Is Social Isolation Making Us More Social?

social isolation
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In recent years, the meteoric rise in the worldwide usage of social media has drastically reduced the amount of time we spend in the company of our near and dear ones. We have somehow managed to remain connected via social media in its myriad forms (viz., Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.); however, people have tended to eschew face-to-face communication in favour of FaceTime/Skype calls or WhatsApp messages. Cherished memories such as a good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation with a family member, a friend, a lover, or a spouse became a thing of the past, an anachronism of sorts.

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in India in March 2020, it brought along with it the first of many “lockdowns” – a complete shutdown of all businesses, educational institutions, entertainment centres as well as religious places of worship. As the lockdown dragged on, people gradually started having enough of being confined to their homes for months on end. Ironically, this was because they began to miss the very things that they had once taken for granted. Here, the bottom line is that people are starting to realize the importance of real-life and real-world friendships vis-a-vis reel-life and virtual-world friendships. So, how does one explain this surprising trend?

Human beings (or Homo sapiens) are the only surviving species of sentient apes. From an evolutionary perspective, the most remarkable aspect of human sociality is its many diverse forms of cooperation. Human beings are a social species that rely on social cooperation to survive and thrive. This concept of cooperation is at the heart of human life and society – from day-to-day interactions to some of our most glorious achievements. The legendary Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “Man is by nature a social animal. An asocial individual naturally and not accidentally is either beneath the notice of people or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.” Man cannot live alone. He must satisfy his basic natural needs to survive. He has to maintain relationships with his fellow humans to live a fruitful and productive life.

No man can break the cycle of mutual dependence, which perhaps begins between the embryo and the mother and continues till its last breath. The embryo’s needs may be more physical than mental, but the mother’s needs are the other way round. Studies and surveys have shown that our brains and hearts are hardwired to function at their best only in the company of fellow humans. Human cognitive development in the early years happens the fastest when children are allowed to interact as much as possible with other humans. Hence, children are encouraged to step outside the four walls of their homes and enjoy as much social interaction as possible (mostly with other children) from an early age onwards.

Long-term isolation from other people usually has detrimental effects on the human psyche (including and up to permanent mental scarring). Indeed, this is one of the reasons why incarcerated prisoners in state penal facilities are locked up in isolated and sealed cells, one man to each cell. The isolation thus serves to impress upon the prisoner the value of the social freedoms forfeited.

Now, let us come back to why social isolation is essentially undoing itself these days. In times when the pandemic wasn’t even a thing, people still tried to make time for their families and friends despite ever-busier schedules and the relative convenience of social media. When March 2020 arrived, our lives changed forever with the imposition of the first lockdown. Any place that could act as a ” COVID-19 super-spreader” of sorts was to be closed down. People could no longer go to college, to school, or to work. Even short trips to the butcher’s or the market became instantly foregone conclusions. Religious places of worship, which are also powerhouses of social interaction, were among the first to be shuttered. Within only a week, our world as we knew it had “gone kaput”; all we were left to do was adapt and get used to the new normal. In the midst of all this, there were concerns from many quarters that people might never get any further opportunities to interact and socialize in person. The situation was that bleak. All along, people successfully managed to stay in touch with their near and dear ones using social media, the chronological and geographical distances notwithstanding. Human life continued, albeit online. As of this moment, competitions happen online. College lectures proceed online. Even weddings are streamed online for those who are unable to attend them in person. But in the long run, there is only so much we can do with social media.

When using social media, one does not see the honesty, openness, and transparency that are ever-present in face-to-face, personal communication. Factors such as body language (kinesics), eye contact, gestures, and so on help us better comprehend and understand the person in front of us. And lastly, but not in the least, there is simply no online substitute for such irreplaceable and priceless memories such as a birthday party, a lunch date, a dinner with friends or even a stroll in the park with a significant other.

Considering the pandemic, the urge to go out and spend time with family and friends was nevertheless omnipresent in people’s hearts and minds. Hence, when the central and state governments floated serious proposals to remove restrictions on the movement of people during the lockdown, starting from October 2020, many people wholeheartedly welcomed the move instead of fiercely opposing it. This enthusiastic response only proves that people still long for those good old days when it never cost us anything to step out of our homes and have a good time with our loved ones. One noteworthy observation is that as restrictions cease to exist, people are less and less reluctant to go outside to eat at restaurants, meet friends or head out on outings or vacations.

In retrospect, all of this bodes well as a change for the better. It clearly shows that people still treasure certain events and memories that are irreplaceable by online interactions via social media. There was a time not too long ago when there was talk of humanity forever losing its innate affinity for social interaction, thanks to the advent of social media. But this is not the case, just not yet. People’s behaviour is indeed a resounding validation of the numerous studies and surveys carried out; human beings are happiest when they are with other human beings and not otherwise. Just locking oneself up in a room and remaining in isolation won’t help; in fact, it never helps.

True happiness only comes to us when we step out of our shells and start being more sociable. And happiness from within is the best start anyone can have to lead a complete, fulfilling, happy and productive life. Thank you, and have a wonderful day ahead!

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A typeface for the world / Font psychology behind it

Thinking about international, global intended design, I started my research for typography that is meant to be suitable for everyone’s needs.

While thinking about a universal typeface that suits the needs of the whole world, I want to recall to development of the idea of International Typographic Style, that emerged in Russia, the Netherlands, and Germany in the 1920s and was further developed by designers in Switzerland during the 1950s.
The style emerged from a desire to represent information objectively, free from the influence of associated meaning. In some way, this can be very useful considering that the typefaces like Helvetica could be endlessly interpreted for everything from signage (the New York City subway, for example) to web pages and logos.

The New York City Subway uses Helvetica.

This style was guided by the principles that design should be as invisible as possible. All traces of the designer’s subjectivity should be kept hidden in order to let the “core” of the work comes in the front.
The style highlights cleanness, readability, and objectivity. Many of the early International Typographic Style works featured typography as a primary design element in addition to its use in the text, which refers to the style’s name.

International Typographic Style thought us that this kind of typography can be applied to anything and used across the globe, but sometimes it could be helpful to think in the opposite direction.

While designers try to make the typeface that will suit the needs of every language, on the other hand, every language has to have the typeface that reflects its qualities the best. Before entering this sphere, we have to consider font psychology first.

Font psychology means, simply said, that the more specific the font style is, the more unique the brand personality can be, and the easier the brand recall.
Referring to font psychology Helvetica is the most popular and one of the more “readable”.
But font psychology is also connected with the users’ psychology. That is why I’m wondering, is it possible to associate certain fonts to a certain language to understand their meaning better?

Can font psychology influence our ability to compare and learn different languages faster?
What typeface is the best for designing the language app? Can it influence our ability to learn or our speed of making conclusions?
What do we have to think about, when designing for other languages?

All these questions lay open for now because we can not give a precise answer yet, but the truth is that every design has a goal. And by choosing the fonts that inspire the right emotional response in your audience, it helps you reach your goal.
That means that we can definitely choose the font that inspires people to learn and to find similarities and differences between different structures of part of sentences, and what fonts work the best for which language needs to be tested.


Tag: emotion

The Christian Mood

Following-up on yesterday’s post on emotion and discipleship: I’ve been dwelling on this lengthy-but-imporant quote by Adam Miller:

I take it for granted that moods, emotions, and affects are not just existential window dressing. They don’t just add a little subjective “color” to what would otherwise be an accurate, dispassionate, objective experience of the world. Rather, I take it for granted that moods and emotions are crucial neurological mechanisms for focusing human perceptions and driving human actions. As a result, I understand moods and emotions to be fundamental to any human experience of truth and meaning. Human experiences of any kind—including those we describe as objective—are all impossible without moods and emotions. (p. 34)

Moods and emotions are modes of perception. They make truth possible. They disclose the world. They are fundamental forms of attunement and orientation that operate a notch lower than conscious thoughts and decisions. Like the dial on an analog radio, moods tune the mind to certain stations of perception. They select relevant slices of sensation and information from the pressing static and chaos of the wider world.

Moods and emotions are a body’s initial, gut-level read on what, in that moment, is relevant. They function as filters and, thus, make meaning possible. Meaning depends on having some criteria for screening what information is currently relevant and what is not. Moods and emotions sort and prioritize information, they bring a particular profile of experience into meaningful focus and they motivate us to act on that information.

It’s clear that someone who feels angry, someone who feels fear, and someone who feels compassion will experience the same situation in profoundly different ways. The elements of the situation that stand out as relevant will vary widely and, in turn, the sorts of motivated actions that seem appropriate will vary widely. Though the situation may be otherwise identical, anger will filter perceptions and shape actions in one way, fear will filter perceptions and shape actions in a second way, and compassion will filter perceptions and shape actions in a third.

Given how crucial moods, emotions, and feelings are to experiences of any kind, it should come as no surprise that they are also crucial to religious experience. Moreover, if discipleship turns on reshaping and reordering human experience at the deepest levels, then moods and emotions ought to be doubly crucial to religious experiences. It should also come as no surprise, then, that recognizing the baseline persistence of a certain mood in Mormon’s own life is crucial to recognizing how his life brings key elements of Christian discipleship into sharp focus.

