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The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean-François Marmion is a great book to realize how stupid one is!

Common stupid people are listed!

One of them are those who press an already pressed button of an elevator! The button light is on and you can see that it is pressed! When you see someone doing it then the author states;  ‘Stupid alert!’

Now that leads us to the intelligence! Or measure of intelligence as such!

Apparently the most well known test for intelligence was actually to find the lesser intelligent kids so that special attention could be given to them!

The IQ test was created by French psychologists Alfred Binet and Théodore Simon in the early 1900s.

In 1905, the French government asked Binet and his colleague Simon to develop a test to identify children who might struggle in the new compulsory education system. They wanted to give these students individualized attention, rather than having them placed in psychiatric institutions.

Binet and Simon created a test with a wide variety of questions designed to assess different cognitive abilities like memory, attention, and problem-solving. The questions were designed to be age-specific; a child’s performance was compared to that of other children of the same age.

There was no mention of IQ though which came later. The whole concept of the “intelligence quotient” (IQ) was later introduced by the German psychologist William Stern. The IQ was calculated by dividing a person’s mental age by their chronological (actual) age and multiplying the result by 100!

So you must understand that the average IQ of a population is 100! That is the baseline. High or low is calculated in reference to 100!

The Binet-Simon test was adapted for use in the United States by psychologists like Lewis Terman, who created the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, and David Wechsler, who developed assessments specifically for adults!

Finally the modern IQ tests are based on the principles of these early versions but have undergone significant scientific development over the last century to become the more complex and scientifically validated instruments used today!

Now do remember that before you call someone stupid or moron!

In the historical system proposed by psychologist Henry H. Goddard and used in the mid-20th century, the term “moron” had a specific IQ range of 50-74 (or sometimes 50-70 or 51-70, depending on the specific scale).

While the term “stupid” was not a formal, technical classification within this historical IQ scale, unlike “moron,” “imbecile,” and “idiot” all of which had ranges!

It was and is a general, non-clinical term of insult. The closest formal term might have been “dull,” which referred to an IQ range of 85-94, but this is less severe than the user’s intent with “stupid”.

So a ‘stupid’ person at that time would be the most intelligent MORON!

Present IQ tests of course do not use any of these terms since no one can be the judge of anyone else being stupid or moron! Just hope for the elevator buttons to be strong that is all!

Strong and fearless leader also was Senapati Bapat!

Shubh ratri…

The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean-François Marmion is actually a translated book from French! Of course it is about stupidity!

One of bias discussed in the book is called the Dunning-Kruger effect.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability in a specific skill tend to overestimate their own competence, while high performers often underestimate theirs!

In simple terms; stupid people are very confident while intelligent ones are usually doubtful!

The reason is that individuals lacking expertise are also unable to recognize their own mistakes, and while those with high competence and intelligence may assume tasks are easy for everyone, leading to them underestimating their abilities!


Understanding this effect helps individuals and organizations by encouraging more accurate self-assessment and a greater appreciation for expertise!

People with limited knowledge in a subject tend to believe they are much better at it than they actually are! They lack the meta-cognitive ability to recognize their own incompetence, making it difficult to gauge their poor performance.


While highly competent individuals may underestimate their abilities because they assume tasks that are easy for them are also easy for others. This can lead them to think they are average when they are, in fact, highly skilled!

Examples of the Dunning-Kruger effect:
A person who has just learned a few phrases of a new language might think they are fluent, without recognizing the vast amount of knowledge they still lack. In fact when you learn all the alphabets in a single book you may think that since these are the letters which can make any word; you know everything! While in fact what you know as Baba says; is just a drop in the ocean of knowledge!

In politics, leaders with limited expertise may be overconfident in their own ability to solve complex problems and may dismiss expert advice!

Dunning-Kruger effect is just an observation but still gets to a point where it is dangerous like when a fool or a stupid is given a very important task! The proverbial button or the switch to the bomb!

