Honing the grey cells for our own good
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Nerun Yakub
A former US Secretary of State in the 1970s had predicted that with the help of advanced science and technology, a more 'controlled and directed society' would gradually appear in the world, and it would be dominated by an elite group that had mastered superior scientific know-how. He warned that 'this elite would not hesitate to achieve its political ends by using the latest modern techniques for influencing public behaviour and keeping society under close surveillance and control'.
The indefatigable MIT linguist-philosopher and critic of powerful governments, Noam Chomsky, has no illusions about their proclivity for mischief. Those who have kept their grey cells in good order would clearly make the connections in today's world, a world where people's consent continues to be manufactured and 'democracy' managed by the powers-that-be ! Not understanding this phenomenon means remaining at the receiving end of all kinds of manipulations, tests and experiments that the 'elite' can freely conduct on millions of guinea pigs.
The potential for tests of everything under the sun ---- drug development, chemical, biological or electromagnetic radiation and wave tests, mind-altering, behaviour-controlling, slave-making and what not. The scope is indeed limitless with 21st century technology specially in socio-economic envionments like ours. Not all such interventions would be benign, warn well-wishers on the net, and advise keeping ourselves informed so that we know what's hitting us when it does!
Unfortunately, the attitude among the 'educated' in this beloved country is, 'What I don't know isn't knowledge!' Power lies in real knowledge, not in merely going through the motions in so-called seats of higher learning and acquiring degrees that have little to do with enlightenment or education. Indeed, if 'Digital Bangladesh' is merely linked to hardware and mechanical button pushing minus the minimum scientific knowledge, we would simply be as good as dumb herd, controlled by marketing managers bent only on selling their ware, and guaranteed trouble-shooting jobs for their own technicians. Cynics see little difference between rodents in the closed lab and the low-tech, poorly educated citizens in Bangladesh's huge experimental field !
Mercifully, the recent achievements of Dhaka University scientists and their team in sequencing the entire genome of the jute plant gives us some reason for optimism. It tells us that given the right impetus Bangladesh's grey cells can and do function optimally. Nonetheless, our education in general certainly needs catching up with what is graded as 'world class' sooner rather than later. In this, initiatives like drawing young people to the reading and appreciation of world literature, math and science based competitions, help fill the gap somewhat.These worthy activities deserve replication in all schools and colleges.
It is quite depressing however if one finds the state of the 'mind' in Bangladesh being judged by the quality of politics and governance in general, and all that thrives under that canopy. For then it seems the thinking class is surely becoming a diminishing breed. The once glorious 'Oxford of the East' has been reduced to just a 'certificate shop' instead of a truly creditable university offering knowledge-based education. Many would not mince words, calling it a theatre for tribalism and thuggery in the name of politics, where mentors and disciples outdo one another !
There are complaints from within the DU itself, that real education and quality research have been put on hold in most departments. Nonetheless, it was a shock to find that none of Bangladesh's universities featured in the 2009 Asian University Rankings ---- not even among the first 500 ! This index, prepared by a higher education consultancy, Thomson Reuters Foundation in the UK, showed that ten of the top universities were in China and Hong Kong while Bombay's pride, the Indian Institute of Technology, was ranked at number 30.
Decision-makers should look into the details to find out where we have gone wrong. After all, the South East Asian countries were at the same level as us in the 1960s when the then East Pakistan had pledged to invest on education. Half a century on, things have gotten worse, not better. According to the TRF analysis, Chinese science showed 'awe-inspiring' expansion since 1981 because of well thought-out government investment at all levels, beginning from schools to postgraduate research.
In addition, efficient flow of knowledge from basic science to commercial applications was assured and the government adopted a pragmatic approach to tapping the talents of non-resident Chinese resource persons. Expatriates were offered flexible packages which enabled them to make the most of both worlds ---- at home and in foreign lands. These win-win deals attracted brains back to their roots which have been identified as the main reasons behind China's scientific leap.
Bangladesh Science Academy could similarly bank on the pool of scientists that the country has at home and abroad to start a sustained movement to build the brainpower of Bangladesh. It is essential that the mindset for research and development be inculcated in the young with knowledge-based activity so that, in a few generations it could begin to transform Bangladesh. Everyone need not be a pundit to have a system which could deliver a truly knowledge-based education. Just a core of learned men and women with the heart in the right place will do, to serve both the country and other centres of excellence abroad. But the general poverty of the intellect must be overcome if we are to keep pace with 'elite' science and technology in laymen's terms at least, and to understand how the 'militarisation' of such knowledge can be used against people and the environment.
