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Welcome to the PODCAST series of IILM University. A platform to know, to discuss, to understand, and reinvent ourselves. IILM University’s Liberal Education gives students the flexibility, knowledge and wisdom to pursue their passion across the 5 schools – Business Management | Design | Humanities and Social Sciences | Law | Technology.
A designer is always faced with challenge of which fabric to use for which type of client and market. However, there is a new challenge – which fiber to choose depending on its carbon footprint?
If I am a conscious consumer, I am always looking for information on several aspects – where was my clothing made, who made it and is it Eco-friendly? The answers are not only diverse but difficult to understand by a common buyer. Reports are several and opinions are infinite. What can a common buyer trust?
First of all, consumers are not given all the facts by all the manufacturing companies. If you read about sustainability aspect of various fabrics, you will find many criticisms against cotton – both at the crop stage as well as at the manufacturing stage. There is the one most popular – it takes some 2000 gallons of water to make one T – shirt – which can easily make you think about the cotton choice.
Second is – It takes all these bad pesticides and fertilizers to grow cotton !
Third, and loved by western media is – Wages are below standards, sweatshops and wastage by cutting methods in manufacturing units (mostly these are based in Developing countries like India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh).
For defending cotton’s case I have a few arguments based upon data –
The fact remains, if you choose synthetic fiber at the first stage i.e., at fiber stage, the next processes can only be synthetic. If you choose a natural fiber, its post yarn stage processes have chances for natural treatments. The first choice will lead to wrong choices later, while the second choice will give you a chance for making less mistakes.
Cotton Farming in India
Cotton farming in US
In conclusion, a designer should look at the full story to understand impacts of choosing a kind of clothing and home furnishing. If we are impressed with only one argument – cotton is water intensive – we would be overlooking various other aspects that make this fabric score better points in ecological footprints. Cotton and natural fabrics are suitable for humid climates and are skin friendly. Synthetic fibers are not skin friendly at all for Asian population. And, buying cotton from hand-loom industry, would be sustaining livelihood of millions of weavers, spinners and growers who have no other option available with them in villages.
Organic wool and cotton from “Desi” varieties are not talk of the western brands as they don’t have the system to grow it in their history. We have it in our history and we are lucky that it has survived for future generation to take advantage of. In order to make brands organic fibre based, west will have to buy from us. And this would not be profitable for them.
So, next time you buy any apparel or home furnishing item see for three things –
Conscious designers will lead to conscious consumers. The story should be not partial and one sided, story should be holistic and covering socio-economic aspects of designing a product as well.
The advent of digital media has been nothing short of a revolution for our country. In recent times this importance got highlighted during demonetization and now with the Corona crisis staring at our face. This has also vastly affected our social relationships and the way we perceive issues.
Every technology has its drawbacks when used to generate negativism and disorder. Unfortunately these are the perils of our times and in spite of existing safeguards there are implications which have ominous consequences. Though, we have embraced the digital world with open arms, however, it cannot be said for the common man.
It needs no emphasis that more than 70 percent of the population our country resides in the rural areas. Has this population changed its ways and thoughts to imbibe the rudiments of digitization? The answer would not please us. We are still a developing country and cannot measure up to the standards of countries such as USA, Japan or France.
What then should be the way out? The first and the foremost are related to the reach of media. We need to have internet connectivity to the remotest areas which may involve a large amount of expenditure. A way out could be to develop a cyber hub in each village which should be maintained by the district administration and people could flock there and use the mobiles with the available internet connectivity to transact any kind of business or information related activity. It is noteworthy to see that PayTM and such like platforms have been a great force multiplier towards paperless transaction. We need to build up on these existing platforms and extend their reach to the remote areas of the country.
Broadband highways need to come up and get established in a phased manner. The common man needs this technology to augment the agricultural base of the country and build up the resources of our country. The path is long but can be tread upon if the correct impetus is there. I am reminded of a famous quote,
”Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional”.
Second,
Everything that YOU are doing right now
Everything that YOU are thinking right now
And everything that is going on around YOU
Leave everything and everyone aside,
Pause!
