SDG 14: Life Below Water

If you want to see magic on earth, take a dive and see for yourself the blissful heaven under water. Sadly, the water that connects us all is no longer safe. We are primarily water and we are all sustained by it. Ocean water bodies- their temperature, composition and movement etc. steer the global systems which makes this Earth habitable for us. 

According to WHO around 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their sustenance. However, today we witness the overexploitation of this precious life-giving resource. 

Marine pollution and ocean acidification is majorly a result of human activities. Some measures to contain water pollution include: - 

1. For sustainable future development it is very important to conserve and effectively manage this precious life-giving resource. Besides developing water saving technologies and mark and methods, attempts are also to be made to prevent the pollution. There's a need to encourage watershed development, rainwater harvesting, water recycling and reusing and conjunctive use of water for sustaining water supply.

2. One way of reducing the pollution load on marine waters is by introducing sewage treatment plants. This will reduce the biological oxygen demand of the final product before it is discharged to the receiving waters. Various stages of treatment, such as primary, secondary, or advanced, can be used depending on the quality of affluent to be treated.

3. Polluter pays principle should be adopted so that by looters will be the first people to suffer by way of paying the cost for the pollution. Ultimately, the polluter pays principle should be designed to prevent people from polluting and making them behave in an environmentally reasonable manner.

4. Also, there is enormous scope for replenishing water through recycling. Watershed management can be used for efficient management and conservation of risk of surface and groundwater resources. It involves prevention of runoff and recharge of through percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. 

5. Social awareness should be generated. Rainwater harvesting helps to capture and store rainwater for various uses. It helps to recharge groundwater aquifers. It is in low cost and eco-friendly technique for preserving every top of water by guiding the rainwater to bore well pits and bells.

Clearly, we cannot take water bodies for granted. It is crucial for the survival and sustainable prosperity of mankind. More over the water environment knows no political boundaries. It is being threatened in all parts of the world. We must address the world's water pollution not only as individual says States and nations, but also as members of a greater worldwide environmental community.

 

Impact Of Cultural Appropriation In Preserving Heritage

 

Meet the Death Metal Cowboys of Botswana. In black leather decorated with metal studs, they play a pounding style of music that people who know more than me trace to the British band “Venom” and its 1981 album Welcome to Hell. Question: Is this Cultural Appropriation? Why or why not?

Cultural Appropriation has more than ever become a topic of debate, some arguing its unacceptable while others counter arguing that it promotes cultural exchange. Before we deep dive into this topic, I feel it’s appropriate that we first define the word. According to Oxford dictionary, Cultural Appropriation is the ‘Unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the practices, customs, or aesthetics of one social or ethnic group by members of another (typically dominant) community or society.

At Oberlin in 2015, a Vietnamese student shamed the dining hall into ceasing to serve its version of Banh Mi sandwiches. Instead of a crispy baguette with grilled pork, pate, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs, the sandwich used ciabatta bread, pulled pork and coleslaw. “It was ridiculous …. How could they just throw out something completely different and label it as another country’s traditional food?”

The references to “baguette” and “pâté” in a food product of a former French colony might have tipped off the angry Oberlin student that the banh mi is not quite as traditional a Vietnamese food as she imagined. When this exotic remake of a classic pate en baguette was first sold in the streets of Hanoi, the vendors called it “banh tay”: literally "Western-style bread.”

In as much as some can argue that it is human nature to interact with other communities or people of different identities and borrow some cultural aspects, we need to learn that sometimes there is a thin line between appreciation and appropriation. This is particularly vital when the borrowing does lead to exploitation.  Let’s discuss ways in which cultural appropriation is negatively impacting preservation of cultural heritage.

1.      Exploitation

What has been termed as borrowing for a very long time has been brought to light and it has been identified as exploitation. A good example that is very recent is fashion industries taking cultural pieces and making huge profits out of it without incorporating the communities to which the culture belongs to taking into consideration most of these communities still grapple in poverty. Trademarking is never a solution and absence of trademarks doesn’t mean exploitation is appropriate.

2.      Silencing, Erasure and Misrepresentation

One of the harms of cultural appropriation is misrepresentation which can make a culture come across as untrue or misleading. This can often times breed prejudice and stereotypes. Making a culture seems like a representation of the whole community can often times cause the culture in question to lose its specific meaning.

A Canadian university cancelled its yoga classes as Culturally Appropriating – notwithstanding that most of the strenuous moves taught in a modern class actually originate in Danish gymnastics and British army calisthenics, which were in turn appropriated by Indian entrepreneurs seeking to update yoga from a meditative to an active practice for the body-conscious modern age.  

Cultural Appropriation has often times denied some members of a group to represent or speak for themselves especially marginalized groups and communities. In some instances, it causes erasure, this comes about when it popularizes an action or a piece from a culture but fails to educate on its significance.  

