Why being a scientist can broaden your views

As a researcher, one learns to value data and not go by face value. A small dataset may give great results. However, it may not be easy to reproduce those results on slightly larger dataset, say 1.5 times the size. And if the dataset is huge, maybe 100 times the original one, why, the original results would be quite pointless. How then can we generalise characteristics of people based on religion, region, caste or gender? In our limited lives, a human would only come across a limited set of people, a very small subset of the populace. And even within that, there would be contraints. In data, especially image processing and vision dataset, a solution is expected to work for specific costraints. Yet in real life, we expect an entire community to behaive similarly. We judge individuals based on our experience  with other individuals of similar community be it region, religion, caste or some other social category.

In research, if a solution works for lab conditions, it may not work at a real field. If it works in a field in India, it may not work at Austria. It is not expected to. A daytime solution is not expected to work at nighttime. Yet when it comes to individuals, we generalise. We forget the contraints that people live under. What is easy for one individual may be a struggle for another. What is a negative in one may work as a positive for another living in different conditions.

The poor one shouldn't be the assumed thief. A given community may be not full of misers. A given religion may not be all about violence. Women need not be the weaker sex. The man need not always be a hero or a villain. The illiterate need not be less intelligent. The hungry beggar isn't a nuisance.  The quite one need not always be proud. The jolly one can also sometimes be serious. And finally, the small children are not as unknowing as they may seem.

There is no common man. There are only special individuals, each uniquely created with a very precious life of their own. Each has an entire, little world of their own. Humans are not data points to draw patterns and make conclusions.

A New India

Recently our office held a poetry writing session /competition for Independence Day....well in addition to dressing up in tricolor! Finally a workplace which encourages writing, even creative writing! Well, what a great way to celebrate Independence Day! All were encouraged to write and a selected few were asked to read out their creations. What a great session! And what a wonderful way to make you think about your country.
Here's my entry as selected to be read for the same. Just some thoughts woven together to rhyme but mostly just a raw form. But it felt good to reflect and polish the writing cells a bit.

A new India

A new India has emerged recently in our society
Full of technology and all things IT
The largest number of social media users has it drawn
With malls, MNCs, supermarkets, daycares and metros is it adorned
A greener India, a cleaner India
A happier India it seems to be
But a freer India do my eyes still seek

Where the old and gold remains the same
Taking along values of our forefathers
Of strong family systems
Respecting elders,
We march towards a peaceful India with yoga, prayers and meditation
Practising unity in diversity
We strive for equal rights for all without any deviation

Towards a healthier and happier India we strive
Where technology reaches the poor India
Distance learning at villages becomes a reality
A digital India with vegetable vendors having paytm and bank accounts
A decrease in corruption as pressure for transparency mounts
And a decrease in social tabboos at all counts

A free India
Where all biases obliviate
And everyone can just be
Women can walk, wear, work in a manner completely free
Where religion is practised in private
And nationalism in public
Where students study in colleges
And educated adults go to politics

And seniors citizens retire and can relax and smile
While the youngsters for social wellfare go that extra mile
Where there’s always someone to wipe the tears of a hungry child
To aid the helpless and needy gain employment and prosperity
So the entire populace has a basic dignity
And all join hands in whenever there's a calamity

This is it

This is it
This is real life not high school
No awkwardness required
Noone's waiting to call you a fool

You can be free
You can be "me"
You can smile n shine
You can call someone "fiiine"
It's not a landmine
It's real life
Be it yours or mine