Google, Facebook and you!

You are manipulated!

How many of you know that Facebook and Google already know what you want to buy or they can even force you do that by posting Ads in your wall or in your browser search. You might think that it's a "Wow!" thing, but it is not. They trace your behavior once you log on to a Social Media site and gather as much information as they can and the next time you enter the site, you are shown with Ads about brands that either your friends liked or based on the likes you have clicked.

Say for example, I have a friend who really likes dressing well even for normal occasions. Her wall flows with Ads from Myantra, Voonik and many other online shops. At one point of time, she becomes so familiar with certain brands of clothes or a boutique or a fashion shop. When she is about to buy something, she go to their website directly. Hey! dude, you know what? Google and Facebook win a millions of times a day, like this. For her, its a dress or shoes. But for them, its business, money.

Not being a fashion freak, I am interested in short stories and cliches, which I can relate to. You can see my wall overflowing with that. Facebook does a good job for me in that aspect (But, I should admit, I am gettin bored of it now!). And again, when I was exploring one of my friend's page, her's was full of colorful photos. That was different for me. OMG! Why am I not getting those things in my wall? I questioned myself. Haha! Then I realized that I don't show so much interest in those kind of photo things in my Facebook or any other SM sites, except when they are from really close friends.

This field of predicting people behavior or manipulating them is what done now. All around the world, by all the big giant companies. They call this field data analytics. There are jobs being created every now and then in every company, be it IT or Finance or whatever: naming it Data Scientists, to find what you do online and how it can be turned towards their benefits. They fetch you a decent pay too.

Branding?- Nope, its Psychology!

Why do you think Apple became a symbol of pride? The answer is that, they spent a lot of money branding it. The company literally made you believe that "They-are-the-best-phone-makers-in-the-world". May be they are. But, still I believe that no other company has ever went so much to the subconscious level of every human being in the world and made them believe that way. Though there are Memes mocking Iphone's costs,

[I have 1 for u here]

Any techie thing other than Apple's makes you feel less. Doesn't it? Even if some people say "no", I continue to stick on to it.

Because, it is the truth. Steve Jobs have done a good job. The difference between the online branding and him is that he used his own Public speaking and soft skills for that. Now, every branding is done with/through your personal data. I think Steve Jobs is better in this aspect. I forgive him.

Its not just about your "Wow, Google says it all/ Facebook shows me what I want to see." It's Psychology. The digital media penetrate your subconscious level and make you buy things you will never think of buying. They, in general use it well to gather a lot of money for their pocket by doing that. At some point of time, it might turn dangerous, coz, they will say/show  what they want you to see, which has another English word called : Dictate. Its not happening now. But, it's possible.

You believe what you hear again and again!

Sathiya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft has given every Indian a hope, that they can be not just a part, but the CEO of big companies at US one day. Even I have this weird notion that every student, who goes to study at US at some point of time, becomes an employee of Microsoft. To break my belief was Sundar Pichai, who became the CEO of Google. This assumption came into existence inside me coz, I heard a lot of people saying stories about their son or daughter (Proudly!) and about some of their relative's son or daughter (Not a tinge, but with a ton of jealousy!), who settled after an MS in US, with a job in Microsoft.

You believe what you hear again and again. Don't you? You are just a residue (That's my next article's title. Haha! If you read this article properly, you know what I am doing!) in this big world. Not because there are lots of other people. But because, your every single decision and choice are influenced heavily by what you are said by others, again and again. And the worst thing is that, you never know that you are being manipulated when you enter SM sites. (Hey! That sentence is scary I guess). Technology is powerful, useful and all that. But, remember to be careful. Don't become a slave of it. That's the thing I wanted to say, exactly : Be careful! (With me too ;-) )

 Ufff.. You are bored. I know! Fine, I end it here! The next will be more interesting I promise.

Next: 
You are just a residue 
Not about digital media for sure! The main objectives would be
1. To show how people you meet and unmeet influence your choices and decisions
2. How the real human touch persists in certain things, even today?!
3. You are not alone!
A completely different one from what you read now.

