The Time to Repair a Roof is when the Sun is Shining

 

When American President John F. Kennedy popularized the quote – “The Time to Repair a Roof is when the Sun is Shining,” he wanted USA to build a proactive economic infrastructure in good times to prevent future economic breakdown. Later, many further interpreted this same quote in terms of bringing political reforms in line with people’s aspirations; social reforms to break the rigidity of regressive practices; legal reforms to make inclusive justice; other infrastructural reforms to cope up with climate change, disasters, defence, technology boom, etc. – All these reforms undertaken in times of stability to avoid future crisis, just like how one must repair the roof in the sun to prevent leakage in the rain.

While even regular physical exercise as a repair to bodily ailments is a common interpretation, mental health aspects often go unnoticed. In this fast-paced world order, the fact that the mind can sustain huge wear and tear on restless exploitation is seriously neglected. As a result, efforts to heal the mind are neither undertaken nor are timely, thus, leading to surging psychological issues.

In this essay, we are going to explore why, when, and how the mind must be repaired and reformed.

Why Repair?

Life is a dynamic maze which poses – continuous questions that need to be answered, frequent challenges that must be overcome, and evolving puzzles that require adaptable solutions. While this creates an illusion that life is complex, in reality, it is not, when we realize that all answers come from one place – The Mind.

Mind is the place where thoughts emerge, interact, unbecome, and evolve. These thoughts are what are often being celebrated as solutions to living crisis. However, just like how an un-repaired roof itself could collapse besides leakage during rain, an unchecked thinking and unhealed mind can bring catastrophe; just like how the negligence to correct unethical conduct in child leads to morality breakdown in adulthood besides mental drain out. Thus, the periodical maintenance and repair of mind at the right time becomes necessary.

Repair when Sun Shines

When it comes to mental health, the timing of the repair and maintenance becomes crucial. While unwarranted delay might cause mental breakdown, excessive resting periods could slow down the cognitive process. That is, stress management must be done as soon as possible before burnout. This is because burnout might lead to consequences ranging from frequent anger outbursts to permanent self-termination of life – suicides. The suicide of the chartered accountant Anna Sebastian in 2024 was a firm reminder of such an extreme burnout.

On the other hand, over-resting in the name of stress management is also not good either. It will not only make one’s mind lazy, but also leave it feeble. That is, mind will perform at its best only when the stress is proportional to mind’s pressure handling capability. Below such a threshold, the mind feels less motivated to think critically, and thus, leading to boredom and stagnation. So, when the time to handle massive decisions comes, the mind often crumbles on facing such a challenge. Those are the situations that expose the vulnerability of a mind that is always in a comfort zone.

The timing of repair and maintenance also applies to ethical conduct. In reality, rarely all ethical values are universal. They are subjective and contextual, i.e. differ across time and space. In that way, one must continuously think and rethink ethics according to the context and apply it wisely as per situation. Thus, maintenance of mind includes periodical introspection of our decisions and realizing our mistakes. However, excessive introspection of all decisions risks indecisiveness. If introspection is completely absent, it risks dogmatism due to rigidity of value system. Thus, the maintenance must be at a correct interval and frequency.

Repair Smart under the Sun

Whether it is mental health or ethical conduct, both are related to the mind which houses thoughts and expectations. Thus, both issues get solved by the reformation of the mind.

People assume happiness or stress as a product of environment. But, if that assumption is fully accepted, then it is same as blaming the rain for the collapse of the roof. While rain can certainly affect the integrity of the roof, it is the job of the roof to endure the rain. Similarly, it is the job of the mind to decide on whether being joyful or strained, not the external circumstances.

So, reforms of the mind involve changing one’s perception. Perception means how we make sense of our environment. It is subjective, i.e. different people perceive the same situation differently. For example, take any two different people. While one is satisfied with certain amount of wealth, other feels it is inadequate. The issue here is not about the outer world, but on the inner perception. So, if one can repair their perception of the world, then happiness is right within them. The smallest reform one can do is to practice minimalism and contentment. If one works on reducing expectations in life, s/he will certainly be less disappointed.

While timely introspection of our value system is another mental reform, the nature of introspection determines its actual effectiveness. Empathy is the best tool for self-introspection. While what is right or wrong is based on our existing values, empathy teaches us to think about them from others’ perspective. If all start to think from other’s shoes, then one might hesitate to harm others for their self-interest. Everyone must start to self-introspect value system through an empathetic lens, before taking any decisions. This will not only remove any bias and prejudices, but will make justice more inclusive for all.

