Aspire to be a doctor? Prepare tad better!

The other day, I overheard a conversation between two top-notch officers of their respective companies about getting their offspring admitted into Medical Schools. One was of the view that dental would be a right choice for his ward whereas the other looked down upon dental stream of medical and vigorously advocated for M.B.B.S. So, here is also the class differentiation. M.B.B.S the elite class and Dental the pariah.

Anyways, my point of discussion is different. When people talk about their children getting into medical stream, their objective is the social honor that one is conferred upon when one gets the appellation of M.B.B.S and with the honor comes the glamour quotient with this profession. But, hardly, one ever thinks that why a doctor is needed in the first place while talking about sending their wards to medical schools?

A doctor is needed because there are patients. A patient is one who gets convulsions, who has bowel control problems, who has difficulty in passing stool or urine, who has white patches on his/her skin or who has body parts eaten up by lethal bacteria among many other mental and physical problems. In other words a doctor is needed to alleviate the pain that a patient suffers from.

And there is hardly any romanticism in dealing with such situations, but it is the romanticism of medical that first attracts parents and their wards towards medical stream.

When the society primarily talks of becoming its progeny doctors, the romance is about the Social Status, the Moolah, and the Stable Career. We seldom discuss about medical profession as an opportunity to understand and mitigate the pain suffered by patients in the first place.

We as humans have an ingrained ability that pushes us to be able to help, to serve. The philosophy of serving others gives us a moral kick/high. We tend to be looked upon as magnanimous in our attitude that gives a sense of satisfaction after being able to serve somebody. That is why first thing that our psyche lures us to is: to serve…not to suffer. Because serving is godly and suffering is lowly. And in the garb of serving lowly, we become godly. We humans are innocent hypocrites!

Furthermore, because being an M.B.B.S pushes you up in social echelons, there comes a sense of hubris after being a doctor. And this hubris leads sometimes to uncalled-for behavior by Doctors. They shout at patients and misbehave with them. And the reason under which they conceal such unreasonable behavior is: work load.

If workload is such that it is grinding you, then you should talk about this to your higher management or if workload is sapping up all your mental energy then you should talk about this to your fellow shrinks. But stress doesn’t give you license to behave rudely. I mean what would you say to a pilot if he/she says in the mid- air that only because he/she felt stressed and overworked, so he/she would take dangerous somersaults putting lives of his/her passengers (who also happen to be from upper strata of the society like doctors) in danger or to a waiter who would pour piping hot coffee onto your shirt instead of the cup because he/she was feeling stressed?

You would call them irresponsible and unprofessional, won’t you? And the same applies to the breed of doctors also who behave in wayward way in the name of stress. This ugly behavior stems from the rudiments of the thought (ingrained in society) which says that if you are a doctor then everything is right for you and around you.

No…the thing is that if you are a doctor then you will see the pain and suffering from close quarters and you will get affected by it too. And people around you will have pain and problems for which you will have to provide solution. So, your preparation should include conditioning about the situations that are not lenient and convenient in life.

I mean the romance of becoming a doctor doesn’t start with the perception of behaving in unruly manner; it starts with the notion to serve not to slice.

Therefore, as a society we must learn that becoming a Doctor is not only about the social stateliness and paraphernalia attached to it, but it is also (and mostly)about understanding human suffering and emotions tad better than uninitiated ones.

And when we talk about the polymath & dexterous doctors, we forget diametrically about the patients. I mean being a patient also deserves social accolades (not only sympathy, empathy and on some occasions affront that patients are meted out by society), because when patients suffer, it needs gallons of gallantry to surmount the challenges posed by their destiny. I am waiting for the day when gallantry award or higher order civilian awards would be conferred upon patients who fight valiantly with dreaded diseases and defy them and sometimes (many times) succumb to them intrepidly.

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P.S: Though this article deals with the rude behavior of doctors, it is not in any way an allusion that all doctors are the same. The good and great souls are always there in every field.

English: more than a language!

What does a language do?

 Yes you are right! It communicates.

In the case of other languages (Hindi and all regional languages) in India, they might be only the vehicle of communication but not the English (which has become very much a part of India).

In most cases, in India, when we try to communicate in English, we try to communicate our status in society as well. Speaking in Hindi in a mall or a posh hotel is considered tacky. When we speak in English, we want others to rate us better on the scale of education and upbringing.

In a way this language is a glass through which we want the world to see and judge us.

