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thinking oneself big

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shibli:
If I were a millionaire( Jodi Laiga Jay)

We often hear elderly people advising their young ones to forget the past and the future and care for the present only. But there is hardly any one who has no ambition for a higher status than his present one. This constant struggle for a higher position and money remains with a person till the last day of his/her life. This struggle, in fact, is essential for achieving higher ends in life.

I belong to the middle-class. I can never think of earning millions of dollars but there is nothing wrong in harboring the hope that I might win a lottery. Suppose I am fortunate enough to win a lottery of 40 lacs taka, I will try to spend it in the most appropriate manner so as to derive the maximum pleasure out of it.

My colleagues advise me that at the very outset, I should endeavor to improve my lot. I should have a huge mansion to live in and a car for the family. But my idea of life is quite different. Rather than improving my lot, I am much more interested in uplifting the condition of the poor masses of the country.

My country is poor. There are people in my country who hardly get two square meals a day, what more to speak of enjoying the comforts and luxuries of life. They are semi-fed and semi-clad. Most of these people are living in villages, where the main occupation of the people is agriculture. I will offer them a loan at a very nominal/no interest to enable them to purchase tractors, fertilizers and better seeds. This scheme will save the villagers from the village money lender.

I will invest a good portion of my money in constructing a hospital with all the modem amenities. I will employ highly qualified doctors. This hospital will be run free of charge for the poor masses. Charities will always be awaited from the rich classes. This will save people from the jaws of death.

Many people, particularly in villages, have no means of recreation, I shall spend a part of my wealth to provide means of recreation for the Many people, particularly in villages, have no means of recreation, I shall spend a part of my wealth to provide means of recreation for the poor. I shall open various social and educational centers at various places.

Since there is no adequate provision for the support of orphans and widows, I would, therefore, lose no time in opening new centers for widows and orphans. They will work and earn their livelihood honorably. This will certainly help in the cause of country's advancement.

There may be people who will jeer and mock at my utter foolishness of spending millions of dollars in this manner. Probably they do not realize that a person gets inner happiness in helping the poor, which is much more than the sensual pleasures that a person can get from the money he possesses. To spend money like this, will be my dearest hopes and aspirations.

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Shamim Ansary:
If more people with crores of taka would think like you and dared to implement the plans you have envisaged!

May your dream come true.

Please sir, allocate some money as well for boosting up the morality of our countrymen. If people in much proportions turn to be honest and patriotic, it will definitely alleviate the toils of doing good of the country.

shibli:
What do you think is the value of science in general education for one who doesn't want to become a scientist

Science makes sense. What is sense ? Knowing, understanding, applying and appreciating, all to go to make sense. Man alone is endowed with this capacity to know while other animals live by mere instinct. Man alone can modify his environment while other animals when they cannot adapt to the changing environment simply perish. Not only does man modify his environment but he creates also an environment where he can live comfortably. Thus man today can live in the hottest part of the world or the coldest part. This achievement he has been able to get by his knowledge of Science and by his mastery over forces and by his ability to adapt them for his own ends.

Whether one is going to be a scientist or not, one should be able to use the products of science. There are innumerable gadgets science has placed in our hands; man enjoys using them. There is no time in the day when man does not use some product or other. At home stoves are in common usage. Watches are used as though a man is born with them. Bicycles, motorcycles, scooters and motorcars are commonly used for transport. Transistorized radios and stereograms have come to stay. They are looked upon as important second only to food and clothing. Television is catching up too. In the office many contrivances are used like the intercom telephone, the transistorized calculating machine and computers. Man is affected by all these. Directly or indirectly he has to deal with them. In most cases one has to use them. This requires a rudimentary knowledge of their working. So we see whether it be at home or in the farm or in the office, a knowledge of science would go a long way to enjoy the fruits. Otherwise it would be like a man who bought a gold watch but could not tell the time because it had Roman numerals.

The next stage is to know how things work. One must have a fundamental knowledge of science. An idea of various laws connected science, a knowledge of energy and its various causes and effects are fundamentals to be learnt. One must have the knowledge of the world of elements to know and understand their reactions. One may handle a camera efficiently without knowing the physical and chemical actions involved. To understand them is by far better than simply following instructions blindly. Besides the physical world there is the world of living things. How organisms live and multiply, how they affect our lives, how best to make use of them for the betterment of our lives are some of the areas of biological sciences in which man must be interested. Now that scientific farming has come to stay, man must know all about the tools of farming, manures and fertilizers and enemies and friends of plants.

What the ancient man looked at with awe and fear, the modem man is able to appreciate. He can measure the skies, probe into space and dig deep into the bowels of the earth or ocean for minerals. Science is not only for material benefits but also for the progress of mankind. The landing of "The Viking " on planet Mars may be a costly project today but the knowledge gained from it is useful. The appreciation of the world of colour and sound is something to be cultivated. This had led to the great poetry of the world.

Knowledge of Science has helped man to create. The creative activity is not confined to scientists alone but the knowledge of basic science has helped many to create. This is evident in various fields and we come across ordinary artisans without any scientific knowledge doing a bit of creative activity.

Therefore, a knowledge of Science to an ordinary man, even though he may not become a scientist is as valuable as his knowing the fundamentals of civil law.

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shibli:
What measures have been suggested to deal with the rapid increase in the world's population ? Which of these, in your view should be encouraged ?

One of the greatest of scourges for humankind's undoing is the growth of the population of the world. This is called population explosion and people who know say that if this explosion continues at the rate it does there may even be no standing space on the earth by the end of this century. With the conquest of diseases, better environmental conditions, measures of social welfare and better mother and child care, the balance of the living over the dead is improving; hence the great number of people on the earth.