The best psychological repair for a stressful mind is spending time with mind or self. Even if one is engaged in selfless service, self-service is a necessity to sustain such an altruistic mindset and action. Because, how can one serve if the instrument of service, the mind, is torn? So, periodic rest and recharging of mind must be done to prepare for upcoming harsh work weathers.

While the rain cannot be controlled, at the least, throwing of stones on others’ mental roofs can be prevented. That is, we must stop imposing undue pressure on peers in the name of expectations, toxic motivation, and competition. While they might help one to grow to a certain level, beyond limits, they knowingly or unknowingly crush one’s peace of mind. So, family, peers, employers must encourage one to push beyond limits. But such encouragement must remain healthy and reasonable, not turn into obsession. Thus, reasonable motivation can prevent substantial roof damage and maintain sustainability.

Mind is the biggest roof that must be repaired when sun shines to face the harsh rainy times. Such repairs must not only be prompt, but also be smart in order to prolong psychological wellbeing and adapt morality according to the circumstances. Thus, societal prosperity will be possible only if mental revolution occurs because – “What you see outside, is a reflection of yourself!”

Let me know in the comments about your perception of my views on mind. Do comment below!

Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right

Freedom of choice, or simply called free will, is said to have been a defining character of human civilization since its beginning. And further, the political movements around the world, including the French revolution, Marx’s social revolution, women's movement, recent decade’s LGBTQ movement, etc., all had increased the amount of this freedom to choose one's way of life. While political movements provided with this liberty, the economic movements like rise of capitalism together with techno-globalization has increased the life choices via exposure and accessibility.

But such liberty also comes with a responsibility to make the right choice as just because one is exposed to many choices, it does not automatically mean any of them has to be right. Maybe, most of them could be wrong; sometimes only one could be right; while in other times, more than one could be right.

This essay will help one not only to make the right choice, but also will help to do so when more than one choice looks equally compelling. Let us begin!

Liberty comes with responsibility

In simple, one's life is the summation of choices made in one’s journey. While many choices in our life might be available, not all of them might be right. The karma concept of Vedic religion tries to explain this by stating that whatever is going to happen will be shaped by your present and past actions. That is, “you reap what you sow.”

Thus, it is important for one to choose right with pure responsibility. This can be explained with a simple example. If one chooses to save extra money in bank instead of spending on unnecessary sin goods like tobacco, wine, etc., such choice might come as a saviour in times of crisis. Just like how when people lost their jobs in COVID-19 pandemic, their savings helped them sustain and bounce back.

The free will vests us with a responsibility, that gets magnified when an individual is devolved more power. Just as quoted by Uncle Ben (from Spiderman), “with more power comes more responsibility.” Take in the case of king Ashoka, who was once a bloodthirsty conqueror with the powerful army in the world. Being in such a powerful position, he had many choices including expanding his territory and influence through iron and blood. But he chose to do so with Dhamma (peace) instead. He wanted to conquer people's heart through Buddhism. That responsible choice of such powerful king was the reason for peace for decades in his empire.

In the modern multipolar world order, it becomes the responsibility of the powerful countries to help others in distress. India illustrated this in 1971 war with Pakistan. When the Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) approached India for help, India at least had three options – One, to push-back the refugees as India was not a signatory of 1951 refugee convention. Two, be a bystander by letting Bangladesh suffer. Three, save Bangladesh from Pakistan. While all three options were available, the first two choices, despite India had the right to make, weren’t the right ones to make. By choosing the third option, India not only restored peace in Bangladesh, but also exemplified to the world the responsible decision making.

While the above simplified examples create an illusion of one ethically right option, this is not generally true. In life, often one is compelled to choose between more than one equally right alternatives. That is where one wonders, what to choose?

What if…. all choices are right?

This situation is called an ethical dilemma. The paradox that lies in these ethical dilemmas is that since all the options are equally good or convincing, choosing any one will lead to compromise of the other. That is, one good comes at the cost of the other good!

It is similar to a zero-sum game, where one's gain will affect others. So, no choice is entirely good or bad, and often lies in the grey area leading to dilemma. And such dilemmas are very routine for a policymaker. Take in the case of construction of dam. Here, the policymaker must choose between three options (to keep it simple) – national development, tribal welfare, and environment protection. Choosing one will lead to the compromise of the other.

