Patriotism June 16, 2009
Posted by yashi2612 in Life, Mauritius.add a comment
What makes one a patriot and what doesn’t?
Some time back, I was discussing government spending in Mauritius on a blog when someone told me that I should not worry about it since I don’t contribute any money to the government coffers. The person was implying that it was none of my business since I was not living in Mauritius. This has happened to me too often. People tend to think of me as a traitor just because I have studied and am now working abroad. They think I don’t have the ‘right’ to discuss Mauritian matters.
These people call themselves patriots. They are the ones who are working in Mauritius, helping the country move forward (apparently) and who, generally hate people who dare to move abroad for studies or work. But this is not patriotism, is it? What is patriotism? In the past, it used to be about fighting colonial rule to free your country from oppression. It was about revolution and about sacrificing your life for your motherland. This definition doesn’t strictly apply anymore. If you work in Mauritius, you are not more patriotic than someone who is working in Singapore. A Chinese factory worker in Mauritius is not more patriotic than I am because he or she is working in Mauritius and paying taxes! Yes, you might be a bit jealous. Yes, you are indeed contributing to the Mauritian economy indirectly. But patriotism is something entirely different.
Mauritius does not have a very high crippling emigration rate. These days it is even harder to move to another country, given the tougher immigration laws in Europe and it is getting more and more appealing to stay, study and work in the country. But if someone thought he or she wants to study abroad and probably work abroad for some time to get some valuable experience, why do people think that person is letting the country down? Most people emigrate due to financial incentives abroad which could improve their fortunes, a significant number of people really want to get the best education and best work experience possible. When confronted with this, most Mauritius-based Mauritians would immediately get on the high horse of pseudo-patriotism and childishly dismiss the emigrants as people who don’t give a damn about the country. This could not be further from the truth as it is pure ignorance.
Patriotism is not a competition. It is not a matter of ‘oh no you work abroad, I work on the Board of Air Mauritius in Mauritius and I am helping the country, what the hell have you done for your country?’ Patriotism is about changing things for the best. It is about making a positive impact in your own way. If you have to arm yourself with the best possible education and experience, then so be it. If you have to live in France for 10 years and then come back better equipped to make a difference, then so be it. Do not judge someone prematurely. Do not view temporary emigration as a sin. Sure, some people will not come back, but why don’t we look at the people who will help? When would we stop whining about those leaving and start taking action or atleast suggest ideas? Why do you want to blacklist people who are abroad? Can’t they help at all? Can’t they initiate a debate or propose an idea? Hell, they could be more patriotic than the person shouting about the glory of the Motherland from the rooftops, clad in the national flag! They could be more patriotic than the person who will tell them not to worry about the future of the country but then would be complaining like bored housewives hooked on Tulsi-related banter!
As a slight variation to JFK’s famous words, ask not what other people are or aren’t doing for the country; ask what you can do for your country. Do not accuse someone else of being unpatriotic until you have accomplished something for your country, and even if you have achieved something, does it make you right or more patriotic to call other people unpatriotic? No it doesn’t!
Patriotism is not what it used to be. It either is too strong and powerful a word to be usable in this day and age or now has a considerably changed definition. Either way, everyone at some point in their life do something good for their country, whether directly or indirectly. Studying or working abroad has absolutely no bearing on how patriotic you are. After all, you might be working in Mauritius in a manner, destructive to the country’s well-being or indeed in a stagnant way. It is all about making a difference when you are best able to do it. Be YOUR best before you can do YOUR best for your country. And if you can’t do it, then no-one should begrudge you. Do you think when Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Nelson Mandela were campaigning for the end of oppression in their respective countries, they were thinking about those damned people who had ‘abandoned’ the struggle? I don’t think so…
Rant over… I need a cup of very strong tea, no sugar please…
The pitfalls of social networking April 26, 2009
Posted by yashi2612 in Internet, Life.add a comment
Facebook is one of the most popular social networking websites in the world, with around 200 million users. But it recently lead to the sacking of a Swiss woman.
The Swiss woman was on her day off but her employer, through a bogus Facebook profile saw her active on the website after she told them she was too ill to go near her PC. The employer apparently created the fake profile and became her ‘friend’ so as to monitor her activities on Facebook. She was promptly sacked, despite her declaring that she was accessing Facebook via her iphone while in bed.
Since the advent of social networking sites, privacy has been a major issue for its users. At first, it seems like a totally ludicrous idea that someone’s privacy could be violated on a website where you are supposed to be open to meeting new people and keeping in touch. After all, you are supposed to showcase a lot of personal information and, as a result, are always running the risk of your personal details being snapped up by undesirable parties.