Thank you note:
Thanks to one of my best buddies +Vivek Anand, who created an interest in this field of Data Analytics. I came to know about them better, because of him and it helped me a lot with this piece of writing.


Information sources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/
                                  www.cousera.org

Funding for a cause

"As of now, what's the status in Chennai?"

Someone would post and 

"Yeah dude! Its still raining."

Someone would reply in a comment.

Or

"wats happening there? do you need volunteers?"

"Yes we need sm 15 people to go to Mudichur area. sm1 interested? We have lots f things to provide lik rice, dresses, bedsheets"

"Yes, my friend is there. i ll ask him to ping u n a few mnutes wit sm area guys."

The first is the situation in Facebook groups and the second is a depiction of conversation in Whatsapp groups and chats.

My group Help Chennai! then changed to Help TAMIL NADU!

Chennai Rising- named someone.

Its TN. Even Cuddalore and other districts have to be considered said someone else.

The range of help Chennai has provided to itself can never be depicted in words. The integrity and love felt by every human soul in and around the city and how it helped other districts in TN should have touched infinity by now. The people from Karnataka, Kerala and other states and even from abroad, who collected funds for the people in one way or the other and risked themselves to make sure it reached the right people were remarkable. Many people who left Chennai during the first stages of rain (first week of December), has expressed their guilt for not being able to participate actively in the rescue and volunteering operations. The problem lies here.

The fact that the help is pouring from everywhere is true. And the fact that you might be lead down by some false requests and your money or things might get wasted on that is also equally true. Funding for a cause is not a bad idea at all. Actually it’s the best thing you can do. But, to whom you are giving and how authenticated their information are, is under question when you are at a long distance and if you cannot verify the data provided by them, then it’s not worth spending time on. It will not reach any people for sure.

I just want to mention here, how I came across the real volunteers near my place.

I started a group called Help Chennai! in Whatsapp on Dec 3. I added all my friends from schooling to college to workplace. Those people in that group had no idea who the hell the other one was. But still they all remained together. May messages were shared regarding the weather, immediate need of things at various places and need for volunteers and works of volunteers in badly affected areas. I wanted to donate things, but had no idea how to find out the rescue camps or volunteers. That is when my friend Aravind (College mate) came to my rescue. He referred his friend- Santhosh, who had already collected and given relief materials through Collector office for Kanchipuram district. Even before this I had been given names of volunteers, but I did not go for it because I did not have any sorts of verified or authenticated messages. Here was this boy from Kanchipuram, who was a close friend of my good friend. So why would I not consider this? I did. He messaged me, calling me Akka. There was this conversation about his volunteer group’s next day visit to Chennai and then we ended it saying the things would be collected by tomorrow.

To say frankly, I am not a person who believes anything until it happens. So, even after this conversation and even after I felt comfortable with this bro, I did not prepare my bag for them to collect.

The next day morning my friend called me to inform about the where-abouts of his friend. I thought Santhosh would come and collect from me. Then, I had been messaged by two other people from Santhosh's group at 9’o clock. Then there was no communication. All the networks went dead and I thought like they would never reach me. Now I had made my bag with some of my dresses and shawls and bags from other houses were getting into my home to be given to the people in relief camps. I got excited and panicked at the same time. What if these people could not turn up? 

The only good thing that was positive at that time was that I had given my address to all the volunteers I came in touch with in Whatsapp. Then suddenly when I returned from the other flat collecting things, I saw two of the people standing there with the bags from my home. So finally they were there. I didn’t even have the time to learn about their residence and all that. It was my father who told me about where they were from. I could get their name. That is all I could get. Later learnt they were from the next street. I was informed about where the materials would be delivered and to whom. After which another friend of mine-Roshan, who lives near my place came to deliver things like cups, tracks for men and the same above mentioned things happened again the next day. These volunteer boys made a point that they worked in shifts. I was astonished by their commitment and organisation even in the heavy rain.