You must realize that knowledge is a continuous process! The more you gain, the more you realize that you know so less!

In any case the steps to acquire knowledge even otherwise goes through some stages…

Unconscious incompetence: Not knowing what you don’t know! Basically you are an idiot or stupid but you do not know that you are an idiot!

Conscious incompetence: Becoming aware of your lack of knowledge! Which means that you are stupid but you have now understood that you are stupid!

Conscious competence: Gaining knowledge and becoming competent! You are no longer stupid but still can make mistakes! You are still a student!

Unconscious competence: Reaching a level where the skill is mastered! You are the master!

Mitigating the effect: Becoming aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect is the first step to overcoming it!

Then again you cannot teach those who cannot be taught!

Luckily there are those super intelligent nuclear scientists like Dr Raja Ramana!

Shubh ratri…

The Ayodhya Alliance by Ashwin Sanghi in a section tells about the two fishes who are moving in either direction! The Abstract image of that is one of the most famous symbols in China and now all over the world!

You would have seen this symbol as the black and white circular disc representation and the concept is really deep!

The concept is the universal concept of Yin and yang!

Often seen in many cultures and traditions this is a fundamental concept in ancient Chinese philosophy that describes two opposing yet complementary and interconnected cosmic forces, represented by the familiar black and white symbol.

It explains how seemingly opposite forces are interdependent and how they are in a constant, dynamic state of balance and transformation!

You must understand that they are not absolute opposites but complementary forces, like dark and light, female and male, or passive and active. They rely on each other to exist!

It is actually a representation that nothing is static; everything is in a constant state of flux and transformation!

The concept has been applied to many fields, including astronomy, medicine, and even understanding human behavior, to achieve a state of balance.

The interesting connection between the Chinese Yin-Yang concept and Indian thought of Ardhanarishvara is the principle of dualistic and complementary forces!

In Hinduism, this is most famously represented by the masculine-feminine divine pair Ardhanarishvara  or the Shiva and Shakti which predates the Chinese concept!

Both systems use these dualities to explain the creation and balance of the universe, with Yin being passive and feminine and Yang being active and masculine, similar to how Shakti is the dynamic, creative energy and Shiva is the static, receptive void, though the specific associations of male and female can be reversed.

Both traditions describe the universe as being formed by two opposing yet interdependent forces. One cannot exist without the other, and their harmonious interaction creates the whole!

Both systems use these concepts to explain the creation of the universe and the balance of nature, health, and life itself!

A good balance also are movies by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri…

Shubh ratri…

In our medical college OP department; a common practice was to tie the chair of the patient (not the patient!) to one place!

This is actually very important!

If you do not do that then more often than not, the patient or the by stander would pull the chair closer to you! They would always be having an impression that you are not listening to them!

But when they do that, it is actually counter productive since then they are intruding into your ‘SPACE’!

It is an actual thing by the way! It is known as PROXEMICS!

Proxemics is the study of human use of space and how distance affects communication and social interaction.

Pioneered by anthropologist Edward T. Hall, it examines how individuals perceive and organize personal space in various cultural contexts.

It includes the four zones of interpersonal space depending on the distance between two individuals.

Going by this definition these are four zones!

The closest or the Intimate zone which is around (0-18) inches! This is purely reserved for close relationships like family and romantic partners! Any other person trying to be in this space can cause discomfort! Just as those who come very close to you when you speak! The invasion of your personal zone is, well intimate!

Then you do have the Personal or the casual zone which is around 1.5-4 feet, for interactions with friends and acquaintances only! A non romantic interaction is the key here!

Then you have the social or consultative zone! This is around 4-10 feet! This was made famous during the COVID time and this is the distance your patient MUST maintain with you and vice versa!

Finally you have the Public zone! Which is 10 feet or more, for public speaking or addressing a large group!

