Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: mind

Showing posts with label mind. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

SELF HELP - HOW TO FEEL GOOD

Here is an article from my SELF HELP archives on HOW TO FEEL GOOD

I first wrote this around 30 years ago, but I feel it may still be relevant.

HOW TO FEEL GOOD

Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

Let me begin with a quote from the inimitable stoic philosopher EPICTETUS:

Some things are under our control, others are not

Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle:

Some things are within our control, and some things are not

It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can control and what you cannot control that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible

…Epictetus

THOUGHTS and FEELINGS
Thoughts play a very important role in your life, whereas your feelings can make or break you and also affect the lives of others around you.

We often let our attitudes or feelings hold sway over our lives, rather than let our thoughts govern our lives.

You let your feelings drive your thoughts, not realizing that thoughts drive actions, and actions produce results, and results in turn produce more feelings, causing a vicious circle which may ultimately lead to loss of self-control.

Feelings are not totally controllable, as many times feelings are produced by external circumstances beyond your control, and if negative feelings are allowed to drive your thoughts and actions, then undesirable results may emanate.

These undesirable results in turn produce further not-so-good feelings, and the vicious cycle continues.

This is true for any unpleasant or negative feelings, like anger, envy, worry, disgust or hatred, which tend to drive our thoughts and actions, and quickly take charge of our lives.

An analysis of other options indicates that both actions and results are not suitable alternative drivers since they also are not totally controllable and will not always be pleasing.

The best solution is to establish ‘thought’ as the driver is because it is controllable and we can get good results.

Yes, your thoughts are in your control because you can choose what to want to think about.

Moreover there is a matter of choice.

It is very much in our control to think good and interesting thoughts.

The happiest person is he or she who thinks the most interesting and good thoughts.

The human mind cannot totally prevent poor quality thoughts from arising, but it can choose whether or not to dwell on them.

The mind moves from dwelling on poor quality thoughts by selecting alternative beneficial or pleasant thoughts to focus on.

Choosing to be driven by thoughts and then controlling those thoughts allows the best possible results.

Positive thoughts lead to good performance (the right actions), which yields desirable results, which in turn produces good feelings.

Good feelings are conducive to better thoughts and progressively this positively re-enforcing cycle facilitates a high degree of self-control and an overall feeling of happiness.

When good thoughts are combined with good potential the results can be remarkable.

Thus, the very basis of self-control is refusing to allow our feelings to control our responses and dwelling instead on good, pleasant, joy-producing positive thoughts.

Develop and apply your skill to control your thoughts.

Certain NLP techniques like Swish Pattern are highly effective in achieving this.

Achieving Positive Thinking by gaining mastery over controlling our thoughts and letting our thoughts govern our lives.

Good Thoughts will make you Feel Good and these positive feelings will make you perform Good Actions which will produce Good Results - that is the key to a happy and healthy life.

To summarize, Dear Reader, remember:

LET THOUGHTS DRIVE YOUR FEELINGS

NEVER ALLOW YOUR FEELINGS TO DRIVE YOUR THOUGHTS

THAT IS THE KEY TO A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE

It works.

You can take my word for it.

And it is easy, because thinking interesting thoughts is within your control and not dependent on outside circumstances.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. These are my personal views. Please use your own due diligence because they may or may not work for you.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR - COGNITIVE BIAS

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Cognition and Cognitive Biases

VIKRAM KARVE

The term cognition refers to a faculty for the processing of information.

It is the process of perceiving, thinking, reasoning, analyzing and remembering.

Information is the value or quality of a message or communication between a sender and a receiver.

Data is observation of facts.

Information is a collection of data from which conclusions may be drawn and decisions taken and knowledge acquired.

Understanding Human Behaviour is sine qua non for the successful design and implementation of Soft Systems (Human Activity Systems), Management Information Systems and, indeed, all Information Processing Systems.

Human behaviour plays an important role in human information processing.

It must be remembered that Information Systems are not installed in a vacuum.

Information Systems are implanted into a living body, an organisation, in Human Activity Systems.

Human beings are being continuously exposed to an enormous number of stimuli.

Cognition of all the stimuli is not possible and most stimuli are eliminated by a complex cognitive process.

Even perceptions may be subject to cognitive biases.

A better understanding of human information processing enhances the usefulness of information technology and systems.