Understood in these terms, discipleship doesn’t just depend on a certain way of acting. It depends on a certain mood or bearing. It depends on a certain way of holding time as it passes, on a certain tendency of thought to circle back to the same bare and quiet space, on a certain unclenching of the mental fist. It depends on a continual tilting of the soul, regardless of what thoughts and feelings play across the surface of the mind, toward a certain primal mood. Sobriety is a good name for this baseline Christian mood, for the disciple’s default inclination of heart and orientation of mind. Divine melancholy is another. Mormon embodies this melancholic sobriety and his attunement to the Spirit—to life and light and suffering and loss—is, as a practical matter, grounded in this bearing.

Adam Miller, Mormon: A Brief Theological Introduction, pp. 34-36; emphasis added

I’m not 100% certain that the “baseline Christian mood” is sobriety or divine melancholy. I think there’s scriptural support for arguing that it’s more… upbeat? A sober hope, perhaps, or a serious praise. But I recognize that a seriousness is required, especially in times of real loss around us. (Paul Kingsnorth’s Substack captures this sobriety well, especially given that his life’s question and his writing’s work has revolved around the same question Adam Miller is circling around: “How do we abide losing what we love, when we can’t stop the loss?”)

But I am 100% on-board with a recognition that emotion plays an important role in our lives, and in our path towards God. We cannot be indifferent. We cannot feel less than we should if we want to progress the Kingdom, and within it.

Feeling What One Ought to Feel

Is emotion important to discipleship? I’ve increasingly come across great authors who argue that yes, emotion is vital–to both a proper human life and to discipleship. To begin with, Alan Jacobs (discussing the thought of John Stuart Mill) says this about the role emotions play in our lives:

When your feelings are properly cultivated, when that part of your life is strong and healthy, then your responses to the world will be adequate to what the world is really like. To have your feelings moved by the beauty of a landscape is to respond to that landscape in the way that it deserves; to have your feelings moved in a very different direction by the sight of people living in abject poverty is to respond to that situation in the way that it deserves. The latter example is especially relevant to someone like Mill who wishes to be a social reformer: if your analysis leads you to the conclusion that is it unjust that people suffer in poverty in a wealthy country, but your feelings do not match your analysis, then something has gone awry with you. And it may very well happen that if the proper feelings are not present and imaginatively active, then you will not even bother to do the analysis that would reveal unmistakable injustice. If the feelings are not cultivated the analytical faculties might not function at all…

Alan Jacobs, How to Think, p. 44

To put it concisely, I should respond to situations in proportion to what they deserve. If there is injustice, I need to be moved to sadness, grief, or anger. If there is beauty, I should be moved to awe, wonder, and praise. If there is love, I should be moved to gratitude and love in return. If there is loss and pain, I should be moved to mourn and weep.

So far as discipleship goes: I have never done a study of scripture looking for emotions in particular. But a few things come to mind: The sheer anger of Psalm 137, the despair of Psalm 88, the grateful majesty of Psalm 104. Paul, master of tone, angry in Galatians, sad in 2 Corinthians, joyful in Philippians. Alma’s joy. Jesus weeping for his friend and Jesus angry in the temple. The remarkable vision of Enoch, where the earth mourns and God weeps and Enoch, in turn, feels “his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook” (Moses 7:41).

What is most remarkable to me is the idea that God is so capable of this kind of emotion that we ourselves need: an emotion proportionate in response to human suffering or willful rebellion. The Jewish author Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel writes that:

In the prophets, God does not reveal himself in abstract absoluteness, but in a personal and intimate relation to the world… He is moved and affected by what happens in the world, and reacts accordingly. Events and human actions arouse in him joy or sorrow, pleasure or wrath. He is not conceived as judging the world in detachment. He reacts in an intimate manner, being moved, affected, grieved or gladdened by what people do. This notion, basically defines the [biblical] consciousness of God.. This is because the prophets had no theory or ‘idea’ of God. What they had was an understanding, not the result of theoretical inquiry about God. Rather, to them God was overwhelmingly real and shatteringly present…..

Heschel, The Prophets, vol. 2, “The Theology of Pathos,” pp. 285-86.

Regarding anger specifically, Heschel writes that God is capable of anger, though never a capricious anger. No—going back to the point Alan Jacobs made at the beginning, God’s anger is always a proportionate anger.

Few [divine] passions have been denounced so vehemently by teachers of morality as the passion of anger. It is pictured as sinister, malignant passion, an evil force, which must under all circumstances be suppressed. The truth, however, is that these features…are not the essence of anger… Like fire, it may be a blessing as well as fatal—reprehensible when associated with malice, but morally necessary as resistance to malice…

The prophets never [portray] God’s anger as something that cannot be accounted for, unpredictable, irrational. It is never a spontaneous outburst, but a reaction occasioned by the conduct of humans… and motivated by concern for right and wrong

Heschel, The Prophets, vol. 2, “The Meaning and Mystery of Wrath,” pp. 360, 365

I came across these quotes by Heschel listening to the Bible Project podcast’s episode on “God’s Hot Nose” (in Hebrew, the word for anger is tied to “heat” and “nose”). One of the hosts in that episode walks through a thought experiment: would we prefer a God who never got angry? They linked this to another question: would we prefer a spouse who never, under any circumstances, got angry? And the answer became apparent very quickly: no. If a child hits their mother, or runs into the street; if a spouse cheats and is found out; if someone threatens a family: all of these moments call for a natural response, an emotional response. And to be quite honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Going back to the initial quote, Alan Jacobs links this idea of emotion-as-proportional-response back to John Stuart Mill and what it means to have character:

It is, then, for John Stuart Mill, looking back from the end of his life on his youthful sufferings, impossible to draw a line that separates analysis on the one side from feeling on the other and to conclude that only the first side is relevant to thinking. The whole person must be engaged, all the faculties present and accounted for, in order for real thinking to take place. Indeed, this for Mill is what it means to have character: to be fully alive in all your parts and therefore ready to perceive the world as it is—and to act responsibly toward it.

Alan Jacobs, how to think, p. 44

When I think of examples of this, I think of several people. I think of Emmanuel Katongole, a Catholic priest who said that “to the extent that we are not drawn into lament, we cannot be drawn into the future.” I think of Michael Austin, an LDS scholar whose Advent reflection on peace continues to come to mind when I face injustice in the world.

I think of my friend, Risa. She has a wonderful blog titled Again, But With Feeling with a subtitle “A Personal Theology.” Her blog is an attempt to form a personal theology, grounded both in careful thought (hence “theology”) but also in cultivated feeling (hence the title). And she does a marvelous job. She is a personal example to me of someone trying to engage the “whole person.”

I think of my wife, Ashley. She’s great at noticing things that I do not, whether it be a flower in bloom or a person in need. And she feels deeply. When we moved to the city, away from where most of our loves ones were, she wept at the loss. When she’s been hurt by coworkers, she’s felt anger. When she’s seen her sisters or family members need love, she’s wept with them and comforted them.

I take from all this—the principles and examples, of both God and people in my life—something imperative: I need to feel. Emotion is not just, as Adam Miller once wrote, “existential window dressing.” And so we need to avoid what Terryl Givens has called a “hypertrophy of the intellect,” wherein my “apprehension and engagement of the gospel is more a kind of intellectual apprehension and commitment of certain ideas and doctrines, rather than a feeling experience of the divine fire.” We need to be “fully alive in all [our] parts.”

Feeling is vital to discipleship. How to cultivate feeling, and ensure that what makes me most angry or sad is also what makes God most angry or sad: that’s another post.


The impacts of the demand for woody biomass for power and heat on climate and forests

The use of wood for electricity generation and heat in modern (non-traditional) technologies has grown rapidly in recent years, and has the potential to continue to do so. For its supporters, it represents a relatively cheap and flexible way of supplying renewable energy, with benefits to the global climate and to forest industries. To its critics, it can release more greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere than the fossil fuels it replaces, and threatens the maintenance of natural forests and the biodiversity that depends on them. It is also steadily being undercut, in cost terms, by other renewable technologies. Just like the debate around transport biofuels a few years ago, this has become a highly contested subject with very few areas of consensus. This paper summarizes the conclusions of two Chatham House research papers: Woody Biomass for Power and Heat: Global Patterns of Demand and Supply reviews the recent and anticipated future growth of demand for wood for electricity generation and heat in modern technologies, and identifies the likely sources of supply, in recent years and in the future; Woody Biomass for Power and Heat: Impacts on the Global Climate provides an overview of the debate around the impact of wood energy on greenhouse gas emissions, and reaches conclusions for policymakers on the appropriate way forward.