A central tenet of proxemics is that personal space needs are highly variable across cultures. For example, people in some places and cultures tend to be comfortable with closer proximity during conversation (high-contact cultures), while those in other places generally prefer more distance (low-contact cultures).

Misunderstanding these cultural differences can lead to misinterpretations; what one person considers friendly, another might perceive as intrusive!

The study of proxemics actually has lots of application in various fields like in architecture and Urban Planning and designing physical spaces like offices, homes and public places.

Directors and cinematographers use the placement of characters and the distance of the camera which is called the camera proxemic to communicate relationships and influence the audience’s emotional involvement!

Finally in Professional Settings like in fields like medicine, nursing or counseling, an understanding of proxemics helps professionals manage boundaries and build trust with patients or clients!

The world is a small place now! So it is all the while important now to respect everyone’s personal space!

Respect reminds me of Shankar Nag! His short time in the industry was legendary…

Have you ever wondered whether you belong to this world!?

Then you may be a believer of Panspermia! Do not worry!

Francis Crick, one of the co-dis-coverers of DNA, was a keen supporter of this theory!

Then again it may just be a lack of sleep or more of it perhaps!

But for those who like some spice; Panspermia  is the theory for you!

Panspermia is the hypothesis that life exists throughout the universe and is distributed by cosmic bodies like dust, meteoroids, asteroids, and comets.

This theory suggests that life, or the chemical precursors to life, can be transported between planets and can “seed” other worlds. There are different variations, including natural panspermia, where this spread occurs by chance, and directed panspermia, which proposes that intelligent extraterrestrial beings intentionally spread life.

The key aspect as proposed in Dr Ellis Silver’s book Humans are not from Earth is that life on Earth, especially the Human life did not necessarily originate on Earth but was delivered from elsewhere in space!

The mechanism suggested is that microbial life or organic molecules can be embedded in rocky debris from collisions and then travel across space to land on other planets.

Another variant is called the soft panspermia that suggests that instead of living organisms, the “building blocks” of life, such as amino acids and sugars, are delivered through space and then assemble into life on a planet. Like a LEGO delivery set! Earth then goes for the DO IT YOURSELF mode!

In Dr Ellis’s opinion though the theory is called the Directed panspermia which postulates that life was intentionally sent to Earth by an intelligent civilization!
Now whether our ancestors were sent to Earth for research or for punishment Ellis does not know!

The theory is not all gas by the way!

Many scientists point to the discovery of organic molecules and the building blocks of life in meteorites and comets as evidence that supports the theory. Additionally, studies have shown that some microorganisms can survive the harsh conditions of space!

But unless you have a proper proof of concept; the theory is just another one waiting to be proven!
Then again it indirectly shows that life might be more common in the cosmos than previously thought!


Life may be common but humane life is rare! Rarer still is someone with talents! Like Usha Iyer Uthup!

Shubh ratri…

Have you seen how people put their ears on the train track and ‘listen’ to the train even before you can actually see or hear it finally?

Of course now you may not try it since people may be recording and it is more thrilling if the reel captures even the train!

But the fact is that you can actually hear the train through the track first and then see it since sound travels about 15 times faster in iron (or steel) than in air. So, sound travels much faster through the railway track made of steel than through air!

This is actually the basis of the hearing test or the audiometry!

The steel solid transfer is called the bone conduction which is better than the actual air conduction. Though of course when there is issues with the ear drum or conduction system of the ear, you get hearing loss. That’s because the amplifier mechanism of ear bones and the drum accentuates the sound due to lever action and difference in surface area so that there is a pressure amplification about 22 times which translates to an amplification of around 30db!

Simply put, the ear drum and bones act like an amplifier! Which is why when any part of the amplification is not good, your hearing is affected! It can be a simple cold causing your drum to get retracted or fluid getting accumulated or a hole in the drum!

These types of hearing issues are called conductive loss since they happen due to the issues with conduction of sound!

