How brave you are for slowing down.
For not finishing that to-do list.
How courageous you are for not crossing that finish line, because your body said "enough.”
How fearless you are for choosing the quiet of your soul, over those voices driving you always towards more.
How rebellious you are for
honoring your own natural rhythm,
going against the culture’s breakneck speed.
We tend to make heroes of those hungry with ambition, relentlessly doing, producing always more
We applaud those who refuse to stop or rest. Who push themselves so hard in the name of achievement, that they sacrifice their body and soul and heart in the process
We celebrate those who are ill or aging but never show it, never slow down, never reveal a moment of vulnerability.
This drivenness can be heroic, at times. It can be necessary for our survival or the greater good.

But,
I want to make heroes of those who slow down.
I want to make heroes of those who listen to their bodies, who do not strive for more than what the soul truly needs.

I want to applaud those who may not be driven towards success as we know it, but instead are nurturing something deep and subtle within their soul
I want to celebrate those brave enough to cease all doing, even for a second, and sit with the ache in their hearts. A task many find harder than summiting the highest peak.
I want to make heroes of those who honor their limitations.

It is truly an act of courage and rebellion to do any such thing, in a world demanding you resist your own self, your own rhythm, your own soul..

So We finally hear the call towards what serves our soul, and what then will serve the world. Nothing more, nothing less.
A hero is simply someone brave.
So come, be softly brave.
Be a new, quieter kind of hero.
Few may applaud, it’s true, but your soul certainly will ..

~ Leyla Aylin ~

What is Israel's reserve army and who can join it?

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

Choose a religious tradition other than your own. How would your religious beliefs , rituals, and experience differ if you had been raised in that tradition?

#FoodForThought

Time Management

🛑 Tonight's Zoom Session on Paper-2 (2023) has been postponed to Friday due to unforeseen circumstances.
Thank you.

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

1. Have you ever used social media to participate in an online campaign? If so, how did you participate -- by donating money, for example, or attending a fundraising event?

2. How might you use social media in your own career?

#FoodForThought

🔵 Zoom Session Recording for Sociology Paper-1 (2023) Discussion

https://vimeo.com/872985165/f700c22579?share=copy

🔆 GLASS ESCALATOR 🔆

The term "glass escalator" is often used in sociology and gender studies to describe a phenomenon where men, particularly in female-dominated professions or fields, tend to rise through the ranks more rapidly than their female counterparts. It suggests that men experience an "upward mobility" effect in these professions, similar to how someone on an escalator moves up without much effort.

The glass escalator is a concept often applied to areas such as nursing, teaching, social work, or other traditionally female-dominated fields. It highlights the idea that even in professions where women are the majority, men often face fewer barriers to career advancement, and they are more likely to reach higher positions or receive preferential treatment.

This concept underscores the ongoing issue of gender inequality and the challenges women face in their careers, even in fields where they are in the majority.

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

Should youths who have been convicted of violent crimes be subject to the death penalty? Why or why not?

#FoodForThought

🔆 SANDWICH GENERATION 🔆

The term "sandwich generation" refers to a generation of adults who find themselves responsible for simultaneously caring for their aging parents or other older family members and their own children. These individuals are "sandwiched" between the needs and demands of two different generations, often facing the challenges of caregiving for both aging parents and dependent children.

Members of the sandwich generation typically have to balance various roles, including providing emotional support, financial assistance, and coordinating healthcare and other services for their aging parents, while also meeting the needs of their children. This situation can be emotionally, financially, and physically demanding, and it is a significant aspect of the caregiving landscape in many societies.

The concept of the sandwich generation underscores the importance of addressing the evolving needs of both the elderly and younger generations and the potential strains it can place on those in this caregiving role.

🔵 Environment Justice and Caste after Liberalisation | Economic and Political Weekly

https://www.epw.in/engage/article/environment-justice-and-caste-after-liberalisation

This article discusses the interrelationship between environmental justice, caste, and liberalisation. The deep natural, social, and cultural processes involved in the making and unmaking of environment and labour in a caste-capitalist economy impact people’s sense of freedom, belonging, and values. It uses the brick kiln industry in the Jhajjar district of Haryana as a case study to explore the impact of liberalisation on the use of labour and the environment, which reproduce or repudiate structures of hierarchy. The article also investigates how migration of people and capital, promoted by liberalisation, affects the rights and dignity of labour and the sustainable use of natural resources. Economic restructuring post liberalisation is not only perpetuating discrimination and disparity in the economy but also aggravating climate injustices, where Dalits are increasingly facing the impact of rise in emissions and heat in their working and living areas.

🔆 The Man In The Arena 🔆

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

Does virtual culture erode or enhance our cultural traditions? Is that good or bad?

#FoodForThought

'One Nation, One ID' for school students? Govt to roll out plan
Read more at: https://dbrief.news/d/2mCqN

🔆 F.A.I.L means First Attempt In Learning 🔆

🔵 Zoom Recording for Sociology Paper-2 (2023) Discussion

https://vimeo.com/874128947/3754d35d80?share=copy

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

In what sense do highly paid people benefit society? In what ways do they not?

#FoodForThought

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

Have you ever used a smartphone for your own or someone else's safety during an emergency or natural disaster?

What are the effects of having (or not having) this technology in such circumstances?

#FoodForThought

🔆 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🔆

Do you know anyone who has stolen out of need? If so, did the person feel justified in stealing, or did they feel guilty? How long did the theft continue?

#FoodForThought

🔵 ISA by Althusser (Doubt)

Louis Althusser, a prominent French Marxist philosopher, developed the concept of the "Ideological State Apparatus" (ISA) as part of his broader theory of ideology and the state. The ISA is a key element in Althusser's attempt to understand how societies are structured and how power is maintained. Here's a brief explanation:

1. What is an ISA?
Althusser introduced the idea of two main types of state apparatuses: Repressive State Apparatuses (RSAs) and Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs). RSAs, like the police and military, maintain social order through force and coercion. In contrast, ISAs are institutions that primarily function through ideology and ideas to control and influence individuals in society.

2. Examples of ISAs:
ISAs encompass a wide range of institutions and practices, including the family, education system, media, religion, and cultural institutions. These institutions play a crucial role in shaping individuals' beliefs, values, and behaviors.

3. Role of ISAs:
Althusser argues that ISAs serve the ruling class by spreading dominant ideologies and maintaining the existing power structures. For example, the education system imparts knowledge and values that align with the dominant class's interests, while the media can influence public opinion in favor of the ruling class.

4. Interpellation:
Althusser also introduced the concept of "interpellation," which is the process by which individuals recognize themselves as subjects within a particular ideology. This occurs when individuals internalize the beliefs and values propagated by ISAs. For example, in a capitalist society, people may identify themselves as "good consumers" or "hardworking citizens."

5. Reproduction of Ideology:
ISAs are essential for the continuous reproduction of the existing social order and the domination of one class over others. They ensure that individuals conform to the norms and values of the ruling class, thus perpetuating the status quo.

6. Limitations:
Althusser's theory has been criticized for its deterministic and structuralist tendencies. It has also been challenged for not adequately addressing the agency and resistance of individuals in the face of ideological conditioning.

In summary, Althusser's concept of the Ideological State Apparatus is a central component of his theory on how society is controlled through ideology. It highlights the role of various institutions in shaping individuals' beliefs and behaviors to maintain the dominant class's power and interests.