historical (Bajirao Mastani was accused of distorting facts related to the ruler Peshwa Bajirao and his wives) and community (Ek Thi Daayan has a report filed against it for the projection of witches in a bad light).
Lately, filmmakers have been struggling to make movies, a smooth run but the protestors have it all. Be it blackmailing to burning down the school bus, nothing seems to be enough for the haters to calm down their ‘pride’ and ‘ego’.
Moreover, there was a threat to chop off Deepika Padukone’s nose referring to the epic Ramayana where chopping off nose was a punishment.
Madhur Bhandarkar, a filmmaker said “Let’s accept that making historical and political films is a problem in India,” who refers to an old experience with Indu Sarkar (July, 2017) as a nightmare.
Nonetheless, the truth remains that the real issues that need peoples’ concern are lacking behind and are considered shameful to talk about.
We show rejection, intolerance for a movie being released who casts a Pakistani actor. Why? Was this reaction to be made over the issues like dowry, poverty or even women protection?
The humor is getting lost and people are becoming a hard rock statue that reacts only when it opposes ‘their’ sentiments or beliefs.

The thought needs to change, let the 1.3 billion people decide whether the movie is worth it or not.
Chief Justice Dipak Misra says”Cinemas are an inseparable part of the right to free speech and expression, States cannot issue notifications prohibiting the screening of a film.”
A movie despite controversies and hatred of certain groups still remains purely INDIAN, purely BOLLYWOOD that has the hard work of lakhs of people who worked day and night to get good results not anger and anguish of people.
Let’s think whether the ”VIRODH PRADARSHAN” is fair enough on part of being an Indian and a responsible human being.

 

IMPACT OF CORONA VIRUS ON POVERTY

                                                 -BY RAKESHITA

There is the world without grains and full of pains, mother with an empty stomach and father with the empty pocket who has that miracle rocket that took their pain and makes this tear rain stop make them walk?

This pandemic name COVID-19 is the virus which has a figure like a corona or crown they are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animal and human beings.

The terms[1] we should understand are:


 Epidemic: it means an increase often sudden in a number of cases which can disturb the population of that area.

Endemic: As per the CDC, constant   presence or prevalence in a population within a geographical area.

Pandemic: An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents usually affecting a large number of people.

Herd immunity: As per the CDC, herd immunity occurs when a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease through vaccinations on prior illness to make it spread from person to person unlikely.

Lockdown: that is the measure taken by the Indian government which is limiting the moment of the entire 1.3 billion population of India as preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic India.

Poverty is an economic imbalance, which can be classified as a curse to developing nations, society, community and individuals. There is a direct relationship between poverty and pandemic. The critical situation is when the poor were doing a job in the corners of the world and some in the different regions of the country when this was spread many people were dying due to disease and some with the future uncertainties, the basic issue was no job  then no money so how to live the life all the obligation of the family is on the man who is earning the bread and butter mainly the focus is the labour who stuck for the work in the other city while their family were in another place this made them wholly broken emotionally and psychologically.

The responsibility of the context was on the government they made sure that this category, of people, is undergoing through a lot they bring the labour to the home places through buses and various other possible alternatives. Pandemic was not at all in control at this circumstance still the work was intact by the government. In the scenario of the pandemic while other people we’re enjoying uncertain holiday these people were fighting for bread butter and the pain of not able to see the family.

The data[2] depicts the critical situation of the country by providing

-Active Cases 97,581

-Death 5598 

 -Migrated 1

Still, the government was not silent on the injustice for the daily wage worker. Many schemes were launched for example, PM SAVANIDHI scheme launched by the government to provide the affordable, loans to street vendors.

The measures taken by the government were highly appreciated. Therefore, the pandemic has deployed the country and economy. Blaming and questioning the government and authority is easy but being the member of this country every individual hold responsibility which arrives with the little efforts by sharing .

God doesn’t create poverty but we because, we don’t share.           

                                                                                                          – Mother Teresa

The first step is to save and stop the wastage as normal individual throwing the morning meal at evening, think the individual who doesn’t have any meal to eat, don’t waste give to the needy give to animals and utilise the resources rather than wasting. Think upon it little efforts can make things better rather than pointing the question on others. We need to understand the pressure on the government. In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful, people have is the ability to take responsibility.


[1] https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/countries/india/default.htm

[2] https://www.mohfw.gov.in/

HERD IMMUNITY: Will it be the solution to this pandemic?

Corona Virus or COVID 19 is here to stay with us for a long time, it has left the world in utter chaos and has created disturbances which would have a long lasting effect on the world be it economy or lifestyle.

COVID 19 is spreading at an alarming rate and the fact that it is super contagious and the death rate is the highest which has ever been seen when compared to other deadly disease outbreaks or pandemics has left us all in a state of delirium. Even though many have recovered after getting infected by corona virus still the chances of a second revival (infection) amongst the recovered is high.

