USE ARISTOTLE RHETORIC TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVINCING POWER

Rhetoric is the art of speaking or writing effectively. This article tries to answer the question - how you can use Aristotle’s technique to better your persuasive power?

What is it?

Aristotle believed that rhetoric must be employed in persuasion, as it made the rhetorician see clearly what facts are, and that, if another person argued unfairly, the rhetorician may be able to refute the wrong facts. In his text; which was never meant for publication, he argued: what a successful rhetoric entails? For what purpose rhetoric should be used? And, what an effective rhetorician does?

Where it originated?

Rhetoric is generally thought to have originated in Greece at the beginning of the fifth century B.C. Its first use appeared to have been in the law courts. Isocrates, 436-338 B.C., was the first to develop a systemic theory of rhetoric. The Sophists such as Protagoras, 486 B.C, and Gorgias, 483-374 B.C, took up rhetoric and charged fee for preparing speeches for others and for teaching others to argue either side of the case. It was against the Sophists that Socrates argued and against them that Plato established the distinction between opinion; doxa and knowledge; episteme. And it was Plato’s; Aristotle was his student, negative view of public speaking in Athenian life that Aristotle disagreed against.

What did Aristotle believe?

Aristotle was born in Stagira, in the Chalcidice, 384-322 B.C. He was son of a physician in the service of the Macedonian court. He saw rhetoric as a neutral tool with which one can accomplish, either noble or deceitful ends, because he believed that – truth is inherently more acceptable than false, nevertheless, dishonest persuaders may fool an audience unless an ethical speaker uses all possible means of persuasion to counter the error, and speaker have only themselves to blame for failure. As for Aristotle, rhetoric was the discovery in each case of the available means of persuasion.

Aristotle speech on civic affairs

Aristotle in terms of speech situation focused on: civic affairs pertaining forensic speaking which considers guilt or innocence, deliberative speaking which considers future policy, and epideictic speaking which considers praise and blame. Furthermore, he classified rhetoric as the counter part of dialectic, where the differentiated between the two in the following ways. Dialectic is one on one conversation, while rhetoric is one person addressing the many. Dialectic searches for truth, while rhetoric demonstrates existing truth. And, dialectic deals with certainty, while rhetoric considers probability.

Mode of persuasion

According to Aristotle, there are three kinds of the mode of persuasion governed by rhetoric–the character of speaker, the opinion of audience and the persuasive argument as proof. In character of speaker, authority is measure of other people’s confidence, and ways of establishing confidence is through use of medium, knowledge of subject and verification of source. In opinion of audience, all audience are in the position of judge, because it is the audience that determines the argument’s end. And finally, in persuasive argument as proof, persuasion is effected through the speech itself when the truth or the apparent truth is proved by means of persuasive argument suitable to the case in question.

Means of persuasion based on proofs

Aristotle believed that the available means of persuasion are based on three kinds of proofs – logos, pathos and ethos. Logos appeals to reason, the logical proof or appeals used to support a claim, induction and deduction, can also be the facts and statistics, used to help support the argument. Pathos appeals to the emotions. The emotional proof or motivation appeal are done through - vivid language, emotional language and numerous sensory details. Ethos appeals to the character. The speakers or writer’s credibility and authority are based on intelligence, character and goodwill. Considered together these appeals form what later rhetoricians have called the rhetorical triangle. Which suggests that logos, pathos and ethos should be balanced? However, which aspect of the rhetorical triangle the rhetorician favors depends on both the audience and the purpose of that speech or writing.

Rhetoric in present times

In contemporary times, the art of rhetoric appears in advertising, where it is not only concerned with the successful sale of commodities. It is also used in persuasion in relation to politics and ideology. And the information is dissipated from images to copy, footage to music. Aristotle’s rhetoric transcends both the medium and time.

ARTIST’S BRUSHSTROKES AND DETERIORATING VISION

Artist use their eye sight to survey a scene, scenery, faces etc, which guides them over the canvas and provide feedback on the colour and form of the work. Through this article Gaurav Goswami provides information about some of the famous artist who has been known to struggle with vision impairment.

Prime concern of an artist

Painter delivers the three dimensional world on a flat surface. In a way, in which artists depart from reality, by filtering it through their perception into a physical object capable of inducing a similar perception in the viewer. That is why a perfect vision is the basic necessity for an artist, failing which; can happen in old age or caused by an injury, can translate into an eerie loss of precision and detail in painting.

