Monster on the loose!

Beware. A massively hostile monster looms around the globe preying on each person it can find and completely inconspicuous to the eye. Every human being finds a vulnerable pedestal in the monster’s perspective and nonchalantly falls into the benign trap that the monster lays down for him. But the irony is that when questioned, nobody concedes the monstrosity of this creature and rather complies with it blindly leaving the monster completely unnoticed and unhindered. The monster apparently has a voracious appetite that consists of a plate full of human misconception and illusion. It also apparently has a name for it, Theoretical Dependence.

Now I’m perfectly aware that this might be the most outlandish thing you have ever read about and will choose to deny. But let’s not get bogged down by who's a monster and who isn’t and try analysing the roots of Theoretical Dependence as a whole. Everything that our human brain comprehends, is perceived as a theory by us. May it be the occurrence of natural phenomena, ancient scriptures, literature and many more. It’s always a theoretical explanation that we discern and remember. This practice has been going on since ages till date. All was going well until we humans callously began to consider that Theoretical excellence is the undisputed ultimatum in life and began to venerate it absolutely oblivious of the consequences.

The biggest thriving example of this fact is observed in most schools and educational institutions. When the theoretical supremacy is perceived in the form of marks and grades, not all students are gifted enough to flair through successfully. The ones who are unable to do so are ruthlessly looked down upon which unilaterally relegates their confidence and enthusiasm. It’s the age of steadfast competition and only those students who outperform in exams are considered examples of excellence with preconceived notions of guilt and remorse for the rest of them.

But if we hold our horses for a second, exams essentially are meant to test a student’s understanding of a particular subject. If the student manages to efficiently perform well, it simply reflects the fact that the student is quite familiar with the subject. If the opposite happens then the student requires assistance in the understanding of the subject. It looks like a docile hypothesis yet somehow; the high-performance student is rewarded with accolades and revels and the other student is merely ridiculed and offered disregard.

Little do we realize that academic excellence isn’t the only quality that exists on this planet. There are innumerable talents and attributes that a student can possess other than just scoring marks in an exam. It could be performing arts, management, public speaking and whatnot. Yet, unfortunately most educational institutions do not provide the equitable podium to students to demonstrate exemplary performances in these aspects in comparison to academic exams.

Another example of this can be seen quite clearly in the society where there is a subtle grading system to the jobs which various people do that is absolutely thick witted of a concept. For example, a sweeper or a cleaner is considered to have an unsubstantial job whereas a person working in a magnanimous sales marketing company is looked at with awe. It is an incontestable fact that the incomes of the respective individuals may differ. But the meaningfulness of the jobs they perform are undeniably equal. All that extra importance which the latter receives is like beating a dead horse. If no sense at all! The people who believe that the cleaner’s job is insignificant are living in an impalpable spell because they are ignorant of the fact that if the cleaner doesn’t do his job, then diseases will prolong, our beautified surroundings will suddenly develop a ghastly layer of garbage all over it and miseries will be unstoppable.

This form of attenuated ignorance in our minds is what has proliferated the monster and has made us completely vulnerable against it. Then comes the burning question. ‘Can the monster ever be apprehended by us?’  The fortunate answer is yes. But before I’m candid about it, let me narrate an uncanny short story that displays this aspect.

A priest who lived in a small village was once taking a ferry ride across the river that was at the outskirts of his village in order to cross it. It was a torrid afternoon and the boatman was languidly veering forward in the mild current of the water. This caused the priest to absolutely embrace boredom, and he was in a dire requirement of something to pass his time. That’s when he decided to strike a conversation with one of the men sitting across him. The man introduced himself to be a farmer who had spent his whole life toiling in fields and had very little to do with academics. That’s when the peremptory priest acquired an opportunity to display his theoretical excellence and began asking the farmer questions. ‘So, have you ever studied the ancient scriptures of Vedas?’ To this the farmer simply replied no. The priest exclaimed and said” Oh! Well I have and it turns out by not doing so you have wasted quarter of your life’ He then presented a different question ‘Have you ever read the Upanishads?’ Again, the farmer denied this. ‘Oh dear! You have wasted half of your life by not doing so’

Yet another question followed, ‘Have you ever read the famous epics and war stories?’ to which the predicted answer was a denial. Oh! My! Three quarters of your life lays wasted!’ Suddenly the boat began to pick up speed vigorously and the priest began to get alarmed. The boatman made a terrifying announcement. ‘A storm approaches and the boat is a bout to overturn.’ The farmer immediately asked the priest, ‘Dear sir, do you know to swim?’. The priest who had spent all his time studying those magnanimous texts, hadn’t ever tried to swim. So, he  helplessly said no. To this the farmer could simply say, ‘Your entire life is about to be wasted!’

The answer to that burning question lies in this story itself. Pragmatism. Actually, the essential requirement for an individual is the proficiency in performing practical tasks. No doubt, theoretical excellence is most beneficial. But if an individual wants to procure himself to be well-rounded, then practical knowledge stands at a much higher pedestal than theoretical knowledge. It is matter less whether a person is theoretically aware or not. But it is imperative that a person develops his or her practical skills in the best way possible.

 A lion doesn’t study a book written on hunting and the gives an exam on it. A swimmer doesn’t learn to swim by reading the theory based on it. He simply dives into water and picks it up. A scientist doesn’t make the most startling inventions by simply solving an exam paper and reading some books. He experiments and works practically with his apparatus and attains success. Examples are limitless.

As a bottom line, theoretical expertise has its own importance. It makes our fundamental understanding of our surroundings robust. But the knowledge we acquire stays futile if we don’t practically implement it somewhere in order to make a difference or betterment. By favouring individuals who are theoretically acclaimed, not only are we feeding the monster in surplus, but we’re also hitting the axe on our own feet by neglecting the sequestered talents and abilities which other individuals possess which could have the most formidable applications to uplift the surroundings and the world as a whole.  

So, let us all slay the monster with the sword of pragmatism and ensure that each and every talent of all individuals is fostered and given equal opportunities to exhibit them in the most virtuous manner possible. The world will truly be a greater place to thrive in!

That’s all for this one. Do provide any feedback in the comments, it will be appreciated

Signing off!