A FEW SALIENT COGNITIVE BIASES

Here are a few salient cognitive biases which affect information formulation, acquisition, analysis and interpretation:

Adjustment and Anchoring – In situations of information overload there is a tendency to resort to the anchoring and adjustment heuristic and to rely too heavily, or “anchor” on a past reference or on one trait or piece of information when making decisions.

For example, you may emphasize too much on the first piece of information you encounter.

Selective Perception – You accept / absorb only that information that is in consonance with, or confirms, your views, beliefs and values.

Wishful Thinking – You interpret information according to what might be pleasing to imagine (as you would like things to be) rather than according to actual evidence or rational logical reality.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy – is the tendency to engage in behaviors that elicit results which will (consciously or not) confirm our beliefs.

You seek, acquire and analyze only that information that confirms or lends credibility to your views and values and ignore any information that contradicts your views or values.

This is a “Confirmation bias” exemplified by an irrational tendency to search for, interpret or remember information in a way that confirms your preconceptions.

Ease of Recall – Information which can easily be recalled or accessed affects your perception of the likelihood of similar events occurring again.

You rely too much on information that is easy to recall from memory.

Conservation – You reach premature conclusions on the basis of too small a sample of information.

Order Effects – The order in which information is presented to you affects information retention in your memory.

Typically, the first piece of information presented (primacy effect) and the last piece of information presented (recency effect) assume undue importance in your mind.

Overconfidence – The greater the amount of data the more confident you are about the accuracy of the data.

Availability – you only rely on and use easily available information and ignore significant information that may not be so easily sourced.

Bandwagon Effect – you develop a tendency to believe information because many other people believe the same information.

This may be a manifestation of “Groupthink” and you tend to “jump on the bandwagon”.

Hindsight – you are unable to think objectively if you receive information that a certain outcome has occurred and then told to ignore this information.

With hindsight, outcomes that have occurred seem to have been inevitable; sometimes this is called the “I-knew-it-all-along” effect, the inclination to see past events as being predictable.

You see relationships more easily in hindsight than in foresight.

Habit – You choose some information because it was previously accepted for a perceived similar purpose (precedence syndrome) or because of superstition.

Illusion of Control – You develop a tendency for to believe you can control or at least influence outcomes that you clearly cannot and hence you will seek, interpret, process and use information accordingly in an irrational manner.

Gambler’s Fallacy – You falsely assume that an unexpected occurrence of a “run” of some events enhances the probability of occurrence of an event that has not occurred.

You develop a tendency to think that future probabilities are altered by past events (when in reality it is not so) and process information accordingly.

Déformation professionnelle – you tend to process information according to the conventions of your own profession, forgetting any broader point of view.

You fall victim to the Law of the Hammer which states that:

“When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail”

This may happen owing to overspecialization or too straitjacketed professional training which hampers a liberal broad perspective.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

Did you like this blog post?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

WHAT IS BREAD - Wit and Humor

WIT AND HUMOUR

WHAT IS BREAD
An Apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE

All the seven ministers of the King accused the court jester and wise man Mulla Nasrudin of talking nonsense under the guise of imparting wisdom.

So the King summoned Mulla Nasrudin to the Darbar and asked for an explanation.
“Your Excellency,” Nasrudin pleaded before the King, “Please permit me to ask just one question to your seven wise ministers. I want them to write the answer on a piece of paper and then give it to you.”

“Have paper and pens brought,” said the King.

Paper and pens were brought and distributed to the seven ministers.

Mulla Nasrudin looked at the seven ministers and said:

“O wise men, each of you please write the answer to this simple question on the paper and give it to the king:

“WHAT IS BREAD ?”

The seven ministers all wrote their answers and the papers were handed to the King.

The king read out the answers one by one:

The first wrote: Bread is Food

The second said: Bread is a combination of flour and water exposed to the heat of a fire

The third wrote: Bread is a gift from God

The fourth wrote: A punishment food served in prisons with water like bread and water

The fifth wrote: There are so many kinds of bread. Which one do you mean?

The sixth wrote: Bread is a Nutritious Staple Food

The seventh minister wrote: Full of calories, bread is bad for health and best not eaten

On hearing these answers Mulla Nasrudin submitted to the king, “Your Majesty, how can you trust these men? Is it not laughable that they cannot make sense of something they eat every day, yet they are unanimous that I talk nonsense…!”

Dear Reader, now I am confused.

Please tell me your definition of BREAD.

What is the moral of this story?

You tell me.