Category Archives: T. Assorted Themes in Hinduism

The Kamasutra: Book Three

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Dowry Deaths

The practice of dowries (the transfer of wealth from a bride’s family to a groom’s family during marriage) (Oldenburg 19) has been a part of Hindu culture since ancient times, even being mentioned in religious texts such as the Manusmrti (Channa and Willigen 370). Dowries generally come in a form of monetary transfer, household goods or even land claims. Although sometimes significant, historically the gifts and wealth transferred in a dowry were mainly small tokens of good fortune for the couple and the families involved. Moving into modern times, the dowry has since become a major factor when families negotiate marriages, often involving large transfers of wealth (Srinivasa and Lee 1108). Dowries do not usually consist of a single transaction, but rather a series of many payments (Tambiah 92). This spread of dowry payments can often prove to be problematic for the bride and her family if her family cannot meet the demands put in place by the groom’s family. In a growing number of cases, if the dowry demands are not met, the groom and his family subject the bride to extreme harassment, sometimes leading to the suicide of the bride, or in other cases the murder of the bride by the groom’s family. These brides may be burned to death using kerosene (a fuel used for kitchen stoves in India) as fuel (Sanghavi et al. 1282). These murders are coined as either dowry death or bride burnings.

Dowries can be interpreted differently in various situations; they have been described as tools to define the social roles and property claims of women in their new households, as public declarations of new relationships, or even as a form of anticipated inheritance for the bride from her family. Another interpretation of the dowry is that it suggests a hierarchy in marriage and indicates a lower status of women in Hindu tradition (Channa and Willigen 371). The idea of a hierarchy and an agreed upon status differential between brides and grooms is problematic, because it promotes a system that disfavors women, and this kind of system can lead to domestic violence, murder and suicide of brides. In earlier Hindu practice, dowry death did not occur as often as it does today. This increase in dowry death seems to be in direct correlation with the increase in consumerism in India. As consumerism increases, many grooms and their families see a dowry as a vehicle to obtain wealth quickly (Srinivasan and Lee 1110). Consumerism drives the inflation of dowry demands, thus applying much greater pressure onto the bride’s family to provide larger dowries. Increasing consumerism is not the only factor causing the increase in dowry costs. The marriage pool in India is undergoing a marriage squeeze, due to a preference for male offspring, paired with females marrying into higher status families, therefore creating an unequal mix of potential grooms and brides. This allows for grooms to increase their dowry demands because their just is not enough higher status men for women to marry (Srinivasan and Lee 1109). As stated above, the inability to meet these demands can lead to harassment from the groom’s family.

In 1961, and later amended in 1986, a piece of legislation was passed called “The Dowry Prohibition Act”, which essentially made it illegal to give or take a dowry (Channa and Willigen 370). There is not a lot of data on dowry death rates in India; it was not until around 1985 when data on this issue began to get documented in parliament and through the media. In 1985, there were a reported 452 deaths by bride burning, in 1986 there were 476, and by 1987 those numbers jumped to 1,319 cases of bride burnings reported in Indian police records. Even then, hospital records around that time indicate a far larger number of 3rd degree burn cases than the police records would state (Channa and Willigen 369). If one looks ahead to 1996-1997, the numbers jumped from 6,758 to 7,543 (Samuel 187). Based on what the police records report, The Dowry Prohibition Act is not doing what it was intended to do; in fact it is doing the exact opposite. One would expect the passage of legislation and laws prohibiting and criminalizing dowries and bride burning would create a safer environment for women in India; However, the act proved to be a failure to the point where “The Times of India” released an unofficial report in 1984 claiming that a bride burning occurs every 12 hours in India; A separate report in 1997 suggested that 25,000 dowry deaths occur annually (Samuel 187). These numbers, although estimates, are extremely high and suggest India needs to undergo some social reform to provide a safer environment for the lives of brides and females in general.

The social landscape in India is not uniform over the entire subcontinent; it can be roughly divided into the more educated states in the south, and the more patriarchal and traditional states in the north. There is also a noticeable disparity between social ideologies between rural and city landscapes (Hackett 269-270). A few studies have been done to track the rates of domestic violence in India in relation to its heterogeneous nature, but it has not been studied as extensively as it has in developed western societies. In the north, women are considered monetary burdens leading to a higher rate of discrimination against women, while in the south there is substantially less of a financial burden involved with women, mainly because of their contribution to the working force (Channa and Willigen 372). The differences in social landscape across India corresponds with dowry death rates across the subcontinent; in the north, dowry death rates are higher due to the intrinsic system in place that disfavors women, where in the south, dowry death is less of a problem, albeit ever increasing.

A feminist approach to deciphering the dowry death data that we have suggests that in states where females feel more empowered, there is a lower rate of dowry death. Empowerment can be classified as females who are educated, exposed to more liberal concepts or even play a more active role in the work force, all factors which occur more often in the south. On the other side of this coin, states that display higher patriarchal values may have a higher dowry death rate (Hackett 283). Another approach would be to look at a family violence approach, which suggests that in states where economic stress is highest, we would expect to see a higher rate of dowry death. Both of these approaches hold truth, but the best way to examine the dispersal of dowry death through India would be a combined approach, using both the feminist and family violence approach. This is called an ecological approach, where we can consider that both female empowerment and economics play a role in the occurrences of dowry death (Hackett 283). Because of the lack of statistical data on domestic violence in India, it is not yet clear what the major contributors are to dowry death (Hackett 284).

Dowry death is unfortunately a severe problem in Indian society, a problem big enough that it has been recognized by the judicial system in India. Sadly, the legal actions taken by the Indian government to eliminate the practice of exchanging dowries in an attempt to limit dowry death, has failed miserably. It seems that one of the best ways to combat the ever growing number of dowry deaths would be for active promotion of equality between men and women. Regrettably, it is not as easy as it seems, as a deep engrained cultural practice in Hindu tradition, the dowry will not be eradicated and will be met with resistance at every attempt to eliminate this patriarchal practice.

Goody, Jack and S.J. Tambiah (1973) Bridewealth and Dowry. London: Cambridge University Press.

Hackett, Michelle T. (2011) “Domestic Violence against Women: Statistical Analysis of Crimes across India”. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Vol. 42, No. 2: 287-288.

Oldenburg, Veena (2002) Dowry Murder The Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Samuel, Edith (2002) “Dowry and dowry harassment in India: An assessment based on modified capitalist patriarchy.” African and Asian Studies, Vol. 1, No. 3: 187-229.

Sanghavi, Prachi, Kavi Bhalla and Veena Das (2009) “Fire-related deaths in India in 2001: a retrospective analysis of data.” Lancelet, Vol. 373, No. 9671: 1282-1288.

Srinivasan, Padma and Gary R. Lee (2004) “The dowry system in Northern India: Women’s attitudes and social change.” Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 66, No.5: 1108-1117.

Willigen, John and V. Channa (1991) “Law, Custom, and Crimes against Women: The Problem of Dowry Death in India.” Human Organization: Winter 1991, Vol. 50, No. 4:  369-377.

Related Topics

  • Sati
  • Hindu Marriage
  • Women in Hinduism
  • Domestic Violence in India
  • The Dowry Prohibition Act

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Article written by: Brett Hutchinson (April 2016) who is solely responsible for its content

The Kamasutra (Book Four: Wives)

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Hinduism in Tamil Cinema

Tamil cinema is a difficult term to firmly define, and is a part of the much wider used term of ‘Indian Cinema’. A brief history of the development of Tamil cinema and of the politics surrounding it is helpful in understanding how and why Tamil cinema portrays Hinduism the way it does.

There was uncertainty among critics over what defined a film as Tamil early on in Tamil cinema’s development, for there was no firm or sole ‘Tamil’ element within Tamil cinema to define it (Hughes 22). While scholars agree upon the film Kalidas as being the first Tamil film, not everyone else agreed with this idea (Hughes 10). One film critic, for example, saw the film Valli as being the first Tamil film instead of Kalidas (Hughes 12). As the film critic differs in opinion compared to scholars, Hughes argues that this suggests that other ways of depicting the development of Tamil films do exist and that they would have been built upon differing criteria over the definition of ‘Tamil film’ (Hughes 12).

Tamil films at this time were not strictly to do with Tamil culture, language, or the location of the production. For example, the film Kalidas was filmed in Bombay like most Tamil films were between 1931 and 1934 (Rajadhyaksha 254). Part of the difficulty for critics with giving Tamil Cinema a firm definition was based upon the fact that many of these so called Tamil films, like Kalidas, had non-Tamil elements within them. The definition of a Tamil film was not solely based upon the film being shot in Tamil for it was usual for Tamil dramatists, actors, and musicians to be contracted by studios in Bombay and Calcutta and for them to be moved from the south (Hughes 9). Language was not always a firm definition for Tamil films either, as in Kalidas, most of it is in Tamil but the male lead speaks in Telugu (Rajadhyaksha 254).

Tamil films were also not simply to do with those who lived within Tamil Nadu as the production of these films at this time involved people throughout India and even people from abroad (Hughes 9). Production of films was not merely an independent affair as productions within the main Indian languages shared many things such as costumes, movie sets, stories, music, and even the actors with one another (Hughes 10).

Things began to change when Tamil films began to be produced mostly in the south, instead of places like Bombay (Mumbai), but this did not stop critics from questioning what was Tamil about Tamil Cinema (Hughes 16-17). Despite being locally based within their productions, Tamil films were still involved with a lot of different people from around India (Hughes 17). The producers and studios of Tamil cinema were also more interested in hiring people for their work experience over hiring those who spoke fluent Tamil (Hughes 17).