Facebook (not sure about other websites, but MySpace are also adamant they do not share member information to third parties) say that they never share any personal details with third parties. So, apart from the occasional stalker, you should be fine as long as you are careful about what and how much you divulge.
But when it comes to employers, where can the line be drawn? According to Careerbuilder.com, when recruiting, 20% of companies admitted to checking candidate’s profiles on social networking sites while a staggering 33% had refused to go forward with a job offer after seeing a candidate’s online profile. Apparently, uploaded pictures showing ‘inappropriate’ behaviour are one of the factors that could lead an employer to not offer a job to a candidate.
As in the case of the Swiss woman above, employers could also be watching your online activities, especially when they have some doubts about that day you took off because one of your grandparents died (for the seventh time). I had one such experience once. While at university, I was working in a night-club part-time. I once faked illness to get a day off because my exams were approaching and I had exhausted the number of study holidays I was allowed to take. During the day, I got a call from the manager, who was on a networking site which was exclusive to my fellow university students and staff. He saw one of my posts on there where I was looking for someone to cover my shift due to me HAVING MY EXAMS and not because I was ill. I know it was quite stupid on my behalf because I was fully aware of my boss being on that network. But I did not get anything worse than a small reprimand (maybe because they liked me a lot). But not everyone could be as lucky as I was.
In some extreme cases, like in the one where employees brought Virgin Atlantic into disrepute, it could be fairly understandable. But with the boundaries of ethics becoming more blurry by the day, what constitutes invasion of privacy by an employer? Where does the personal responsibility of the individual end and the ethical behaviour of the employer start? The debate will rage on and privacy is already one of the top hot topics in an increasingly competitive and insecure world which is witnessing an information revolution.
Secrets of a long life March 24, 2009
Posted by yashi2612 in Life.add a comment
I work in a life insurance company and we recently got the results from a number of studies about the rates of mortality in the UK we had ordered. These are particularly important when we have to price life insurance policies, calculate a capital reserve for them and various other things. It also makes for fun reading to know how certain living habits can make a difference to how long you live for!
The studies, which also used some of the company’s statistical numbers, found out how many approximate years your lifestyle could add or take off your life expectancy. They are only theoretical, the number of years mentioned are only estimates and other factors like genetics also affect your life expectancy. Well, the studies came up with 14 ‘secrets’ of a long life! So how can you increase your time on Earth?
Be married/live with a partner : add 1 year
One more reason for those single to get depressed!!
Maintain a healthy weight : add 6 years
A healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) is 18.5 and 25. Apparently, being severely obese (BMI of above 40) reduces your life by 4 years while being underweight could take off 2 years. Calculate your BMI here and cheer yourself up or, in case of an unfavourable BMI level, get off your bum and start losing some weight!!
Don’t smoke : add 10 years
That’s if you compare someone smoking 20 a day and a non-smoker. Even if you smoke less, your life expectancy decreases significantly.
Love to laugh : add 8 years
According to scientific studies, people who laugh for 15 minutes each day could live add an extra eight years to their lives. Sweeeet!
Be a woman : add 3.3 years
Not possible for everyone unfortunately! But women do tend to live 10% more than men around the world.
Clear out the mess : add 1 year
People who live in chaos are more likely to feel stressed and depressed. Sorting out this disorder can add another year. I am doomed…
Eat well : add 6.6 years
Rather obvious! According to Erasmus University in Rotterdam, a diet which includes daily consumption of garlic, wine, vegetables, fruits, almonds and dark chocolate could extend life expectancy by up to 6.6 years!
Eat less meat : add 3.6 years
A study carried out at Loma University in the US found that people who ate meat less than once a week on average lived 3.6 years longer than their carnivore counterparts.
Be positive : add 9 years
Being optimistic makes you less prone to viruses and makes you recover quicker from illnesses and injuries. Apparently, these people tend to live in healthier ways by doing more exercises and engaging in more social activities.
Keep the faith : add 3 years
According to the University of Pittsburgh, people who attend weekly religious services can expect to live around three years longer than non-attenders. Before there is an uproar, this is only an estimate, but I could see how it could work. Religious people in general tend to be more cautious about their lifestyle.
Be born later : add up to 6.1 years
According to the UK Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), people born 25 years ago had an average life expectancy of 84.6 years for men and 88.5 years for women. People born in 2009 now have an average life expectancy of 88.5 (males) and 91.8 (females). Predictions from GAD suggest that people born 25 years from now could live as long as 91.7 (men) and 94.6 (women)! So try to postpone your birth as far as…oh no…
Get a good night’s sleep : add 5 years
Poor sleep can contribute to a number of medical factors which can put people at risk of heart disease. Those who regularly get at least six or seven hours’ sleep can hope to live up to five years longer than those who sleep badly. So next time, people pester you about waking up early, tell them you are only trying to increase your life expectancy!!