That’s why there are some people who suffer from hearing loss due to bone fixation called the Otosclerosis. Even in them if the sound is presented to the bone directly via a sound vibrator or something called the bone conduction headphones then they can hear properly and better!

Bone conduction headphones work only when the point of contact is close to the bones. Of course all parts of the skull act as a single unit so that you can present the sound anywhere like behind the ear on a bone called the mastoid or the temple area.

But it is not a sound method and the constant vibration can cause headache.

A better and newer headphones is focused air conduction headphones which focusses the sound close to the ear and keeps the ear open to ambient noise and safe! But that may not work with severe loss!

So future is using the sound conduction of materials to give good hearing or listening results! Then again you must not listen to focussed or loud sounds for long period since that can cause issues (though it may increase my OP!)

The difference between noise and music is rhythm! Rhythm was also the hallmark of Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi

Jai hind





Have you seen how people put their ears on the train track and ‘listen’ to the train even before you can actually see or hear it finally?

Of course now you may not try it since people may be recording and it is more thrilling if the reel captures even the train!

But the fact is that you can actually hear the train through the track first and then see it since sound travels about 15 times faster in iron (or steel) than in air. So, sound travels much faster through the railway track made of steel than through air!

This is actually the basis of the hearing test or the audiometry!

The steel solid transfer is called the bone conduction which is better than the actual air conduction. Though of course when there is issues with the ear drum or conduction system of the ear, you get hearing loss. That’s because the amplifier mechanism of ear bones and the drum accentuates the sound due to lever action and difference in surface area so that there is a pressure amplification about 22 times which translates to an amplification of around 30db!

Simply put, the ear drum and bones act like an amplifier! Which is why when any part of the amplification is not good, your hearing is affected! It can be a simple cold causing your drum to get retracted or fluid getting accumulated or a hole in the drum!

These types of hearing issues are called conductive loss since they happen due to the issues with conduction of sound!

That’s why there are some people who suffer from hearing loss due to bone fixation called the Otosclerosis. Even in them if the sound is presented to the bone directly via a sound vibrator or something called the bone conduction headphones then they can hear properly and better!

Bone conduction headphones work only when the point of contact is close to the bones. Of course all parts of the skull act as a single unit so that you can present the sound anywhere like behind the ear on a bone called the mastoid or the temple area.

But it is not a sound method and the constant vibration can cause headache.

A better and newer headphones is focused air conduction headphones which focusses the sound close to the ear and keeps the ear open to ambient noise and safe! But that may not work with severe loss!

So future is using the sound conduction of materials to give good hearing or listening results! Then again you must not listen to focussed or loud sounds for long period since that can cause issues (though it may increase my OP!)

The difference between noise and music is rhythm! Rhythm was also the hallmark of Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi

Jai hind

Secret of success? appreciation or criticism?

There was a photo of an actress who recently made waves with a big movie in which she was the lead and the movie managed to be a super duper hit! She was a fighter in the movie and looked the part. That is all I can say without getting any risk!
That was not the news though! The news was that some time back she was a not so fit and no athletic ‘looking’ person and now she is the super fit lead! At that time she apparently was faced with ridicule and criticism by many who opined that she could never become an actor, forget the lead actor!
Oh how she proved them wrong!

There was an FB post of a friend who had posted how his relative used to ridicule his family because of his low income status and now he is so rich that; well he is richer!

In the movie Mission Mangal; there was this constantly irritating character who used to frequently pass negative comments on the project and on the people! He used to point out flaws in the working method and well, in short was a big pain in the; well neck! The mission later on turned out to be a success and how!

In all these the common factor is not appreciation but criticism!
If all the actress had got was appreciation on how she was fine the way she was (which is fine too!); she would have never got the killing urge to prove her critics wrong!

In the same way the Fb friend could agree that he whole zeal to be richer was to prove that one relative wrong!

