How Can We Matter

A spaceship landed on earth and the commander sent out his little green men to investigate the creatures that humans referred to as 'doctors'. A few days later the aliens reported back to the spaceship. 'So, what do you think?' asked the commander. 'From our study of the activities of the specimens called "doctors", they declared, 'this is our conclusion. Most Doctors are men who put medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing.' Criticism of Medical Practice This quote, often attributed to the French philosopher Voltaire, criticizes the medical practice of doctors prescribing medications with limited understanding, to treat illnesses about which they have even less knowledge, in patients whose individual complexities they may not fully grasp; essentially highlighting a potential gap between medical knowledge and its application in real patients.  Though the quote reflects ...

Given the historical context of civil code implementations in the region, why has India still not adopted a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) ? Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru passed a Hindu Civil Code in 1950s, Pakistan Military Chief Ayub Khan passed a Muslim Civil Code in 1961, and Justice Muhammad Carim Chagla proposed a Muslim Civil Code in 1964:  Hindu Civil Code of 1950s:  Traditional Hindu laws that prevailed in India prior to the Independence movement often discriminated against women in matters of property, marriage, and inheritance.  The diversity of Hindu customs across different regions of the country created a need for a unified legal framework. Realizing the demand for uniformity, B.R. Ambedkar , architect of the Indian Constitution, drafted the Hindu Code Bills championing women's rights.  Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru supported the reforms and played a crucial role in their passage during the 1950s, immediately after Independence.  Muslim Civil Code o...

We are all busy with the " struggle for existence " that refers to the competition for resources needed to survive, which can occur in human society or in nature. This survival process is best elaborated through a story. The Cow and the Tiger Once upon a time, a cow went to graze in the jungle. Suddenly, she saw a tiger racing towards her. Terrified, she fled, fearing the tiger would catch her at any moment. Desperately searching for a way to escape, she spotted a shallow pond. Just barely evading the tiger’s reach, she jumped into the pond, and in the heat of the chase, the tiger blindly followed her and fell into the pond. To their dismay, the pond where they landed was filled with deep mud. After tumbling over each other, the cow and the tiger found themselves stuck in the deep mud up to their necks, unable to free themselves despite their struggles. The tiger snarled at the cow, roaring, “I will enjoy crunching your bones between my teeth!” Do you have a master? Furiously...

In what follows, I am making an attempt to analyze the political landscapes of two large democracies, situated on diametrically opposite sides of the globe, to understand how polarization of the government manifests in different contexts and disadvantageously affects their respective populace.  Polarized World I'll analyze the two large democracies without naming either of them or their leaders. Yet, the readers can easily understand which countries and which leaders I am referring to.  The Rhetoric "He is a Hitler, he is a Fascist, he is a threat to Democracy". These epithets are employed to deride two world leaders by their political opponents. "One country, one constitution, one destiny". What is ironical is that these rhetorics are used by the opposition parties against leaders who are democratically elected by the majority populace of the respective countries - one already ruling his country for a third time, and one about to rule his country for a second t...

The term Kanyadaan  signifying a Hindu wedding ceremony, translates to "giving away one's daughter". It is also known as Mahadaan , meaning "the biggest donation".  Nita Ambani, Image Credit: The Web During the Kanyadaan ceremony, the bride's father takes her hand and offers it to the groom, symbolically giving her away. The father then places her hand over the groom's, signifying his embrace of her as a bride. He also asks the groom to promise to treat his daughter as an equal partner.  Radhika Merchant and Anant Kanyadaan Please listen to  Nita Ambani's explanation of the broader significance of the Kanyadaan ritual in the context of her son Anant's wedding with Radhika Merchant. Speaking just before the Kanyadaan ceremony, she says it is a union where two families come together, one gaining a daughter and the other a son.  She also reminds the audience that Hinduism is Nitya Nutan (ever new or fresh) - that is, capable of constant self-re...

Donald Trump's instantaneous duck to the floor for cover behind the podium saved him from certain death.  Image Credit: The Web It was Trump's solitary and instinctive act that saved him and not any assistance from the US Security Service staff. The SS team, which uses long-range binoculars and sniper rifles, could not spot the shooter standing with a rifle astonishingly close (120 meters) to the stage where the former president was speaking. Sad Day for America Saturday, 13 July 2024 is a sad day for America and the whole world. The shooter came within millimeters of assassinating a presidential candidate. It is a despicable assassination attempt on the former President Donald Trump.   There is a news video clipping that indicated eyewitnesses had raised the alarm about a ‘suspicious’ man with a rifle on a roof. Witnesses have seen the gunman with a rifle, 20 minutes before the shooting, moving from roof to roof during the rally for a perfect place to shoot. A witness wa...

Never in the history have the American citizens and the world shown such distress in watching the Presidential election proceedings and anxiety in the eventual outcome. Imagine, once elected, the individual is expected to address a range of formidable issues affecting both his country and the world such as healthcare, the economy, immigration, abortion policy, climate change, foreign policy, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Image credit NPR The world is closely observing another major democratic election following the turbulent exercises in half of the global population - India, Iran, Mexico, the UK, and France. In the USA, American citizens face a Hobson's choice in electing a President between two men who are well past the standard retirement age. (A Hobson's choice is a term often used to describe an illusion that multiple choices are available!). I wouldn't envy my American friends who have landed up in a situation essentially having to choose between two unappealing al...