I have to thank Aravind, Santhosh from Kanchipuram, Mary and Shaym and their friends from Adambakkam and to people in their group and my group who listened and did whatever they could. Thanks to my neighbors, who donated even their new dresses and blankets and beds.

I am proud I have been a part of it. I will be a part of it in the future too, for this doesn't mark the end. We are just a dust. The rest, Chennai knows, sorry Tamil Nadu knows. 

If you want to contribute make sure it's a trusted end and it reaches the right people.

Fund for a cause.

But, make sure you go with/to the right set of people.

In the pursuit of myself!!!

Life is not full of butterflies and flowers.

Yes. It is not.

But the way you see the thorns and bumps also makes a difference.

You cannot walk on the thorns. Sure you cannot.

And you cannot go smoothly in a bump. No you cannot.

But you can always change the perspective,

With hope, yes you can.

After my last exams of undergraduate,

I had choices.

I had enough of it than anyone else.

I chose to not to choose hastily.

I waited, I tried new possibilities.

It was one good day,

I was suggested to do what I loved.

It was a friend, a well wisher,

And a person who gives a constant source of encouragement,

Okay, a good combination of all.

I thought I had my calling. Yes, it was. 

But, it was not easy.

I had bad times,

But it was less than anybody's, who did not have anything to choose.

I gave up one of the opportunity to become independent,
And I was scrutinized by more and most people.

I went to a state of depression.

I had to walk on thorns sometimes,

I never stopped.

So were some of my friends, going through the same phase of their life.

To remind me that I was not alone in the bizarre bumpy ride.

I was inspired by the optimism and hope they had.

Knowingly or unknowingly they shared it with me.

Thanks to them, their presence has made me who I am today.

I find solace in here.

A thing I love the most.

I had a different experience in all.

I am now identified as a person who can convey the thoughts reasonably well,

Through a medium called writing.

Some of my friends call me with a writers name I admire.

And I react like I do not want to accept that.

But I love it.

I am no longer an under graduate to the world.

I am an amateur writer now, a blogger.

I am seen as a person, who is living the dream.

And I don't want to hide, but admit that I am proud.

In the mean time,

I have found angels in people.

I have found that people will remain in my life, my family, no matter how terrible my decisions are.

I have found people, friends, who can make my bumpy ride funny,

I have found people who not only make but keep promises.

I have found that eventually some people will judge,

And I can accept that criticism,

Change myself for my own good if I really should or ignore them for the same reason. 

I have found the value of time.

I have found the value of belief.

I have found butterflies in the middle of thorny path,

I have found fragrance of flowers in the middle of emotional numbness. 
I have an identity now. 

I have found that dreams can eventually come true.

I have found a new start.

A success is not defined by how much money you earn.

It is defined by the amount of happiness experienced after doing the work.

And the self-urge it gives us to take up the responsibility of breaking the own achievement.

After posting every article,

There lies a sense of satisfaction.

After receiving a good or bad comment for my article,

There comes a sense of responsibility to develop in every way I can.

True that I don't succeed often.

But I try to develop after every step.

Now,

From the middle of nowhere,

I have got something what I longed to have,

What I waited for.

So true that it is going to be challenging to keep up between blogging and that.

But I know the value of a dream taking shape and an opportunity to make myself independent.

They are equally important in a person's life. 

It is the way to give a mutual back up to both the things.

And hence will hold on to them very tight.

I am not perfect, I will not be,

I am not the best, I will not be,

But I will never give up on trying to be one.

I promise to people who were there and supported me,

I will grow and make you proud, no matter what it takes from me,

And will be there with you through thick and thin,

To support and love the same way you did.

A note to people who left,

I am no longer worried about you.

Thanks, I can concentrate on who really cares.

Life teach lessons.

We, just, should have the patience to learn.

Rome was not built in a day.

So does human maturity.

I cannot say that I have got all of the maturity to handle the world right now.

But I can say it has evolved to some extent.

And this is just a start.

