Essay 8

Article Title: Why we like what we like
By: Alva Noe
Central Argument: A person's judgement is based on his or her perception of somebody or something and not on the qualities that person or thing possesses.

We live in a strange world. We care more about outward projection and artificial behavior rather than about the qualities of a person or thing. Our judgement is more influenced by artificial characteristics rather than actual characteristics. Most of us care more about our girlfriend or boyfriend's look rather than how they are as a person. We might disagree with this, but within our heart we all know this is true. This is a basic nature of all humans. A person's judgement is based on his or her perception of somebody or something and not on the qualities that person or thing possesses.

Street restaurants and expensive restaurants, both serve food. But even if the food of the street restaurant is better, people will still prefer expensive restaurants. This is because from outside the street restaurant is a shabby, simple, eating joint and the expensive restaurant is a 5-star, pretty, high-tech, well-reputed place. Because the expensive restaurant is good looking from outside, it does not mean that it serves better food than the street restaurants. I personally sometimes prefer the food of a street shop as compared to that of an expensive restaurant. But again we humans do not judge restaurants on the basis of the quality of food but on how big the restaurant is, how expensive it is, whether it has expensive decoration, whether it is visited by the elite of the society and whether it is tall and attractive. Simply put, we care more about the outward appearance of the restaurant rather than the food it serves. This is wrong because we go to restaurants to eat food and not to admire the poshness.

The film industry is another example of how people care more about outward appearance. In the film industry there are some superstars and some not so popular actors. But this does not mean that the unpopular actors were not good actors. In India, Bollywood is the biggest film industry similar to Hollywood in U.S. The films in India which have superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and others are a guarantee hit. Films having great casts, promotions, songs and locations are guaranteed hits. But films with good stories are never a guaranteed hit. This is because people are more attracted by the outward projection of a film rather than the story. Fancy things like the actors, money spent, catchy songs etc. are more important than the message that the film is trying to convey or how good the acting of the actors is.

Shopping for clothes and shoes is another example where outward projection is more important than the design of the clothes. In the 21st century people care more about the brands about clothes and shoes rather than the designs of the clothes and shoes. Even if two dresses have the same designs, the one having a better brand or better package will be considered better than the other. This is because studies in psychology has shown that the mind is more influenced and attracted by colorful, bright, attractive, appealing objects rather than objects of good quality with dull, unattractive designs. Brands like Armani, Gucci, Prada etc. are considered better than local brands, not because they have better clothes but because their advertisement and brand appeal is more than that of the local brands. Humans may argue that they don't care about brands but about the quality of the clothes. However this is not true. Choices of most of the people during shopping is more influenced by the brand name and the fanciness with which the material is showcases as compared to the actual design of the thing. I have experienced this myself. When I go shopping, I care more about the brand name and how the thing is showcased and not so much about the design. Thus the outward appearance of the products and the brand name is more important for most shoppers as compared to the quality and design of a product.

There are many situations in today's world where we consider outward appearance more important than the character or nature of a thing or person. Wine in an expensive bottle is better than wine in a cheap bottle regardless of the quality of the wine. Chocolates in a gold box are better than chocolates in a plastic box regardless of the taste of the chocolate. These are  a few examples of how outward appearance plays a more important role. Even though our beliefs teach us not to go by outward appearance, we do. This is basic human nature and common amongst almost all humans. A person's judgment is based on his or her perception of somebody or something and not the character of that person or thing.

Essay 7

Article Title: Learnt in Godhra, forgotten in Jaipur
By: Aakar Patel
Central Argument: One person or a few people's  action should not be used to judge their entire community.

The world is a strange place. Our planet Earth is a home to various kinds of people. Each person has a unique characteristic which defines it. Each of them are a part of many communities. An army official might be a part of the military community and also a part of a religious community. But it is wrong to judge the entire military community or religious community by the action of that one soldier. We need to broaden our perspective. One person or  a few people's actions should not be used to judge the entire community he or she belongs to.