3.      Offense

The damage cultural appropriation causes is not just to a single individual but to a large group and can cause an offense to one’s moral sensibilities.

The fashion industry is one of the major culprits of Cultural Appropriation; we’ve seen instances where models wear bindis, turban and other significant cultural and religious garments as a fashion piece. During the Milan Fashion Week 2018, Gucci appropriated Sikh turbans and Hijab and having non-Sikhs models wearing turbans, which carry great significance for the Sikhs as it’s not a fashion trend rather demonstrates their faith. There was a public outcry calling out Gucci especially considering how Muslims and Sikhs are mocked for the turbans and hijabs and often targeted with violence for wearing them in public.

So, does this mean it’s always wrong to engage with a different culture?

Nope! There are times when it’s encouraged to try something from a different culture. Being invited to an Indian wedding where the hosts are cool with you wearing traditional clothing is not cultural appropriation. You’re invited to take part by people from that culture. So, the all-important ideas of dominance and oppression don’t exist here, which is what makes cultural appropriation a big deal in the first place.

 

 

 

As Selflessness, write a letter to humanity of the First Human's Walk on the Moon

 

Dear humanity,

 

Humankind is a constantly evolving species with an excellent acumen to do better. It was not always like this, you know? Ever since the creation of this tangible universe with intangible elements thanks to the big bang theory, I have seen inhabitants of the planet Earth thriving each day.

 

Life started on this blue planet nearly 3.5-4 billion years ago, from the dominance of the microscopic cells to the existence of a humongous species of dinosaurs, ultimately paving the way to homo sapiens. Life on Earth has turned extinct, only to be followed by the birth of a more advanced species. Humankind is the end product of this evolution that shall perhaps survive the longest on this planet.

 

You start believing in the 'collective good' when you witness a wipeout of living, breathing species at such a huge scale and the emergence of entirely new ones like I have. The ancient species did not characterize my mere existence on this planet, but humankind is something I look forward to observing till the next possible evolution. The current year is 1969, not just another year for an average human. This year has created history in the 200,000 years since the appearance of modern species, and you know my favorite part? I identify as the driving force behind this most significant act of humankind!

 

To be honest, you mortal beings never cease to amaze me. One moment you are leading wars against each other in mere hopes of occupying a piece of land, in other times, you bond with mutual interests, strategies, and understanding. Humankind is by far the most complex species I have come across. But I feel it is only natural that species fostering all the latest developments are bound to have shortcomings. There are always reasons for them to prompt a wrong decision, but you all come together through peaceful alliance and a spirit of nobility at the end of the day.

 

Altruism is innate, but it is not instinctual- meaning to say everybody is wired for it, but a 'switch' has to be flipped.^[1] It is the month of July 1969; I happen to sense an adrenaline rush of excitement and fear. The entire state of affairs is so loud; it is hard to miss it. According to the humanmade leaflets sold on pavements, Apollo 11 had successfully made it to the moon's surface. I am no science-enthusiast, but the universe and its exploration tend to intrigue my psyche. But this was huge; in terms of my entire existence, I had never thought in my wildest dream that humankind would be successful in attaining that mark of absolute advancement. Expeditions like this take many years of planning, execution, predictions only to result in failed attempts, retrials, frustration, and humane agony.

 

So, finally, after completing the space-travel journey of three days, Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin made it to the surface of luna. The moment when Armstrong set his foot on the rocky surface of the moon, humankind triumphed! This epic moment of humanity's mark on the moon was telecasted worldwide.

 

All the crew members safely made it back to Earth, although it is rumored that they escaped a near-collision experience. An anomaly almost killed them while they were returning to Earth. The once-classified anomaly caused a discarded piece of space metal to nearly crash into the crew's capsule.^[2]

 

But as they say- 'all that's well, ends well,' Apollo 11 moon mission has been the most significant victory of the US in its history of technological advancement and innovations. Needless to say, you have exceeded my expectation in fields of dynamism and creation. I believe that the desire to revolutionize a new era of space exploration aroused the 'collective good' of your descendants. It's hard to predict what next significant endeavor you will take in your mission to be developed soundly.

 

The Moon mission was an essential milestone in humankind's exploration of the moon and its darker side, a possible base for future expeditions into space with a strategic planetary traverse. All the efforts by the scientists, engineers, astronauts, technicians, and supporting teams eventually led to the happening of the impossible. With fragments of the moon's soil and other biological elements, the US space administration, NASA, succeeded in getting the first-mover advantage over other countries. Still, the further developments in the course study of the moon and its surface are helping the entire humankind. Can life exist on the moon? Will humankind eventually colonize the whole solar system? Answers to these questions remain disputed, but one thing is confirmed for sure: the selfless nature and direst need to help humankind evolve and grow as collective individuals that missions like this are set as a pedestal to encourage them to do better.

