Issue

"We learn through direct experience; to accept a theory without experiencing it is to learn
nothing at all."
01
Essay
The greatest teacher is experience. It is only through first hand experience that any new
knowledge can get fixed in the mind. It is rightly said that experience is the best teacher.
Anything learnt virtually is only half learnt. Nevertheless, having an experience of the thing
puts you at a better position when it comes to learning the concept.

It is the nature�s way of teaching things to animals as well as humans. A bird would never
be able to learn how to fly unless it flaps its wings. Similarly, when a baby comes to this world,
he is absolutely new to the world. As he grows up, he begins to observe and incorporate things
that he sees in his life. Once he picks up a thing by observing it, he begins to imitate it and thus
learn from it. Unless he touches something hot, he would never know what it is to get burnt.
Unless he gets cut from a sharp object, or trips from a higher place, he would never understand
the meaning of these things and thus will never learn that he should stay away from such
things.

Accepting a theory without experiencing it is to remain passive in life. Without experience, one
can never know the nature and the extent of any theory. As the famous saying goes �only the
wearer knows where the shoe pinches�, it can be understood that it is only when one
indulges that one comes to know about the difficulties of a task. Whether the task is easy or
difficult is a question that can be answered only when it is undertaken. For example, while
preparing for an exam, if a student goes by just what is told to him by his tutor, there is no
surety of his having learnt his lessons properly. On the other hand, if the student has practiced
and solved the lesson on his own, he will have a first-hand experience of the problems. He
would solve on his own and find out his capabilities, his weaknesses, and thus get a chance of
improving himself. This is learning in the real sense.
However, it is also true that everything cannot be experienced. To learn about the moon and its
nature, it is not essential to go on the moon. The only way a common man can learn about such
far reached things or imaginary theories is when someone tells them something about them.
That means you may not have an experience of going on the moon, but it can be understood
and perceived by the human mind. Thus, experience cannot be called the sole teacher. Learning
happens in an environment where the student is ready to learn what is available to him. Thus,
the most important factor in learning is the interest of a student in the subject.

The first step towards learning is made only with the help of a guide. Thus the importance of
learning by getting inspired cannot be ignored. It would be an extreme statement to say that
without experiencing there is no learning. Learning is a continuous process. It goes on in the
subconscious mind, without one�s knowledge of it. Since the mind is always working and
absorbing things, it has the capacity of picking up ideas and developing them as well. Thus,
before you actually experience something the mind has already worked over the issue and
prepared a base for it.

Thus,, learning cannot be restricted to a particular manner. Learning requires a participation

of the mind and body. Thus, not only is it important to experience the theories, but it is also
important that the learner has a mindset for learning and grasping the things he sees.
Issue
"Laws should not be rigid or fixed. Instead, they should be flexible enough to take account of
various circumstances, times, and places."
02
Essay
Laws are a system of rules that are formulated to bring order in a society. Thus, laws help in
bringing a system, country or society under one rule which everyone must obey and accept.
Laws are therefore enforced upon people without making any distinction between them so that
there is discipline and peace in a society.

Since the whole society that comes under one rule is subject to the same laws of the society, it is
the responsibility of the governing authority to make sure that the laws pertain to the general
public and are not against them. For this purpose while formulating laws the government
must look into the needs of the society. Moreover, since the needs of a society as a whole are not
fixed and are subject to time, place and circumstances, laws should also not be fixed. It would
be wrong to say that laws once formulated will never change. Such governance where laws are
not flexible and are rigid takes the form of dictatorship. Therefore, for the purpose of forming a
healthy democratic society, it is important that the requirements of people should be taken
into consideration, and correspondingly changes introduced in laws.