The current attitude towards Pakistanis' and Muslims proves this. Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussain were two Muslims who chose to go in the wrong path. They became terrorists and instilled fear in the heart of others. But what they did not realize was that their actions was disrupting the reputation of Muslims all over the world. After the 9/11 and numerous other terrorist attacks that Bin Laden and Hussain were responsible for, people all over the world started looking at Muslims with suspicion. Even after so many years, the image of Muslims in people's mind is still of terrorists who enjoy death and destruction. Bin Laden was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on World Trade Centre. After that incident all Americans started hating Muslims. However they did not realize that if some American did such an act in another country, the citizens of those country will start ill-treating them. Then would they like this ? None of us would have liked this discrimination , if it would have happened with us. Thus we must not mistreat people of a community on the basis of actions of one of the members.

Schools have a large number of students. Each of these students are unique in their own way. The school teaches all the students the same thing. But it is up to the students whether they follow the teachings of the school or not. Some students go against the teachings of the school and act in rash or wrong ways. But the school should not only be judged on the basis of those students. We should also consider the rest 99% of the students in the school. If a few students in a school act rowdy that does not mean that the school is bad or that all the students are rowdy. In Kolkata there is a school known as La Martinere for Boys. A few students in that school are snobs. But that does not mean that everybody in that school is a snob. The school is actually good and some of the students are smart. Some people in Kolkata think that all the LMB students are snobs and that is just wrong. We need to broaden our mentality.

The field of politics is known to be the most corrupt field. However a lot of us don't realize that we call it corrupt just because of the actions of a few individuals. Just because a few politicians were greedy and thus did not do anything for the welfare of the country, this does not mean that all the politicians are like that. Many of the politicians are dedicated and concerned about the future of their country. In India there are quite a few politicians who are corrupt. They have spoiled not only their own reputation, but that of all the people in the field. Suresh Kalmadi and A.Raja are amongst those few corrupt politicians. Due to this people of India now think that all politicians are corrupt and, if anybody is related to politics then he or she is also corrupt. Thus, at present even if people like Rajiv Gandhi, who truly care for the common man, do some social work for the people, everybody thinks they are corrupt and are doing it for their own selfish needs. We need to criticize and be skeptical about the corrupt politicians only not everybody in the field of politics.

In todays world there are many groups and communities. Not everybody in those groups can be the perfect individual. But we should not judge the entire group on the basis of that person's action. We need to think with a broader perspective. We need to be more rational about our thought processes and what we consider good or bad. We must place ourselves in the place of innocent people we are skeptical about and think how would we feel if this happened to us. Then only will we understand the true nature of humanity.

Essay 5

Article Title: Does surveillance make us morally better?
By: Emrys Westacott
Central Argument: Surveillance may make us do the right thing, but it does not make us morally better.


Morals are concerned with the righteous and idealistic actions of human beings. Morals may be good or bad. It comes naturally from a person's heart and not by outward provocation. If somebody makes us do the right thing by scaring us, then that is not our morals at work. We are just doing the right thing because we are scared. Morals are an important part of any person's life. It shows his beliefs and ideals, thus portraying his character. A morally upright person does the right thing because he believes in it and not because of some external influence. Surveillance may make us do the right thing, but it does not make us morally right.


In 2010 Anna Hazare, a people's rights activist, proposed that India pass the Lokpal or anti-corruption Bill. It was meant to expose widespread corruption in the government. The Lokpal bill was quite similar to the Right to Information Bill as it exposed government misconduct in front of the people. As a result of this many corrupt politicians in India quit their corrupt practices and resorted to legal methods. However this was because they were under 24 hour scrutiny by the people and the media. Many people thus thought that these ministers were honest and were doing the right thing for the welfare of the country. Being under surveillance did make these ministers and government officials do the right thing. However this did not make them morally right. This is because these ministers were and are corrupt. It is just that as they were under scrutiny they were being honest. The moment the surveillance will be removed, these ministers will resort to their old tactics. Thus being under surveillance did make them do the right thing, but it did not make them morally right.