Many experts are saying  that “Herd immunity” is one of the strongest and the smartest solutions to tackle COVID 19, Herd immunity is developed when a majority of the individuals are immune to a deadly disease(epidemic/pandemic) ,this immunization of the high proportion of the population is possible through vaccination or when more than half of the population has developed immunity over time maybe after contracting that disease which would eventually help the whole population hence this can prove to be the ultimate cure to the pandemic. For example because of polio vaccination (mandatory) which is given to every child, it has allowed the population to develop herd immunity and this has made India a polio free country. Around at least 70% of the population has to develop herd immunity to enable herd protection within the population.

But again there are drawback to this as many experts state that even if we achieve herd immunity the old and the young children will still be very much vulnerable to the disease and it won’t last for more than an year amongst the population and henceforth herd immunity achieved through vaccination is a better choice over the other ways and could be the solution to decrease the rate of infections.

We won’t be seeing the invention of a vaccine in the year 2020  which can be the solution to free ourselves from corona neither will we be seeing the invention of any medication. Most of us have gone our way ahead and consumed homeopathy courses of medication which would boost our immunity but will it really do its job of amplifying our immunity to a level where the corona virus can’t infect our bodies is the big question. Most of us are not leaving  any stone unturned when it comes to taking precautions we have literally gone our way ahead and tried to follow all the instructions which we saw on YouTube, news or even WhatsApp and Facebook forwards .WHO has even come out with the concept of an “immunity passport” which would be given to people who are fit enough to travel as antibodies have been found in their blood which can fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus(cause of COVID 19) and have recovered from the infection to travel and work overseas.

Many Scientists state that a vaccine which can prevent COVID 19 might just never come out or even if it is invented it will take a minimum of another six months, but still there is no proof that this statement is completely true. The trial and error of vaccines are still on the go and we have not lost hope.

Abdhi Upadhyay

Eating Healthy

While we stay at home, we need to do our best to stay healthy and its important to choose nutritious healthy snack foods. Why? Its because snacks that combine protein, high fiber carbs and healthy fats are nourishing. To keep our strength, energy and mood up, try to find a balance of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables , pulses, dairy products, eggs, poultry and meat. Cooking healthy meals is the gateway to good health .To stay fit and to stay healthy , I would like to propose a balanced healthy eating plate.

1.HEALTHY OILS

Oils are not a food group but they do provide the essential nutrients but we must note to use only small amounts.Use healthy oils (like olive) for cooking, on salads and at the table. It is preferable to use oils that are low on saturation fats like canola oil. Also i would suggest to limit butter and avoid trans fat.

2.FRUITS AND VEGGIES

Promote a healthier gut by eating more more foods rich in fiber like fruits and vegetables. They are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber. Nutritionist recommend red fruits and vegetables, yellow fruits, green leafy vegetables , carrots supplement our body and boost our immunity system. The more veggies – and greater the variety – the better . Eat plenty of fruits of all color. Avocados delivers in nutrients and tons of healthy fats that supports your body’s nutritional requirements as it aids digestion and supports healthy blood sugar levels. Fruits like watermelon and muskmelon are loaded with electrolytes and have hydrating properties. Also eating salads almost everyday may be one of the most healthy eating habits you can adopt, and one of the simplest, experts say.

3.WHOLE GRAINS

Eat a variety of whole grains(like whole-wheat bread, whole grain pasta and brown rice.) Limit refined grains(like white rice and white bread) as whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains because they contain the fiber- rich outer bran layer and are nutrient packed and their consumption would be connected to a lower chance of stroke, diabetes , obesity.

4.HEALTHY PROTEINS

Choose fish, poultry ,beans and eggs. Avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats. Protein rich food like cheese, grams are also very beneficial to us. Milk is an ideal source of protein and calcium and also contains the essential vitamins and minerals.Also nuts and seeds contain tons of protein and have the much needed omega 3 fats.A study shows that eating protein-rich foods like eggs increases the thermal effect of the food. We need more energy to digest them and hence it increases our metabolism .

Most importantly, one must always stay healthy and hydrated by drinking lots of water. Adding complex carbohydrates to our diet can help us stay full longer, maintains healthy blood sugar levels and is essential for our brain functioning. Good , fresh healthy food is essential for a strong immune system and a healthy balanced diet which gives the essential vitamins and dietary fibers is needed for better metabolism and is crucial during the pandemic.So, eat healthy, stay healthy!

Don’t Worry About Things You can’t Change

“Take Life day by day and be grateful for the little things. Don’t get caught up in what you can’t control. Accept it and make the best of it.”