Floss your teeth : add 6 years
Flossing your teeth daily can add as much as six years to your life expectancy by removing harmful bacteria that can contribute to cardiovascular disease. Generally having a good dental hygiene not only prevents the person next to you fainting from the bad smell from your mouth, but also ensures a better overall health.
Get a pet : add 2 years
People with pets are less likely to suffer from depression and visit their doctors less often than those without. It is also said that stroking a pet can reduce blood pressure and stress levels.
I hope these tips will help you extend your life, even if most of them are quite obvious. As for me, I am off to the pet store to get a wife and a hamster!
Mauritius 2030 March 12, 2009
Posted by yashi2612 in Life, Mauritius.add a comment
When our tiny island of Mauritius acceded to independence on that fateful day of the 12th of March 1968, exactly 41 years ago, probably no-one would have imagined the economic and social miracle which would unravel. It has not been all rosy though. In the 21st century, Mauritius has been facing new challenges, ranging from economic to security challenges and without forgetting political headaches. The textile boom is well and truly over and it’s time for other pillars of the economy to carry the country with a horrid global recession in full force. Many will testify to the fact that Mauritius is not as safe as it used to be. The rise in life expectancy is also less and less pronounced with Mauritius achieving notoriety as a hotspot for people with non-communicable diseases, NCD’s.
But the positive factor in all this is that Mauritius has the resources to overcome these hurdles and hold its own in an increasingly competitive world. We have a relatively skilled population with a high literacy rate for a developing country and decent infrastructures in place. Above all, we have a good track record.
The purpose of this article is to set out how I want Mauritius to be in 2030, approximately 20 years’ down the line. My personal vision of Mauritius is as follows:
- To be in the top 25 least corrupted countries in the world (currently at No.41)
- To have a population well-informed about nutrition, thus decreasing the prevalence of cardio-vascular diseases and other NCD’s.
- To have a revamped political system which engenders greater belief from the population.
- To be a premier financial services hub in Africa and have a much smaller dependence on textile and sugar. To have an increased influence of our local companies in the African and world market.
- To have a deserved image as a cyber island (and not by building pretty buildings only), which would include having widespread high-speed internet at our fingertips with non-existent dial-up connections. To have ICT as one of the main pillars of the economy.
- To have an education system which not only gets you into university but also moulds your character as a whole and imparts essential non-academic skills. To also have a literacy rate of 95+%.
- To be one of the safest countries in the world and have a more effective and cleaner police force.
- To have a fairer distribution of wealth and a reduction in poverty, with people having the minimum basic access to water, electricity, food, education and various infrastructures.
- To be able to recognise the environmental changes which threatens our planet and our island, in particular our tourism industry. Also, to have a cleaner air to breathe and have a reduced number of vehicles on our roads or to have cleaner vehicles.
- To be less dependent on fossil fuels and to be exploring new sustainable ways to cater for our energy needs (like ethanol).
- To have an efficient and safe public transport system.
There are a lot more issues which I might have missed and I might also be asking for too much. You could even accuse me of being in wonderland. There is no way we are going to achieve everything we set out to achieve, but if the minds come together and resources are invested, we can achieve a lot more in the next 20 years than we have in the last 40 years to make our mark in the 21st century, not only for the world to see but for our own people to enjoy and marvel at our accomplishments.
Let me know what your vision is for Mauritius 2030.
How do you love? February 14, 2009
Posted by yashi2612 in Life.2 comments
Love. This magical word has enthralled generations and generations of people. Our lives revolve around it. Unfortunately, the word is bandied around so easily these days that it has become almost too ordinary and there are 2 million versions out there of what love really is. Love has evolved from a most unique concept into innumerable mutations or, the way I like to call it, a hotchpotch of half-thought –out ideas, with the occasional jewel. We all love differently and true to human nature, we all think we are doing it the right way. Lovers are as varied a bunch as platypuses are and are as strange as the egg-laying mammals. I have come up with a list of the different kinds of lovers there are and you should not necessarily be overjoyed if you happen to identify yourself with one of them…
The passionate lovers: in other words, the obsessive lovers. They are the ones who would cut themselves to prove their love to someone and they can also gauge your eyes out if your sphere of vision happen to incorporate their possession, I mean, their partner. They like to write love letters in their own blood. Theses freaks of nature could make Hannibal Lector look like the son-in-law a typical Indian mother would love to have. They can also be very domineering. These lovers would normally end up with submissive lovers which are described below.
