[Fsf-friends] this may be off topic but ..

[Kush]

Kush wrote:
>
> That would really help making Indian role models, establish pride in 
> hacking or do it yourself culture. A few things we lack terribly are --
> 1 how to work in teams
> 2 how to resolve conflicts  and understand why and how they happen
> 3 present or communicate properly/intelligibly
> 4 not sharing information --phenomena of extreme competitiveness (crab 
> mentality)
> 5 readily acknowledging our peers
> and
> 6 making a welcoming environment for newbies or laymen
>
>
and I must add that
7 we need to have acknowledgement/acceptance for being different or 
multidisciplinary (or well rounded). e.g. we never talk about our chaps 
having interests other than nerdy interests (things like soothing or 
inspirational music etc specially classical raga or western instrumental 
etc or gardening as a great hobby for the typical Indian nerd)

Gardening, golf, fishing, trekking, adventure sports, literature, the 
arts, music, team or individual sports (except cricket) or martial 
arts--tai chi, yoga, breathing techniques, gourmet food etc etc are 
generally not associated with typical Indian nerds. Gardening 
particularly is looked down upon but it has a very therapeutic and 
balancing effect for a person who is exposed to electromagnetic 
radiation for hours at a time.

Our research universities etc (except for the IITs, IIMs and older 
universities etc) do not have the kind of open tranquil space to walk 
and think, potter around, sing, enjoy or relax as compared to the 
university campuses in the west which gave researchers enough space in 
their own living places or bungalows to live comfortably and have other 
interests.

Our typical nerds are sort of factory assembled or regimented products 
not being exposed to (or tolerant of ) different streams of knowledge or 
viewpoints whereas westerners come from all walks of life (lawyers, 
jurists, artists, finance people, management people, mathematicians, 
doctors etc etc) into the technical fields now.