 

The future might be unpredictable, but one thing that I know from my long existence- individuals, nations & countries shall always come together in the end for the benefactor of the entire humankind. That's what makes them humane and a community focused on consistent development and improving morals & ethics.

 

I am looking forward to futuristic, more incredible revelations.

 

Your constant,

Selflessness

---

^[1] David Rakoff on “altruism”

^[2] According to Nancy Atkinson in her “Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions”

Raising Your Vibration

 

The law of nature states that everything has a vibration. If you have taken a Chemistry class you probably remember learning about atoms, and that everything is made up of atoms. These atoms are in a constant state of motion and depending on the speed of these atoms; things appear as a solid, liquid or gas. Sound is also a vibration and so are thoughts.

Everything that manifests itself in your life is there because it matches the vibration from your thoughts. We are so much more Powerful than we know. By understanding how our personal energy is impacted by our thoughts, belief and emotions, we can fundamentally change the way we see the world and become aligned with our ideal life.

As you experience it yourself, you experience that the entire material world is nothing but vibration. When we experience the ocean of infinite waves surging within the river of inner sensations flowing within eternal dance of the countless vibrations within every atom of the body, we will witness our continuously changing nature. All of this is happening at an extremely subtle level. As you experience the reality of matter to be vibration, you also start experiencing the reality of the mind, consciousness, perception, sensation and reaction.

When you look closely into the science behind your vibes; manifesting, vibrations, frequency – all of these words are buzzing as more and more people are opening up to the power of energy and how it affects us. But does this suff actually work? And if it does, how and why does it work?

Do you know that feeling when you are around someone and their presence is infectious? That is called ‘Personal Energy.’ This energy at its core can be used or be transformed into influence over others or events.

Power which by definition in the dictionary is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events; can be used to represent ‘Personal Energy.’ Almost anyone can harness Power. But in order to do so, you would have to play by the rules of ‘Power Games.’ And the perception to these games is very varied and diverse.

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On the other hand, when you are around someone and you just feel drained like you need to shower off the heavy feeling that has taken you over, this is ‘Personal Energy’ at its finest. Researchers at the Heart Math Institute (HMI) in California, study the heart and the amazing role it has in our overall mental wellness. They have discovered that the heart sends out an electromagnetic field of almost 3 feet from your body.

The hearts magnetic field, which is the strongest rhythmic field produced in the body, not only envelops every cell of the body, but also extends out in all directions into space around us. The heart’s magnetic field can be measured several feet away from the body by sensitive magnetometers. Research conducted at HMI suggests that the hearts field is an important carrier of information.   

After everything has be said and done, we are all just energy. The field of quantum physics is a branch of physics that studies matter and energy on an atomic and subatomic level, focusing on the tiniest particles that build the foundation for all life.

Science has shown when you break a cell down, they are simply made of atoms. When you break an atom down, they are made of protons, electrons, neutrons and quarks. When you break protons, electrons, neutrons and quarks down, they are simply vortices of energy. In its simplest form, humans are made up of trillions of cells, cells are made from energy. Therefore, we are all simply energy.

When you hear about raising your vibrations or changing your frequency, people are referring to the vibrations your energy is giving off. Each one of us is vibrating and sending out different energy frequencies at all times. Guess what controls that energy and frequency we emit; our heart and our brain. In other words, the emotions we feel and the thoughts we think. This is why you are hearing so much about the power our thoughts and emotions have on our lives.

The more positive your emotions, the higher your energetic frequency. In ‘David R Hawkins’ book – ‘Power Vs Force,’ he created a diagram of vibrational states based on emotions. To put this in context, think of a time you were experiencing a moment of pure joy, laughter and love; you felt euphoric because your body was physically reacting by releasing different chemical energies of dopamine and oxytocin into your blood. Thus, changing your energetic vibrations. Now think of a time when you were feeling shame, guilt, fear or anger – your body was releasing cortisol or epinephrine into your blood stream, which creates a different energetic vibration, one that feels heavier.

Why We Go Cold on Our Partners

 

The story of the path to coldness in love is well known: We start off full of affection for one another, and then, with time, feelings fade. We start prioritizing work, we check our phones while they are speaking, we don’t especially want to hear how their day went. There’s a popular surface explanation for this kind of emotional frost; ‘that people naturally get bored of one another. In the same way as they get bored with everything else – the gadget that once seemed so amazing, or the film they used to love.’

Going cold is, in this story, simply the unavoidable consequence of familiarity. But there’s another explanation, dark at first, but in the end, more hopeful. The loss of interest isn’t either natural or inevitable. The boredom is something at once more complicated and more active – it exists, because we fell hurt by, angry with or scared of our partner, and because we haven’t found a cathartic way to tell ourselves, or them, about it.