Superstars all over the world have a double face. In front of the camera and fans they may act all the idealistic individual, however in reality they are completely different individuals. From Tiger Woods to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Salman Khan to Shoaib Akhtar all are double faced. Whenever they are under the surveillance of the public, they try to act the all so righteous individual. However as soon as they are alone they show their true face and get involve in captivities ranging from drug addiction, to sex scandal, to animal hunting, to match fixing and what not. They are no longer the role models that the public idealizes. However as soon as they see the public or media, they put their fake mask on. Fans idealize these superstars and look up to them. However they do not realize that their role-models are not as morally upright as they seem to be. Simply put, these superstars may feel that they are all so cool because so many people worship them for doing the right thing and performing great feats. But what they do not realize is that doing the right thing under surveillance may make them seem good, but it does not make them morally right.

I once knew a guy who was always looking for shortcuts in life. He tried to search for the easy way in everything. In all the tests and assignments he used to cheat and get good grades. Once during a test, the teacher became strict and started observing closely whether anybody was cheating or not. The guy could not cheat and thus got bad marks in the test. After that I thought he would start studying but he again started cheating from the next test. I was disappointed. I thought over it long and realized that the teachers may think that he is an honest student because he never gets caught cheating in front of them. But their is a thing known as self consciousness which will always hurt him and pinch him. He may do the right thing under surveillance but that does not make him morally right.


In life we face several opportunities where we can succeed by using unfair means. But many times, when somebody is looking, we have to do the right thing. Many people do the right thing not because they want to, but because somebody else is watching. This however does not make him or her morally right. Doing the right thing under surveillance does not make anybody morally right. It only presents a false outward projection of you as being a person who you in reality are not.  

Essay 6

Article Title: The Rise of "AWESOME"
By: Robert Lane Greene
Central Argument: Just like the meaning of the word "awesome," several things have evolved throughout history into something completely different of what they originally were.

Evolution is the development of various things over time. Throughout history various things have evolved; however, whether this evolution is for the good or bad is a completely different question. Evolution can be associated to living things as well as phenomenons like technology and words. One of these words is "awesome," whose meaning has evolved over time from a word to praise god to appreciate anyone for the smallest of reasons. Just like the meaning of the word "awesome," several things have evolved throughout history into something completely different of what they originally were.

Human Beings is one of the biggest examples of evolution.We have evolved over the centuries from an ape who walked on four limbs into humans who walk on two limbs. This transition took place slowly and through various stages. This was so that we could adapt to the various changes taking place around us. Human beings evolution is one of the most interesting phenomenons that many evolutionists have tried to study. The entire body structure an lifestyle of human beings has evolved over time, turning us from nomadic cannibals into well-civilized individuals. Our minds are way more developed and organized at present as compared to the minds our ancestors had thousands of years ago. Our perspective has broadened from just survival to creating a "New World." We are way different from what we were thousands of years ago, and this is all because of evolution.

Cellphones have also evolved throughout history into multitasking smartphones from portable communication devices. The inventor of telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, would never have dreamt that his product would develop into a do-all, touch-screen, multi-tasking, life changing device. The evolution of cell phone has been one of the most rapid changes to take place in the past century. It was invented as a portable device that can be used to call somebody. However, now it is used for checking emails, paying money, clicking photos, playing games and several other things. It has become an integral part of everybody's daily life. The concept of a mobile has changed from something that can be used to call somebody to an all time entertainment device. It has evolved drastically throughout the past few years.   And to top it all the invention of iPhone really set the stage for drastic makeover of cellphones. The meaning of cellphone has evolved into something far more complex than it originally was meant to be.

Modes of transportation have also evolved throughout the past centuries. From animal backs to carts to rafts to boats to ships to trains to cars to airplanes, it has transformed drastically overtime. A few years ago even the thought of traveling across the world in one day was too vague to be true, but now it is easily possible. Cars which earlier would travel at 30 km/h are now traveling at 150 km/h. Time is money and the developers of modes of transportation have understood that. Many inventions of faster motors, lighter engines, thinner body and other have been used to improve the quality of modes of transportations. Ships no longer rely solely on wind, but have engines to propel them forward. Boats are no longer driven by oars but by electric motors. Cars are no longer all about comfort but about speed as well. Simple put modes of transportation have evolved a lot in the past centuries from animal backs to airplanes. It has evolved to meet our needs and live up to the demands of the people.