The needs of people change with changing times. What was required in the past is different
from the requirements of the present. Moreover, with the passage of time the success of laws
can be judged. Thus, according to the present needs, a change should be made in laws. For
example, in the past, there were restrictions put the merchants to practice free trade keeping
in mind the upliftment of small scale industry and public sector. However, with the passage of
time, it was observed that such a restriction has only alienated the country and thus has put
hurdles in the way of progress. The private sector forms a large part of the society and their
needs must also be taken into consideration. With the removal of such rigid laws and the
practice of free trade coming into existence, the economy has become stronger than ever. Thus,
laws formed according to the needs of the changing times not only bring in development but
also peace and harmony in a society.
Similarly, there can be changes in circumstances that require a change in laws. For example, in
case of violence or attack, it becomes essential to put restriction over the common man keeping
in mind the interests of the society. Thus, a curfew or a state of emergency can be declared to
bring the circumstances back to normalcy. However, such laws are not required when the
circumstances do not allow and there is peace everywhere. A change in place can also see a
change in laws. According to laws and rights, a citizen of a country may be free to move, settle
or buy property in any part of the country, but there can be restrictions put on such liberty
according to the place as well. Some places need to be protected by the government for various
purposes, like security, upliftment of poor and minority etc. Thus, the laws must also be subject
to change in place.

However, the change in laws should not be made at the click of a finger. In such a system the
importance of laws is diminished. There has to be a predefined and proper procedure of
amendment of laws which takes into consideration every aspect of the society that would get
affected with the change. Thus, laws must be flexible but not weak so that they can be bent and
twisted to every desired way. Only strong laws that take into consideration the interests of the
society as a whole are the ones which form a healthy and peaceful society

Issue
"People are too quick to take action; instead they should stop to think of the possible
consequences of what they might do."
03
Essay
There are many ways of looking at a thing. Similarly, there are many consequences of a
particular thing. You can reach the desired goal according to the path you choose. It is thus a
matter of choosing the correct path at the correct time. If the right time is over, then there is no
way to turn back and mend your ways. That is why you must be very cautious of your actions
and think before you leap.

The benefits of thinking and proceeding with any job are many. Not only does it involve
calculations and planning, but it also turns out to be the wisest thing possible. When you spare
some time to ponder over the issue and the plan of action, it involves looking deep into the
issue keeping in mind all its aspects. Thus, the possibility of any hurdles and shortfalls is
previously thought over. In case there are some hurdles that are met later during the course of
action, one can deal with it in a better way. This is because thinking of all the possibilities
prepares you for all situations.

Jumping to conclusions is just an act of impulse. When you are subject to impulse, you have a
strong and sudden wish to do something without thinking about its results. It is likely that
what you do in such a case leads to the result that is expected. However, there are great
chances that it leads to the opposite or even a disastrous end. To avoid any such chances, the
best thing to do is to think of all the possible consequences and then act according to
requirement.
I had heard of an incident when a group of school boys had gone out in the country side for a
small picnic. The idea was to have fun and enjoy the day playing around in the open. That is
why on seeing a beautiful stream some of them decided to jump in for a swim. Without thinking
about any safety measures, they jumped into the stream. To their surprise the stream was
flooded and the current was too much for them to fight against. Sooner than they realized they
were being washed away by the powerful stream. It was only with the thoughtful and timely
action of the other boys that a rescue team could be called and the boys could be rescued. It can
be seen that the boys did not think that their activities of deriving fun would take such a
dangerous turn. The lesson from such an incident is for everyone to learn. Had the boys
thought over the possibility of such a thing, they would not have probably thought of going for
a swim. Alternatively, probably to satisfy their wish of swimming, they could have chosen a
better time when the stream would not be so flooded, or a better place like a pool.

It is the general tendency of a person to listen to the heart. Thus, their actions are guided by
the heart and not by brain. However, this is not applicable to one and all. It cannot be
generalized to each and every person. There are many people who think before doing any
work. The action of working on an impulse is largely due to the habits of an individual. If a
person is trained by his parents, teacher or guide to give a thought before acting upon
something, he can be conditioned to think logically before doing any work.

