Education Breeds Mediocrity

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The following article is from my earlier blog and points out the stifling of one's creative potential in the present day education system.

I read this article “Take a Right Turn “in a newspaper where the author mentions about the brain tilt in India. I totally agree with his notions that Indians on an average are left-minded people, meaning they have a better logical and analytical thinking, but lack in terms of creativity and innovation which are the forte of the right-minded people. Why is this peculiar trait seen in Indians? Do we truly lack original and creative thinkers? Probably! And the reason behind this is our redundant education system and also the upbringing to some extent. All kids are creative, inquisitive, and love challenges. But as they grow up these qualities seem to vanish in thin air. Why? I think it’s because we as a society curb their uniqueness, their creativity and push them to follow the 'safer path' , or a path taken by majority', or a path which gives good returns in terms of fame and finance but  never a path which is of one's own calling.

It saddens me to say that most of our educational institutions have become xerox machines that are producing loads of xerox individuals year after year. The kids are losing their originality and individuality. This kind of system breeds mediocrity and in present times we have started celebrating mediocrity! In fact this is the root cause of our failure to produce good leaders. We are conditioning the kids from the very beginning to follow the footsteps rather than making their own footprints. Then, how can our nation expect the birth of any leader, forget good or bad.

Alluring Aromas

Today morning, when I was having my first cup of hot coffee, its revitalizing aroma made me gather the scattered thoughts aromas in our lives which we usually take for granted; but they sometimes bring a satisfactory smile on our faces. This is just to share some of my favorite aromas which often make me realize that I have a sense of smell too ;)

•    First and foremost, invigorating aroma of freshly brewed coffee (especially in early winter mornings)
•    Rusty smell of old books (which often make me want to get lost in an old dusty library)
•    Inky smell of new books (makes me nostalgic, reminding me of school days when we used to get the new set of books for the new academic session)
•    Aroma of bakery products in a small bakery shop (surely makes my stomach rumble!)
•    Hungry smell of earth in the first rains (makes it hard to resist getting drenched in the rains)
•    Hazy smell of impending dust storm
•    Salty smell of sea air
•    Haunting, chilling smell in the historical monuments (especially the deserted ones)
•    Earthen smell of water kept for long in a terracotta pot (make me more thirsty for water!)
•    Smell of moist freshness in dense fog
•    Damp smell of trees in hills and mountains
•    Last but not the least, tranquilizing and cozy smell of small babies

Please feel free to add to this list of everlasting …..unforgettable…..AROMAS!

Who is your motivating force?

Who is your motivating force? Now why I have started this topic is because I feel very strongly that anecdotes and life stories of great people, and also the writings of eminent thinkers are the potential seeds of inspiration for our spongy minds. And it stands more so for young minds who are quite permeable and malleable. Thus I strongly feel that the school curriculum should pay emphasis on biographies of great people, to be taught from year to year ; great people who have made a niche for themselves in the history of times. 

Some of my inspirational characters include Albert Einstein and his never ending dedication to his theories and going beyond the realm to prove them true; Mahatma Gandhi for his stark honesty and being a true spiritual leader of a vast nation like India; Swami Vivekananda for inspiring the youth of India to a strong character building. The list goes on and on.....

What are your inspirational characters? Please share with all the readers and enhance this flow of inspiration.