Now take a moment and sit in seclusion and for once enjoy the peace in solitude,
Try to close your eyes and Take a long deep breathe in and out slowly, recognizing the constriction and tension you feel in your lungs as you breathe in and out
Slowly draw your attention towards everything that surrounds you, choose a perfect spot! Look closely to the space you have occupied consciously to sit in seclusion, think about whether or not the space you have selected would give you peace, if you think it does then contemplate the reason for the same; if it doesn’t then change the space. Turn your attention towards every object in the room and the memories you have made. Activate all your senses and feel the environment – look closely, feel closely, smell closely, hear closely and touch closely everything around you. Cease the moment try to conquer the situation. How often do we do that?
With each deep long breathe you take while sitting in one corner, try to erase everything out of the mind, Tensions, Stressors, and Anxieties of your present human existence; brush it off aside.
As you slowly empty your head with all the negativity of life that pulls you down try to only think about WHO AM I? And WHAT DO I WANT?
Most would struggle answering the two questions. While it is easy to define the “Problem part of the life” or “things that one struggles with” or “other people we are surrounded with” but what is particularly difficult for many is to understand one’s own virtue of existence. Our Mind is filled with thoughts, both positive and negative. The beauty of human mind is sketched in a way that it is very easy to think about negatives in one’s life than positives. The confounded part of human mind is how quickly it tends to multiply the negative cycle of thoughts that inevitably interrupts tranquility. The positives however require a lot of head scratching. While we turn to others to help us identify the goodness in us, look for constant validation and criticism to work upon our weaknesses. But what’s truly astonishing is how we aren’t able to see “Self” from our own eyes but relentlessly believes in “Self” defined by others. Our mind constantly reassures that the hindrance stays activated.
One of the essential needs of human existence is the “Need for Self Actualization”- a higher order need towards “Enlightenment”, “Wisdom”. “Nobility” and “True knowledge of one’s Existence” and that only comes when we truly have a self control over ourselves and our mind. The ladder to the path of Self Actualization is not easy and the path that helps one to attain it comes with a lot of emotional battles, conflicts, insecurities, frustration, mental blocks and distortions. It is only when one tries to put an end to all the negativity constructed within, does one taste victory and drift towards higher sense of being. But how does one reach on to the road of achieving a higher order need like this? Here’s how.
“Know thyself”- is a common phrase. Despite of its existence, it is repeatedly being confused with a lot of definitions that colors the essence of it. As easy as it might sound, not everyone is able to reach to the independent state of knowing self completely. I am who I am and there is nothing outside of me that defines me. I know my strengths, I know my weaknesses. I know my responsibilities and I know my duties. There is nothing outside of me that controls me and there is no one outside of me that shapes me. “The story of ancient Greeks who traveled miles to the Oracle at Delphi is quite famous especially to catch the very own beauty of the phrase. The move afar by the Greeks was just to attain knowledge and wisdom. As they entered, the entrance denoted “Gnothi Seauton” or “Know Thyself” which was intentionally placed at the entrance with a prominent statement, that everyone who comes to seek knowledge and wisdom must first be fully aware of who they really are before they think about obtaining enlightenment from the forces outside their true self. Miletus, sage of Greece, was once asked, “What is difficult?” to this he explicitly replied, “To know yourself.” Though the value of “Know thyself” is undermined, it is essential that we realize the importance and power it holds. If we only know ourselves shall we realize that everything that we are looking for around us is what lies within us. It is pointless to look for answers on the surface when everything is possessed beneath. It is vital for one to understand that we control our own life and nothing or nobody external to one’s being has any dictation on who we are and what decisions we take and how do we go about our life. When one realizes this, the life becomes very simple and the destiny thereafter is under one’s control. It is not wrong to say that once we get to know ourselves shall we get to know the world around us, the people around us. To know oneself is to be able to regulate oneself, to be fully aware, to practice self reflection and to be able to fully be in touch with one’s own emotions, perceptions, thinking pattern and behavior. It allows one to examine closely the way we think, react and act. Hence knowing thyself is world’s greatest weapon that can help one reach to his own true potential. Hence the road map to a man’s success is to know thyself. Modern day humans live in a world where there is a lot of potential stressors around, it is only when we take charge of everything that happens around us including our own mind can we really conquer the world and its manifested problem situations.
Warren Bennis, once said- “the most difficult task any of us faces is to know ourselves”. Hence until you know yourselves, strengths and weaknesses, you cannot succeed in the most superficial sense of the word.”