An aging artist’s vision

Studies have established that, the aging eye of an artist makes fewer tears, the cornea may lose clarity, the pupil stays smaller in both light and dark, the lens becomes – thicker, dense, more yellow and less elastic, and the retina loses a small percentage of its nerve cells every year. The artwork produce by such artist becomes complicated as the eye or brain forces them to see their surroundings in ways that diverge from standard experience.

Some famous artists with suspect vision

Many famous artists have been known to struggle with eye diseases that changed the vision of their works later in their lives.

Leonardo Da Vinci

Da Vinci is believed to have suffered from a type of eye disorder called intermittent exotropia; a condition which causes one or both eye to turn outward. Researchers have suggested that the disorder may have helped him because it would have given him the ability to switch to monocular vision, in which both eyes are used separately, and allowed him to focus on close up flat surfaces.

Claude Monet

Diagnosed with cataracts in 1912, Monet was recommended to undergo surgery. Cataracts are a progressive cloudiness of the lens inside the eye, producing blurred and dulled vision that can’t be corrected with spectacles. Claude Monet refused to undergo treatment and visual impact of his disorder is demonstrated in two paintings of the same scene: the Japanese footbridge over his garden’s lily pond. His first painting, painted ten years prior to his cataracts, is full of detail and subtle us of colour. The second painting, painted a year prior to his relenting to the surgery – shows musky and dark colour.

Francis Bacon

The works of 20th century British painter Francis Bacon are notorious for their power to unsettle. Neuroscientists have proposed that painter suffered from a rare neurological disorder called dysmorphopsia, which produces progressively changing and distorted perception. Bacon himself described his perception of faces as ever changing, with mouth and the head in constant motion.

Edger Degas

French artist Edgar Degas, 1834-1917, experienced progressive visual loss in the last 30 years of his life; this was concluded by Ophthalmologist Michael F Marmor in 2006, after he went through Degas correspondences. The disorder has not effect on Degas’s shading, colour and overall composition of the painting, but showed significant impact, as his paintings became coarse and lost refinement.

Distinguished mentions

Cezanne and Pissarro were myopic; which suggests the soft lines and vibrant colour found in their paintings. United States painters Mary Cassalt; 1844-1926 and Homer Martin; 1836-1897 suffered from cataracts. William Turner; 1775-1851 suffered from early, slight colour blindness and later cataracts. Rembrandt was speculated to have vision disorder.

A tricky path

A particular challenge to verify these speculations is that artists are free to represent the world in whatever fashion they see fit. But considering for one moment that these artists did actually suffer from these visual disorders then understanding the challenges they faced further illuminate the accomplishments they achieved.

TEACH YOUR CHILD TO DREAM

Every child is unique and born with special set of talents. This article talks, how parents can help their children to develop these special talents?

Status quo

Baby grows and learns new things. Parents become happy with their children actions. But after some time the magic is lost along the way. The responsibility fall on the parent to see that these natural talents which set the child apart are never lost. This is because for a child to grow into an adult and live abundantly, purposefully and enjoyably she/he needs to discover these hidden talents.

Important brief before the actual thing

It is common to recognize music, painting, sports, poetry etc as talents which parents can look for in their children. However, there are a few hidden talents which parents can easily overlook. They are: adapting to situations, using humour as coping mechanism, reasoning logically, collection and preserving things, setting long term and short term goals, showing compassion to less fortunate and having a problem solving aptitude.

Finding the solution

Coming to solution which talent the child should cultivate is never easy for a parent. To reach a decision the parents needs to follow signs. Observe what the child enjoys doing in free time. This will help the parent to identify the child’s natural interest. Teachers and coaches whom the child regularly interacts with are best suited to impart a general assessment about the child’s talents. Another option is to observe the types of activities that draw the child’s attention. For example, children with artistic bend enjoy creative activities like crafting, painting, designing etc. The kind of shows child likes to watch on television can also help the parent in spotting interest. Watch out for the kind of questions the child regularly asks. For example, if a child keeps looking through a telescope to observe stars at night, it shows fascination for the field of astronomy. Once the field is identified, then parents need to introduce their children to other children with similar interests. After this stage parents need to find a mentor, who will help the child in honing that talent. When parents praise a child’s natural talent, the child tends to become complacent, so parents need to remember ‘to praise the effort, and not the talent.’