Another shift occurred within Tamil Cinema when the defining of ‘Tamil films’ became even more complex with the politics of the Dravidian movement (Hughes 18). Politics became more involved in these films as people, such as the DMK, began to use films as a means of pursuing their political desires. These political desires included the Tamil nationalists’ who argued that the Tamil culture, the Tamil people, and the Tamil language were the last bit of the original Dravidian culture that had once encompassed India (Younger 100). To do this meant that the nationalists had to cast out many aspects of Hinduism: Sanskrit and Hindi languages, the caste system, and even Hinduism itself as elements of an ‘alien’ ideology (Younger 100).

When paraphrasing Sumathy Ramaswamy, Ravi points out that the Tamil language is very important to the Tamil people as the language itself is now the ‘critical centre’ of the Tamil culture (Ravi 48). The Pure Tamil Movement wanted to get rid of the Sanskrit elements within the Tamil language (Hughes 19). They wanted to do this because they viewed Sanskrit as a language that had been brought by the northern Brahmin migrants and had been forced upon them (Hughes 19). The Tamil language was a means of going against the ‘alien’ ideology of Hinduism by using it instead of the Sanskrit and Hindi languages.  This common feeling of being in opposition to Hindi drew together many different types of people within the Tamil community when Hindi was being established as the national language of India (Ravi 48). Scholars also talk about a ‘cultural renaissance’ during the Anti-Hindi Agitation of 1965 which relates to this ‘opposition of Hindi’ for it contained anti-Brahminism ideas, the pushing away of traditional Hinduism as something from the north, and a growing distrust of anything northern (Forrester 22).

Politics are firmly connected and intertwined within Tamil cinema’s history for many politicians and their politics influenced what Tamil cinema produced. For example, C.N. Annadurai had a film called Velaikkari which scholars say had “a strong social theme and message” (Jesudoss 22) and he was also the founder of the DMK, the Dravidian political party, which opposed the Brahmin hegemonic notions of caste and religion (Jesudoss 22). Themes within Tamil cinema were largely influenced by the politics of groups such as the DMK and, therefore, these politics affected how different aspects of Hinduism were portrayed within Tamil film. Scholars often touch upon how Tamil cinema subverts popular Hinduism notions, such as the Brahmins being the elite, and focus a lot upon the ‘anti-Brahmin’ ideas that appear throughout many films.

E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker’s Self-Respect movement dominated Tamil films at this time and “brought anti-northern [and] anti-Brahmin themes” (Hardgrave 290). The hegemonic ideas (i.e. the caste system) of Brahmins being at the top of the system and the most powerful are linked tightly to many notions and ideas within Hinduism. These ideas are teased and questioned within Tamil film. For example, one scholar expresses how the Brahmin character, in a film with an urban setting, is often a character who is shown to be a self-righteous and principled individual who is trying to maintain traditional caste values (Ravi 49). When discussing how Nala Damayanti, a Tamil comedy film, differs from the usual conventions of Tamil cinema, Ravi explains that it seems to go against a usual Tamil cinema convention for it seems to have hero who is Brahmin (Ravi 52). Brahmins are rarely heroes in Tamil cinema (Ravi 49). However, he also notes that this character’s Brahmin-ness is condensed down into his dialect while it is from his actions that Ramji, the character, becomes associated with Tamizhan (Ravi 52). A Tamizhan is a “member of ethnic community defined by Tamil as his language and whose origin is in the southern sub-continent” (Ravi 52).

These sorts of films have not always been readily accepted by everyone. The film Parasakathi was banned, for example, for a time as it questioned the status quo. It was a film that talked about social problems as well as religious superstitions, and it had a big effect on the middle class people because it had Tamil sentiments and ideals (Jesudoss 23). When the screenwriter was interviewed, he stated that he had wanted to “introduce the ideas and policies of social reform and justice in the films [(Parasakathi and Velaikari)] and bring up the status of the Tamil language as they were called for in DMK policies” (Hardgrave 292). DMK policies called for the Tamil language to be seen highly and in opposition to Hindi.

The director of Parasakthi was also unsurprised that it caused a reaction for he stated in an interview that it was intended to and that the reaction was unsurprising for they “were challenging the social law itself” (Hardgrave 292). The director of Parasakathi used his films as a means of making political statements about religion as he stated that the DMK are not against ‘the temple’ but are against the people, who he called evil-minded’, who use it (Hardgrave 292). He also went on to explain that the DMK are monolithic, which goes against elements of Hinduism, and that they do not agree with the bribing of god with puja (Hardgrave 292). Puja is a term to describe a way of worship through ritual in Hinduism (Rodrigues 343). The film Velaikari also attacked religious ideas such as puja, which was used within the film and showed ‘issues’ within religion, and is considered to be a ‘revolutionary film’ (Hardgrave 291-292).

After the success of films like Velaikari and Parasakthi, Tamil cinema created a series of films with social themes (Jesudoss 23). They also used stories that related to Tamil ideas of things such as valor and love as well as their affection for their own language (Jesudoss 22-23). As Jesudoss explains when paraphrasing Baskaran, scholars consider these films and Tamil cinema to have produced a ‘major revolution’ and he explains that this was unsettling to those in the higher castes (Jesudoss 23)

Tamil cinema is credited by scholars to have brought about social changes (Jesudoss 23). It was used to strengthen some social and religious ideas but also questioned and tested traditions and customs (Jesudoss 23). Tamil Cinema formed into a means of culturally expressing the Tamil culture/people (Jesudoss 23). Today, Tamil films are still engaging with this cultural expression idea (Jeusdoss 23): reinforcing Tamil identity, Tamil language, anti-Brahminism, and questioning/challenging of different aspects Hinduism.

Rajadhyaksha, A. and P. Willemen (1999) Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Forrester, Duncan B. (1966) “The Madras Anti-Hindi Agitation, 1965: Political Protest and its Effects on Language Policy in India.” Pacific Affairs Vol. 39, No. 1/2: p. 19-36.

Hardgrave Jr, Robert L. (1973) “Politics and the Film in Tamilnadu: The Stars and the DMK.”  Asian Survey Vol. 13, No. 3: p. 288-305.

(2012) “What is Tamil about Tamil Cinema?” In South Asian Cinemas: Widening the Lens. Sara Dickey and Rajinder Dudrah (eds.). New York: Routledge. pp. 8-24.  Special edition of  South Asian Popular Culture Vol. 8 No. 3.

Jesudoss, Perianayagam (2009) “Tamil Cinema.” Communication Research Trends Vol. 28, No. 4: p. 4-27.

Ravi, Srilata (2008) “Tamil Identity and the Diasporic Desire in a Kollywood Comedy: Nala Damayanti (2003).” South Asian Popular Culture Vol 6, No. 1: p. 45-56.

Rodrigues, Hillary (2006) Hinduism: The ebook: An Online Introduction. Online: Journal of  Buddhist Ethics Online Books.

(2008) Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of India’s Other Film Industry. Selvaraj Velayutham (ed.). New York: Routledge

Younger, Prakash (2010) S. Velayutham, ed. “Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of Indian’s Other Film Industry.” Canadian Journal of Film Studies Vol. 19, No. 1: p.99-102.

Related Research Topics

Kollywood vs. Bollywood

Tamil Identity

Tamil language

Politics within Indian films

Self-Respect Movement

Dravidian Movement

Anti-Hindi Agitation

Related Websites

Article written by: Holly Travis (2015) who is solely responsible for its content

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The Vastu Tradition in Hinduism

References and Further Recommended Reading

Related Topics for Further Investigation

Vedic Period

Caste System

Vedic Gods (divinities)

Purusa Legend

Noteworthy Websites Related to the Topic

Kingship in Hinduism

The earliest evidence of the origin of kingship in India is found in the Aitareya Brahmana, a later Vedic text thought to be from the 8th or 7th century B.C.E., which tells of a war between gods and demons (Basham 82).  The gods were losing badly and needed someone to lead them in order to change the tide of the war.  It is through this legend that the concept of kingship arose out of military necessity and the need to have a king or a leader that could lead their subjects into battle (Basham 82).  This suggests that for early Hindus in India the need for a king arose out of the need to protect their people and settle disputes between communities.  Thus it is reasonable to believe that a king needed to be able to understand the art of warfare and have a strong military background to support his people.  Kingship must have been an important issue because not much later the Taittiriya Upanisad, which told the same story with a slightly different twist.  The high god Prajapati sacrificed himself to let his son Indra be king for the people of India.  Although Indra was still tied extremely close to the ideas of military leadership he was seen as the prototype for all earthly kings (Basham 82).  This tie between the gods and the king, gave way to the idea that kings have a divine power and authority.  This concept of the divine king, placed the kings at a position above the rest of their people which also would have provided them with their authority.

The concept of a divine king would have needed to be constantly affirmed and therefore the king would need to maintain his dharmic appearance in order to cement the relationship between himself and the gods.  Whether a king had divine mystical powers or not, the importance was for other kings or communities to believe that the propaganda related to the origin of kingship was the truth (Basham 84).  The story of the kingship origin spread to help maintain that the king was of divine lineage and therefore was placed in an appropriate position worthy of that lineage.  This relationship to the divine did not prevent challenges and uprising against kings, as links to divinity could be found in others in ancient India, such as the priestly class of Brahmins and householders who could be raised to divinity in ceremonies.  Divinity could not be associated with purity as many of the gods in the Hindu tradition were subject to human desires and capable of sin (Basham 88).  However the relationship between divinity and the king was still scared and important for the king’s rule.