Even in the movie; AK concluded that the biggest reason for the success of the mission was the constant criticism!

There are some people who are so talented in giving their frank or quite frankly, RUDE! opinion! It may be that they are jealous or may be that they simple do not care to act decent! But something in the way they say or in fact even if they say something nice; makes you prove them wrong!

Now you can think of them as your arch nemesis! The single goal which you have in your life which actually makes you focus and subsequently succeed! Then when you succeed you do not realize that the reason for your success is not the appreciation which actually only made you feel good for a while but that criticism which really ticked you off!

This is simply an interplay of emotion! Whichever emotion is more prominent, and stays longer, that will make you go! Now, anger is an amazing emotion since it lasts longer and is more powerful! It could also be a close cousin to Jealousy!
In either case, if jealousy and anger make you better or make you successful; then all you have to do is find that critic to hate and prove him or her wrong by being successful! Now once you have achieved that, do not forget to thank him or her!

Of course do remember that everything has to be in limit!

Unlimited potential though was the hallmark of
Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao!

There was this joke about Rao sir when he was the director of IISc! When we visited the campus during our 12th; I remarked, “Wow C N R Rao! I know him!”

Everyone was so puzzled and looked at me surprised!

Then I added, “I know the book he wrote! I didn’t say he knew me!”

And yes! That was years before Vivek’s joke in Minnalai!

Anyway another cool son of Karnataka!

Bharat Ratna C N R Rao!

Some time back we were stuck in traffic and the G maps told us that the 7 KM to our home would take about 2 hours!

If that made you upset, well then it is natural to be upset! Then again if you are planning for a trip to Mars; do you know that it will take only around 7-10 months!

So next time when you get stuck in the traffic think that at least you are not going to Mars! Or you can think of developing the WARP drive!

Now the distance between Earth and Mars varies greatly because both planets orbit the Sun at different speeds and distances. At their closest approach, they can be about 33.9 million miles (54.6 million km) apart, while at their farthest, they can be 250 million miles (401 million km) apart. On average, the distance is about 140 million miles (225 million km!)

A spacecraft typically takes 7 to 10 months to get to Mars with current technology!

The solution is the WARP DRIVE!

A warp drive is a fictional (at least for now!) propulsion system for faster-than-light travel that works by distorting spacetime.

It proposes creating a bubble around a spacecraft, contracting space in front and expanding it behind, allowing the ship to travel at immense speeds without actually moving through space faster than light.

Warp drives was first introduced by author John W. Campbell in 1957.

The theory is that instead of accelerating a ship past the speed of light, the warp drive manipulates the fabric of spacetime itself. A bubble of spacetime is created around the ship, with space contracting ahead and expanding behind it.

So by contracting space in front and expanding it behind, the spacecraft can move between two points much faster than light would, even though the ship itself is not breaking the speed of light within its local bubble!

While a practical warp drive is not currently possible, theoretical models like the Alcubierre drive have been proposed based on Einstein’s theory of general relativity. These models suggest that with exotic matter, the concept of warping space could be theoretically feasible!

Mexican theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre came up with the Alcubierre drive in 1994!

This could achieve faster-than-light travel without breaking any of the laws of physics. His system uses large amounts of matter with negative mass. This is different from antimatter, which is considered to have positive mass!

The most significant hurdle is the need for exotic matter with negative energy density, which has not been proven to exist and may be impossible!

This is of course different from the negative energy you get from pessimistic people which is unfortunately available in very high quantity!
Which of course make you WARP!

Then again, there is one thing which is even faster that the speed of light! It is our thought! I can reach the furthermost end of the universe right now where even light cannot reach!

Which is why, physics and light on one side and the power of brain and divinity another!