Some clues

A few hints for parents to spot and the ways to hone the children special talents. If the child love to sort objects, like, pairs of socks, lines up toys or groups item by size, colour or shape. It may mean that the child is an analytical thinker. To hone that talent expose the child to games that involve patterns and matching. If the child talks nonstop, have an advanced vocabulary and make fewer grammatical errors. It is a good thing, because verbal proficiency can be an early sign of a gifted child. To enhance that talent, encourage the child by asking her/him to dictate stories. If the child has strong opinions, this may mean that the child is a natural born leader. The best thing for the parent is to let the child take lead in most situations. And, if somehow the child shows no sign of natural talent, then worry not, and stay open. The chances are child’s natural talent will become apparent sooner rather than later.

The downside

Parents always need to keep this is mind, that they are pushing their children to be better in an area where the children have skill and desire, and not because parents themselves want their own dreams to be fulfilled through the child.

To a new beginning

Teaching the child that talent is build, allows the child to look at failure in a completely new way. Parents need to remember, that prodigious talent isn’t passed down genetically, it is the consequence of: targeted practice, specific motivation and coaching.

TEACHINGS FROM JAMES BOND FOR THE MODERN MAN

Ever since the release of the first film; ‘Dr No,’ in 1962, each actor; from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, who have essayed the role of the famous British sky, has given men a view at ‘how to live the high life.’ This article tries to usher the readers on the path of living life ‘James Bond style.’

Let’s be frank here

All the men out there admit it, haven’t there been moments where you have wished to live the James Bond lifestyle: the cars, the women, the adventures, and the spy gadgets. Ask yourself ‘isn’t it the case?’ I am sure you would get a ‘yes’ as answer. Now let’s talk to the women folks – haven’t there been moments where you thought ‘what it would be to have James Bond as a boyfriend?’ I know…I know, over the years James Bond hasn’t build a good track record with women, and has changed them quite frequently like he changes his cars. I must add here that Daniel Craig has mended that image somewhat. Still, I bet there have been incidents where you would have thought ‘how would it feel to be James Bond’s girlfriend?’ Instead of being the girlfriend of the boring man: your boyfriend, sitting across the table.

Behind the facade

It doesn’t matter whether you are a book nerd or a film buff, you are sure to be aware that Ian Fleming’s creation; possibly world’s most famous fictional character, is one cool dude - who can shoot and fly helicopters, bed women effortlessly and can choose the perfect wine, knows his way around fast cars and can handle complex computer systems, can handle high tech weapons and easily fight off multiple attackers barehanded, on top of that he can also survive being shot and many a gory tortures. Behind this glossy outer layer; that attracts millions and millions of adoring fans from all over the world, there are characters in this fictional individual that are worth studying and surly would not be wasted –‘ if you decide to inculcate them in your life: being a man and ‘you decide to motivate your man to learn: being a woman.’

Endurance

The primary skill that keeps James Bond going is endurance. Despite being wounded, outnumbered, outgunned and surrounded by enemies many a times he endures; sometimes he is also shown to be afraid. You can also improve your physical endurance by taking up a physical exercise or a physical sport. And, for mental endurance, put yourself in situations which help in developing your patience and jog your mental abilities by solving problems.

Confidence

James Bond is supremely confident, this quality make him great at his work: sometimes being overconfident offers better results than being objective and rational. This confidence would come to naught if he loses his cool; like in the case of James Bond when people are trying to kill him. He doesn’t move unnecessarily; never is seen fidgeting and rarely is rushed. So you should remember to have a commanding body language and not be afraid to take up space.

Never let an opportunity go

He wins most of his battles by seeing opportunities and then following them till they bring him success. Be it in your professional or personal life never let an opportunity go – next time you spot one simply go for it and see where it leads, and find out where you can go from there.

Always dress the part

Jog your mind and try to remember whether Bond has ever looked un-kept? No matter the situation he is always dressed smartly. Remember that, part of being a man means dressing well for every occasion: like in suits, hats, collared shirts, well fitted trouser and causal wears. So take note and spend a little time refining your wardrobe. And, don’t forget your timepiece: the most important accessory.

Be prepared with Plan B

Whenever Bond finds himself in a confrontation he always has a backup plan. This is a great character to have, so you must develop the ability to not only plan ahead, but also to be able to spot when a situation is not going to plan and make the right changes. This trait would help you in wasting less time and managing a situation smoothly.