It is not in our hands to change what is already done. However, we can surely change the way
things shape up by carefully thinking over the matter. Actions are not reversible. Thus, the
deed once done can never be corrected. The only thing that is left later with the person is
regret, that the consequence could have been avoided with proper thought and planning. Thus,
instead of regretting and fretting, one must make the best of the opportunity and think
logically about the consequences and accordingly act upon the matter.
Issue
"It is possible to pass laws that control or place limits on people's behavior, but legislation
cannot reform human nature. Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds."
04
Essay
Discipline is the ability to control your behaviour or the way you live and work. It is essentially
inner or personal discipline, which is a method of training and conditioning your mind, heart
and body for controlling your behaviour. One has to be disciplined not only in personal matters
but also in a society. Man is a social animal and that is why he has to obey the rules and orders
of a society. Thus, laws are very essential to control people�s behaviour and put limits on
them so that everyone can live together in harmony. Anyone disobeying these rules is liable to
punishment so that the perverse act is not repeated. However, if the punishment is enough for
the offender to make him obey the laws or not cannot be said for sure.

Laws can restrict human behaviour. Laws are meant to control and train. The purpose of laws
is to maintain general peace. Thus, laws are formulated keeping in mind the best interests of
the society. This puts a lot of responsibility on the individual to obey these laws. Whether laws
are followed or not is a very personal choice. Although the procedure of punishing the
offenders is made in order to correct them and stop them from committing the offence again, it
is not a guarantee that this system would correct the offender forever. Once the punishment is
over, the offender will again commit the offence. The question here is about responsibility. Only
a person who understands his responsibility would refrain from committing crimes. On the
other hand, someone who is not responsible and does not have the morals and principles that
make him a social person would commit the crime repeatedly. This will happen unless the
nature of the offender changes.
It would be incorrect on the part of the authorities to think that laws are enough to bring in
peace. Laws are only a demarcation of a person�s behaviour. Nevertheless, there is no way
to demark a person�s mind. Before the crime is actually committed, it is already committed
in the mind of the offender. Thinking of doing an unlawful thing is as good as doing it. We can
stop the actions once or twice. It is possible that the offender is punished by law sometimes.
However, this does not eradicate crime form the society. This is because it exists in the minds of
the offenders. Thus, to bring an end crime and offence, the mind has to be reformed and
conditioned.

Punishment cannot bring reform, neither can laws of the society. For the society to be free of
crime, the criminals need to be given moral training rather than physical punishment. With
moral training, the person is taught to lead a clean and healthy moral life. He would realize the
importance of principles and how to lead his life according to these principles. Not only does
this bring back order into his life, but he would also understand how one must live with others
in a society. Thus, the person would start respecting social rules and regulations which would
make him a responsible citizen.

Thus, it is clear that laws are only good enough to put a limit or restriction. However, this does
not check the offence from being committed because the mind and heart of a person cannot be
bound by laws and regulations. For a society free of crime, we must have a society of people
with good morals, minds and hearts.
Issue
"Success in any realm of life comes more often from taking chances or risks than from careful
and cautious planning."
05
Essay
The success of a person means that the person has achieved something that he has been trying
to get. When the efforts are met with good results and it results in satisfaction of work, it is
termed as success. One can be working towards becoming rich or famous or getting a high
social position. Thus, a successful person is one who gets all that he is aiming for. It is not only
a matter of chance or luck that one turns out to be successful, but one also has to work towards
attaining success.

Nothing can be achieved without putting in efforts. Hard work and toil are the prerequisites of
success. The first step towards achieving anything in life is hard work. Thus, one has to put in
all efforts and dedication towards one goal. This requires you to carefully plan the course of
action. With proper planning, it is easier to follow the path to success. It is only through
planning that one foresees the situation. Thus, one can act according to the situation without
wasting time by proceeding with thoughtfully planned actions.