One such divinity was Shri Guru Nanak ji

Today is Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab which marks not only the birth of a spiritual leader but also the beginning of Sikh philosophy, which emphasizes: Equality of all people, regardless of caste, creed, or gender; Unity and harmony among people; Honest living (Kirat Karni); Selfless service (Seva) to humanity and Devotion to God (Naam Japna)

Wishing a blessed Gurpurab…

അധികമായാൽ അമൃതവും വിഷം
( 

This was a common phrase used by my mother! Which is why you must never have excess of anything! The above phrase literally means that in excess quantities, even nectar is like poison!

When anyone asks you the most important gas for your respiration everyone knows the answer is Oxygen! But did you know that even Oxygen cannot be too much! In fact more of oxygen is actually dangerous to you!

There was a time when oxygen was not even essential for life! It was in fact a by product like the carbon dioxide of today!

In any case oxygen is a byproduct of life not a prerequisite ( so is soil!)
Oxygen is now considered essential to life but it wasn’t always that way!

During the Earth’s early years, oxygen was a byproduct given off by anaerobic cyanobacteria as they photosynthesized and it was toxic to every living thing!

In fact, the bacteria produced so much of it that it caused Earth’s first mass extinction event!
Even in our medical practice we still have a group of anaerobic bacteria for whom oxygen is the kill switch!

During the development of Earth, if the level of oxygen in the air had remained as high as it was, it’s doubtful whether many animal species would have evolved; it would have been too toxic for them!

High levels of oxygen are toxic to us too. The air we breathe is roughly 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, plus a trace amount of other gases including argon!

If you take in more oxygen than your body needs, it can slow your breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. Too much oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity or oxygen poisoning. This can happen if you accidentally take in too much supplemental oxygen or use oxygen therapy when you don’t need it!

Breathing higher levels, especially for prolonged periods or at increased pressure (such as in scuba diving or hyperbaric therapy), creates excessive unstable molecules called free radicals that damage cells and tissues throughout the body, particularly in the lungs, central nervous system, and eyes!

Which just goes to prove that anything more, however good; may be bad! Then again reading and writing something new may still be good! Especially from such a talented writer and motivational speaker like our Kannadiga Sudha Murty!

Jai HInd…

അധികമായാൽ അമൃതവും വിഷം
(Adhikamaayaal amruthavum visham) 

This was a common phrase used by my mother! Which is why you must never have excess of anything! The above phrase literally means that in excess quantities, even nectar is like poison!

When anyone asks you the most important gas for your respiration everyone knows the answer is Oxygen! But did you know that even Oxygen cannot be too much! In fact more of oxygen is actually dangerous to you!

There was a time when oxygen was not even essential for life! It was in fact a by product like the carbon dioxide of today!

In any case oxygen is a byproduct of life not a prerequisite ( so is soil!)
Oxygen is now considered essential to life but it wasn’t always that way!

During the Earth’s early years, oxygen was a byproduct given off by anaerobic cyanobacteria as they photosynthesized and it was toxic to every living thing!

In fact, the bacteria produced so much of it that it caused Earth’s first mass extinction event!
Even in our medical practice we still have a group of anaerobic bacteria for whom oxygen is the kill switch!

During the development of Earth, if the level of oxygen in the air had remained as high as it was, it’s doubtful whether many animal species would have evolved; it would have been too toxic for them!

High levels of oxygen are toxic to us too. The air we breathe is roughly 79 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, plus a trace amount of other gases including argon!

If you take in more oxygen than your body needs, it can slow your breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. Too much oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity or oxygen poisoning. This can happen if you accidentally take in too much supplemental oxygen or use oxygen therapy when you don’t need it!

Breathing higher levels, especially for prolonged periods or at increased pressure (such as in scuba diving or hyperbaric therapy), creates excessive unstable molecules called free radicals that damage cells and tissues throughout the body, particularly in the lungs, central nervous system, and eyes!

Which just goes to prove that anything more, however good; may be bad! Then again reading and writing something new may still be good! Especially from such a talented writer and motivational speaker like our Kannadiga Sudha Murty!

Jai HInd…