With women

James Bond makes women drop to their knees simply because he is assertive - making her feel, that she is the only one in the world. Holding open a door and commenting on small details: are signs of good manners. Misinterpreting comments in a sexual way can be fun: remember ‘it is better to edge towards the naughty side.’ Surprise women and take risk, like hold your umbrella up over a woman, give a passing woman a flower, as these kind of random acts of kindness brighten everyone’s day and create magical moments. And, you should learn from Bond – always go for the ‘top of the line woman’ as they embody the essence of what a woman should be: smart, elegant, independent and obviously sexy.

Constantly reinvent yourself

Throughout the years James Bond has evolved: for instance many fans think of Roger Moore’s light hearted touch as the ultimate Bond, others prefer Sean Connery or the present James Bond Daniel Craig. So you must keep reinventing yourself according to your professional or personal needs – apply for that online course or take that gym membership. It is always helpful to remember that qualities like work/service provided, personal touch and quick response need to remain constant, while qualities that make you outdated or shows you as out of date needs to be upgraded constantly.

Travel far way places

For a few moments revisit; in your mind, all the exotic locations; you have seen in movies or read in novels, where Bond is seen. Obviously the locations are picture perfect, but take away the aspect of seismic beauty and concentrate on traveling. The truth is that ‘the more you travel, the more you learn about yourself and the world.’ So go out and travel, soon you would realize how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things and this would also allow you to free yourself.

Know your enemy

Bond never enters a battle without knowing finer details of his enemy, and has answers to questions like: who he is? How he thinks? What he desire? Etc. For you, as well as Bond sometimes the enemies are quite obvious, but other times enemies hide their-selves. Your enemy could be a business rival, a coworker or a rival in love: who is seeking your failure. So it is better to learn your enemy’s strengths and weaknesses before they start to harm you or your interests.

Study James Bond

Re-watch the old Bond movies or read all the novels, and pay close attention to ‘how the writers portray Bond.’ This would explain and teach you, ‘how or why Bond carries himself’, ‘way that he talks and interacts’ with other characters of the story.’ Whenever you find yourself uncertain about any action that you have to take then a simple technique should come to your rescue – ask yourself would James Bond do it? If the answer is ‘no,’ then don’t take that step. In all this don’t forget your underline focus: that you have to ‘adapt Bond’s characters into your way,’ and not commit the mistake of converting yourself into a Bond caricature.

COUNSELING OF STUDENTS AT SCHOOL LEVEL

Guidance and counseling is an important part of education at every level, especially at school level. Gaurav Goswami talks about the ever increasing need for appropriate counseling and guidance of school students in India.

A quick look back

In India schools are considered as the temple of learning and education is the preparation of life. In the past, Indian society with its strong family bonds, warm community feeling and spiritual essence has been working as a buffer in times of crisis and a support system to deal with various psycho-social issues. But, in recent times the Indian society have gone through a sea of changes from, the changing role of women, to a breakdown of the joint family system, rise in divorces, to increase in competitiveness in schools, rise in sociability of the children, increased technological advances, and peer and parental pressure, that have resulted in the formation of an environment that is loaded with stress and strain for students to deal with.    

Essence of education

Aim of education is the all-round development and harmonious adjustment of an individual in various aspects of student’s life. If this is to be achieved then education is not limited to imparting knowledge as the duty of a teacher, and accumulating knowledge as the duty of a student. Thus for self realization of the student guidance and counseling is needed. In short school counseling helps in reducing the effect of environmental and institutional barriers that impedes a student’s academic success.

History of school counseling

School counseling in India is relatively new. The first Child Guidance Clinic was started by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences at Wadia Hospital in 1938. The Wadia hospital also started a school health unit the same year, which referred children with behavioral problems to the hospital. The Ministry of Education, Government of India established the Central Bureau of Education and Vocational Guidance in 1954. After the 3rd five year plan; 1961, guidance services were initiated in schools by the trained counselors and career masters with assistance from school teachers. 1966 onwards the number of schools providing guidance service in one form or the other rose to 300. From the year 2000 the Central Bureau of Education and Vocational guidance has delegated the work of guidance professionals training to the regional institute of Guidance at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhuvaneshwar and Mysore.   

