Hypocrisy, Learned?

Its the Exam season again,

"Three students walk towards the mess discussing something about their exam the next day.

As they walk towards the mess, they run into a group of four friends who see them discussing the subject,
mock them, call them nerds and then walk towards the hostel.

The three students wonder what they did wrong, then ignore the interruption and get back to their discussion.

The four students get back to the hostel, make fun of their upcoming exam, call the education system and exams pointless, claim they'll get a pass grade without studying, split up and go back to their rooms, close the door and study"


"A student walks into a room where a group of his friends are studying, he asks, " Do you mind if i join you guys?"

A receives cold hard stares "No, you waste too much time discussing random stuff."

He walks back to his room and studies while everyone in the room keep discussing how disturbing and inconsiderate people are for the next hour before they break for dinner "

The Sunset Limited - A Review

Recent movies all have a protagonist and an antagonist battling it out over plains and mountains, in rain and snow with modern technology at their beck and call, with the antagonist trying to end the world and the the protagonist trying to save it. It ends with the the world safe and the protagonist in the hands of his love.

This movie steps away from the norm, it relinquishes action, and instead fills it with substance. The movie is a debate between black and white. With themes varying from religion to death to existentialism to perception and the purpose of life. It is a philosophical movie which is not everyone's cup of tea.

Black represents the theological, religious force who tries to save White, the scientific, agnostic professor from committing suicide.The entire movie is a one act play and takes place in the setting of a room in the downtrodden parts of the city and is a debate between Black and White. The movie progresses slowly from theme to theme, employing humor and domestic activities to indicate transitions. Each conversation can be taken independently or as part of the whole. It also tantalizingly hints at the happening of something paranormal that has lead to this conversation.

The narration of the movie is such that the audience is forced into the thinking the pros and cons of each argument made and comparing it with the values they hold. This is especially true when the movie steps into the high momentum discussion on existentialism. This slow paced movie ensures that there is always a gap after a high intensity debate so that the implications sink in and these pauses prove very important since that allows the required time for contemplation. It leaves the viewers changed.

It is a must watch movie for anyone who is philosophically inclined and wants to watch a movie that stimulates them mentally instead of pumping adrenalin. For my comments on the content of the movie, please keep reading

 --- Spoiler Alert ---

The Essence of Teaching. Lost?

India is a country with vast potential. The key to unlocking this potential lies in the hands of the few who guide and teach the younger generation. This is a realization that seemingly has not reached the population of India since teaching is still considered a fallback job, never a job that is to be aimed for.

Premier Engineering Colleges in India pride themselves on their faculty being Phd scholars who do their own research alongside teaching students. This promises students an opportunity to get wider exposure to the courses they are pursuing and to gain a deeper understanding regarding their subjects should they decide to do so. As a student at one of these colleges, from first hand experience, i can say that this is not the case in India.

There are several reasons, the teacher is forced to teach irrespective of his interests. The subjects he teaches are not  always related to his field of study. The only reason he teaches is so that he can earn his paycheck. The researcher loses his focus and time, the students don't gain any advantage in learning. Added to that, there is a lack of motivation from the teacher. It is everybody's waste of time.
In a country like India, there are several languages spoken and getting a Phd does not necessitate the learning of English which is the medium of teaching in these colleges. This means that the teachers at these colleges are forced to teach in a language which they never learnt their subject in nor can they communicate effectively in. These scholars are also reluctant to waste their time learning English since that is not what they are interested in, they would rather spend that time doing their research.
Combining the language barrier with lack of motivation of faculty means that transfer of information in classes is marginal at best.