However, everything cannot be foreseen. You can plan your actions to some extent, beyond
which it is only a matter of destiny. This means that most of the times you cannot predict the
future. Thus, you are met with surprising twists and turns in your course of actions. These are
the hurdles that one does not plan for. Thus, the only option that a person is left with is either
taking risks and chances or not proceeding further at all. If a person loses heart, he might drop
the idea of proceeding any further. In that case it puts an end to all his efforts and planning. On
the other hand, when one takes risks and chances, there are two possibilities. Either the risk is
going to be fatal and would meet the same end as that of dropping to proceed further, or the
risk would pay off by producing excellent results. Thus, if one comes to think of it, it is the risks
and chances that contribute to successfully completing the task. How much ever one plans for
the task, there is nothing he can do in case of a crisis other than taking risks.
There can be another case where following the normal plan of actions gives normal results.
However, to gain more than normal, there could a little amount of risk involved. Taking a risk
one either could land up in complete loss, or could attain the position that you can never get to
if you follow the normal plan of actions. Thus, it can be said that the topmost position is
reserved for those who are ready to take the risk instead of following a usual path.

Success can be a relative term as well. A person might consider himself successful if he has a
satisfied life and desires. It is possible that he does not aim at the top, but just wants to be
happy with his existing state of living. For others success means reaching at the top. Thus, one
has to outsmart others and prove his worth in the crowd of people. Only then can the person
stand out in a number of people. It is the extra edge that one has over the others that makes
him higher than the rest. Thus, to be successful one must have the ability to face every situation
boldly. There are many hurdles that one can face in the pursuit of success. These hurdles not
only require wise and thoughtful decisions but also quick action and spontaneity.

Issue
"Originality does not mean thinking something that was never thought before; it means
putting old ideas together in new ways.""
06
Essay
Your work should be original�. How many times have we all faced this assertion being
hurled at us by our employees or our teachers? The answer to this question would be
�Almost every time I have to submit a piece of work.� by most of us. This very fact
highlights the important role that originality plays in our day to day life. Today, when the
world is looking forward to a promising future abound with novel ideas and innovations, one
can�t really support the contention that originality is restricted to thinking something that
was never thought of before; rather originality embodies a concept that arises out of an
effective amalgamation of all things that have been thought of before and old ideas into a
presentation that is new, unique and refreshing.
Originality is the key to success in today�s highly competitive world. Whether it is your
creation related to your field of expertise or a piece of art, the only aspect of your hard work
that can lead you to success is your originality. However, on closer introspection, you will
realize that all your work has always been inspired by something. Man was always awed by
birds soaring in the sky and that was what prompted Daedalus, in Greek Mythology, to make
wax wings for his son Icarus for helping him in escaping from Crete. One cannot refute the fact
that the Wright brothers also would have been inspired by mythological tales and the flight of
birds to design their first controlled powered flight. By no means can the idea behind the
concept of flying be termed as original, as it was just a method of arranging old existing ideas
in a new framework that enabled the world to see it as an innovation. From the first powered
flight to the latest spacecraft, all machines, designs, processes and theories have been
compounded on the basis of existing data and ideas. Although, one has to give due credit to the
inventor to have seen the old existing thoughts from a new perspective and to have been able
to mould those ideas and concepts into a form that has led to creations that are termed as
�original� in normal parlance.

To sum up, it needs to be reiterated that originality is indispensable for progress in the fields of
technology, science and arts. However, paying undue stress on the fact that originality should
stem from a thought that has never crossed any human mind ever before, is not justified.
Originality can be developed only if one is given the freedom to look around for inspirational
ideas and thoughts that may come from anywhere in the environment. After all, haven�t we
all heard that writers and artists go for a relaxing break whenever they have to start a new
work, get inspired by something and then produce their creation which is termed as original
by the world.
Issue
"It is always an individual who is the impetus for innovation; the details may be worked out by
a team, but true innovation results from the enterprise and unique perception of an
individual.""
07
Essay
Since time immemorial, man has associated team work with all of his successes. Words like
�brain storming sessions�, �team spirit�, �team work� etc. have always been
related to success in most ventures. The statement that �innovation has always been
provided an impetus by an individual and not a team� seems lopsided. The statement,
�the impetus for innovation is provided by an individual and is sometimes provided by the
enterprise and unique perception of a team of individuals� seems more convincing.
Therefore, true innovation is a result of the endeavor and insight of numerous brains put
together among which there may be one such individual who conceived and stimulated the
idea that triggered the said innovation.