Live in present not in past and future . If you are living in future or past then you can’t perform well in present . By doing this , means living in any other phase you spoil your present life . As we all are doing the same mistake again and again , worrying about those things which you can’t control and which you can’t change . Sometime you are thinking about what you did in your past, those mistakes , thinking if you did this so everything is fine , thinking i wish if this happens were like that than everything is adorable . As an example we can say when we are giving exam we think if we were read this chapter or this topic then i perform definitely well. But at that situation we have to think how we perform well , whatever the knowledge we have , how we represent those knowledge in a systematic manner so at least we can clear the exam although doing this we wish if we read this , that bla bla ……… And we start thinking about future what will be the result , what will happen now and so on . But there is no meaning to think about all those because what was meant to be done is already done and you can’t change it if you want to. बीती ताहि बिसारि दे, आगे की सुधि लेइ।
जो बनि आवै सहज में, ताही में चित देइ॥

Some day you start thinking what will happen in my future . Is everything will be done as per my planning . If something gonna wrong in my life , something bad will happen with me and my loved one or a lot of unnecessary thought building home in our mind. “Don’t Worry about things that haven’t yet ” Sometime you are that much coward that while walking on road or crossing road you are going to think , If I met with an accident. Anything you are going to do or take a new initiative to do, whether you did it or not you start thinking a lot about consequences as well as negative , if this project will not succed or not work as i thought .” Don’t worry about what I m doing.Worry about why you’re worried about what I’m doing”. As written in The sacred Geeta ” Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma phaleshu kadachane“. Means do your duty honestly and rest leave on god . Just be positive in any situation . If you are doing your duty very honestly and sincerely in present then undoubtedly your future will be bright. And always learn from your past mistakes and forget your past.

This song teaches a lot who think a lot that what will happen at next step. “Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suahana Yha Kl Kya Ho Kisne Jana” .

But this is very common and truth or reality that you are thinking about those things in which you have no control. Keep in mind this vicious truth of life that over many of the things that happen in your life they are not in under control of you . “Worrying is waste if time it doesn’t change anything , it just masses with your mind and steel your happiness”. By taking a lot of tension , worry you are sacrificing or loosing your own happiness . You are gonna away from your happiness . And this lifestyle gives you a lot of disease , disorder , anxiety , depression. A disorder name Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in this disorder people feel extremely worried or feel nervous about these and other things even when there is no reason to worry about them . People with GAD find it difficult to control their anxiety and stay focused on daily task . It causes lack of sleeping or sleeping disorders . Blood pressure or hypertension which causes heart diseases sometimes it can take a cardiac arrest or heart attack also. So there is lot in life you just can’t change some of them are following .

  • You’re accountable to someone
  • You are not going to live forever
  • You can’t please everyone
  • You’ll never catch up the Joneses
  • Holding that grudge is never going to have the effect you are hoping for
  • Similarly you can’t control what someone else thinks
  • Yesterday is over

So don’t focus on all those things , avoid these topics/points in your life. You can take it as precautions also.

What to do to stop worrying about things you can’t change.

  • Determine what you can’t control
  • Focus on your influences
  • Create a plan to manage your stress
  • Differentiate between ruminating and problem solving
  • Develop health affirmation

And this measures this analysis will help you to overcome this habit.

How is COVID-19 affecting our mental health?

The COVID-19 outbreak shocks the entire world. Its impact on us is so powerful that it not only affects our physical health but puts strain on our mental health as well. Our constant irritation, worry and fear are natural and predictable reactions to the uncertain pandemic that the entire world is in right now. 

In a pandemic like this, we have to stay home to protect our families and ourselves. But have you noticed it’s impact on our mental health? 

The virus has shown its impact on many people who were already struggling and going through mental health problems such as depression, stress, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many others. This epidemic has also affected people who were mentally fit. It is very essential for us to stay calm in a situation like this. 

As we are staying home and looking at the same four walls in our house everyday, it is quite easy for our minds to fluctuate and think about things which are of less importance, which can increase the tension. To avoid this situation of over-thinking, one can engage themselves into doing something productive, this is the best time to bring out your inner chef or start a new hobby. 

It is important to be updated and aware of the happenings around the world but the constant repetition of one issue can also create tension in one’s mind. To avoid this, binge watch some series or re-watch some of your favourite movies or read that book you have been wanting to, but never had time. 

Here are a few precautions to reduce the stress, anxiety and other related issues, caused by this pandemic. 

WHO suggests, to reduce the amount of news we are in-taking about COVID-19 and to only take news from reliable sources. 

Forbes suggests, to create a routine for your daily activities. “With the closures of businesses and schools, creating a go-forward plan for you and your family will help keep your mind at ease. This could mean creating an at-home routine and schedule for remote work amid social distancing,” says Dr. Mimi Winsberg, co-founder and chief medical officer of Brightside.

BBC suggests, to have breaks from social media and mute things which are/can be triggering. And to wash your hands but not excessively. For people with OCD and anxiety, being told to constantly wash your hands can be difficult to hear. 

Talk  to someone who might help you in your problems or take help from an expert. We are all in this together. 

Stay in contact with your friends and family through social media and take help from them if you feel anxious or sad. 

Exercising is one of the ways to keep your body fit and it also helps in reducing stress, anger and frustration. Also, practicing deep breathing or meditation are also great ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Deep breathing helps you regulate your emotions by activating your parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) which helps slow the heart rate and restore the feeling of calm, tells Dr Vincent. https://bit.ly/2YCGHmb  Here are some breathing exercises you can do, that can help you relax. 

During this time, being productive is a good idea but somewhere it can also put more pressure in one’s mind. Remember, being productive is a choice and not a necessity. You must do what makes you happy.