Evolution has been taking place and will continue to take place throughout the history of the world. Just like the meaning of the word "awesome" has evolved over the centuries, so have several other things. This is because of our continuos desire to change and thus the need for other things to meet our demand. Evolution has become a part and parcel of history of the Earth and we humans have to accept this fact. Change has taken place and will continue to take place, we just need to get used to it.

Essay 4

Article link: Of Marriage and Single Life
By: Sir Francis Bacon

Central Argument: Sir Francis Bacon is trying to say that a single person is more capable of producing a change in society, by virtue of his actions and inventions, than a married person.

A lot of people throughout history have changed the world we live in. These people had a vision and pursued it to success. They were known as entrepreneurs, scientists, explorers and many other things.  If looked at carefully, even though there were some married people, most of them were single people. Throughout history people have accused marriage of being a binding commitment that will hold back a person from achieving his optimum potential. Even though I do not agree to stereotypes that women are inferior to men and that they stop him from progress, I agree that marriage stop an individual from really revolutionizing the world. Sir Francis Bacon believes that a single person is more capable of creating a change in the society than a married person and I agree with him.

Single people are more free to pursue the dreams they believe in as compared to married men. If a person is single, then he is free to do whatever he believes in. He does not have thing what will be the repercussions because he is the only one who will have to take responsibility of his actions. He will have no family about he will have to think about. And in the end it has been observed that generally those who pursue their dreams freely are able to do something huge. Bill Gates is a living example of this. The founder of Microsoft, he changed the world of computers completely. His bachelorhood till the age of forty gave him the freedom to pursue his dream without restraint. He thus was able to setup the biggest software company in the history of the world. He was a pioneer in the field of computers who would have been lost in the tides of time if he married at a young age. This is because he would have to think about his family and thus not be free enough to pursue his dream to the fullest.

Single people are ready to take more risks as compared to married men. Married people have their families to worry about and are thus not able to take as much risks as single men are. Ratan Tata is one example of this. Before he got married Tata helped develop TATA motors. His ideas and visions though risky paid off in the end. He was able to transform TATA from a huge indian company to a multi-crore MNC. But after he got married, he started taking less risks. Thus even though TATA is still a huge company, it has not done anything drastically revolution arising in recent times. It is trying to maintain a stable platform. While before marriage Ratan Tata introduced cars and other fields into the working areas of his company (which earlier was only steel), after marriage he sid not introduce anything. This is because now he only did not have to care about himself, he had a family to think about. Thus he could not afford to risk their future.

Single people are more optimistic and open-minded as compared to married men. Mark Zuckerberg has revolutionarised the domain of social networking. He was a college drop-out who wanted to do what he believed in. His ideas were considered to high to be within reach. After he dropped out from college, a lot of people criticized him. But he remained optimistic. He was single and thus did not have any wife or children to be worried about. He did what he believed in, always keeping an optimistic approach. In the end he created "Facebook" which is the biggest social networking sight the world has ever seen. He continued to listen to others opinions and use them in Facebook. He is still single and is thus able to keep on changing things on Facebook which pull people towards it. Some people thought that what could one possible change in a social networking sight but he proved them wrong. Its his open mindedness and optimism, that comes from being single, which gives him the ability to keep improving and changing the world.

Changing the society or doing something that will help a lot of people is not easy. But single people are more likely to create a change in the world. Their freedom is their biggest strength and a quality which I feel every whorl-changer should have. 

Essay 3

Article Link: of studies
By: Sir Francis Bacon

Central Argument: Sir Francis Bacon is trying to say that studies can be useful to every person in the world by serving as an inner joy for some people, a knowledge to brag about for some people and a talent that can be used to be judgmental and critical by other people .

Studies are very important in any person's life. An educated person is always considered superior over an uneducated person. Some people realize the importance of studies while others don't. Different people have different perspectives to look upon things. Studies are one of the most important things that will help make a person an aware global citizen. Studies can offer a solution to every problem. I agree with Sir Francis Bacon that studies can help every person in life to tackle his or her problems because of its various uses.

