It is clear. Literacy, digital literacy, and AI literacy for all. Like the alphabet, script. Like writing pen. Like the printing machine. Like electricity. Like mobile phones. Like laptop, notebook. Does it shape our lives, our future, or does it shatter our lives? Can we give more control to AI, like the way we did – more control to written words, or can we take more control on AI? Is the data with AI systems safe, secure? Can someone steal the data? Are the models robust, non-compromising, and non-sabotageable?
What is the significance, relevance of these Rose, Propose, Chocolate, Teddy, Promise, Hug, Kiss, and Valentine’s Days. Valentine’s week. A tradition, a practice that slowly crept in. The degree and extent fluctuates every year. Some do it loudly, some silently, some do not care. Some do not even realize. Some hate it too. Many argue against its commercialization, hype. Over commercialization. Isn’t it time we live love 365 days a year, in all the years to come? Our living, livelihoods, leadership, learning, and caring – aren’t they for forever? Across all our relationships with living, non-living, with ourselves, partners, friends, peers, colleagues, coexisters, and nature in its various nuances – micro to macro.
A three-time Kumbh participant, my friend Deepak Upadhyay’s tips on Maha Kumbh include: be ready for long distances of walking 8-12 km; travel light, maybe with just backpacks; carry water, dry foods; keep ID with copies; keep the mobile fully charged; keep a rope to hold on as a group everywhere; keep small cash adequately; keep an emergency medical kit; try bike services; try train options; do not try to carry a large amount of ‘holy’ water; carry adequate warm clothes; and may use strapped sandals/shoes, rather than slippers.
Three ways out. One way is staying in the comfort zone, stuck in the existing paradigm. Gradually becoming irrelevant, less useful. Fading out paradigm. Here, we are preserving the status quo by hook or crook. Without any questions. We listen to new possibilities, ideas et al, may be in the passing, without taking them to their logical end: trying out. Our self-assessment, assessment by the immediate teams, is way off the mark of the assessment others have. We ‘manage’ day-to-day. We raise our hands eventually. We give up in due course.
There is a second way. We just be disciplined soldiers with no choices, slaves. We get paid for doing good work and we take no ownership, responsibility, or accountability for whatever happens. We are safe. We differentiate our work with our other life significantly. We care less what we are doing. Maybe we look for – do-able, legal, safe, secure, status et al. We retire, relax as we reach an age when our physical bandwidth ends. Most of us tend to be here.
There is one more way. Heading towards evolving new paradigm(s). We are in unlearning and learning mode. We venture out of our comfort zone even if it is not easy. Maybe, we nudge our way. We keep trying new possibilities, new ways. Maybe, in small ways. Our assessment of ourselves is not in wide variance with others’ assessment of us. Can we make the choice to be here? Do we have this freedom, out of the existing ‘bondage’? Can we be this way? Consciously, deliberately, and willingly? If not already there, can we nudge ourselves into this way?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. Free from bonds, limitations. In N? Uttamapathayoga for 7L.
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