The submissive lovers: the ones who will dance to the tunes of their partner, or the ass lickers (can be both literally and metaphorically). They will go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy the whims of their lover. Some guys have even been known to cook and clean the house. I know, it’s a disgrace. Mind you though, girls have also been forced to watch football and drink beer. The issue here is that they will do it wholeheartedly. Submissive lovers can ruin their relationship and also turn into a passionate (obsessive) lover if persecution persists.
The can’t-stop-talking-about-it lovers: a.k.a the loudspeakers. You will see their love jaunts plastered all over Facebook. They think their msn personal message is a great way to ask their loved ones to come online or to tell them how much they love them since sending a text or a private(key word) message on Facebook seems absolutely preposterous. They will mention their better half in 120% of sentences they utter (you say, ‘you know, I have cancer’, to which they reply ‘OMG my boyfriend got me this really cute heart-shaped for our 3 month and 16 days anniversary! Sorry, cancer??’ amidst giggles gradually turning into disgust before they completely ignore your original statement to embark upon telling you how she’s going to spend the weekend with her boyfriend, even if, instead of listening, you would rather have your testicles run over by a lorry while watching Sex and the City and dying a slow death anyway). These are normally the most insecure ones. Most of them would be first-timers.
The first-timers: those who are with their first love. They are shy, they accidentally knock heads together like retards while kissing, they overwhelm in certain areas and then have to maintain this ridiculously high level throughout their doomed life or they underwhelm and are then never given any chance to redeem themselves and they will use up all their moves and run out of ideas too early out of over-eagerness. The first few months as a novice can really shape you up as the kind of lover you want to be in the long term. So make sure, you mess it up as much as you can, because even if you don’t try, you will end up messing things up anyway!
The romantic lovers: I know, I know, they are really popular with the girls, and not exactly popular with guys. Romantic female lovers are cute and male romantic lovers are, let’s face it, homosexuals disguised as heterosexuals. Romantic lovers will love poetry. If you don’t know poetry, they will think that it’s absolutely undeniable that you are not capable of ‘true’ love. Yes, these nuts have coined the term ‘true’ love. Their relationships tend to be like a musical where they will sometimes create rifts themselves so that they can sing a song about it. They are harmless lovers and can be awesome, but still are a pain in the backside.
Whatever kind of lover you are, whatever kind of lover your partner is, love is really what you make of it. The more frank you are with yourself and your lover, the better it is. There is no rubbish like true love always triumphs, love is also about sadness and lack of fulfilment. Love is not about showing off. The more subtle it is, the stronger it is. Love doesn’t need any kind of effort, it all comes naturally. Love should not be rushed as patience is invaluable. If you could be a little bit of every kind of lover mentioned above, you are almost perfect. But always remember, perfect love is not about loving the perfect lover, it’s about loving the imperfect partner perfectly. So, guys, please love responsibly because love can also cause ‘cancer’ and ‘heart disease’, just like alcohol and tobacco.
Exams and general complaints about human nature. April 22, 2008
Posted by yashi2612 in Life.add a comment
Why do we have exams? Ok, you can say we should be assessed on how we cope with problem solving given a strict time limit. But why do exams have to be the bulk of all assessments?? Why can’t we have more coursework and more projects? Surely, they would enhance our personal skills further rather than just increase and test our academic knowledge! If I were to become the dictator of a country (or that of the world) I would assess a year’s work in terms of projects and research done during the year rather than putting someone through the erroneous system of exams.
All this brings you to think about the concept of change, of revolution. Why are we so afraid of change? Why do we tend to adopt the attitude of nonchalance that begets the idea that if something is not broke, then do not fix it!! Why do we have to wait or find something wrong or broken? Ever heard of the word ‘improvement’? ‘Progress’? If everything is functioning well, it does not mean you can’t change it for something better, it does not mean we cannot aspire to something better, to something which will make things progress. Progress and change is what makes us stand out as homo sapiens. We have the mental capacity to think outside the box, to think ahead. You won’t see an ant or a stray dog thinking about what to eat in a week’s time, will you?
I hope someday the government realises that exams are not as effective as they think they are. I hope someday education is given the respect it deserves, I hope someday we realise that changes HAVE to be made if we want to move forward. Traditions may be the casualties of revolutions, but there need to be a revolution. Revolution in the way the society functions, revolution in the way people think, even if it means lecturer or teachers in general will be devoid of the ‘deadly’ weapon of mass destruction that are exams!
Rant over.