Need for guidance

At adolescence the student must know about his/her capacities, potential, and job opportunities after higher studies, about the expenses towards higher education, availability of scholarships and the places of admission etc. The student needs guidance for right selection of courses of studies and personal guidance for his/her problems. Even if many students may have educated adults for assistance, but may be reluctant to approach them. In some families the parents or elders may be uneducated. There may be instances where parents and elders at home are busy with their own professional lives, and the adolescents are left without any help and in some cases without love and affection. Unfortunate students face heterosexual problems, which they cannot discuss with parents. Apart from these problems, students do not know the method of studying, the right method of preparing for the examination, how to allocate leisure time, and how better to adjust with siblings at home and with peer group at school. Guidance is needed not only for the adolescent in problems, but also for gifted students. Guidance is also needed to check the dropout from school, to minimize the incidents of indiscipline. For the adolescents who lack a sense of direction, purpose and a sense of fulfillment, guidance is needed.

Lot of work needs to be done

There is a better need to enhance the school counseling field in India. Plus awareness towards emotional and behavioral adjustment needs of students and its associations with academic performance should be created among the teachers, parents, educators, administrators and community.

I end this article with a question ‘what is the aim of counseling?’

The following tries to point out what counseling aspires for-

• ·         To bring about the desired change in the individual for self realization.
• ·         To provide assistance to solve problems through an intimate personal relationship.
• ·         To achieve positive mental health.
• ·         To help students to make proper and satisfactory adjustments for improved academic pursuits and useful life.

GRATITUDE

Dear all,

Hi,

Thank you for following my blog, viewing and appreciating its content. Please keep encouraging me by providing with your valuable feedback.

I am taking this opportunity to ask for your help in expanding my writing horizon. So, if any one of you/your family/friends/colleagues and others, are in need of getting any article/articles/book(fiction/non fiction) etc written, please feel free to contact me.

Till now I have over 100 articles (on a variety of subjects)/short stories (fiction), published in reputed publications and posted on my blogs. At present I am in the process of writing my first Non-Fiction book; will keep updating you about the book.

Anyone interested can contact me through LinkedIn and Facebook also.  

I request each one of you to help me in taking this message to everyone out there.

Thank you for your help, appreciation and criticism.

Love,                                 

Gaurav Goswami

Email id: gauravgoswami0412@gmail.com

P.S. Links to my other blogs are:

http://gotboggeddown.blogspot.com

http://gauravgoswami0412.blogspot.com

http://gauravgoswami4.blogspot.com

STAYING RELEVANT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Throughout time human beings have been the most resilient of all the living beings. Because, whatever the age we have upped our capabilities and adapted accordingly. Gaurav Goswami talks about the skill sets and the ways to hone them, resulting in us becoming a success in our chosen field, in the present digital age.

                     

Today’s picture

Technology continues to grow and create changes in ways that we live our lives. It is no secret that one tweet, photo or video can make or break a company or a relationship in ways we couldn’t have imagined few years back. So, if we don’t evolve and grow new skills, our value to our self, our work place or our family will diminish in time.

The way forward

The good news is that we can harness these technological changes, instead of either fearing from them or intentionally ignoring them. The reason is that the difference between winning and losing; like in every age, is to understand the questions of where to? And how to? And then start to work diligently at it so that we are better prepared for the future disruptions.

An important point

The most basic quality that we or for that matter any company can cultivate is honesty. This is because like people in our personal relationships, our customers in work place can also smell a rat from afar, be it a marketing ploy or when a company is wasting their time trying to pull the wool over their eye. So it is important that we are upfront in our dealing and let it be known beforehand. Honesty is most certainly the best possibly.  

First things first – embrace

We need to challenge our self to embrace the technologies that are most relevant for us. This may mean to acquire our self with the new technological know-how or upgrade our smart phones with the latest apps. If it is social media that is vital for our professional life, embrace 

that, don’t just think, I am too old to learn new things.  

Continuous learning

In professional life, is our education adding value to our everyday conversation and giving us benefits in managing our official works? If the answer is no, then can we attend industry events and conferences to improve our abilities? Can we enroll in that online webinar and programs to bridge that gap? There are a number of podcasts and e-books available that can come to our rescue. We can also take the advantage of watching various TED talks. Another way is to hire a mentor to provide us the necessary knowledge.

Practice wisdom

The digital revolution can be a double edged sword that can both build and break relationships between people, businesses, customers and employees. So in this constant push and pull, it is best to remind our self that: knowledge without wisdom can be dangerous. We need to cultivate active listening and follow tolerance.

Build the capacity to unlearn

We must remember the importance of unlearning. This is because when a tea cup is full to the brim, then how can we pour more tea into it, as any more tea will naturally spill out. The challenge is to keep alight the torch of re-inventing our self.

Finally some pointers for your professional life
      ·    Identify future capabilities that give employees clarity and guidance on what the future of their job looks like.