I will give you a hint: “What is a house?” - a home, a shelter, a place to live in, an investment, a status symbol, an aesthetic structure, a thing of beauty ... a house is so many things to so many people,

It is the same with other things, tangible (like say a car), or even intangible, like marriage - a marriage may mean different things to different people - for some marriage may mean happiness, companionship, security and for some marriage may be a traumatic relationship and for others marriage may be a business proposition.

The actual entity in ground reality may be the same, but each of us have different paradigms in our mind of the way in which we view that entity through the lenses of our mental filters.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like reading this story?

I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my book COCKTAIL an anthology of Short Fiction.
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Friday, January 4, 2013

WIFE SWAPPING BY SIGNAL PROCESSING

WIFE SWAPPING BY SIGNAL PROCESSING

A Sci Fi Story

ELECTROPHORESIS

VIKRAM KARVE

From my Creative Writing Archives:

Science Fiction - Sci Fi - an experimental story.

I wrote this story long ago - more than 15 years ago - in the mid 1990s.
This story also features in my anthology COCKTAIL
Do let me know whether you liked the story.

Failures avoid school reunions.

It is painful, and shameful, for a loser to be in midst of winners.

But this time I decided to go.

Sucheta would be there.

She had rung up from New York.

And of course her husband Anand was also coming with her.

Maybe that was the real reason I wanted to go.

It was fifteen years since we passed out from school and the reunion was a grand affair in the best hotel at this picturesque ‘queen’ of hill stations on the slopes of the awesome mighty Himalayas where our school was located.

As I said the reunion was followed a lavish dinner and dance party for ours was an elite and famous boarding school, valued more for its snob appeal rather than for its academic excellence.

‘Bookworm’ was an exception.

He had topped the board exams and had become a distinguished scientist, always inventing something mysterious and experimenting something esoteric.

“Hi, Bookworm,” I said. I was genuinely happy to see him.

“Moushumi,” he said angrily, “my name is not bookworm. My name is Doctor Kedarnath Joshi. So don't call me Bookworm. I don't like it. I am a full-fledged Professor.”

“Okay, I'll call you Professor Bookworm,” I teased him.

“That’s better,” he said, with smug look on his face.

“So, Professor, what are you inventing nowadays?” I asked.

“I’m researching in the frontiers of Psycho-cybernetics.”

“Pyscho-what…? Stop the mumbo jumbo, Bookworm. Tell me in simple language. Who are you and what do you do?”

“Okay. I am a neurologist. A psychiatrist. A psychologist. And I also hold a doctorate in Electrical Engineering. Currently I am researching in mind-transference,” Bookworm said proudly.

“Mind-transference…?” I asked confused.

“You have seen star-trek haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

“There they transfer persons in space. H G Wells’ time machine transferred entire persons in time,” he said.

“Time Machine…you’re making a time machine…?” I asked incredulously.

“No..No… I am working on something more complicated…Brain Transfer…I can put your mind into someone else’s body and vice-versa – that is, someone else’s brain into your body!”

“It sounds very spooky to me. Is it ESP…? Or some kind of occult stuff…?”

“Not at all,” Bookworm said, “Nothing supernatural, esoteric or mystical. It’s a purely scientific technique. I’ve developed a pilot system for trials. The machine is upstairs in my hotel room. Why don’t you give it a try?”

A strange curious wicked thought crossed my mind. I surveyed the expanse of the majestic ballroom with my eyes and soon my eyes found Anand.

His dashing physique and his magnificent beard made him look prominent in the crowd.

He looked a decisive, hot-blooded and dangerous man, but he also looked vulnerable.

He wore a lonely and rather perplexed expression, as though he were at the party but not enjoying it.

And beside him stood his wife Sucheta radiating the natural pride of possession that any woman feels when she has the ownership and company of a man that other women desire.

I reminisced. There were four of us who grew up together. The same group of classmates and friends - in school and in college - Anand, Mohan, Sucheta and Moushumi (that’s me) – the famous four – inseparable friends. All of us loved each other.

I had the first choice since both Anand and Mohan were desperately in love with me and both had proposed to me.

I chose Mohan, leaving Anand for Sucheta.

And since that moment I kept tormenting myself wondering if I had made the wrong choice.

Physically I lived with Mohan but longed for Anand, repenting, and trying to imagine what my life would have been like if I had married Anand instead of Mohan.

I looked at Anand, and then at Bookworm.

Serendipity...! Yes. It was indeed Serendipity... pure luck...

I felt the adrenalin rush.

This was my golden chance to find out what life would have been like if I had married Anand... and I was going to seize the opportunity.