Population explosion has brought about a strain on government because the responsibility to feed the teeming millions rests with the state. In spite of all the advances in farming and agriculture the production of food cannot keep pace with the requirements. The modem state is in charge of the many welfare activities and as such a vast percentage of the national revenue has to be spent on welfare activities like education, medical care, roads and housing. As such money will not be available for economic betterment. Many Governments are caught up with the problem. The question now is how to contain it. In principle all are agreed that it is better to mend the roof before it rains. There are, of course, differences of opinion on religious grounds but even then they are coming to an agreement.

Various measures have been suggested to control population growth. They are the pill, the loop, sterilization of both men and women and the rhythm method. Now the pill for females only are available though the time may not be far off when the pill for the male also will be in the market. The pill taken by the female as advised by the doctor would help her avoid pregnancy. But there are some side effects in taking the pill like blood pressure, over weight and sometimes even cancer. Such incidence is far and few between. The medical opinion is divided on this question. Perhaps it may be sometime before a fool proof pill may be put into the market.

The loop is another method. A tiny gadget in the form of a loop is inserted in the uterus and this helps the female avoid getting pregnant. This is said to be a comparatively cheap and convenient method. The loop itself can be removed when the need arises. Even here there is some danger in that some people develop complications after the insertion of the IUCD as the loop is called.

The rhythm method follows nature's calendar. Between the monthly cycles there is a period in women when they can conceive. If that period is avoided by the couple, then there is no chance of conception. This is good but man being an animal, his ability to self control is very limited and any intimacy may lead to conception. This method is highly ethical, provided there is a strict agreement between the husband and wife. The problem is one cannot always be remembering the calendar.

The next best and most fool proof method is sterilization. Vasectomy in the case of the male and the tubectomy in the case of the female, when properly done, will help them avoid conception permanently. Vasectomy is much easier and a few men are willing to undergo that operation. The majority fear that they may go impotent but according to medical opinion there is no ground at all for such a fear. Tubectomy is better done immediately after a delivery.

The next method is abortion and this has been legalized by almost all governments though once it was looked upon as a sin. They call it medical termination of unwanted conception. Once it was resorted to when the health of the prospective mother didn't warrant a conception. Now very simpler method of aborting has come and under competent hands abortion is not dangerous. It raises a moral question because this may encourage pre-marital conceptions and immorality among careless youths. Postponement of marriage is one of the methods suggested but it does not appear to be an answer.

Weighing the pros and cons of the various methods, until a simpler method is devised, sterilization alone seems to be the answer today. Hence governments are bringing in legislation to make sterilization compulsory. Whatever opinions one may have, whatever objections one may raise on moral or religious grounds to save humanity from self destruction, family planning is a must.
          
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shibli:
What restriction, if any, should there be on what an author writes ?

 

An author writes in various ways on various things. An author may be a poet, novelist, dramatist or a critic. A journalist is also an author in his own right but usually when we generalize one as an author, the journalist is not included. If a journalist writes in journals which can stand the test of time as in the case of great writers like Dr. Johnson and Goldsmith they can become classics.

So an author whatever category he belongs to writes and lives by his pen. He may write for pleasure or for his livelihood. A few write seriously because they think they have a mission to fulfill, to cleanse the society or to propagate their own philosophy. Still another category of authors write biographies of the heroes of their choice. There have been and still there are a few who write their own autobiographies. This is not the end of it. There is a wide field which authors can choose to write about.

Whatever one writes it must not be defamatory; in other words, one must not write ill of others. To write that way requires a lot of courage because the consequences may not be pleasant. Sometimes authors indulge in this sort of writing once they feel they have the material on hand to prove or vouch what they write. These things have happened and poor authors have been dragged to the court. Cheap journals alone indulge in this cheap tactics. By doing so they think they arc exposing the wrong-doer to the public view but they should also be aware of the consequences. So defamatory writing must be avoided.

Then there is the fiery writing where the feelings of the people are roused to the boiling point. Some of the writings during the pre-revolution in France were of this kind. Hugo's "Les Miserable" is a good example. The first part of the story speaks of the very harsh French Laws then. Simply because a poor man stole a loaf of bread to save a child he was put behind bars for a long time. During a turbulent period in the history of a land such fiery writings are common. But there is a great risk for the author because the government of the day and sometimes people may not stand for such hot stuff.
This type of writing may include critical views of the author about people's manners and customs. If this is not written in a forth right fashion, this writing pays good dividends. A lot of examples could be found in the novels of Charles Dickens who was critical about the nineteenth century Industrial England. The author makes his creations his mouth piece and through them he broadcasts his views about people's manners, customs and foibles. This requires a lot of observation and a dexterity of the pen on the part of the author. Here the author must not make things appear personal but what he writes must be indicative and easily identifiable.

An author must avoid obscene writing. But unfortunately such things do happen and books containing writings which cannot be mouthed by any civilized person are being published. Even great authors indulge in such undesirable stuff. So it is for the public to treat such writings with contempt and not to encourage such writers.

An author must not be too critical of the government of the day. The government will try to get the man away from mischief. In fact, in turbulent times governments bring forth laws prohibiting such writings. So an author to avoid defamation, public anger and being blacklisted must write prudently.
          
propagate         to spread opinions, lies or religions among a lot of people
          
rouse         to wake someone up or make someone more active or excited
          
foible         a strange habit or characteristic that is seen as not important and not harming anyone

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