The relationship between the king and his Brahmins had to be strong in order to have the support of the people and maintain his divinity.  Kings that kept this relationship well maintained were able to reap the benefits of a stable kingdom that did not make the subjects choose between duty to their king and duty to their beliefs.  Thus this relationship had to be cultivated carefully, the king did not want to appear less than the Brahmins but it was also important for the king not to take his divinity too seriously.  A cautionary tale is the legend of Vena, a king who thought too highly of his divinity.  In doing so, he caused a great deal of confusion for his people by banning any sacrifices except to himself and enforced his people to participate in interclass marriages.  This caused so much discord amongst his people that the rsi had to dispose of him because he was not fit to lead his people, and his relationship with the divine had evidently not been favourable (Basham 88).

This cautionary tale would have been used to deter kings from straying from their position and reinforce the ideas of appropriate behaviour that should be observed.  Ideal kings were well versed in the religious texts and were expected to set the example of a dharmic lifestyle for their people.  Placing kings in this role as a teacher increases the power of their word and the importance of following their example.  Just as a king was in charge of ruling a kingdom, a householder was in charge of ruling his home and thus how the king behaved was the example of how the householder should behave (Black 112-114).  This idea of the king as a teacher got complex with the Brahmins; because the king was supposed to be an example for his people, however the Brahmins were also supposed to be an example of dharmic behaviour for the kings.  The kings were to take their cues for proper dharmic behaviour from the Brahmins but they still needed to have power over the Brahmins.  Thus the tension between the kings and priests caused some issues, especially if a king was slightly more concerned with secular problems instead of religious issues (Black 117-119).  The priests would support the kings they thought were worthy of the title and in turn the kings would cement the importance of the priestly class.  Therefore it was an important relationship not simply for the kings but also the Brahmins as their authority was confirmed by the king.  In regards to sacrifices, the priests were able to determine and guide which kings should undergo certain rituals and also steer kings away from sacrifices and rituals which would weaken their rule or be too costly for the kingdom.  The kings that heeded advice from the Brahmin kept their relationship well maintained, but they were also capable of making their own decisions which gave more weight to their rule.

Kingship and the subject of lineage were important in India, and this is clear due to the two major epics in the Hindu tradition: the Ramayana (200 BCE- 200 CE) and the Mahabharata (400 BCE-400 CE), both of which address the issues of kingship and what it means to be a king.  Kingship was linked closely to lineage and family, which could cause conflicts over who holds the power (Chakravarti 253-254).  These epics hold lessons about what it means to be a proper king, which according to the epics, means having excellent dharma and keeping one’s word and promises.  Lineage seems to have been a problem for certain families, since this concept is at the heart of the two most influential epics in the Hindu tradition.  When a king has more than one wife, a polygamous relationship, the question of inheritance becomes an issue of the utmost importance.  This would have been an issue especially when more than one wife could be pregnant at the same time, bringing in to question what is used to determine the birthright order.  If the high queen could not have a child, it raised the question of which child would become the heir to kingdom.  Lineage and inheritance are extremely important because of this and this issue was also the cause for many family conflicts, pitting brothers against brothers or cousins against cousins.  The Ramayana and the Mahabharata allowed the concept of family and contests over power to be explored in a way that could be applied to households (Chakravarti 259). All for the right to rule and the ability to lead.

The Ramayana epic depicts an ideal king with the protagonist Rama. [An ideal to many of the Hindu tradition but not to all].  Rama showed characteristics of a proper king: he was very dharmic, had a good moral compass, he was the eldest of his siblings giving him the title of heir to the kingdom, he was truthful and kept his promises.  Rama was also the avatar of Vishnu, a popular god in the Hindu tradition, again creating a strong relationship between divinity and kings.  The trials he has to undergo only makes him stronger, and the relationships he makes along the way only strengthen his moral standing.  The controversial point in the story that many modern readers have trouble accounting for is the episode with Sita, his wife, and his decision to banish her (Chakravarti 236-243).

For those familiar with the epic, it is clear that Sita is pure and has remained true to Rama throughout the epic.  However when they return to their kingdom many of Rama’s subjects question her fidelity and call for her banishment.  Rama is faced with a choice, to choose his wife or to choose his people, ultimately Rama chooses his people and Sita is banished.  Rama made the right choice in terms of a ruler because his wife was inadvertently  causing discord amongst his people and in order to maintain the harmony in the kingdom Rama had to place his personal desires aside and choose what was right for the kingdom.   By placing his kingdom above his heart Rama proved that his loyalty was to his people above all other desires including the love for his wife.  Another ideal king is found in the Mahabharata, in the character Yudhisthra who, although  not the most warrior like, displays perfect dharmic behaviour until death.  Yudhisthra, the son of the god Dharma, ruled his kingdom and it prospered.  Again the idea that kings are tied to divinity is shown through Yudhisthra’s lineage (Chakravarti 261-262).  The relationship between divinity and kings is stressed over and over again, illustrating how important this concept was in India.

Avari, Burjor (2007) India, The Ancient Past: A history of the Indian sub-continent from c. 7000 BC to AD 1200. New York: Routledge.

Basham, A.L. (1968) The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the History and Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before the Coming of the Muslims. New York: Taplinger Publishing Co.

Black, Brian (2007) The Character of the Self in Ancient India: Priest, Kings, and Women in the Early Upanisads.  Albany: State University of New York Press.

Chakrabarti, Dilip K. (2010) The Geopolitical Orbits of Ancient India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Chakravarti, Uma (2006) Everyday Lives, Everyday Histories: Beyond the Kings and Brahmanas of ‘Ancient’ India. New Delhi: Tulika Books.

Kochhar, Rajesh (1997) The Vedic People: Their History and Geography. New Delhi: Orient Longman Limited.

Wagoner, Phillip B. (1993) Tidings of the King: A Translation and Ethnohistorical Analysis of the Rayavacakamu. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Related Topics For Further Investigation

Aitareya Brahmana

Taittiriya Upanisad

Noteworthy Websites Related To This Topic

Article written by Grace Noble (April 2015) who is solely responsible for its content.


What Is Sales Management? (With Steps to Become a Manager)

By Indeed Editorial Team

30 November 2021

Sales managers are pivotal in a business' bid to generate income. From huge spending peaks to recessions, employers trust skilled sales managers to navigate changing market trends. Learning what sales management is and what skills a sales manager requires is a great way to prepare yourself for the future in the role. In this article, we answer 'what is sales management', outline how to become a sales manager and discuss what skills a sales manager may require.

What is sales management?

To answer the question 'what is sales management', it's the process of overseeing a sales team to generate revenue and meet sales targets. Sales managers drive a company's success by playing a vital role in meeting their demand and profit targets. A sales manager develops a strategy that generates income for the business. Therefore, they're valuable for business development.

Sales managers have extensive knowledge of strategies that drive demand and boost revenue, so it's their role to guide the rest of the business in the same direction. Sales managers are also critical players in a company's advertising campaigns because of their knowledge of consumers and buying habits.

What does a sales manager do?

Sales managers handle a company's profit generation strategies, so they have several daily responsibilities that help meet targets. For example, if they oversee a team of sales assistants or executives, a sales manager may act as a mentor while overseeing budgets and managing the monthly sales pipeline. Here are a few examples of the daily responsibilities of a sales manager:

  • managing the overall running of a sales team and providing support such as 1-2-1s, task delegation and mentoring

  • hiring and training new intake

  • overseeing and analysing sales reports to see if current sales strategies are working

  • working alongside marketing teams and generating methods to boost sales

  • keeping in regular contact with suppliers and stores to ensure the supply chain is running smoothly

  • contributing to and managing stock take

  • working with customers to understand their buying habits or handling any complaints

  • analysing new trends in the market and planning new strategies based on the current market

  • generating weekly, monthly or annual revenue reports

  • managing and creating strategies for increased demand or financial hardships

  • organising and attending meetings with potential clients and signing off deals and partnerships

How much do sales managers make?

Sales managers make an average of $103, 551 per year. A sales manager with several years in the field may negotiate a higher salary. These professionals can earn a respectable income, as they play a vital role in a business.

How to become a sales manager

Typically, there is no set route to becoming a sales manager. You may enter this career by studying business or finance-related courses at university level or you may work your way up from a junior sales position to a managerial role. Here is a guide you can follow to becoming a sales manager:

1. Get a bachelor's degree

Studying a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, economics or other related fields provides candidates with important information like consumer habits and spending trends, that could give you a competitive edge in an application process. These topics are vital for understanding the basics of sales management and could allow you to develop great business development strategies that generate a good deal of income. Having background knowledge of consumer trends, spending habits and business management could help you progress quickly into more senior roles within sales.

2. Gain experience in an entry-level role

While studying, you may have spare time to pursue a part-time sales assistant or merchandiser role. This vital experience allows you to learn the inside of the industry and understand how good sales techniques may affect revenue. This experience may also look good on your resume and open up more opportunities after finishing your studies.