Studies help some people to be judgmental and critical. These critical people, thus, can change something in the world by using their studies. Mahatma Gandhi was a lawyer who had completed his education in South Africa. He was learned and caring. He used his studies to criticize the apartheid (racial discrimination) system in South Africa and fight against the British to gain independence for India. He was critical about the government and argued on the basis of his studies. He was judgmental about the policies of the government and openly expressed it. It was his studies that allowed him to be judgmental and fight the oppressive system in South Africa and India. Studies could also have been useful to the colored Africans and Indians who were discriminated against. If they were educated, they could have created a change or found a solution to their problem. But as they were uneducated, they did nothing to oppose the government and improve their condition.

Studies help some people brag about themselves and thus try to be superior. It can help people who want to stand out in life, improve their standing. Rahul Gandhi is one Indian politician who is a living example of this. He has completed his education from universities like Harvard, St. Stephens, Rollins and Cambridge University. Thus he can brag about having a vast array of knowledge in the field of politics. This helps strengthen his logos and makes his arguments successful. People start listening to him because they believe that whatever he says is right. Therefore he has become a successful politician in such a small time. If people are educated they can use their education to impress others. It can help them get a good job or take better decisions. The will help their social and economic life.

Studies helps some people by providing them with inner satisfaction. For many intellectuals studies provide an inner joy which they can experience in seclusion, away from the world. Many people love Theodore Roosevelt because of the his intellectuals ideas that guided USA's Progressive Era during the early 20th century. But what a lot of people did not know about him was that he loved reading. The "trust-buster" was an avid reader who enjoyed the company of books. He read a lot and believed that reading gave him a feeling of inner joy. I also know a girl who loves reading books. She has read a lot of books throughout her life. But she never tries to show that in front of anybody. Whenever she reads a book, its as if she is lost in another world. She enjoys reading books because she feels that it takes her away from the real world and lets her have a nice lonely, peaceful and enjoyable time. Reading books and studying can help provide people with knowledge and inner satisfaction. If people all over the world start studying and reading books they might fight something which will interest them. This will not only help them improve their knowledge, but also provide them with something to turn to when sad. It will provide them inner joy and happiness.

Studies are one of the most important things to any person's life. It is the key to all problems. Different people are there all over the world. Some are educated, some are not. Studies are useful for all these people no matter in whatever way. Education is one of the key ingredients to success. Studies helps a person become educated and thus achieve success. So no matter whether a person is a student or a 45-year man, they should realize that studies will always help them and its never too late to study.

TV Is Good for You

Article Link: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_dismal_science/2007/08/tv_is_good_for_you.html

Response Essay

Television is a box full of magical shows that are both entertaining and enlightening. It has various types of channels that relate to news, entertainment, music, sports and general knowledge. People of the 21st century feel that televisions are no great deal. They have grown so accustomed to televisions, that they have started to take it for granted. But there are still many people in the world who don't have access to televisions. I feel that televisions are good for women because it provides them with knowledge of what is going on around the world and broadens their perspective.

Television makes women more independent and open-minded. The condition of women has gradually changed all over the world. Women have transformed from voiceless statues to empowered world-changers. People no longer consider women inferior to men. Television has played a major role in empowering women, especially those who live in rural India. After watching shows on televisions, women have realized that they have as much right to life as the men have. Women in rural India have now started to work as teachers, assistants, typewriters and even in the field. The stereotype image of women has dissolved in tides of time. In Indian history their have been a few women who have had their names immortalized by virtues of their actions. These include Rani Lakshmi Bai, Mother Teressa etc. But none of them have been influential enough to inspire women to change. The women of rural India remained subordinated to their husbands. The ancient Indian society was patriarchal. But as time changed, so did people's mentality. Women in India are no longer weaker as compared to men. Many of them have surpassed the achievements of men in the fields of sports, politics and business. Shows in television has shown women that they can do great things. It has made them optimistic and individualistic. These include TV shows like "Udaan", "Castle", "Balika Vadhu", to name a few.

