New task or old task

Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks.

Of the two options - doing things again which I have already done well and trying new things, I will like to choose to try new things and take risk. There are several reasons behind my choice which are explained below.

First of all, doing some old thing which I have already done in a remarkable way is surely a boring task to do. To do that task in a superior way, I must have done that several number of times. Without performing that task more than once, I would not have got mastery in that task. Therefore, if somebody tells me to do that task as I can do that well, I will simply refuse to do so. Because I will not get any new experience by doing that same task. I cannot taste something new by again executing same problem. Instead, if I do something new challenging work, I would rather gain a new experience. For an example, in my office, I have already mastered one algorithm. I have solved many problems by dint of that algorithm. So my boss tends to give me only those tasks which can be solved with that algorithm. Here, I am not able to experience or learn some other method of solving problems. Therefore, I wish to take another problem which can be solved with some other method.

Secondly, by doing some new things and take risks, I can gather much knowledge. If I continue to do some old thing, my knowledge gathering will be stalled. To me, if someone does not increase his/her knowledge, then he/she is stagnant. That kind of people will be of little use to the society. By involving with something new, by taking risk, we can acquire precious knowledge. This knowledge will help us to lead a better life. We can also pass that knowledge to our posterity. For an example, while driving I try to explore some new route. Most of the days I end up circling around same point. But, sometimes I found one quick route to go to some place. If I would have taken same route every day, I could not have known that such route exists. So, my knowledge about the routes increased by taking a simple risk. Like this we should take risk and try new things in other fields of our daily life too.

Finally, to perform any task, some amount of skill is required. That skill will be developed, when we do that task again and again. At some point the skill will be at apex. Then, there will be nothing to develop to perform that task. So, to develop another skill, we have to try new thing. In today's society, to survive smoothly, multiple skills are needed. Because, may be, some day or other the only skill someone developed will be obsolete. That day, the person will have nothing to do to earn his/her livelihood. If he would have tried new things beforehand, he would have grown some other skills which might be useful in stressful days. For an example, in the time of recession, all bankers and software engineer lost their job in USA. But, people who had mechanical engineering or construction engineering knowledge, continued to survive. So, if a software guy would have learnt little mechanical or civil knowledge then he would have little sorrow on those days.

Therefore, to make a gist, it is advisable to try new things and take risks because by doing so, we can make ourselves and our society better in many ways.

Large or small company

Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer for a small company. Which you would prefer?

If I would have been given a choice between working in a large company and a small company, I will definitely choose to work in the small company. There are various reasons behind my choice. Those are summarized below.

Firstly, in a small company there are less number of people. If there are less number of people around, there will surely be less number of opinion over a matter. Therefore, it will be easier to come to a consensus in a small company. On the other hand, in large companies, there are more people who will throw their own opinion and it will be tougher to decide one policy or something like that. Moreover, in small farms, as there are less people, it is possible to pay attention to everyone's opinion. Nobody will feel left out there. But, in large industries, it is almost impossible to do so which I personally don't like. In fact, who does not want to share his/her opinion? So, in small companies, scope of contribution in terms of decision making, is much better.

Secondly, every well-established company should have a well-structured team, be the company small or large. Now, in large companies, generally in lower level, people are asked to do some regular work like filling XL sheets properly, maintaining data etc. These works just take time. These require minimal special knowledge or brainstorming. On the other side, as there are less number of people in small companies, everyone has more responsibility. Everyone has to be focused on building team. Somebody has to do some low profile jobs, but he/she too has to take some responsibilities towards building team or towards betterment of the company. This task of taking responsibility will eventually teach many traits to the people. People will get experience more form this. That will help them in real life also.

Finally, as small company does not spread in the market more, they have less dependency on current situation. But, the large companies have such dependencies. If situation goes wrong, then large companies will collapse all of a sudden. Employees in large companies will lose jobs. But, small companies may not suffer much in some adverse situation as they had little correlation with current market and hence they have learnt to stand on their own foot. For an example in the time recession many large US companies like Goldman Sachs, Deustche Bank, underwent bankruptcy. But, then also small companies were alive.

So, to summarize, for having a better place to contribute, a better working environment, a less dependent job I will prefer to join small company. 

Learning facts vs learning ideas

It is more important for students to understand ideas and concepts than it is for them to learn facts.

I totally agree with the statement that it is more important for students to understand ideas and concepts than it is for them to learn facts. I will explore various reasons behind my agreement.