A former US Secretary of State in the 1970s had predicted that with the help of advanced science and technology, a more 'controlled and directed society' would gradually appear in the world, and it would be dominated by an elite group that had mastered superior scientific know-how. He warned that 'this elite would not hesitate to achieve its political ends by using the latest modern techniques for influencing public behaviour and keeping society under close surveillance and control'.
The indefatigable MIT linguist-philosopher and critic of powerful governments, Noam Chomsky, has no illusions about their proclivity for mischief. Those who have kept their grey cells in good order would clearly make the connections in today's world, a world where people's consent continues to be manufactured and 'democracy' managed by the powers-that-be ! Not understanding this phenomenon means remaining at the receiving end of all kinds of manipulations, tests and experiments that the 'elite' can freely conduct on millions of guinea pigs.
The potential for tests of everything under the sun ---- drug development, chemical, biological or electromagnetic radiation and wave tests, mind-altering, behaviour-controlling, slave-making and what not. The scope is indeed limitless with 21st century technology specially in socio-economic envionments like ours. Not all such interventions would be benign, warn well-wishers on the net, and advise keeping ourselves informed so that we know what's hitting us when it does!
Unfortunately, the attitude among the 'educated' in this beloved country is, 'What I don't know isn't knowledge!' Power lies in real knowledge, not in merely going through the motions in so-called seats of higher learning and acquiring degrees that have little to do with enlightenment or education. Indeed, if 'Digital Bangladesh' is merely linked to hardware and mechanical button pushing minus the minimum scientific knowledge, we would simply be as good as dumb herd, controlled by marketing managers bent only on selling their ware, and guaranteed trouble-shooting jobs for their own technicians. Cynics see little difference between rodents in the closed lab and the low-tech, poorly educated citizens in Bangladesh's huge experimental field !
Mercifully, the recent achievements of Dhaka University scientists and their team in sequencing the entire genome of the jute plant gives us some reason for optimism. It tells us that given the right impetus Bangladesh's grey cells can and do function optimally. Nonetheless, our education in general certainly needs catching up with what is graded as 'world class' sooner rather than later. In this, initiatives like drawing young people to the reading and appreciation of world literature, math and science based competitions, help fill the gap somewhat.These worthy activities deserve replication in all schools and colleges.
It is quite depressing however if one finds the state of the 'mind' in Bangladesh being judged by the quality of politics and governance in general, and all that thrives under that canopy. For then it seems the thinking class is surely becoming a diminishing breed. The once glorious 'Oxford of the East' has been reduced to just a 'certificate shop' instead of a truly creditable university offering knowledge-based education. Many would not mince words, calling it a theatre for tribalism and thuggery in the name of politics, where mentors and disciples outdo one another !
There are complaints from within the DU itself, that real education and quality research have been put on hold in most departments. Nonetheless, it was a shock to find that none of Bangladesh's universities featured in the 2009 Asian University Rankings ---- not even among the first 500 ! This index, prepared by a higher education consultancy, Thomson Reuters Foundation in the UK, showed that ten of the top universities were in China and Hong Kong while Bombay's pride, the Indian Institute of Technology, was ranked at number 30.
Decision-makers should look into the details to find out where we have gone wrong. After all, the South East Asian countries were at the same level as us in the 1960s when the then East Pakistan had pledged to invest on education. Half a century on, things have gotten worse, not better. According to the TRF analysis, Chinese science showed 'awe-inspiring' expansion since 1981 because of well thought-out government investment at all levels, beginning from schools to postgraduate research.
In addition, efficient flow of knowledge from basic science to commercial applications was assured and the government adopted a pragmatic approach to tapping the talents of non-resident Chinese resource persons. Expatriates were offered flexible packages which enabled them to make the most of both worlds ---- at home and in foreign lands. These win-win deals attracted brains back to their roots which have been identified as the main reasons behind China's scientific leap.
Bangladesh Science Academy could similarly bank on the pool of scientists that the country has at home and abroad to start a sustained movement to build the brainpower of Bangladesh. It is essential that the mindset for research and development be inculcated in the young with knowledge-based activity so that, in a few generations it could begin to transform Bangladesh. Everyone need not be a pundit to have a system which could deliver a truly knowledge-based education. Just a core of learned men and women with the heart in the right place will do, to serve both the country and other centres of excellence abroad. But the general poverty of the intellect must be overcome if we are to keep pace with 'elite' science and technology in laymen's terms at least, and to understand how the 'militarisation' of such knowledge can be used against people and the environment.