This is where choosing only one option between black and white isn’t infeasible since all are equally important. While utilitarian perspective will compel one to choose based on majority benefits, that is not the right option certainly as such trade off will lead to later problems like Naxalism, climate change, etc. Here is where the choice must include blending of all options, and simultaneously minimizing the harm for all the stakeholders.

This can be achieved by conducting environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA), planning the compensatory afforestation (CAMPA), before the project. Besides minimizing harm through these mechanisms, it is also necessary to maximize welfare by distributing benefits through tribal rehabilitation & welfare program like JANMAN, etc.

In the above case, not only were the choices blended to grey, but also our value priorities got reshuffled. Initially, the justice was seen from a utilitarian perspective, i.e. benefits for majority, which was given the foremost priority. But the right choice not only shared the benefits among all, but also minimized the harm to the minorities. This shifted our value priority from majority benefits to equity-based justice, upholding the true essence of democratic justice!

In an ethical dilemma, an individual with wavering mind cannot choose the right alternative. It is necessary for the mind to be calm and composed just like how Shri Krishna preached in Bhagavad Gita – Yoga Samatvam Uchhate (Equanimity is Yoga). Only at such state can the self-introspection be effectively done, reshuffle value priorities accordingly, and then make an assertive choice.

Besides equanimity, one must also muster the courage to face the consequences of one's choice, just like how Jesus Christ did. He got crucified (nailed in the cross) for choosing to propagate the truth and love through his teachings, and he graciously welcomed it. He not only took the responsibility to choose the right path, but also withstood political retaliation, forgiving them for it.

The unimaginable power of free will in the world of abundant choices comes with an undeniable responsibility to choose wisely for universal benefits. In an ethical dilemma, an unshakable mind must look inside and re-order the value system before making the right choice. And such right choice is not devoid of negatives; but demands us to face the consequences with a grit, helping us become a wise & a resilient leader – leading not only the self, but also the world!

For the sake of democracy, let us debate. Do comment your views below!

Mathematics is the music of reason

“Mathematics is the way of life. It is like air, and is present everywhere.”

- [Anonymous]

We like it or not, we cannot deny the role of mathematics in our everyday life. It is present in every conscious decision we make. It echoes in the reasoning we give for every decision, regardless of whether it is a clever or a foolish reason. Just like how pleasant rhythm captures one and the noisy beat annoys, the clever reason pleases us while the foolish ones may irritate. Thus, this makes mathematics more subjective like a music, deviating it from its traditional image of objectivity.

In this essay, we will explore about the musical nature mathematics, when mathematics turns into a noise, and finally how to strike the right note to capture audience!

Before getting started, it is crucial to understand what mathematics really means.

Most of the children in schools complain about the complexity of mathematics. Some even curse the discovery of it! But this frustration is completely understandable because traditionally, mathematics has been projected as a problem to be overcome rather than as a problem-solving tool. Mathematics provides a problem-solving toolkit, comprising of various rational tools like formulas, axioms, properties, etc which are nothing but a manifestation of reasoning. That’s why it is called as “music of reason”, as just like how a music with its rhythm gives us pleasure, the mathematics with its reasoning, pleases us by giving a solution.

Consider a situation where there are 5 children and 10 chocolates. To help one distribute the chocolates equally among children, the mathematics provides variety of reasoning, or tools. Among all those tools, one can pick the formula of simple division, so that, each child gets a fair share of 2 chocolates. Thus, the mathematics has made the children rejoice with its elegant music of reason, just like how a good song with its radiant rhyme makes them dance.

But when we talk about music, however charming it may be, still the same one feels like a noise to some. Ever wondered why?

Music is subjective

Same music might not always resonate well with everyone. It often comes down to the preferences and taste of the audience who listens to it.

Consider the example of a rap song. While it may please the Gen Z (new generation kids), their parents, the older ones may still perceive it as a noise. This subjectivity is simply because of the generation gap that has altered their taste. While the older people demand peace, the younger ones thrive well in the energetic vibes of rap, thus, making music more personalized.

Well, it might be true that music can’t be completely universal enough to please everyone. But can’t mathematics not please all? It is highly objective and gives rational solutions, right?

This is a valid question that needs answering, so that, we can effectively inspect the complexity in decision making, when done at a larger scale.

Not a pleasure always

While distributing chocolates equally is a simple decision to make, when the problem is complex, the mathematical reasoning based on narrow ‘one-size-fits-all’ values often fail to address the problem effectively, thus creating noise!