But the real question is how much do we know ourselves to reach where we wish to be?
Lockdown to minimize the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), imposed on 24th March 2020 for a period of 21 days involves quite a many legal issues. Various guidelines/orders/circulars have been issued from time to time by the Ministry of Home Affairs and other concerned departments announcing clarifications and exemptions.
The most important of these is exemption for “essential services” so that the supply of basic services and essential items may continue uninterrupted. Supply and sale of food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat and fish, animal fodder is thus allowed, as such there are no restrictions on movement of “essential goods”. Chemists and medical equipment shops, among others, are also allowed to remain functional. Even e-commerce services for the delivery of these essential goods are also permitted. However, restrictions have been imposed on the unnecessary movement of people. Hospitals and all related medical establishments, including their manufacturing and distribution units are permitted to continue functional. People who are exempted from lockdown are basically those connected with maintaining essential services
STATUTORY PROVISIONS
Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code :
“188. Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.—Whoever, knowing that, by an order promulgated by a public servant lawfully empowered to promulgate such order, he is directed to abstain from a certain act, or to take certain order with certain property in his possession or under his management, disobeys such direction, shall, if such disobedience causes or tends to cause obstruction, annoyance or injury, or risk of obstruction, annoyance or injury, to any person lawfully employed, be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both;
and if such disobedience causes or tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety, or causes or tends to cause a riot or affray, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
Explanation.—It is not necessary that the offender should intend to produce harm, or contemplate his disobedience as likely to produce harm. It is sufficient that he knows of the order which he disobeys, and that his disobedience produces, or is likely to produce, harm. “
An act committed under this para is a Bailable and cognizable offence triable by any magistrate.
The MHA Guidelines stipulate the statutory provisions which can be invoked for the smooth implementation of the lockdown:
“Any person violating these containment measures will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.”
Under Section 51 of DMA if any person refuses to comply with any direction given by or on behalf of the Government under DMA, he/she shall, on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine, or with both, and if such obstruction or refusal to comply with directions results in loss of lives or imminent danger thereof, shall on conviction be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.
Sections 52 to 54 provide for Punishment for false claim, for misappropriation of money or materials, etc., for false warning as to disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic. Sections 55 and 56 are related to Offences by Departments of the Government and Failure of officer in duty or his connivance at the contravention of the provisions of this Act.
However, the maximum punishment under DMA is imprisonment for a period of 2 years with fine.
Onus is on the offender to prove absence of knowledge of the order which has been disobeyed, which is almost impossible in current circumstances as the news of the order has been widely disseminated.
A vast majority is obeying and complying with the lockdown orders, but many are venturing out for various reasons ranging from availing exempted services to buying necessities. Some are disobeying these orders for migrating due to wrong perception or for not being able to afford basic living necessities. A recalcitrant minority is also violating orders for fun. Law enforcing agencies need to handle all these cases differently. It is generally noticed that that police resort to use of force and even violence for enforcement.
Such violence by the police officer is not authorized under Section 188. However, a police officer may detain the offender for violating the lockdown orders. Such person ought to be released on bail on his plea to this effect, because the offence is bailable. Criminal court may take cognizance of an offence under these provisions only on a complaint in writing by the authorized public servant.
There are accusations of blatant violation of human rights by the police while enforcing lockdown orders.
In common perception, it is not justified to use disproportionate force. It has been observed that, many a times, persons who venture out to get essential goods are also treated as violators and police is resorting to violence. This is not only reprehensibly excessive, but also unjustified under the law, irrespective of the intention of the police force.
At times it is justified on the ground that such violation of the lockdown orders may result in making others potential victims aware of the virus. However, it has no express legal justification thus violates human rights.
In Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India and Ors, (1997) 10 SCC 549 Supreme Court reiterated that Right to life includes right to personal dignity as well. Article 21 of the Constitution of India assures the right to live with human dignity, free from exploitation. The state is under a constitutional obligation to see that there is no violation of the fundamental right of any person, particularly when he belongs to the weaker section of the community and is unable to wage a legal battle against a strong and powerful opponent who is exploiting him.
Violence by police authorities is thus violative of right to life, it being without any statutory basis. It is generally so that the persons subjected to violence are from the weaker sections of society. This amounts to abuse of power and distances the general public from the police authorities. The Government must ensure that police authorities are sensitized about the limits laid down by the law on exercise of power by them.