No doubt, to have the knowledge of a language as rich as English is terrific, but to use it to get the attention of the surrounding or convey the social status (fake or real) is what that irks me.

I fail to understand utterly that when I can ask a salesperson about products in Hindi or Bangla (or any other regional languages) why would I ask him/her in English? And more often than not, I have found salespersons themselves starting the conversation in English, when they can very well communicate in Hindi or the regional language.

If we as Indian think that communicating in Hindi, Bangla, Asamese, Kannada  ,Tamil, Panjabi, Marathi, Malayali  or any other regional language is a matter of shame, then I feel as a society we  need to mature. And using English to serve some petty purposes of social activities belittles the sublime importance of this (English) language as a communication tool.

At a juncture when United Nations has registered its anxiety over extinction of several languages across the globe, it becomes only necessary for us to preserve the mine of languages that we have in the form of national and regional languages through using them more and more in our daily social interactions.

Only by respecting our own languages, we can respect English language. Otherwise every time we use English to show proximity to a class that is superior to other language speakers, we disrespect the soul of the (English) language.

Sycophancy: A form of art!

Art helps understand the proceedings of life in a manner that is deeper than our general viewpoints about life.  Art helps reincarnate situations from life and gives them a shape that human mind always desires for. Art is an escape from tumultuous ways of life and it has various forms: painting, dancing, singing...etc

You must be wondering how other different forms of art and sycophancy converges together. Look, as an escape from the rigorous demands of life to secure a job or to get a job done, sycophancy provides a subtle avenue that facilitates the process of a work.

Sycophancy has been practiced by human beings since eons and has been developed through ages to adapt to the changing times.

But alas! Despite all credentials to qualify as a stream of art, it is yet to be recognized as an art form. In India, it has flourished since the time of kings and queens and mainly sycophancy has been attached to the corridors of power.     

Sycophancy in India enjoys its place in esteemed quarters of politics, business, education, and sports. Despite enjoying the proximity to such distinguished sections of the society, I fail to understand that why it is still out of course curricula in India? The institute based on this subject should be floated. On the lines of IITs and IIMs, Indian Institute of Sycophancy (IIS) should get approval from our HRD ministry.

 This way the progress of the sycophancy as an art can be documented and the coming    generations can benefit a lot from past experiences. The preserved documents can reduce the amount of mental exercise to a great deal for future wannabe sycophants.

They will just have to apply the theories to derive a desired result for a given situation. And sycophancy as a stream will also flourish like other fields of academics. And equipped with scientific training in sycophancy, India will produce world class sycophants who will be unmatchable in their skills.

In the beginning any attempt to organize the valuable knowledge of sycophancy, in terms of an educational tool, will face opposition as other revolutionary doctrines of the world had to face. But a resolute stand on the part of the practicing sycophants of India can ensure that a strong educational citadel is built through legal ways and the IIS sees the light of the day as a proof of indelible existence of sycophants in this world.

Long live sycophancy!

Yes, I can revolt!

Image courtesy: www.istockphoto.com

I might be tiny sand and you can blow me away with the full force of your lungs, but remember that if I fall in your eyes, I can bring cataclysm to your sight-power. So, never consider me trivial, for I can revolt.

I might be a fragile glass and you can break me with your minimum of efforts, but remember that when I am forced to turn into smithereens, I can lacerate body more easily and can make your life miserable. So, never consider me frail, for I can revolt.

I might be tranquil and translucent water and you can bind me in dams with your brain, but remember when you try to strangulate me, I can decimate you beyond recognition. So, never disrespect me, for I can revolt.

I might appear brittle soil that you can till and douse your hunger, but remember that when you dig my bosom beyond tolerance, I can spit venom and devour you all. So, never try my patience, for I can revolt.

I might be a serene sky for most of the times smiling with sparkles of the Sun and the Stars, but remember that if you try to make me angry, I can become livid! My wrath can raze you. So, never instigate me, for I can revolt.

I might appear a luscious flower with fragrance, but remember that if you want to trample me, then I have got a team of thorns as well that can prick you to death. So never consider me only delicate, for I can revolt.

I might appear life giving, innocuous air, but remember that if you try to play smart with me, I can devastate you by building up or shrinking up my strength. So, never underestimate me, for I can revolt.

Sometimes, I see a semblance of these elements in Indian population as well. Yes, Indian population can revolt!