With hope,

In the pursuit of myself,

A human in the making, with the support of fellow humans, the world and the above,

Who are already great or deserve to be great in their own way.

Secular India and meat bans…

My article might be considered out of date for people who think that this intolerance topic and meet bans started two or three months back. But, if you see in a long run, I am too early to write about this because the New Year is nearing and the government would have to start the ban all from the first for the same festival will be celebrated next year too. And no way can the media remain silent about this. How could that happen? They would nag some unknown faces representing the right, left and center, gather some filthy comments from all of them and run those comments again and again until the viewer believes that it was the view of the entire party.

Small and sensible

India is a secular country, said my Civics book when I was in 10th grade. I was also explained what secular really means. As far as I understood, we live together with our Muslim, Christian and Buddhist, Jain, Parish and many other counterparts. It was said that Indian constitution treats all the religions equally and the beliefs of one should not be a great concern for the other. I also remember studying about one of the fundamental rights, 'Right to freedom of religion’.

Before my Civics book, it was my school which always insisted that we should say the prayer of other religions on any one of the days and we did, because there were no big concerns about what God we prayed to. It was about the unfinished home works from which we always wanted to escape. I never felt a difference between a Diwali and Ramzan or Pongal and Christmas as every festival gave me holidays and there were new films on the Television which hooked me to it. 

There were friends, whose believes were different from mine, on God and food. They still chatted with me and laughed with me and my Tiffin box was stolen sometimes for it was packed with some really delicious vegan foods. I have seen my childhood friend, who was supposed to be a vegan like me, ate non-vegan foods from other friends who brought it. The food was not shared based on religion. It was really based on which Tiffin box carried the delicious food. There was no big drama about what should be eaten by whom, as long as everybody had something good to eat.

Right to food

As and when seen in my personal opinion, what others tongue loves to taste is in no way a concern for a person next to him. I have learned that the freedom of one person ends at the tip of the other person's nose. A tongue lies at a far distance according to this point. 

To those who ruled

We think that this meat ban started this September, when the Maharashtra government tried to ban beef for 8 days during the Jain festival. People forget history. This ban was put during the same festival by the once ruling, now opposition party led government too, which talks about the intolerance among people.

To those who are ruling

Politics and vote banks play their dirty games everywhere, forgetting the fact that the head of a party (ruling or opposition) or a state or a nation should respect the fundamental rights of every citizen, ‘Right to life’ upon every other rights, especially in this case. The present ruling party has to learn this lesson before anything else. They were not voted majority for nothing.

To the artists and rationalists
Returning awards is a way of showing your concern in any matter. But who are getting affected? This pressure placed on the government would not be enough. There are people, who really need to understand that all have equal rights to practise their religion or taste of food. An article in one of the famous newspaper about the people community in Mumbai stuck me hard, when it portrayed how some people really exhibited their bitterness and prohibited establishment of meat shops or hotels and restaurants of non-vegan foods in their locality. How would returning awards change those people?

Real concern

And don’t forget the media. They have a great part in blowing up things to improper proportions.  No end to this. The constitution will remain the same and promises will be made in the next election by parties to create a secular India, a less intolerant one and probably with no meat bans. Oh! Yeah. We were, by the way, never secular in past. Were we?

There are bigger problems to concentrate. I hope the party; whichever is in power (in the state or central) or comes to power, understands that and acts according to it.

I WISH

I wish...

~From the heart of a man in love

I wish...

My eyes passed you, just like it passed those thousands of people standing in a railway station,

I wish...

You never dragged my heart with you,

You never replied to my messages in Facebook,

You never believed me, when I offered to be just good friends,

You never gave your number to me,

You never picked, when I called to see if it was your number,

You never gave me treats,

You never shared your happiness and sorrows with me,

You never raised your voice for me,

You never called me your best friend,

You understood my love as love,

I wish...

I had enough courage to confess to you that I loved you, 

I knew you were in love with another man,

I wish to get my heart back and my memories erased,
I wish to have a rebirth, just to fall for you one more time,

I wish you to be happy always!!!