Need of the hour is to formulate guidelines for the enforcement of lockdown by the police authorities. A relationship based on faith of the public on the police authorities is the need of the hour. For strict compliance of lockdown by the public to ensure successful eradication of COVID-19 the role of police must remain balanced and in full compliance of law.
Commercial pace of the world is ever increasing. Marketing is one important ingredient that fuels this pace. Focus on reaping profits and more profits and some more is the usual norm. There is no denying that commercial marketing is necessary but somewhere it is also leading to wanton greed, recklessness and lack of responsibility towards environment. Commercial pursuits of organisations increasingly show their distancing from ‘social change for social good.’ Therefore, the need for marketing of social good, also called Social Marketing, which strives to promote positive human behaviours and progressive social welfare, through a well-planned strategy involving tactical and targeted research, design and outreach and last but not the least, an active feedback system.
Commercial marketing as we all know, thrives on competitive race for market share, brand building and profit maximisation. More importantly, it promotes consumption which many times goes unchecked. Commercial advertising plays its subtle tricks to cast a spell on the mind and reasoning ability of consumers. Social media bewitches and builds perceptions effortlessly and rewards any and all who know the art of killing your boredom with something worthwhile or who just kill our valuable time with just an information overload. In this scenario of a very influential commercial marketing atmosphere, people either callously spend, hoard or waste while being subconsciously ‘obeying’ the influencer (can be a product or idea or campaign trending that a consumer follows). Rampant consumption doesn’t make us responsible citizens and we tend to lose focus on society and its problems and our responsibility.
As opposed to commercial marketing, Social Marketing adopts a framework of building an ecosystem which helps nurture welfare, good will, good health and security. Social marketing takes the basic principles of commercial marketing and rolls out welfare strategies for a targeted approach towards promoting positive behaviours e.g. vaccination of children, breast feeding, better sanitation, safe driving, seatbelt/helmet use, no smoking, bicycling for better health and environment, addressing mental health, saying no to drugs, communal harmony, fighting casteism etc . Participation of communities and partnerships of various stakeholders and philanthropists drive social marketing efforts. Apart from commodity or idea, a good behaviour is also the product the marketing campaign sells. The profit is in the social good. Consumers (and not beneficiaries) adopt positive behaviours with clear understanding, awareness and acceptance that it is for their welfare.
Time and again, governments, NGO’s, corporates and individuals have strived for social good through campaigns and interventions aimed to improve lives of people in a positive manner. To make such welfare programs more effective in terms of reach and building positive social behaviours, social marketing is the scientific and strategic answer. Many developments campaigns of Government of India with huge budget and resource allocations like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Ayushman Bharat etc. have huge potential to become robust and successful social marketing campaigns.
A welfare driven marketing approach is a necessary step for success of development programs and community outreach. This marketing of social good will yield long term benefits, improving sustainability of a healthy and progressive ecosystem for human life and business.
The Coronavirus pandemic becoming more serious makes many of us experience a variety of negative emotions—especially the uncertainty of the situation causing Anxiety
To build up Mental Resilience is the need of the hour.
Understand Negative Emotions
A lot of anxious thoughts, will show up during this time, and avoidance of such emotions will only make them stronger. Thus, we should not ignore the negative emotions and thoughts, but rat understand and analyze them, and with logic, release them .This can lead to inner peace and good Psychological Health.
New Routines
Planning and executing new routines which connect us to what really matters in life; Very Important to have a sense of purpose fitted with a structure and a routine; develop new recreational activities which befit the present scenario; meet essential human needs for which we could not take time out e.g. Learning to cook, music, painting or a language
Emotional Health and Well-Being
Emotional well-being is linked to Exercise, Good Nutrition and Socializing which needs to be regimented on a daily basis. We can change to newer regimes of healthy living which can build our mental strength
Introspect and Evolve
Even during social distancing, there is an opportunity to build psychological togetherness with family and friends through talks and discussions, using audio and video technology to stay in touch.This opportunity also gives us the chance to know ourselves for better understanding.
Finally, when we go through hard times we emerge as stronger and evolved individuals ,and
with great care and planning, we can stay psychologically strong during the pandemic and be more enlightened about the blind corners of life.
