59. WHERE DID LOGICAL THINKING GO?

 

Don’t you always hear the fairytale that the new generation is cleverer and smarter than the previous? Well, I won’t be much popular when I say this, but in my long years of being with children, I was always wondering where this smartness, that they warn us to be prepared for, even at teachers’ seminars, exist. 

Maybe you see a lot of adults who hand over the mystery of handling even the TV remote control to one of his kids, let alone the computer, thinking that the kid is smarter than them. What he forgets is this is totally a matter of under estimating oneself and over estimating the kids. It is not a matter of smartness, but a bad case of laziness and stubbornness of the adults.

What I notice in most of youngsters is that they have one-track minds and won’t think beyond their noses, even when under guidance. The creativity is missing, in most cases. The logic is absent.

This is the popular story that I’d like to believe and witness myself.

One truck got stuck in a steel bridge with overhead girders because the driver overlooked the warning about Max Height.  It was a tight squeeze and the truck couldn’t either move forward nor back out. So, it’s needless to say, the traffic was blocked and emergency units were called.

There were lot of strategies discussed to save the situation. Some suggested cutting off the steel girder using oxyacetylene cutters to free the truck while others suggested hacking off the truck roof.  Finally, one schoolboy, who was watching this, suggested simply letting the air out of the truck tires which they did and worked like magic.

But unfortunately following  is the kind of stories I do witness.

There was one question in my English lessons, where they had to write an essay on ‘What futuristic gadget would you likely to have in your bedroom in 10 years time?’

Actually, I discussed the advances in technology beforehand, to prevent any disaster. However, the result was what I feared.

This was the tops, which I use as an example of illogical thinking, ever since.

‘I would have a touch screen TV on my bedroom wall so that I can watch TV from bed…’

I read this to the class without revealing whose writing this was to protect privacy.

“Do you find anything awkward here?” I asked.

None of them did, and most of them were now impressed by the ingenuity of the idea.

“Well, you are talking about a time 10 years from now,”  I said.

Now I got their attention. Eyes rounded.

“Even the camera I bought in 2006 had touch screen. Do you think in ten years time it would still be the state-of-the-art technology?” I added.

Many said,

“NOOOOO”

“Okay,” I said. “Forget about the technology. Talk about the convenience and practicality. Do you think it is convenient to have a touch screen TV than a normal old-fashioned remote controlled one on the bedroom wall?”

“Yesss!”

They were gaping incredulously at me for the stupidity of my question.

“But, why?”

“Because touch screen is easy. All you do is touch. No buttons.”  They explained patiently.

“Okay, but you have to get off the bed and walk over to the opposite wall each time you want to change the channel or adjust the volume. How do you like that!”

Then there were chuckles all over as the realization dawned on them.

“Do you still want to have a state-of-the-art touch screen TV on your bedroom wall?”

“NOOOOO!”

“Why? “

“Because it’s stupid!”

Well?  Where did all the logical thinking go?