• Offer regular customized training and digital learning tools to help employees be better at work.
• Keep asking for regular feed back to see where advancement is needed to be done.

WHAT CAN MODERN EDUCATION, LEARN FROM VEDIC EDUCATION SYSTEM?

No one can be called educated who cannot preserve and expand his/her cultural heritage. In this article I try to explain how Vedic style of education can be incorporated into modern education system, in a way, that benefits both the student and the teacher, which in turn benefits India.

What is education?

Culture is the sum total of the accumulated experience and achievements of previous generations inherited by succeeding generations as member of society. And, the structured process of passing on this collective experiences and achievements may be called education. The function of schools is not only to make students knowledgeable, but also to make them cultured, because education develops student’s ideal nature by giving them a moral feeling and enables them to control their original animal nature. So, the ultimate aim of education should not only be to full fill the desire of life, but to also make the student fit to become a useful member of society.   

Falling morals in today’s students

We are living in an age of rapidly scientific and technological changes, which nonetheless have many positive effects on different social groups and across different societies. Much has changed, but one thing that has not changed is imparting knowledge through learning, which is a never ending process. The sad part in all of this is that, modern students are not morally perfect and behave irresponsibly. The reason for this may be that, students are affected directly or indirectly by the social evils such as: idleness, egotism, poverty, sexual disability, materialistic appeals, evil practices, corruption, decline in moral values and destructive politics. This is where Vedic style of education can help, as it has tendency to change the minds and character of the students.  

Gurukuls

In ancient India, the gurukuls; where students resided at guru’s place, were dedicated to achieve the highest ideas to complete student’s development that included physical, mental, spiritual development as well as God realization. The gurukuls were situated at beautiful natural places which were near some rural or urban area to fulfill the daily necessary requirements of the students. This system was free from any sort of consideration of rich and poor, caste and creed, higher or lower etc. Even the children of both rulers and peasants stayed together, and state politics do not interfered in this education system. The students used to seek alms everyday form different houses. They shared their alms with their teacher, and that is how a gurukuls was managed. The society had a lot of reverence to students who were seeking alms for their education.  

Teacher

The pivot of the whole education system of ancient India was teacher. He is also called as acharya, guru and upadhyana on the basis of the function he performed. Acharya is one who performs the upanayana; which marks the acceptance of a student by a teacher. A guru is one who perform the samskaras; mental impression, recollection in Indian Philosophy and Indian religion. And, upadhyana is who teaches a student a portion of the Vedas. The education was mainly through ears and lips and not through writing and reading. This was because writing was considered as inferior, and education through ears and lips had the power to develop cognition, intelligence and strong memory. The subjects that were taught were: religion, ayurveda, vaishaishika, economics, archery, justice, reasoning among others. There was the provision of free education, but after the completion of education money, land, animals, grains etc was given as daksina; it is not a fee, but sort of donation. They treated the student with care, respect, trust and duty. Punishment was given, but was not harsh.      

Student

A prospective student had to convince the teacher that, the student, had the required intelligence, desire, determination and qualities to pursue the studies. The age to begin education was usually eight to twelve, and the time period for studying was twelve years and a student could study only one Veda in that period. The classes were held in the shade of trees and under some shelter during monsoon to ensure that the students are in touch with nature which benefited their physical and mental development. There were certain rules for the students to adhere regarding their daily lives such as: to lead a simple life, wake up early before the day breaks, get freshened up and take bath, and then worship God, and perform havan etc. The students could eat food twice a day. They were asked to follow the rules of self control and discipline. The students have great respect for their teachers and treated them as their parents and King.

Where have we lost it?

Long before the British rule gurukuls were the preferred from of education, even in the time of Mughal rule; 1556-1707  its peak years, to the later years when Mughal power dwindled till the eventual arrival of British rule, gurukul system existed and flourished. During the colonial times, the British imported their centralized system of industrial era education while systematically de-emphasized the importance and usage of Vedic education system. The modern education system is India is established by British, introduced by Lord Thomas Macaulay in 1830 and later by Wood’s Magna Carta of Indian education in 1854. Teaching was confined to the class rooms, connection with nature was broken and the close relationship between student and teacher was also lost. It was left to Dayananda Saraswati; the founder of Arya Samaj and Swami Shraddanand, to pioneer the modern gurukul system, they founded Dayananda Anglo-Vedic Public School and Universities in 1886 A.D. Then in 1948 Shastriji Maharaj Dharanjivan Das Swami initiated the first Swaminarayan Gurukul in Rajkot, Gujarat. But sadly, instead of following its own roots the modern education system of independent India carried on the track of Western style of Education, which is based on text books and examination. The teacher lost their right to decide what to teach and how to teach. This type of educational practice eventually narrows the area of knowledge, because to pass exams students just needed to memorize the contents, without understanding it properly.    