History of mankind is packed with examples of innovative ideas that have been brought into
existence with the efforts of numerous men in the form of a team. The famous Manhattan
Project is well known for its research work that led to the birth of the first Atom Bomb. Robert
Oppenheimer is the name that comes up as the individual who oversaw the entire project but
the end result was the outcome of sustained efforts of a dedicated and committed team of
scientists. The entire team backed by the US government was responsible for providing the
necessary stimulus to the project.
At the same time one cannot ignore the fact that major innovations related to the field of
science and technology have by and large been realized by individuals who have acted as
catalysts. The individuals did provide the necessary impetus which was then worked upon by
the team assisting them but somewhere along the way, one of the team members may have
contributed equally for providing the necessary incentive and motivation to his other team
members in order to bring the innovation into its final form. Therefore, the credit for
formalizing the innovation cannot go to an individual always and every time.

One has to be open to the idea that an innovation may be realized by the expertise and unique
perception of more than one individual. However, one cannot completely disregard the fact
that in most of the cases innovative ideas originate as a result of the perception of an
individual who provides the necessary impetus. Therefore, to sum up, one could say that the
enterprise and unique perception of one or more individuals provides the necessary impetus to
any innovation.

Issue
"The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the
discipline, we see the same world as before, but with different eyes."
08
Essay
Acquiring knowledge has often been termed as enlightening oneself. One does see the world
with different eyes once the study of an academic discipline has been completed. A child
perceives the world with an entirely different perspective as compared to that of his parents as
his knowledge has not yet been molded by the finer details that only the study of an academic
discipline can provide.

For someone who is not aware of the agents responsible for the spread of diseases, the
necessity of maintaining a hygienic lifestyle may not be all that important. On the other hand,
an individual who has carried out studies in the field of health sciences would be conscious of
the surroundings around him. In addition to perceiving the world from an entirely different
viewpoint, he would also make an effort to change the viewpoint of those around him. The
world would be the same, just as it was when he was not aware of the repercussions of an
unhygienic lifestyle. However, acquiring knowledge as a result of studying health sciences has
made the difference in how he now sees the world around him.
It would be incorrect to assume that seeing the world from a different perspective is an inborn
trait. All children generally perceive their surroundings in the same manner. During the course
of their development they are subjected to studies in various forms. The rainbow is the same as
that which one saw as a kid and then as an adult. However, as educated adults we are able to
identify the rainbow as a scientific phenomenon whereas a child who has not yet studied the
concepts of prisms, refraction and reflection of light will think of it as a magical wonder.
Unfortunately, a child who has not been consistent in his studies will probably still see it as a
miracle even after attaining adulthood. This difference in perceiving the same world from
different viewpoints is the outcome of the study of various academic disciplines.

The environment around us is the same for all humans. We all see it from different
perspectives due to our inherent traits that are a result of the studies that we have carried out.
This is the reason why you find that the judges for popular talent shows and contests are
people who have excelled in these fields themselves, as then only will they be able to do justice
to the procedure of selecting the best. A renowned painter will probably never feature in the
list of judges for selecting the best science project as he may not be able to see the project from
any perspective other than the artistic presentation involved.

Issue
"If people disregard the great works of the past, it is because these works no longer answer the
needs of the present."
09
Essay
It has been constantly emphasized that the present generation has disregard for the great
works of the past and the irony is that it has been said for all generations. The world is
progressing into an era which is scientifically, technically and artistically much more
advanced than what it was in the past. This exponential progress is an indication that the
people of tomorrow will not be able to regard the works of the present as great works in just
the same way as the present generation of people disregards the great works of the past. The
primary reason for this attitude is that the works of one generation no longer answer the
needs of the succeeding generation.