Assume that there are 40 students in a class. When we apply the formula of simple division as we did earlier in case of distributing chocolates, one teacher spends the same number of hours with all the students. While this reasoning is justified in the name of equality, in reality, it actually worsens the intellectual divide in the class. This is because, it does not consider the difference in the grasping ability of each student, where some may need more time to grasp, while others may need no time at all. So, this same formula based on the narrow ‘one-size-fits-all’ value of equality, while helps some, leaves most in noisy-shadows forever.

So, here, the mathematical formula of simple division should be altered based on the broader value of equity, to inclusively share the benefits of education for all the students. Based on that, if customized teaching is done, spending time with students according to their grasping ability, then the results will be a melody for all rather than appealing just a few. Thus, it becomes crucial for us to customize mathematical reasoning based on broader inclusive values, making its musical solution more personally appealing for all.

Now, let me demonstrate similar orchestra of mathematics in government policy-making, which deals with problems of huge magnitude. Unless the bow is drawn over the strings gently in this violin named governance, the strings might snap causing chaos instead of charm!

Hit the right note

In governance, hitting the right note is crucial to please the stakeholders involved in a problem. But often, as discussed, when the values inspiring the mathematical reasoning becomes narrow, it tunnels the benefits to please only the privileged many, leaving others in ruins, thus, snapping the strings over time.

One such issue arises from dam constructions for hydropower. In such constructions, generally, the narrow utilitarian values make the mathematical reasoning to please the country’s majority. This involves concentration of the divided benefits of such construction towards them. But such a narrow value considering only the economic prosperity of nation’s majority, historically has neglected its negative impacts on various minority groups. Not only were the tribes got displaced without a suitable rehabilitation, also, animals and birds lost their habitat. Further, environmental loss was also not compensated. This in turn manifested itself in the form of naxalism, human-animal conflicts, and, climate change. While mathematical reasoning has the capacity to distribute the benefits to all the stakeholders, narrow value preferences can lead to poor mathematical reasoning, thus creating out of mathematics a chattering chaos opposed to melodious music.

Since this narrow utilitarian value was no more in tune with the expectations of every stakeholder, the value preferences of governments across the world have substantially broadened. They adopted sustainable & inclusive development as their values. This made the mathematical reasoning focus on harm-mitigation strategies together with inclusive distribution of benefits.

It provides for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) to be conducted before such constructions to estimate the loss, based on which the rehabilitation programs are designed for the affected tribes in prior. Further, the CAMPA, Compensatory Afforestation, helps to compensate for the loss the environment has sustained through calculated plantation drives. This not only gives a new home for the displaced animals and birds, but also prevents their dangerous contact with humans. So, we can infer that while mathematics can provide us with variety of logical roadmaps or formulas; to select the right reasoning, right values are necessary, preferably ethical values. That is when one can hit the right note.

So, the mathematics is not an abstract concept, but music of reason that connects with our heart, inspiring to make better decisions. Just like how music is personalized, mathematical reasoning also is shaped by the value preferences of people. The values that inspire the mathematical reasoning should consider all the unique conditions of all its variables to attain an inclusive and just solution. Despite ‘all’ being ideal, at the least most should feel satisfied, with less being affected. Thus, when the frequency we tune is based on ethical values, mathematics will produce a magnificent melody than a malicious misnote! 

Like how music emerges from friction between strings, the democracy thrives only via constructive discussions. So, share your views below!

Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team

 

One may wonder what separates humans from animals? The answer is straightforward, yet a complexly simple one – thinking. It is complex that the process expects the neurons in our brain firing. Yet so simple, that we can do it with ease.

Thinking is a voluntary cognitive action of generating thoughts in an attempt to reason something or some happenings. If it was just limited to generating thoughts, then it might have been called as dreaming. But because it involves voluntary efforts to reason, it is called as thinking.

While humans are capable of thinking, does that mean the thinking begin in itself? Or does it require some motivation, like an opposite team, to trigger its beginning? If so, what if there is no team in opposite? Then how one thinks in such cases? Let us start our journey into the exploration of many such thought-provoking questions for getting a deeper understanding.

One cannot understand the game of thinking without knowing why to play this game in the first place. It is a commonly known fact that the sixth sense is the one that helps the humans think. This sixth sense is given to us so that we can all behave sensibly, at least try to do so. When one is in a traffic, s/he refrains from jumping a signal while the red lights are still on. This basic sense of why to stop in the red light will help to save a life of a pedestrian crossing the road.