Need of the hour

In present times where the news of school shootings, drug addictions, overexposure to sex, smoking, alcoholism, incidents of rape, committing suicide at a very young age and showing disrespect toward elders and others are common. Incorporating Vedic education; which is the core of India’s culture and rich heritage, in the modern education system will help the student to achieve the following benefits: ideal of perfect mastery over senses, to erect the ideal of truth, liberty, equality, peace and unity. This will intern help in bringing back the true essence of guru-shishya tradition in the modern education system, because the ultimate aim of Vedic system of education is the development of personality and character of the student. And correct the prevailing wrong precedent, which is, ‘education in India is linked sorely to employment.’   

SINGLEHOOD - A FUTURE FOR MEN!

Does getting married make a man happier, healthier, and more integrated into society? Let’s look at the relevant question bothering the ‘modern man.’

Motivation of men

Men are motivated by 3Fs: freedom, fame and fortune, and men who prefer to stay single are ruled by the first of these three Fs; freedom. It doesn’t in any way mean that for single men the other two, fame and fortune, are not important. Actually, they are very important, but the only difference is that single men lean mostly towards ‘self’ freedom. A single man would rather stay single than have a woman strap him down, because he loves his freedom and his independence more than any other thing. One thing which is vital for society to understand is that for a man to be single ‘isn’t selfish,’ it is just giving priority to his needs. 

What studies talk about?

The studies that support the claim that married men are doing better are biased because they want to make the married man look better and portray the single man’s life as worse. What these studies fail to highlight is that, sometimes it is the lifelong single, rather than the currently married, which are doing best. In other studies, it is the single that is the healthiest. Then there are studies which highlight previous single getting married, and staying married – they end up no happier than they were when they were single. In other words – getting married is no sure way to happiness and health. 

Stigma attached to single man

Unfortunately, single man’s life continues to be stigmatized, with single man stereotyped as less secure and more self centered than married man. Society normally labels single men as, ‘they will die sooner, alone and sad.’ There is also a notion that among society which assume single men to be unsociable, unattractive, or immature. These thinking are way of the mark because in reality many single men are charismatic and responsible.

Widespread singlehood

The number one reason why the modern men prefer to remain single is that – these men have difficulty flirting or are unable to impress the opposite sex, because most men are not even taught how to attract, date and maintain relationships with others. On top of that we live in a society that tends to have an expectation that ‘if you are an awesome enough person, things should fall into place.’ Nothing is more wrong and farther from the truth; either in life or for that matter in case of love. In the time gone by marriage were strictly arranged, which in a respect left men with little choice about who would be their wives, it also meant that their looks were irrelevant and they did not need to know how to attract women, all that was needed of them was to have the know-how of earning money to run the house. Sometimes single men’s work takes first priority, and they happily distribute much of their time to it; this leaves no time for a relationship. A man remain single because he is detailed oriented and tend to look at every little detail of a person through his perspective, and may analyze everything, thus if something makes him feel suspicious about someone, he won’t give the other person a chance anymore, that is why intelligent single men always weighs the pros and cons of why they should fall in love with another person, especially if they can be just fine by themselves. One more reason is that many single men don’t like any drama in their lives; most women love to create drama, so single men who love to be more productive, think of having a relationship as a hindrance in their life and in their success. Another reason is the fear of marriage; single men see marriage as a risk: emotional, financial and psychological.       

Singlehood is a good 

The rise in number of single men has left some in panic, but wait that is not the whole story; actually the percentage of single men is more than married men who are known for encouraging, helping and socializing with friends and neighbors. They are also more likely to visit, support, advice and stay in touch with their siblings and parents. Married men often put their spouse and kids at the centre of their lives; this behavior is perfectly fine and is also expected of them. On the other hand, single men are expanding the traditional boundaries of family. They are keeping their families, and are also putting their friends, ex-partners and mentors in their circle of family. Some men may even have committed romantic relationship, but chose to live in a place of their own. These individuals might move into their own apartment, where their friends and family are also living. They may buy a duplex with a close friend or explore co-housing communities or pocket neighborhood; which are communities of small houses clustered around shared space such as courtyard or garden. Single men are free to do what they want without having to consider a spouse’s desire; they enjoy more autonomy of their own life. Another benefit is that single men are not locked into family responsibility and obligation; they consequently can be more mobile and flexible in the climb up the career ladder. Single men tend to participate in more civic group and public events, enroll in more art and music and other self improvement classes. Single men are constantly on the lookout of finding and creating new variety of different life spaces. These examples should be a call for rejoicing, rather than doom and gloom.