3. Grow to a sales manager

After graduating, you may join the industry full-time and work up to a managerial role. People do this by starting in an entry-level position and gradually taking on more responsibility. Progression may involve becoming a team leader or creating a partnership with marketing and establishing new advertising and merchandising strategies. Working your way up also allows you to experience sales first-hand and puts you in a better position to manage those in entry-level or junior roles. Examples of an entry-level or junior role include a sales assistant, sales executive, merchandiser or sales apprentice.

4. Consider a master's degree

Although not essential to working as a sales manager, a master's in business or finance may give you beneficial knowledge about entrepreneurship and upper management. Candidates with a master's degree show strong leadership skills and show employers they could boost revenue and form new business strategies.

Consider joining professional bodies like the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) or taking part in leadership training programmes. This shows to employers that you're proactive and interested in furthering your personal career development and it may give you some industry insight that could be valuable in an application process.

Related: How to Become a Sales Manager

The job outlook for sales managers

Although not an industry, there is vigorous growth in the market for sales managers. Sales management is a reliable role within a business, likely because sales managers fulfil many tasks at once. These professionals are highly reputable within a company, as the business's financial success relies upon effective planning and strategy from a sales manager. They also benefit from potentially rising to more senior positions, such as sales director or other senior leadership roles.

Skills required to become a sales manager

Having the skills of a sales manager makes you capable of leading a team, developing new profit strategies and forecasting revenue. Sales managers gain skills by working their way to senior positions and getting as much exposure as possible to all aspects of sales. Below is a list of skills that make a great sales manager:

Meeting targets and deadlines are key motivators for a sales manager. Goals are integral to a business and are critical for hitting development milestones and growing in the market. Sales managers ensure that the business meets these milestones efficiently while maintaining sustainable growth and evolving to meet customer demand.

Members of senior leadership teams entrust sales managers to be self-sufficient and independent. Although they may answer their line manager, sales managers have more responsibility with less supervision. This includes assigning and executing tasks with little guidance, so working on being independent and self-motivated is crucial.

Related: Self-Management Skills (Definition and Examples)

Organisation is a key part of self-sufficiency, as sales managers keep track of tasks, deadlines and other employees' schedules. Organisation is important when managing a team, as sales managers may delegate tasks, take on additional tasks and liaise with multiple departments. This skill is also key to accurate sales reporting and organising sales strategy to meet current requirements.

Verbal and written communication

Sales managers typically prepare sales pitches and quarterly reports to present to the wider business, so effective verbal and written communication is critical. Colleagues are in a better position to receive instruction when the information is clear and concise. Verbal and written communication is important for members in leadership positions, as they may liaise with other departments on key projects. They may use this skill to ensure information flows efficiently and effectively.

Related: Communication Skills: Definitions and Examples

The ability to galvanise and lead a team of people is vital to a sales manager. An effective sales manager mentors their team and addresses their concerns about deadlines, targets and taking care of other responsibilities. Leadership means being able to handle lots of people's requests without succumbing to pressure.

Wider teams may entrust sales managers to prepare reports on any early signs of change in the consumer market. This requires a good eye for detail to notice any meaningful patterns in the previous sales reports. Analytical skills are also useful for forecasting future consumer habits and adjusting sales strategies accordingly.

Positive attitude

As numbers and targets drive a sales manager, remaining positive through challenges is an exceptional skill for a sales manager. A positive attitude is vital for mentoring a team, as you may take on team members' responsibilities and deadlines to keep the team running smoothly and ease individual stress. Doing this positively keeps team members motivated and happy in the workplace.

Related: What Is a Business Development Manager? (With Skills)

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location. Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

Related Articles

What Is a Working Buddy? (And How to Create a Buddy System)


What is mediation and why is it worthwhile? Mediation is commonly referred to as an attempt made by two or more parties to resolve one or more disputes with the aid of a third party facilitator (mediator). A mediator might use a number of different strategies and methods during the process and place focus on other goal oriented outcomes. There are many reasons that we may want to seek out mediation. For instance, it can help us problem solve. More broadly, it is an valuable tool that may be used to create better communication, well-being, innovation, transformation, relationships, and decision-making. Here are some key points to consider:

(1) Mediation establishes cooperation and creativity which can bring about mutually beneficial solutions and may transform our relationships.

Conflicts do not occur in a vacuum and mediation often deals with intricate and delicate subject matter. Part of its effectiveness rests in the mediator’s ability to create agents of change. Why should parties want to cooperate when in conflict? On one hand, an uncooperative stance increases the risk of getting nothing accomplished and could make matters worse especially in the long run. Our willingness to use conflict resolution mechanisms makes a profound impact just in the attempt itself. The contributed effort and small wins that follow can quickly become contagious. Disagreement and conflict can lead to positive change – though, how we disagree and engage with others shapes that possibility to great degree. Mediation invites us to focus on the dilemma at hand rather than the people involved – to drop assumptions, comprehend the facts, encourage respect, evaluate factors, be inquisitive, and to become open to co-creating options that can maximize the interests of everyone at the table. It is such a place where thinking outside the box becomes operative, and will likely have a profound impact on furthering our own interests and needs.

(2) Mediation can help us listen, think critically, and give rise to dignity.

Think about the last time you were in an emotional upheaval were you able to communicate effectively? Our daily life is intertwined with the spheres of technology, work, politics, and social trends to such a degree that it is sometimes difficult to engage and give our full attention to others. I’ve come to believe that people genuinely appreciate and desire interactions rooted in dignity. However, if it is not given in the first place, it cannot be received nor will it likely be reciprocated. The practice of mediation can enable one party in a conflict to fully engage with the other(s) and to make a concerted effort to listen carefully and understand all sides of the story. To solve many pressing dilemmas, it is valuable to work on calming our chaotic thinking while evaluating the whole picture. Mediation can help people to do this thereby enhancing communication and establishing an atmosphere that is conducive to working through differences in an honest, respectful, and meaningful way.

(3) The path forward is not daunting – it is full of opportunity.

Mediation can pave the way for many other outcomes of great worth both individually and collectively. It is commonly cited, that in many cases, conflicted parties can end up spending significantly less time and money in litigation if a mediator helps them reach an agreement. Additionally, mediation has had a great deal of success with relieving hostile attitudes and actions. Who would want to fight a war when agreement and peace is a possibility? I’ve also found that the practice opens up pathways to resolving inner-conflicts as well. Careful introspection and examination reveals that the conflicts happening outside of us often have a lot in common with the ones persisting inside of us. With conflicts happening on the other side of the globe, right out our doorstep, and even in our own homes, we shouldn’t be afraid to call for more mediation.

CJ Clayton Jr.

Helpful Resources and Contributing Ideas:

Fisher, Roger and William Ury. 2011. Getting to Yes:  Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

Hicks, Donna. 2011. Dignity: The Essential Role it plays in Resolving Conflict. Pennsylvania: The Maple Press.

Stitt, Alan. 2004. Mediation: A Practical Guide. London: Taylor and Francis.

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Fuels Institute Analyzes Today's EV Consumer

Its new report on consumer behavior answers five key questions about electric vehicle owners.
EV charging

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The incorporation of more electric vehicles (EVs) into the U.S. transportation fleet means it is increasingly important to build an expansive network of publicly accessible charging locations.

A strategic plan to deploy EV service equipment (EVSE) must consider the driving and charging behavior of current EV owners, as well as the anticipated behavior of future owners, according to the Fuels Institute Electric Vehicle Council.

The Electric Vehicle Council's new report, "EV Consumer Behavior," provides insight to help guide market development by reviewing the prevailing literature and presenting what is known about the habits of current EV owners and how that might change over time, according to the Fuels Institute.

The report analyzes and presents findings from publicly available and reliable sources to answer five key questions:

  1. Who is the customer?
  2. When and where does the customer recharge?
  3. Why does a customer choose a particular recharging facility?
  4. How do customers interact with charging equipment?
  5. What do customers do at facilities while charging?

"The EV landscape continues to change at a rapid pace," said Fuels Institute Executive Director John Eichberger. "The Electric Vehicle Council recognized that the charging infrastructure must be built to satisfy the needs of not just current drivers but also those drivers yet to purchase an EV. The needs and behaviors of early adopters of any technology, including EVs, can be quite different from the needs of those consumers who transition later in the market development curve. This report aggregates current published knowledge about these behaviors and needs to help build an EVSE system that effectively satisfies EV driver demand now and tomorrow."

With the Biden Administration's intent to support the expansion of the EV market as one method of combating carbon emissions, as well as the increasing pace of vehicle manufacturers adding EVs to their product lineups in the next five years, it is very likely that the demographics of the EV driver and their individual needs and preferences will evolve quickly.

The current top demographic of EV owners are middle-age white men who earn more than $100,000 and own a home with a garage to support home charging, the Fuels Institute reported.

However, this demographic is expected to more closely reflect the general population of vehicle owners as more EVs enter the market, increasing options and reducing costs. While current EV owners find their way around the limitations of the existing charging infrastructure, future owners will likely require greater availability and convenience from the charging network before they purchase their first EV.