So we are done with class XIIth exams yet not feel any relief because Corona scare left us cocooned at home. How much we had wished for outings and catching up with friends and now this. Can be frustrating, isn’t it?
Well that is one way to look at the problem. As the pressure of performing in boards surpasses us another mounting pressure lies ahead- board results and choice of course/college which looks like where you will be for the rest of our life. Yes, I’m looking forward to my life of freedom and exploration in college, but wait, I don’t know if I can make right decisions with my life yet.
Yes, I want to be the in the best college, but not with any course just because my friends and family wants me to pursue it. We can empathize with this dilemma, as “we all have been there at least once in our lives”.
As much as it sounds like a repetition from elders, it leaves you with a sense of relief that it is OK to be baffled and unsure if what you plan to take now; is something you want to stay with for the rest of your life. Also doubts like what if you do not enjoy environment of the college, new friends or the course itself; is there any looking back?
This blog could be helpful for all students irrespective of their streams to get a basic idea as to how to go forward in their next phase and may I say-the most exciting phase i.e., college life. Spend some time with yourself and a notepad and ask,
For some students, who have unfortunately not being able to make it to the place they desired, please talk to that little bruised person inside,
Mind you this plan is a store house of all successful people; no one is a failure if Plan A does not work out right. You have to give yourself some space and opportunities’ to excel; sometimes circumstances could not be in your favor and nagging will never help.
Take each day as it comes, at least my mantra after being locked down to corona virus is this. Please allow yourself to falter, dust yourself up and keep up with all the chatter in your head with what to do next as this too shall pass away.
Wishing you a happy academic year full of twists and turns, new courses, new life at campus, healthy body and a peaceful mind.
Every life is a dilemma that must be solved by the person living it.
Today the whole world is fighting with the pandemic called COVID 19. Big economies and nations are finding it difficult to fight with this invisible virus. After the recovery of China back to the normal there is hope for us too to come back on the track again. Are we ready for the near future challenges like climate change, global warming, unemployment, recession, increasing poverty and inequality after COVID- 19?
Still, we have time to listen to the young environmentalist Greta Thunberg and United Nations’ report, “The Future is Now: Science for Achieving Sustainable Development,”.(1) Creating economic growth just by increasing consumption of material goods does not seem a viable option at the global level now. Projections indicate that the global use of materials will be doubled between 2017 and 2060, from 89 Gigatons to 167 Gigatons, with correspondingly increased levels of greenhouse gas emissions. (2) Now the time has come to re-imagine and change the way we have been doing businesses, consumption and production from last two centuries only motivated by the concepts of more production, more consumption, and more and more profitability without considering the capacity of mother earth to support our irresponsible and mad behavior.
Can we imagine the future scene when the wild climate changes, increase in temperature, increased sea levels will not allow us to be alive and safe in our homes like we are now in the time of COVID-19 attack? As per the UN report, the current development model is not sustainable. (2) The progress made in the last two decades is in danger of being reversed through worsening social inequalities and irreversible declines in the natural environment that sustains us.
The present model of development has delivered prosperity to hundreds of millions. But at the same time, it also has led to continuing poverty and other deprivations and unprecedented levels of inequality. It has brought the world very close to tipping points with the global climate system and biodiversity loss.
To change it, the scientists say the world must transform a number of key areas of human activities, including food, energy, consumption and production, and cities. These transformations will come through coordinated action by governments, businesses, communities, civil society, and individuals. Science has a vital role to play, a role that can be further strengthened by increasing investment in science for sustainability and in natural and social science institutions based in developing countries. (2)
The report emphasizes that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals fundamentally requires decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation. The extensive transformation will not be easy, a deep scientific understanding is needed to anticipate and mitigate the tensions and tradeoffs inherent in widespread structural change.
The strong political will and similar kind of tuff decisions that have already been taken by the world leaders to handle the COVID 19 attack are required to make the needed transformations. There will not be any one-size-fits-all solutions, and the interventions in developed countries will look very different from those in developing countries. We need to create a bigger level of awareness in the world to mentally prepare ourselves to win future challenges. If we adopt the sustainable developmental model for the future we would also be able to mitigate the possible virus pandemic again by maintaining ecological and environmental balance.
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