Usher a new beginning

As the potential for living a full and meaningful single life for man becomes more widely known, then living single will become more of a genuine choice. And when living single is a real choice then the modern man will chose life that suits him, rather than the one that is prescribed by society.

AN ART CRITIQUE ENDEAVOR

To appreciate art, one needs to learn art critique; which is a sequential approach for looking at and talking about art. Gaurav Goswami explains all the processes that one needs to follow in order to understand art better.

It can be a lot of fun

Art criticism is not difficult; in fact it makes the study of art less mysterious and more logical. By art critique one means, the process of exercising a serious and objective examination on a work of art and making systematic judgement of it. This knowledge will give one confidence and courage to speak their mind. And as one starts to get proficient in the language of art, one will be able to delve deeper into the layers of meaning of each art piece.  

The right words

Every profession has its set of specific words that are exclusive to them; art also has its share of words. The line, tone, texture, movement and shape are just a few words in which art can be critiqued. However, the above mentioned words can be better described with the help of other words. The words used to describe line are: flowing, delicate, simple, bold, thick, and thin. When it comes to tone the words that better describe it are: subtle, contrasting, muted and dramatic. Texture is better described with words like: rough, fine, smooth, coarse, uneven. Words that describe movement are: swirling, flowing and dramatic. Art comes in various shapes, some words describing them are: organic, curvaceous, geometric, angular and elongated.

Building the ground work

When beginning a critique it is helpful to spend the first few minutes in silence contemplation of the piece i.e. simply absorb it visually. Look long enough to let the image sink into one’s consciousness, allowing the mind to sense which qualities attract and which distracts. A way to go about it is to purposely abstract the image in the mind. This is done by reducing any recognizable subject matter in shapes, lines, and filed of colour or tonal value; this is called the reduction process. After this initial inspection and before any critical determinations are made, it is often necessary to ask the artist some questions like, what they wanted the image to communicate to the viewer? Is the piece concerned only with the illusion it creates or it has a deeper meaning behind it?  Was the final product arrived at randomly, intuitively or through very deliberate choices? This question and answer session helps the critics to compare their first impressions with that of the artist. It is helpful to limit one’s thinking to the paradigm presented by the concerned piece of art. One’s arbitrary, random or impulsive assumptions are difficult to draw conclusions from; on the other hand, logical reasoning provides a structure which one can use to determine specific mystery behind the visual beauty. 

Evaluation criteria      

Art critique starts by reviewing the colour. The use of colour and the way how they are used, communicates messages and feelings to the critic. Tonal range refers to the contrast of value or the range from light to dark contained in the piece of art. For example, an artwork containing dark purple and pale yellow colour has a wide tonal range, while one containing only primary red or green colour has a narrow tonal range. The form of the piece of art gives the subject matter of a 2 D artwork the appearance of existing in 3 D space. Generally, the deeper an artist understands of the law of optical reality the more convincing the illusion. Having said that, it is helpful to know whether the artist intends these illusions to be accurate or they defy the optical laws of reality. The contents of an art work are composed in a certain arrangement, forming spatial relationships that lead the critic’s eyes around the piece or to a particular space within it. And the artist derives this effect by the composition of the piece of the art. Style in art refers to the intended distortion of optical reality in order to convey a particular meaning or express a particular feeling. When this is developed with a theory and implemented with skill, then stylization happens. Stylization adds layer of symbolism and also provide entertainment for the eyes. Cubism is a classic example of stylization. A painting consists of not only visual illusion, but a physical surface also. The characteristic of brush work and the physical qualities of the medium used contribute to the final look of the art work.      

Final thoughts

The best critiques are the result of an unfolding dialogue between the artist and the art critic. Art criticism not only has an important role in developing the work of artist, but also in helping viewer/critic to perceive and interpret works of art better. Finally a few pointers to remember while critiquing an art work: describe what one sees? Analyze how the work is organized?  Interpret what message does the art work communicate? And judge what does one think of the work?