Google, the search God

In south India, there was a great social reformer name called Śrī Ramanujacharya, who lived during 11th century. During early stage of his life he was thirsty of learning the advanced vedic knowledge. In order to learn vedic scripture, he has approached a guru Sri. Thirukoshtti Nambi. It was a long distance by walk, when he approaches his guru, the Guru didn't give him any heed or gave any importance to him. This request has continued for several days.

One day the guru decided to part the vedic knowledge, but with a condition that Śrī Ramanujacharya, had to go for 30 days of fasting even without water . At 15th day, Śrī Ramanujacharya fell unconscious. After seeing Śrī Ramanujacharya's condition guru gave bit relaxation that he can take water, while fasting. Śrī Ramanujacharya completed the balance of fasting successfully and received the vedic knowledge from his guru.

The point is, how difficult it was for one to get information on those days. The difficulties on getting information continued till information technology revolution takes place, fine-tuned by search engines and become user friendly.

History of Internet search: Though for around two decades there were several Internet search engines available in the market namely Magellan, Excite, Infoseek, Inktomi, Northern Light, AltaVista and Yahoo was among the best till Google arrives. Understand that search engine of Microsoft "Bing" is also doing well. Googol is the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros, may be inspired by  this, Larry Page, Sergey Brin would have named their company as "Google".

How searches changed the life: Lack of information is the root cause of fear. Now any information you need whether for personal or professional life, first thing what we we are doing is just google our mind with strings of words. Probably soon google will become a verb and will be accredited by Oxford. Often, the results received gives us the right information. No need to wait to get information and no need to keep them secretly too. So, google helped us to dispel the fear on many things, taking us directly to the right link. If somebody wants to convert his knowledge into wisdom, not a lot of time wasted in search of right information itself and he can spend his valuable time for knowledge to wisdom. But remember every invention is having it's own merits and demerits.

Advantage: Google has made our life easy, as for as getting information is concerned. Trust the above incident happened in Śrī Ramanujacharya's life has made us to understand the difficulty prevailed on those days for information. Now it is all a click away. The results are instant and quick. No need to follow others, moreover results received are on majority and popularity based. Information received need not to be counter checked. If fact, we can add more this particular section.

Disadvantage: Basically, the hunger for search of right information out of own experience is lost and preciousness of information is not understood by the younger generation. You remember the MasterCard TV commercial, "priceless", each information is priceless, since it is easily available, the value is not known.
Now search is algorithm based and we have to necessarily go with majority / popular results, which may not be best all the time. Please remember, often it has been proved majority means stupidity. Unwanted information, which will pollute the mind also is easily available, in a click away. Parents are at great risk on protecting their child from the unwanted information.

Future search: (1) May be google or any other search engine companies (of course with your permission), possibly can wire your all inputs you are feeding to your computer, mobile and tablet PCs to the marketing companies to approach you in accordance with your searches. Like if I am searching on the topic of "yogasna", a yogasna teacher can call or email me to know my interest and similarly for searches such as house construction, loan, car and so on.
(2) Based on the "collection of searches", things shall be manufactured and made available in the market. (now it is otherwise around).

Just I want to conclude that it is all in the hands of individual, that what kind of information he or she is seeking from Internet via search. A click can take you to the point directly.
 

For me, each click now is the path what you chosen for the life ahead.

Wish you a happy and safe search!!!

Out of box thinking

Around few years back,  I was attending a training programme in Ahmadabad. In the beginning of the programme, the faculty member asked us to write 10 activities you will do, "incase you had an wings to fly" .
Each one started to write, some of them couldn't finish 10, but many of them have finished 10 before the time allotted. But one person was keep writing more than 10 points within the given time. This is what called 'Out of box thinking". When the time & opportunities are abundant, why to stop at 10

"Out of box thinking", word is self-explanatory. This is the mantra corporate houses conceptualize , in each industry, to extract extra-mile from their employees and to unearth the hidden potential of an employee. Thus always out of box thinkers get suitable / high rewards too. Even in many of the organization, you may find that with same qualification, age, experience and even in same designation the rewards may vary to a large proportion from other persons.

 

It is one of the most sought quality for any individual, that everyone wants to born with such a great skills, but in a practically it is just opposite. We often have come across many people, who find it difficult to think & apply their mind for a simple job, in such a scenario it will too much to expect an out-of-box thinking from everybody.

 

During the entire history, we are witnessing many out of box thinkers, who have helped the way we live today, let it be social, science, political and information technology.

 

Incase of social, some of the out-of-box-thinkers, which I can name here are Osho, Buddha, Jesus, Adi Shankara, Ramanujam, Socrates and Confucius had such a extraordinary out-of-box-thinking power, that they have changed the world and the impact is timeless. There are many name to add in this category.

 

In scientific category, the out of box thinkers as Newton, Write brothers (Orville and Wilbur Wright), Thomas Edison and Marcony, Aryabhata and so on. The list is indeed huge.

 

On the information technology side, Alexander Graham Bell, Bill Gates and so many. Infact "facebook" itself is an product of out-of-box-thinking of Mark Zuckerberg, who invented while he was staying in his dormitory.

 

We had out of box thinkers in all fields and out-of-box-thinking is continued non-stop each day in each field.

 

How one can develop the skill "Out of box thinking"?.

1) Have systematic approach.

2) Do not unnecessarily follow others, as you may lose your own identity and in the process you may find difficulties in unearthing the hidden potential of your own.

3) Regular exercise, meditation and keep the mind and health fit.

4) Should be brave enough
5) Have pride of profession.

6) Keep mind fresh and open to ideas (Be a good listener)

7) Be ethical and moral.

8) Read good books.

9) Retention of creativity.

10) Very important, keep right attitude all the possible time.

 

The above are some of the qualities, which may give enough space for you to become an out of box thinker under given any circumstance. But please keep it in mind, the 10 points above are not final.

 

But you must remember, all the time out of box thinking may not yield favourable results and may create a reversal comments from others. Hence have a through understanding of the pros&cons of the idea, before putting into process or expressing to anybody.

 

Each out-of-box thinking should end with some creativity and easy to implement by the user. They also should help the fellow colleagues to understand, new concept/idea.

 

Moreover it should be occasional and spontaneous . Out of box thinkers should not put themselves on stress/pressure that they always have to think, anything in a out-of-box manner. Many times the problem needs a direct and simple approach. Also in the process, one should not try to become a perfectionist, as again this won't help.

 

Also out-of-box thinkers should make a note of it, that normal thinking with sincerity and hard works always pays right.

 

In nutshell, you must learn "what is the proportion you have to maintain between the normal thinking and out-of-box thinking" for any issue.

 

Each organization also should put effort to ensure such a talented people are ring-fenced and their growth, rewards are identified and regulated.

 

I want to conclude that, each human arrived earth with great skills and his powers & talent cannot be described in words. No human is less to anybody. It is all in the hands an individual, how they can explore  and  communiated in a presentable way at right time.

 

Best wishes.

SK Raja