I waved out to Sucheta and five minutes later both of us were lying side by side on the double-bed in Bookworm’s hotel room.

There was a mesh of wires with electrode-transducers connected to our heads (like an EEG), a laptop-like special computer and a briefcase-size electronic device which Bookworm described as the ‘Electrophoresis Signal Processor’.

“Good,” Bookworm said, “both your brainwave frequencies are in ‘beta’ state around 15 hertz. I’ll give you both a high frequency burst to momentarily raise your brain-states to ‘K-Complex’ and instantaneously commence the electrophoresis.”

Looking at me, he said, “Moushumi, you will be Sucheta as far as the outside world is concerned. So when you wake up, go straight to Anand. Let’s see if he suspects.” And then to Sucheta he said, “Sucheta, you go straight to Mohan. He will think you are Moushumi.”

“It’s dangerous. I’m scared,” Sucheta said.

“Come on, Sucheta. Be a sport. It’s just for fun,” I said.

“It’s not fun. We’re doing this experiment to validate my research – in vivo – to see if the concept of mind-transference it works. Just for half-an-hour,” Bookworm said, “then both of you come back and I’ll reverse the process, everything will be the same as before, and you can leave as your own total selves – your same mind in your own same body.”

I closed my eyes in trepidation wondering whether I was doing the right thing. Suddenly I felt my brain go blank and then there were vivid flashes in a void.

Half an hour later, when I was in a state of ecstasy, in seventh heaven, gliding in Anand’s strong arms, enjoying the dance, in blissful trance.

Bookworm suddenly appeared by my side, started tugging my arm and telling me with urgency in his voice, “It’s time. Let’s go, Moushumi.”

“Moushumi…? Why are you calling her Moushumi…?” an incredulous Anand asked Bookworm.

“She is Moushumi,” Bookworm said pointing at me.

“Are you drunk or stoned or something…?” Anand snapped angrily. “Can’t you see she’s Sucheta, my wife...? Moushumi must be with her husband Mohan. I last saw them having a drink near the bar.”

Instinctively I turned and looked towards the bar.

I could not spot Sucheta.

Nor was Mohan there.

I hurriedly scanned the room.

There was no sign of them.

They had disappeared.

Bookworm was in a state of panic and he started shouting incoherently:

“Anand...Anand...Try to understand...Your wife Sucheta has gone away with Mohan. And this lady here in front of you is Moushumi – Mohan’s wife. This is only Sucheta’s body. Inside her is Moushumi’s brain. Moushumi’s mind is in Sucheta’s body. My in vivo experiment was successful – my psycho-cybernetics discovery is validated – the mind-transference has been achieved...!”

“Psychocybernetics …? Mind-transference …? Stop talking nonsense …!” Anand shouted angrily at Bookworm and taking my arm he said to me, “Come on Sucheta. Let’s go. Bookworm has gone crazy. And it’s getting late. We’ll drive straight down to Delhi. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow before we catch our flight back home to New York.”

As we walked through the parking lot towards the luxury limousine Anand had hired for his visit I noticed that ‘our’ car was missing.

It was cold and I glanced at ‘our’ small cottage on the hill slope for the last time.

‘They’ were probably cuddling up in ‘our’ bedroom by now.

I thought I was smart, but it was Sucheta who played the double game.

For me it was only a half-hour experiment, but Sucheta had upped the ante and turned the tables on me.

Will Mohan ever find out?

And what about Anand?

Will he continue to think I am his wife Sucheta?

Will this psychocybernetic mind-transference last forever? Am I beyond the point of no return?

As I think of my future, I shiver with tremors of trepidation.

From now on life is going to be a tightrope walk.

Every moment I’ll have to be on my toes.

I’m excited…very excited…and a bit terrified and scared too.

It’s going to be dangerous fun.

But one thing is sure.

Now I will really know what life would have been like if had I married Anand instead of Mohan.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

Did you like this story?

COCKTAIL ebook

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

SELF HELP - HOW TO FEEL GOOD

LET THOUGHTS DRIVE YOUR FEELINGS

NEVER ALLOW YOUR FEELINGS TO DRIVE YOUR THOUGHTS

THAT IS THE KEY TO A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE

Sunday, November 10, 2013

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR - COGNITIVE BIAS

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

WHAT IS BREAD - Wit and Humor

Friday, January 4, 2013

WIFE SWAPPING BY SIGNAL PROCESSING

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