Tuesday, October 2, 2012

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?

21 comments:

  1. WoW, Actually this a nice lesson for all of us. You are a good teacher who has explained the disadvantages of new technology in an easy way and also how the today's youngsters think.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Ama, for the hot hot comment. Actually it's not the fault of the technology. Technology is fine. It's all about not using the logical thinking to use the technology or whatever effectively.

    It's not always the technology. This is the best example I have for hundreds of situations like this.

    ReplyDelete


  3. "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."
    I fully agree with your view there. I was not capable of achieving half of what my father achieved.The next generation seems to be very dependent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely Sarath. This is one of the numerous examples I have and still counting.

      Delete
    2. I 'd like to see what your DOT has to say about Daddy's view of her generation !

      Delete
  4. Absolutely True ayya!
    Even for me I am losing my logical thinking year by year :D
    I think It is because of modern technology make our brains easy.
    At least we had a natural environmental bonded childhood, we had challenges to stimulate our brains. But for modern children, do they have that childhood, those challenges, they get less and less stimulation for their growing brains. So how can improve logical thinking!

    Nice post ayya!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooops, that's not a very good sign! :D

    Maybe you are right about the lack of stimulus. Giman.

    Thanks for the comment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. very good article Dude . Did you watch ''Walle ''.

    Fortunately my girls are way different, sometimes too logical.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No Bindi, What's that? A movie?
      I'm really happy about your kids.:)

      Delete
  7. Wow Dude it is an amazing article. and sad;y i have to agree. our generation is loosing not only logic but also creativity. how many of us get out of the house and go for a walk or even try to think of something creative to do? we would rather hang on to the internet with our mouths wide open and stare at a movie which is someone else's creativity.

    i think what the new generation does is enjoying the creativity of another person....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, at the same time, all the generations made this accusation to the next. :D Funny, isn't it?

      Delete
  8. well....... a touch screen pocket TV will do.
    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes. You are correct. Nowadays children are very much addicted to technology around them and unable to reason out things.They are losing their ability to appreciate natural beauty around them in abundance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmm... Sometimes it's very depressing. When you point at the moon they see the fingernail, not the moon.

      Delete
  10. magnificent put up, very informative. I'm wondering why the other specialists of this sector do not understand this. You should proceed your writing. I'm sure,
    you have a huge readers' base already!
    Feel free to surf my web site : Dry Cough Home remedies

    ReplyDelete
  11. I find it very difficult to comment on some of my friends' blogs these days. I tried different browsers and still a few blogs are so stubborn.
    And I can't comment on my own My Blue Jeans blog without tricking it.

    Sorry about that Dudes!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Point taken Dude...But I have realized while taking to my daughter sometimes the reason is their frame logic is way different to our frame of logic ..And we perceive this as illogical ...

    BTW , dreaming about what will happen in the future is a favorite pastime of mine . Now I am working on getting my daughter to dream with me . In fact yesterday I searched for the top paying jobs in 10 years and the results were eye opening

    ReplyDelete
  13. What I feel is that most of the folk prefer to accept any thing that's said and done as they are too lethargic to make any effort of using their thinking skill and also they don't have the courage of taking up new challenges.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely. You also face the same thing everyday.

      Delete

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