First of all, students are very quick to grasp anything they read, listen or experience. Now, there are number of facts they come to know in course of their study. They can learn or memorize all of them. But, many facts may have similar underlying ideas or concepts. So, if the students start to assimilate those concepts instead of the facts, they can gather more knowledge in same time. For an example, the questions - "Why ice floats in water?" and "Why parachute does not free fall?" has the same answer which is the principle of buoyancy. That means, those two facts have same underlying ideas. So, if a students understand that principle correctly, then he/she does not have to waste time to learn those facts separately.

Secondly, facts are temporary. Those will not be asked anywhere except during the examination. Student should learn something from the ideas or causes of those facts. From that ideas he/she can make impact on his/her own life. For example: a student can readily learn about Abraham Lincoln's personal life or his credits. But, it is necessary to understand the ideas of Lincoln's or what made him Abraham Lincoln or what was in him which brought revolution in the history of USA. If a student can capture all the periods of his failure and how Lincoln overcame those failures to get success, then he/she would be possessing more wisdom than anyone. Moreover, the student can implement those roads of success in his/her life.

Finally, memorizing facts is very much painful and confusing. Student can gradually start to lack interest as learning mere facts may seem dull to him. Then he/she will study just to pass an examination. Proper motivation of education will be destroyed then. Schools will then create many Encyclopedias instead of scholars. This is dangerous for society. Because, to evolve society or make improvement within society, people who have practical knowledge are need. People who just have memorized some bookish facts are no use of the society.

So, to make education proper, to convert students to responsible citizens, to make our livelihood smoother, stress should be given to grasp ideas and concepts instead of facts in schools.

Mode of travel

Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people’s lives.

·         Automobiles

·         Bicycles

·         Airplanes

There are many modes of transportation which have evolved in last few decades. To me, the transportation which changed people’s lives most is Airplanes. There are several reasons behind my thought which are described below.

Firstly, now-a-days airplanes is the quickest vehicle for transportation. Previously people used to rely on motor vehicles which took much time to traverse required distance. Now, if someone has to go somewhere very urgently, within a short notice then he has to move fast and airplane is the best possible way to do so. If he availed other automobiles, then he might not reach destination in time and it would be a big loss to him.

Secondly, to cover long distances like from one country to another or one continent to another, airplane is the first option which comes to our mind now-a-days. As airplane made this travel easier, the relationship between two countries has been better in many ways. For example: now countries can do import-export business between them very quickly and in much simpler way. Moreover, other countries’ political characters are now able to make a frequent visit to a country. US president Barack Obama’s recent visit in India is one of the example of such growing relationships.

Apart from that, people can travel to other countries very easily now. Previously, to visit foreign countries, ships were the only means to do so. By visiting other countries, we experience a different culture, different lifestyle and so on. As, people are now able to travel to other countries very easily, it is also profitable to countries having heritage sites like Cambodia, Vietnam; natural beauties like Switzerland, France; cultural diversities like Egypt etc. So people are now visiting foreign countries to have some lifetime experience and Airplanes only are making that possible in an easy manner.

So, to make gist, Airplanes have changed peoples’ livelihood as a whole. Distance is not a matter of bother due to advancement of airplanes.

Money - what should we do?

Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in future?

When people earn money then he can do two things with that money – either he can spend all the earned money towards enjoyment or he can spend the minimal amount and save the rest for future. I would prefer to keep a balance between these two. Basically to me it is better to follow little enjoyment and much saving when we are young and the reverse when we grow old. There are several reasons behind this opinion.

First of all, when we are young, we are full of energy. If we start enjoying too much, then definitely all the earned money will drain out. There will be nothing left for future. Now, for future money is indeed needed. Because, the fact that today we can earn does not guarantee that this earning is permanent. So, to make survival sure for the future, at younger age we should largely save the money we earn. On the other hand, if we are old, there are very less to think for the future, unless we think about posterity. But to me, old people should not restrict themselves from enjoying the money they earn and should leave their next generation independent.

Secondly, when we are young we should also think for our family and their well beings. We should prepare for their sudden illness, children’s education and so on. If we expend every penny behind enjoyment, then we would have nothing or very little left to execute those and we may face problem then. So, for that we should not expend unnecessarily much for our enjoyment. At old age, children will mostly be adult and they then can live their own. Moreover, children can take care of their parents. So, that time, if we earn money then we should not hesitate for enjoying.

Lastly, money is never all about only enjoyment or saving. It is something bigger than that. There is a huge part of society who cannot earn money as much as someone needs for livelihood. If we think that we have much money for enjoyment, then for some moment we should stop and thinking their situation, we should utilize some money towards them – like donating in some trust etc. That may also be some sort of enjoyment, when we will think that we are contributing toward the mankind.

So, in a nutshell, money should be attempted to save as much as possible when the future seems to be wider because nobody can tell what will happen tomorrow.