Other than for a sensible behaviour, thinking is also important to bring progress in various domains. An artist cannot survive if s/he is not creative enough to please the audience. Also, a scientist cannot bring new technological developments into existence in society if s/he is devoid of reasoning. Similarly, a reformer cannot bring social change if s/he cannot find ways to spark a mental revolution. In all these cases, thinking becomes non-negotiable.

Now that we understood the importance of the game of thinking, that brings us to the next question. Does this game begin by itself? Certainly not. In my poetic words, “reasoning needs a reason to begin”.

A reason to begin

We tend to refer the reason that compels this beginning as an opposite team. Without competition, a system will not be motivated to improvise. Without the need to improvise, there is no reason to begin reasoning, i.e., thinking. Let us consider an entrepreneur is running a business. When will this entrepreneur introduce new and efficient ways of running a business? Only when the competition is outperforming her/him.

Similarly, in a football match, the players will have the motivation to improve their game strategy only if the opposite team is stronger than them. Thus, the competition helps induce thinking.

But many of us do think in many occasions without an opposite team. Then what makes us think?

Game beyond competition

Many a times, it is not an opposite team but a cause beyond self that stands tall in our mind that ignites the drive to think. Rajaram Mohan Roy was one such person, who begun to think not because of any competitors, but to bring a social change. This social cause drove him to contribute to the Intellectual Renaissance (liberation) in India. His thinking helped awaken rationality, thus breaking many superstitious and evil practices like sati, child marriage, female infanticides and so on.

Besides the socio-cultural reform, even the scientific advancements require a cause to ignite thinking. As pointed out precisely by an old saying – “Necessity is the mother of all inventions”. One beautiful example that illustrates this saying is when Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam contributed to the development of light weight prosthetic leg for polio-stricken children. Thanks to his emotional intelligence that helped him think of an alternative for the heavy 3 kg prosthetic leg, in a 300 g composite material used in missile tech.

While in the game of thinking, Nobel causes help bore fruit to the society. One must also be wary of the risk of losing their mind due to extreme causes or toxic competitions.

Risk of losing the mind

We all are aware that mind is the one doing the thinking. What if the cause is narrow and negative? The answer again is very straightforward – Chaos.

We all remember this dark event in the Indian history, the Direct Action Day. This was the result of a man whose narrow communal interest started to dominate broader national interest. We all know him as Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who led to such a bloodshed for India-Pakistan partition. When one plays the game of thinking initiated with a wrong cause, the consequence is always catastrophic.

Not only confined to history, even in the present times, many driven by wrong cause consider their opposite team as an obstacle to be eliminated rather than an opportunity to improve. For example, athletes opt for doping rather than thinking for a better strategy to win in combat sports. In doing so, they not only affect their health in long-term but also become dangerous to their opponent due to the disproportionate physical advantage it provides to the user. This further degrades the reputation of the sport causing a larger harm to legitimacy of the sport. So, it is necessary to think but without losing one's mind to the extreme cause driven by negativity. That brings us to our final question, how to think without losing our mind?

Let the conscience guide

In the game of thinking, the rules are always clear, to play fair and just. To do that, our actions need to be guided by our conscience which is enriched by ethics from childhood. In this context, the part of parenting becomes paramount. Parents should not only aim to raise an intellectual child, but also a child who can think within ethical boundaries. Adding to that, the importance of moral education is never felt more relevant than in this globalized-modern world. It can help in enriching the conscience with morality, inspiring them to play for a cause beyond self-interest in this competitive society.

Further, it is important to develop the culture of healthy competition rather than rivalry among the children. Even in the school exams, we can see how some parents expect their child to top the class at whatever cost rather than ethically. These unfair expectations not only push them into malpractices, but also lead to mental health crisis on failing the exam. While the expectations should shift from winning-at-all-cost to ethically learning, it is also necessary to foster mental resilience to make the child endure the highs of success and the lows of failure with equanimity. In this game of thinking, this will help them not only to play within their ethical boundaries, but also keep them unshaken mentally while doing so.

Thus, thinking is a process beyond dreaming that involves reasoning. Thinking is what has brought in necessary societal changes for the evolution of the world. It needs an opposite team or a cause to begin. But one must also be wary of the risk of losing their mind if played for wrong cause, which may lead to devastating consequences. So, to train our mind to play within the ethical boundaries set by our conscience is crucial. This also requires the parents and our education system to nurture and raise ethical thinkers in the children in a healthily competitive environment. Such a child will always play the game of thinking not for the self but for global rejoice – “Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu”!

Join the game of thinking, let my views be the opposite team. Share your views below in the comment section.