"Understanding the various demographics of EV drivers and their associated behaviors is essential to providing them with an EVSE system that supports their needs," Eichberger said. "This report dives deep into these five questions, presenting the latest insights from what is currently known.

"But it goes beyond a simple literature review and uses these insights to create five relatable personas representing potential future EV drivers," he continued. "This approach helps bring to life how different drivers might use their EVs and what they need from the EVSE system. Deploying chargers to satisfy specific use cases of EV owners will enhance the value of the system for the end user and the EVSE host and yield the greatest benefit from the investments."

"EV Consumer Behavior" is available for download here.

Founded by NACS in 2013 as a nonprofit social welfare organization, the Fuels Institute publishes fact-based research projects designed to answer relevant market questions, not advocate for any specific outcome. Its reports are geared toward all industry stakeholders.


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Seoul to require aged taxi drivers to take license renewal tests

All News 10:33 February 03, 2017

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- All taxi drivers in South Korea may be required to have regular checkups to ensure they are physically and mentally fit to drive once they reach 65 years of age, the government said Friday.

Under a proposed government revision to the public transportation law, all taxi drivers aged between 65 and 69 years will be required to undergo a medical checkup every three years.

Those aged 70 years or more will be required to prove their physical health every year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.

Such a measure comes amid a steady rise in the average age of taxi drivers, along with the average age of the entire population.

South Korea is considered one of the fastest aging societies in the world with the ratio of people aged 65 years or older expected to reach 20 percent of its entire population in 2025. A country is considered an aged society when more than 14 percent of its population is aged 65 or older. South Korea is expected to hit the ratio next year.

Seoul to require aged taxi drivers to take license renewal tests - 1

According to the ministry, the ratio of taxi drivers aged 65 years or older came to 19.5 percent of the total as of end-2015, up 8.6 percentage points from just four years earlier. The ratio is expected to reach 50 percent in 2020.

The apparent rise in the average age of taxi drivers has been blamed as a source of more frequent accidents.

In 2016, the number of traffic accidents involving a taxi driver aged over 65 came to 4,138, up 72.12 percent from 1,734 in 2012, the ministry said.

"The country currently has a license renewal system for aged bus drivers, but the system does not apply to taxi drivers. By introducing a license renewal system, the government seeks to improve the safety of public transportation, which in turn will create a safe environment for more people to use taxi services with ease," it said in a press release.

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Can you use Nystatin with cloth diapers?

Traditional treatment recommended by your doctor will include using some sort of cream or lotion at each diaper change, Nystatin and Lotrimin are favorites. These treatments may not be suitable for the synthetic stay-dry linings of the modern cloth diaper. … And be sure to properly treat your cloth diapers before reuse.

How do you wash cloth diapers after yeast infection?

Either way you choose you need to at least do one good bleach soak first and foremost. Bleach will kill off all of the yeast microorganisms hiding in their diapers. You do NOT need to use anything else to disinfect your diapers. While bleach may not completely kill yeast spores,THAT’S OKAY.

What can I use for diaper rash with cloth diapers?

List of Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Creams

  • Aden & Anais Mum & Bub Soothing Ointment: Free of phytoestrogen, parabens, petroleum oils, phthalates, gluten and soy. …
  • Aleva Naturals Soothing Diaper Cream.
  • Arbonne Baby Care Diaper Rash Cream.
  • Avalon Organics Protective Ointment.
  • Aveeno Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream w/ zinc oxide.
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How long can yeast live on cloth diapers?

But cloth diapers can hold onto the yeast for longer than anything and every time you put it back on your baby’s bum the yeast will be in contact with the skin and the infection will continue to thrive.It is advisable to use disposables for the duration of the rash and for 2 weeks after it has cleared.

How do you sanitize cloth diapers?

Are yeast infections more common with cloth diapers?

In your baby, that yeast infection often manifests itself as a yeast rash in the diaper area. Warm moist areas are more prone to yeast overgrowth, so the diaper area is a prime target. … It doesn’t matter if you use disposable or cloth diapers, yeast happens regardless of your choice of diaper.

Does bleach kill yeast?

According to Clorox, chlorine bleach will kill yeast in the laundry. … Vinegar may also be effective in killing yeast in laundry and will not harm or discolor fabrics. Color-safe bleaches that contain hydrogen peroxide do not possess the disinfecting power of regular bleach.

Are cloth diapers better for rash?

Again, there’s no consensus on whether disposable or cloth diapers are best for reducing risk of diaper rash. … “If you’re good about changing your baby’s diaper very frequently, as we recommend that parents do, you can prevent diaper rash with both types of diapers.”

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Why are cloth diapers bad?

Do cloth diapers cause more rashes?

There is really no evidence to suggest that either cloth or disposable diapers cause more rashes than the other. Soap, fragranced wipes, detergents, and other baby products can irritate your baby’s skin. … They also recommend that you allow baby’s skin to dry completely before putting on another diaper.

Will bleach ruin my cloth diapers?

Bleach will not harm your cloth diapers or the PUL. The amount of bleach we recommend is very small after it is diluted by the water from your wash machine. … Bleach can also help remove stains. ALWAYS add an extra rinse to your wash load after using bleach.

Do you need to disinfect cloth diapers?

Cloth diapers really shouldn’t need anything more to disinfect them on a regular basis, but sometimes (pretty infrequent) when disinfecting cloth diapers we recommend adding disinfectant additives to their wash cycle.

Why are my cloth diapers causing rash?

The warm, wet conditions in a diaper, combined with friction and a high-bacteria environment, make diaper rashes fairly common. Changing your baby frequently — every two hours with wet diapers, or as soon as the baby makes a dirty diaper — can help prevent diaper rashes.

Does vinegar sanitize cloth diapers?

Vinegar will help neutralize the ammonia that forms over time in wet cloth diapers. Vinegar lowers pH, helping detergents to function more effectively. Vinegar helps eliminate soap residue/film build-up. Vinegar deters the setting-in of stains.

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Can you sanitize cloth diapers without bleach?

Soak (to sanitize used diapers or after stripping): 4 cups of hydrogen peroxide + 1 cup of borax : 1/2 bathtub of COLD water (or a medium load in a non-HE washing machine). Wash (during treatment of a yeast or other bacterial/fungal infection): 4 cups of hydrogen peroxide + 1 cup of borax + detergent to each wash load.

Is it safe to use second hand cloth diapers?

Our answer to that question is yes. Buying used cloth diapers is a great way to save money while building your diaper stash! As long as research a bit when looking for used cloth diapers for sale, you’ll come out on top! We bought quite a bit of our stash in gently used condition and they worked great for us!

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This may be an example of jumpwise de-differentiation

This may be an example of jumpwise de-differentiation. tissue. To address Atazanavir this, we developed mathematical models to investigate how de-differentiation is selected as an adaptive mechanism in the context of cellular hierarchies. We derive thresholds for which de-differentiation is expected to emerge, and it is shown that the selection of de-differentiation is a result of the combination of the properties of cellular hierarchy and de-differentiation patterns. Our results suggest that Atazanavir de-differentiation is most likely to be favored provided stem cells having the largest effective self-renewal rate. Moreover, jumpwise de-differentiation provides a wider range of favorable conditions than stepwise de-differentiation. Finally, the effect of de-differentiation on the redistribution of self-renewal and differentiation probabilities also greatly influences the selection for de-differentiation. Author summary How can a tissue such as the blood system or the skin, which constantly produces a huge number of cells, avoids that errors accumulate in the cells over time? Such tissues are typically organized in cellular hierarchies, which induce a directional relation between different stages of cellular differentiation, minimizing the risk of retention of mutations. However, recent evidence also shows that some differentiated cells can de-differentiate into the stem cell phenotype. Why does de-differentiation arise in some tumors, but not in others? We developed a mathematical model to study the growth competition between de-differentiating mutant cell populations and non de-differentiating resident cell population. Our results suggest that the invasion of de-differentiation is jointly influenced by the cellular hierarchy (e.g. number of cell compartments, inherent cell division pattern) and the de-differentiation pattern, i.e. how exactly cells acquire their stem-cell like properties. Introduction In multicellular organisms, it is important that the inevitable replication errors of cells do not persist and Rabbit Polyclonal to OR6P1 threaten the functioning of the organism as a whole. Many tissues that need to undergo continuous cell turnover are organized in a hierarchical multi-compartment structure, which reduces the risk of the persistence of such mutations [1C13]. Each compartment represents a certain stage of cellular differentiation (Fig 1). At the root of the cellular hierarchy are tissue specific stem cells (SCs), which are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into more mature cells [14]. It is often argued that cancers may have similar hierarchical structures, where cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess characteristics associated with SCs in normal cells [14, 15]. The CSCs scenario assumes that some cancerous cells are hierarchically structured, similar to normal tissues [16]. Open in a separate windowpane Atazanavir Fig 1 Representation of our models.We illustrate our Atazanavir models by considering a four-compartment hierarchical structure. (a) Null model without de-differentiation. Each compartment represents a certain stage of cell differentiation. For example, compartment 1 represents stem cell which performs cell division with rate + 1 to the adjacent upstream compartment is definitely changed from to ? to ? (1 ? that captures the effect of de-differentiation within the self-renewal and differentiation probabilities. (c) Jumpwise de-differentiation, in which de-differentiation happens directly from compartment 3 to 1 1 without cells reaching the state in compartment 2. For each cell in compartment 3, its self-renewal probability is definitely changed from compartments, each of which represents a certain stage of differentiation [10, 13] (Fig 1). For example, compartment 1 represents stem cells, and compartment represents terminally differentiated cells. Each cell in compartment (1 ? 1) divides at rate (Fig 1d). With probability + 1. The terminally differentiated cells in compartment cannot divide and are removed from the cells at rate to denote the cell figures in different compartments. Then, the hierarchically organized human population dynamics composed of non de-differentiating cells can be described as a matrix human population model [39] ? represents.