Tuning out isn’t inevitable, it is a symptom of disavowed emotional distress, it’s a way of coping. We’re internally numbed, not just a touch based. This can sound strange, after all we might have no active sense that our partner has been hurting, angry or hurt by us. The idea seems laughable or extreme. It makes our partners sound like monsters or ourselves like weaklings, neither of which is true.

The self that loves in a relationship is not the normal, adult self we know from other zones of our lives. We may mostly be hugely resourceful and resilient, but the person who loves is an infinitely more vulnerable being. We should imagine it like a smaller, younger, more defenseless version of ourselves that lives in our heads and is no tougher and not much wiser than we were babies, which is when so many of our needs for, and ides about love were formed. It is vulnerable self that continues to direct our hearts even if we are 6’2” tall with a pointy beard.

The loving self has a gossamer thin ego. It gets hurt, frightened, and upset with desperate ease. You can deeply distress it by interrupting it during the story it’s telling you about the sandwich it had for lunch, by preferring a book to cuddling, or being a bit tricky about what channel it should watch on TV. Of course, these are, by ordinary adult standards, tiny slights but we don’t love by adult standards. These small arrows are enough to wound the self that loves to its tender, emotional core.

Ideally, of course, the small self would at once point out what’s happened, it would carefully explain that it’d been frustrated and hurt, but mostly it just stays silent. That’s forgivable, it doesn’t properly understand what is wrong, it just knows it is in pain and is driven by an instinct to withdraw and protect itself, which translates into behavior that looks pretty cold. If the adult self had to give to voice to the loving self’s upset, it could sound and feel absurd, which partly why it doesn’t. There can be something especially humiliating in having to say; ‘I don’t feel you took enough interest in the details of my lunch break.’

The parts of us that make themselves vulnerable in love don’t obey the ordinary adult rules. The consequence is that the loving self-dries up; it doesn’t want to have sex, it gets sarcastic and irritable, but it doesn’t even know why it is like this, it isn’t putting on an act, it is confused. 

To learn to cope we need a prominent mutual awareness and forgiveness of the dynamic of sensitivity and distress and commitment to decode it when engagement and indifference descend. We have to create a forum in which so-called minor, love-sucking hurts can safely be aired without the other dismissing, as they always so easily can, the issues at stake as childish or imagined.

The touchiness of the loving self is ridiculous, if judged by the more robust standards of the rest of life, but this is not the rest of life. When we have gone cold, we may not truly have lost interest in our partners, we might just need an opportunity to imagine that we are quietly really rather hurt and furious with them, and we should have access to a safe forum in which our tender and critical feelings can be aired, purged and understood without risk of humiliation.    

 

 

The Role of Fitness Ads in Exercising Practices

The advertising industry has taken over the world. Steadily establishing control over human behavior, thoughts, and actions we have become the product and our attention or action is being sold to the highest bidder. The advertising world first creates demand for products and services and then earns heavily by supplying the same. Every few weeks new trends, technologies, and theories are thrown at people, advertised as indispensable to a healthy lifestyle they take over the market as temporarily irreplaceable. The fad sustains till the next best product is launched for consumption. 

Ads today define fitness in unrealistic tones. By featuring slim and attractive people subject to further digital filters, ads dictate impractical and unachievable features of what fitness and health entail. Bombarding the public with ideas like being size zero and having ‘the perfect body’, infinite demand for an unattainable goal is given form. With the superficial goal of promoting health the industry ironically ends up promoting unhealthy ideas and practices among consumers. 

There are two sides to its effects on people. On the one hand it can inspire a positive change in the public, motivating them to foster a more health-conscious and fitness driven attitude. It can acquaint people to the diverse ways of practicing fitness. On the other hand, the major negative side effect of fitness ads is a general weight and body shape dissatisfaction and insecurity.

Constant anxiety associated with one’s physique and physical appearance coupled with the huge extent of misinformation prevalent in the market the resultant effect is unfavorable. There is a decreased sense of confidence stemming from these goals as they are not only limited by the physical capacity of individual consumers but by also what is scientifically possible. 

Take the ad for HealthifyMe for example, Sara Ali khan stars in it advocating the company for weight loss, “sara ka sara lose kar diya maine”, she says. I find it extremely duplicitous to use the face of influencers to lure consumers into opting for certain services. A famous face with a famous weight loss journey becomes the face of a weight loss company that might not have had anything to do with the results she achieved. I have no problem with company or its goals, I rather feel that it's important, but the advertising is a serious concern as it seeks to deceive people into buying the product. 

I believe that fitness ads play a massive role in exercising practices more negative than positive. Today’s consumer is exposed to an influx of data and media the last thing we need is to be misdirected for profit specially when it comes to matters like health. Everyone deserves the chance to explore what fitness means to than rather than being generalized.