Today, most people feel handicapped if they step out of their homes without their mobile
communication handsets. The handsets are available in various models including those with
inbuilt camera, internet access, audio player, video player, radio receiver etc. How can one
expect such people to hold with regard the great works of the past like the invention of the
telephone, radio receiver, camera and the computer? If a person has access to these facilities in
one hand-held device, it is obvious that he will fail to understand the importance of an
individual device that can do only one of these actions at a time. This outlook stems from the
basic human nature that looks for easy access to all available facilities.
The inventions mentioned as examples in the previous paragraph refer to some of the greatest
works of the past. These works were instrumental in bringing about a monumental leap in the
history of mankind, thus changing the living standards of society by a huge extent. However,
these great works of the past are met with total disregard by the people of today because these
works fail to answer the needs of the present. If one has the easy option of reaching a distant
destination by an airplane, then there is no reason, apart from financial implications, for him
to opt for a journey by road which would take him a number of days to reach his destination.
Why would one then hold the works of the past related to the automobile industry with any
form of regard?

The same holds true for all forms of art that were labeled as great in their time. People of that
era had time for appreciating and discussing works of artists. Although in today�s fast-
paced world, works of art are still able to garner admiration and respect from a section of
society, however a majority of people have neither the time nor the inclination for appreciating
works of art either of the past or of the present. Everybody today is looking at what the future
holds for him. They are all working against time for creating an environment that is conducive
for further growth. Therefore, it would be correct to assume that the great works of the past no
longer earn any form of regard from the people as these works do not assist them in any way
for achieving the goals that they have set for themselves
Issue
"As we acquire more knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more
complex and more mysterious."
10
Essay
�Ignorance is bliss.� Most of us would have come across this saying at sometime or the
other. Have we ever wondered the reason why this saying has succeeded in carving out a niche
for itself in our world? The reason is that one cannot contest the issue that in the process of
acquiring more knowledge, things do become more complex and mysterious. However, it is not
necessary that things do not become more comprehensible in the bargain. One does begin to
comprehend things easily over the time spent in acquiring knowledge. Nevertheless, the scales
tilt in the favor of the latter whenever comprehension and mystery surrounding an object or
phenomena are taken into account as a result of the ongoing process for acquiring knowledge.

History of mankind is testimony to the fact that most of the earlier civilizations worshipped the
sun and the moon as they were the only celestial beings as per the astronomical knowledge
prevalent in those times. Centuries have gone past, but mankind is still intrigued by the
complexities and mysteries of the universe. Man has gained immense knowledge in the subject
of astronomy, but our universe and the celestial bodies continue to intrigue and baffle humans.
There is no limit to the knowledge that has been acquired on this subject over the last few
centuries. However, each new discovery opens new doors to further speculations and theories.
Along the way, certain other aspects have indeed become more comprehensible than they were
before, but this understanding of the universe is nothing as compared to the dark mysteries
which have not yet been unraveled by man. These mysteries and complexities have arisen from
the knowledge that man has acquired after years of research and study.

After one has acquired knowledge it is imperative that the knowledge be applied for clearing
the complexities surrounding a thing. However, in the process of solving the intricacies
involved, it is possible that the solution to the complexities may involve another thing or a
phenomenon which stands unexplained. This would stimulate man to look for solutions to the
new mysteries that have thus been unraveled and the process continues probably at the cost of
making something comprehensible.

Therefore, it would not be incorrect to say that things, by and large, become more complex and
mysterious as one acquires knowledge. However, one cannot refute the fact that there are
certain things and phenomena that do become comprehensible as a result of acquiring
knowledge, but at times this comprehensibility may be insignificant compared to the
complexities that have arisen as a result of the knowledge acquired.