Leading with Strategic Thinking by Aaron K. Olson & B. Keith Simerson

In this summary, you will learn

  • What strategic thinking entails,
  • What strengths mark the four different kinds of strategic leaders,
  • How to establish strategic leadership and

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking involves evaluating situations, identifying patterns and generating important business decisions. Many people believe that only senior executives should engage in strategic thinking, but, in fact, everyone in an organization must apply strategic thinking to become more productive and efficient. Strategic thinking represents the nexus of three disciplines:

  • “Cognitive psychology” – Learn to recognize your blind spots and deal with your biases.
  • “Systems thinking” – Consider a broad range of factors as you plan your actions.
  • “Game theory” – Understand the results of your actions as you consider how to minimize or avoid the negative effects of your opponents’ actions.
How Strategic Thinking Helped the US Coast Guard

Strategic thinking, strategic design and strategic program implementation require preparation and planning, as demonstrated by David M. Hammond, the former base operations program manager for the US Coast Guard (USCG), and Jack Dempsey, an innovative, young lieutenant commander.

As of 2001, the USCG owned or leased nearly 35 million square feet of buildings and office space. It operated more than 7,900 buildings and managed around 70,000 acres of land. Hammond sought a world-class management strategy to cover these shore facilities. He set out to leverage these resources, manage risk and minimize management costs.

Hammond recognized his blind spots and decided to upgrade his knowledge and understanding. He attended Syracuse University graduate courses in “research, engineering, management and planning.” He studied “strategy development, management and planning” at the National Defense University. He spent 10 years conceptualizing, creating and implementing his strategic plan. Dempsey assisted Hammond in refining his master plan and gained the respect of the “uniformed rank and file” over time.

Hammond’s and Dempsey’s preparation, planning and hard work resulted in better USCG decision making, improved use of assets, reduced risks and lower operating costs. They emphasized “external strategic results and outcomes rather than internal tactical output factors.” In recognition of their efforts, the Society of American Military Engineers’ gave both men the prestigious Oren Medal.

The Right Strategic Approach

To create a strategic plan, ask a series of questions to point your firm toward the right approaches:

  • How has your firm approached strategy in the past? Did its strategy work? What were the problems?
  • How do most organizations in your industry handle strategic matters? Has any “mainstream view” achieved benchmark strategic status in your field? Examine and evaluate such standards, since unquestioned standards can shut out alternative ideas.
  • How can you develop insights based on your previous experience?
  • What data are relevant to your strategy?
  • What matters most to your stakeholders? What strategic approaches do they suggest?
The “Four Strategic Leadership Types”

Strategic leaders think deliberately, develop action plans and influence others to adopt their strategies. They achieve “buy-in, commitment and advocacy.” These four archetypes of strategic leaders differ, but the characteristics that distinguish them often overlap in practice:

1. “Visionary Leaders”

Visionary leaders are charismatic. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and filmmaker George Lucas are examples of insightful and inspirational visionary leaders, as were Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and entertainment icon Walt Disney. They are known for their ability to decipher the future and foretell or drive change. Visionaries focus on the principles that guide their actions.

Visionary leaders excel at creative thinking, self-reliance and the ability to inspire. They carry out these leadership steps: 1) audit trends and develop ideas that can transform the status quo; 2) create insights about new, profitable opportunities; 3) develop innovative solutions that defy accepted wisdom; 4) iterate, evolve and adjust their vision according to new developments; and 5) recruit others who accept and promote their vision and demonstrate support for it.

2. “Directive Leaders”

Directive leaders resemble the traditional model of a CEO: confident, forceful, decisive, accomplished, powerful and controlling. Examples include GE’s Jack Welch, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and IBM’s Lou Gerstner, as well as US football coaches Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi.

Directive leaders plan strategy and apportion resources. The people in their workforce respect them for reducing complex situations to basic, essential elements for decision making. These systems-oriented leaders regard their organizations as machines for delivering planned, productive outcomes.

Directive leaders excel at critical thinking, motivation, and planning and organizing. They are good at these leadership activities: 1) plan the direction of their organizations; 2) institute the necessary governance procedures; 3) motivate the teams and people they lead; 4) monitor organizational performance; and 5) modify or fine-tune existing procedures for maximum efficiency.

3. “Incubating Leaders”

Incubating leaders reach out to nurture and help others. For example, university deans and department heads serve as mentors and role models for faculty members regarding career advancement, attaining tenure, and so on. Other examples include film director Ron Howard and music producer Dr. Dre, both famous for helping artists in their fields grow and succeed. Incubating leaders are perceptive and encouraging. They focus on helping others build their careers, though critics note that incubating leaders sometimes fail to provide precise direction.

Incubating leaders excel at “evaluative thinking,” leveraging “diversity” and sponsoring other people’s success. They often: 1) build networks; 2) evaluate exploitable opportunities; 3) diversify their investments to optimize returns and minimize risks; 4) make assets available to assist others; and 5) develop “support ecosystems” to help people achieve maximum productivity.

4. Collaborative Leaders

Collaborative leaders are attuned to the times. They advocate reaching “integrated solutions” through cooperation and consensus building. Noted collaborative leaders include former NBA coach Phil Jackson, Harvard University rowing coach Harry Parker and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh.

Collaborative leaders leverage partnerships to accomplish shared goals. They are authentic, engaging and trustworthy. They work well within team and political dynamics, and can function as a “coach, adviser, mediator, devil’s advocate or cheerleader.” The downside is that these leaders can be indecisive.

Collaborative leaders strive for win-win solutions. They prefer a “third way” to success that doesn’t segregate factions into winners and losers. They lead processes through participation. Such leaders are great at working with others. They know how to: 1) develop relationships with their colleagues; 2) listen to those around them; 3) target shared interests that benefit all; 4) divide power while keeping everyone accountable; and 5) trust their colleagues. Their success relies on using “synthetic thinking” to integrate new ideas, “active listening” and relationship management.

The “Four Leadership Styles”

Leaders follow four basic styles, according to Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard’s “Situational Leadership” theory. The four elements of their model are:

  1. “Telling” – Use one-way communications to tell followers what to do and give them essential guidance.
  2. “Selling” – Engage in a two-way dialogue to offer “direction and support.”
  3. “Participating” – Let followers make decisions and act as independent agents. The leader audits their actions and provides support. This leadership style also relies on two-way dialogue.
  4. “Delegating” – Encourage followers to operate independently and initiate communication with the leader only if necessary.
Strategic Leadership Competencies

Strategic leadership requires three basic competencies:

  1. “Systems thinking” – Perceives the interdependencies and relationships that apply to complex systems and situations, including forecasting how planned and unplanned actions affect events.
  2. “Decision making” – Makes intelligent choices at the appropriate time.
  3. “Risk management” – Evaluates opportunities and enumerates risks.
Establishing Strategic Leadership

Strategic leaders develop their organizational capabilities by investigating whether their company has a strong coterie of leaders. Do these leaders have the skills and leadership style to mesh with the organizational strategy? The strategic leadership style your company needs depends on its “industry, market position or organizational culture.” To develop the future strategic leaders you will need, use a two-pronged approach:

  1. Determine where the organization creates value and where “strategy formation and strategy execution” occur. Do leaders follow a specific leadership mandate? Do future leaders have the skills they will need?
  2. Understand how strategic thinking enhances your firm’s capabilities. Consider how strategic leadership helps employees perform and how it defines superior performance.
“The Strategic Thinking Self-Audit”

Strategic thinking requires comprehensive planning and disciplined reflection. The strategic thinking self-audit helps you organize your thoughts to ensure that you include everything that matters. Smart questions are invaluable leadership tools, so question your planning. Bring unexamined issues to the fore, confront the status quo and examine relevant issues.

The most useful self-audit questions are:

How should you identify the best strategy? Have you objectively analyzed your experiences and thinking style? Could they negatively bias your insights? Have you considered all of the appropriate data and information and the patterns that these data reveal? Have you reviewed all available opportunities and alternate choices? Have you determined the trade-offs these alternatives will present?

Have you established a preferred strategy? Does it involve a story others will find compelling? Have you targeted the stakeholders my strategy will affect? Have you accounted for all the benefits stakeholders will realize from your strategy?

Do any deficits remain? Have you confirmed the shareholders’ shared interests? Have you planned what to do if some stakeholders try to cripple the strategic plan? Have you listed the steps necessary to implement the strategy? Have you considered how others can improve the strategy?[/text_block]

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