Television provides women with information on how the world is changing around them and how they can improve their status. Women in India were always told that they have to listen to their husband and father. Thus they accepted subjugation without any complaints. But television has helped them realize that women all over the world are no longer inferior to men. TV channels like "Travel and Living", "Discovery", "Star Plus", "Colors" etc. show how the condition of women is improving. It inspire women to take up jobs and make something of their lives. Women in many parts of the world have started working. In countries like USA, more women go to college than men. Women in India are also gradually getting used to the idea that they can work. In cities this idea had originated since the 1990's but in rural India it has started from the 2000's. Women's status improved in villages after cables were introduced. The condition of women in rural India might not have improved only because of the introduction of cable, but television did help change them and improve their status.

Television has caused women in rural India to protest against unjust treatment and be active socially. The 21st century woman in rural India is far different from the 20th century woman in rural India. Nowadays women in villages have started to take part in the village 'panchayat.' Women have rallied to improve their condition. They have also demanded that they should be given the right to be a part of making decisions that involve them. Simply put women do not want to be let alone. Soap operas and new of feminist movements has inspired these women to rally for better treatment. They no longer want to be left alone to look after the house and children. They want to do what they believe in. Women in India have not forgotten their obligations toward their family. They however have become the "new women." Women in rural India no longer want to have babies and have been made aware of the use of condoms to prevent fertilization. This is due to the governments initiative of broadcasting these public awareness advertisements on the television.

Television has its pros and cons. It has shows that can make you a couch potato and it has shows that can get you to act. But all in all it has inspired the women of the world, especially rural India, to improve their condition.

Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn't)

Article Link: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/08/why-good-advertising-works-even-when-you-think-it-doesnt/244252/

Response Essay

Consumerism is the biggest factor determining the growth of industries in the 21st century. For an industry to be successful, it has to have a huge mass appeal. Thus combines spend million of dollars in advertisements. For centuries there has been debates on whether advertisements should be there and what makes advertisements good or bad. Good advertisements work because they do not provoke the viewer to act immediately, but plants the seed of memory in their mind and convinces them to buy the product after some time.

Good advertisements do not ask you to buy something, you automatically buy the product after viewing the advertisement. There are many advertisements in which the viewer is not asked to buy the product. The people automatically get attracted to the product. One of the best examples of this is the iPhone. Apple does not ask the people to buy an iPhone. It shows the features of an iPhone in an appealing way. It concludes by saying "I you don't have an iPhone, well you don't have an iPhone." The people are attracted by the product and run to buy it. Throughout history, many great companies advertise their products by just portraying its image in a very attractive way. Raymond, Reebok, Nike are a few of these companies. All of them are now multi national corporation, controlling a large part of the 21st centuries market.

Good advertisements have a lot of visual imagery and sounds which make it attractive. These make the advertisement attractive. The companies are not trying to advertise the song. But listening to the song helps create an attraction towards the product. Many advertisements in todays world, ranging from cosmetics to clothes, games to electronics, food to shoes, all have some music in the background which maybe loud or soft. In the end this music is enough to attract the audience and convince them to buy the product. Music is a universal attraction. People all over the world listen to it. Thus by using music in the advertisements, manufacturers are not only making it attractive, but also relating. A good advertisement has music and colorful, visual imagery.

Good advertisements convince the viewer that they need the product. Thus the viewer is tempted into buying the product. This is a very common phenomenon. Electronics is the biggest user of such types of advertisement. People, when looking at an add of a laptop or cell phone get immediately convinced that they need that thing and go and buy it immediately. It does not matter whether they have an iPhone 4, they feel that they need an iPhone 4S just by seeing its add. I once was watching an ad on the TV advertising a new macbook. I had bought a macbook last year, but by looking at the ad I got convinced that I need a new Mac and tried to convince my dad. Women are generally attracted to clothes and cosmetics while men are attracted to electronics and cars.

Simply put a good advertisement convinces you to buy the product it is advertising. It is not an immediate effect but a gradual one.